Top 10 Tips for Presenters

I attended a presentation this morning on the subject of social media, especially as it pertains to business. Sponsored by the Village of Oak Park, it was a free event, very well attended (80+?). A timely and popular topic, to be sure.

The publicity for the event said "The workshop will focus on how to use social networking and media sites to market products and services."

As a large part of my business has turned to consultation for my clients in this very area, I was eager to attend, perhaps get some pointers or info to add to my arsenal of tools I use for my clients.

There were two presenters -- one of whom I know and respect very well. Matt Baron of Inside Edge PR (www.InsideEdgePR.com). Matt always brings great energy, a sense of humor and value to his work and his part in today's presentation did just that. The other presenter, a digital marketing professional, however left me wondering what happened to basic presentation practices. Unfortunately, he just did not have the advanced knowledge needed to present effectively, nor did he possess some "presentation basics." It left me wondering if more people wouldn't benefit from a return to those basics, so here was my "top 10" list that I twittered as they ocurred (or didn't).

TOP 10 Presentation Tips

10. ALWAYS have attractive, professional handouts summarizing your content. Include your business "elevator pitch", website, social media links & contact info. Include a bonus for contact that occurs through this event (a freebie).

9. Make your Powerpoint attractive. ALWAYS put your logo & name on each slide. Lots of stock backgrounds out there -- why use a generic color? Even better, get a custom Powerpoint background designed with your logo.

8. Know your audience. Ask "how many", "who does", "where" -- and most importantly, "who knows about" questions. Take a poll (even on-site as the meeting begins)and find out what your audience wants or needs. Address that. Be flexible.

7. If you are showing live sites as part of your presentation, use a tabbed browser and have each site open and ready rather than typing in urls.

6. Divulge some "insider" information. Let your audience know that you are the expert, you have the knowledge & resources that make you a pro.

5. Don't assume your audience knowledge. Define your subject and the basics either during the presentation or (especially) on your handout.

4. Give people your agenda. Tell them what they will take away from this experience. What you want them to know or understand.

3. Give people your agenda. Tell them what they will take away from this experience. What you want them to know or understand.

2. Leave your audience with a list of resources: books, links, experts to look up, people to follow and get help from. (Including defining how YOU could help them.)

1. Audience interaction. Ask them questions. Point to someone & use their case as an example.

Bonus tip:

ALWAYS, always offer/ask for feedback, evaluation, ratings. Have a form on paper or postcard that asks for their name & email and if they got any value, had comments or questions that needed follow-up.

The next blog: Facebook, Linked In and the other guy.... downplaying Twitter is a BIG mistake.

Linking

A few months ago I was able to link Blogger (blogspot.com), LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube seemlessly and effortlessly. Just this evening, I attempted to do the same for a new client's blog.

ROADBLOCK

Where did it come? In Facebook.

Facebook is the application, that in my opinion, is poised to lead the social media/networking world into a new era. The combination of personal and professional use, the professional pages, the accessibility to the "new" generation of computer-savvy age --- all point to Facebook's unique combination of useful, fun and easy-to-use interface and applications.

That was, until recently. Facebook, for whatever reason, has morphed into a Twitter clone. Casting aside the overwhelming feedback of its loyal fans, Facebook has decided to head down a new, streamlined (oddly - more confusing) interface. Annoying enough as a user, but very disturbing to a media marketing professional trying to help clients navigate this new Web 2.0 world.

The huge selling point of Facebook for my clients was the ability to link (easily) to blog feeds, Twitter and LinkedIn. Being able to post ONCE to a blog, photo site, YouTube, or Twitter and have those feeds connected to a Facebook profile was what made Facebook the leader in social media and networking. With the new interface, those feeds are buried, or gone. Hmmmm... maybe Facebook is just a social app after all.

Idol Dreams

YouTube - Ysgol Glanaethy: O Fortuna - Last Choir Standing Final - BBC One


So what does "Idol" have that these young people don't? There are things they may have in common... a love of music, singing and performance. But what this choir has that I haven't seen in the idols is a depth to their music and performance. Singing in a choir means they're not just imitating someone else's style or sound, but they're really learning music, developing an ear, a sense of pitch, a total musical understanding -- styles, repertoire, and a sense of teamwork. Knowing that each one of them is a part -- a vital part -- of a whole choir, a community.

There's comeradery, responsibility, energy and love in that community. These singers raise their own bar, daily, not to make themselves stand out, but to make the whole group better. There is power in this. And there is humility in this.

Our nation worships idols on many levels. The castles of pop stars and their producers speak volumes. We tithe billions to the temples of sports teams. Parents push their kids from the earliest ages to "participate" in sports. I use the word "participate" loosely here because really, it is all about winning. We've been conditioned to want the victory and nothing else. Admit it. It's just not fun if you don't win.

But what if we enter a world where the boundaries of victory are stretched as wide as the equator. Where subjectivity rules, and decisions (favorites) are based on a whim, a mood, a smile, a look, an emotion. Scary thought? Yet this is the world of music and art -- a world that has moved and inspired populations, eras, regimes.

Yet our culture denies its importance.