PPT - Powerful Presentation Techniques

How Twitter is Being Used at Conferences

09_edumedia

New Article at IBMadison - Advancing by Retweeting

Are you interested in learning how to use Twitter as part of your social media strategy?

If so, you might find my new blog posting at IBMadison -"Advancing by Retweeting" interesting.  The posting gives you 12 key steps to get going with Twitter.  It also analyzes some of the local, national and international businesses in Madison, Wisconsin that are using Twitter and briefly looks at some of the credit unions around the United States that are using Twitter.

Still confused about Twitter terminology? 

See this very informative post "The Non-Fanatical Guide to Twitter" from Deanna Zandt, that defines a tweet, retweet, #hashtags, followers, following, direct messaging, etc.  For additional resources related to Twitter see Scott Williams' blog posting "105 Twitter Tools".on BigIsTheNewSmall and for ideas on how to use Twitter in business, see Meryl Evans posting "62 Ways to Use Twitter for Business" at Web Worker Daily.

Happy tweeting!

Paul J Gibler, MBA
the Web Chef
@thewebchef

Enjoying this blog? You can follow me on Twitter @thewebchef

Are you enjoying this blog?
 
If so, you might be interested in some of my more immediate postings on Twitter.  

I cover a range of presentation, social media, communications, branding and e-marketing topics with new tweets throughout most of the day.

Paul J Gibler
@thewebchef

I'm back...from a blogging hiatus

I've been on a self-imposed blogging hiatus. 

I needed a break from blogging and had to re-evaluate the reasons that I blog.  I started this blog and my other blog, the Web Chef's e-Bytes, to share my perspectives and the resources that I've identified on the topics covered in each of these two blogs and to position my expertise as a subject matter expert.  Through this positioning and sharing, I hoped to generate interest, inquiries and ultimately engagement for my services as a communications consultant. 

The question I kept asking myself was "am I getting the return I expected from my blogging investment?". 

While I get plenty of psychic returns from the act of blogging and enjoy the process of writing and sharing my perspectives, I wasn't generating very much new business from my blogging activities. As a sole proprietor, my time is valuable, so I needed to think how blogging fit in my sales and marketing mix.   After a good deal of thought and procrastination , I've come to the conclusion, that even without significant new business generation, that the act of learning and sharing through my blog is valuable enough to continue my blogging endeavors.

So... I'm back and I'm looking forward to joining the dialog on the latest trends, techniques and perspectives on effective presentations skills. 

If I can be of any help with your communications initiatives, drop me a line.

Paul Gibler

The Disgruntled Employee, PowerPoint and Viral Marketing

Philebrity and The Globe and Mail have coverage of a PowerPoint presentation that was put together by a Comcast Customer Service agent explaining the "What doe CQE (Comcast Quality Experience) Really Mean" that highlights some of the significant problems that are being experienced by Comcast customers.  Philebrity actually posts the PowerPoint show, while Toronto's Globe & Mail comments on it.  While the presentation doesn't follow guidelines I'd suggest for an effective live presentation, it certainly serves as a tool for creating a story that you can read about CQE.

This story reminds me of other ways that PowerPoint and YouTube are being used to spread a message of dissatisfaction not only by employees, but even more importantly by customers.  One example of this that I saw several years ago was in a PowerPoint presentation ("Yours is a Very Bad Hotel")that a disgruntled customer created trashing their experience at a specific hotel that was part of a big chain in 2001.  Given that this PowerPoint presentation was created before the days of slide sharing tools like Slide Share and Authorstream the distribution occurred through e-mail and viral marketing of the slide show as it was re-mailed over and over again. 

Two points of interest - 1.) you can still find this PowerPoint presentation by doing an Internet search and 2.) when I gave a presentation in early 2002, I referenced this as an example of "negative viral marketing" and asked if anyone had seen or heard of this presentation.  In that audience of around 100 people 4 - 5 people had heard or seen the presentation.

Do you have examples of how PowerPoint has been used in this fashion that you'd like to share?

Enhancing Your Meetings and Conferences With Web 2.0 Tools

Are your meetings and conferences fully utilizing web 2.0 tools to connect and engage with customers?

I had the pleasure of presenting a keynote on ways to incorporate these tools into your meeting armamentarium at the 2nd Annual National Conference on University and College Conference Centers that was held earlier this week in Tuscaloosa, AL. I've posted the slides here using SlideShare to showcase one way that your meetings can be enhanced i.e. osting and sharing your meeting slides using a slide sharing tool like this. Beyond online slide sharing, there are many ways that your meeting and conferences can be enhanced using web 2.0 tools like online video, photo sharing of meeting attendees, blogs, wikis, social network site groups, etc.

If you'd like help with figuring out how to incorporate these concepts into your next conference, drop me a line or call me in the U.S. at 608 255 4092.

Buzz Networks:conference engagement with social computing tools

View SlideShare presentation (tags: social computing conference tools)

New Column in Wisconsin Technology Network - 5 Fearless Technology forecasts for 2008

I've written a new column in the ongoing series of Buzz Network columns for Wisconsin Technology Network.  The new column "5 fearless technology forecasts for 2008" looks at 5 key trends or forecasts that will be impacting e-business and marketing in 2008. 

1. Niches
2. Multi-channel content delivery
3. High design and hybrid technology enhancements
4. Web 2.0 implementation
5. Changing consumer behavior

Paul Gibler
the Web Chef
ConnectingDots

An offer from Mimeo - on demand printing

I was at PPTLive 07 last week and happened to sit next to the VP of Marketing, Jeff Grill  and National Account Manager, Chris Ilardi from Mimeo, the largest on demand printer.  They were one of the sponsors of the Conference and received kudos from Rick Altman, the Conference organizer, for their service and attention to detail in printing the Conference books for a number of years. 

Mimeo offers next day delivery of printed documents that can be ordered over the Internet.  Their printing facility is in Memphis near the FedEx hub.  They are set up with Kodak Nexpress printers for 4 color work and Docutechs for black & white work.  They explained and demonstrated the service as one where you simply upload your documents, add them to your library and order the components including binding you want for a given job.  You have a chance to proof your job with a WYSIWYG interface and can ship copies to as many locations as you like.  The online interface will show you the order size, printing costs and delivery fees in the shopping cart.

Special Offer for New Buyers
Mimeo has allowed me to extend an offer to new customers of $100 off your first print job.  To take advantage of this offer, you can visit Mimeo and enter the Promotion Code 123print or else call them at 1 866 389 0480 and use the Promotion Code TryUsOut.

Blog Posting - Small Business Times Milwaukee Biz Blog

I've written a brief posting for the Small Business Times Milwaukee Biz Blog on the importance of developing a Web 2.0 strategy "Your Company Needs a Web 2.0 Strategy".  The posting is the first in a series of periodic postings I'll be making to the Small Business Times blog and follows the publication of a similar article in the print version of Small Business Times. 

New Article in Corporate Report Wisconsion

Corporate Report Wisconsin (CRW) has published a new article that I wrote for their March issue titled "Social media on Web ready to make, shake or break your business".  The article provides insights on the impact of Web 2.0 on business today. 

Unfortunately CRW doesn't offer all of their articles online, so I can't provide a link to it for your review.  You'll find similar but expanded insights, perspectives and links to examples in the ten columns I've written in a series called Buzz Networks for Wisconsin Technology Network.