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Guy Kawasaki is a brand name on the [...]]]> PowerPoint is a mainstay from the corporate board room to outreach community presentations. But, as many of you know, I believe in making the PowerPoint as an aide to your presentation and not the hub.  YOU are the presenter and PowerPoint should only enhance and illustrate your points.

Guy Kawasaki is a brand name on the lips of most folks concerned with business. He is a venture capitalist. His rule may not work for the Lead Poisoning expert conducting a 3 hour training for lead inspectors. Yet, I agree with his focus on making a conscious choice of your slides. Are 100 slides really needed for an hour presentation?

I share this post because it does make sense to develop some kind of rule that will NOT make PowerPoint the mainstay of your presentation. Try to put more stories, less slide reading and less clutter on your slides.

Read his post and view his video. If it can influence you to make at least a reduction by 25% of the number of slides you use in your PowerPoint and increase by 35% interactive strategies in your presentation it might be a major improvement. Note that this post was written in 2005 yet still very relevant.

Read Guy Kawasaki’s  10-20-30 rule let’s make this go viral.

View the video clip

This is my assessment of her some of her skills. I have [...]]]> There are so many good and great online marketers that present very well. My challenge for you is to listen and analyze what they do and how they do it. Ok, lets take someone like Dr. Jeanette Cates. She is a great presenter.

This is my assessment of her some of her skills. I have not looked at her platform skills but I can share a lot about her online presence. Here are things that I think she does quite well.

1. She listens to your questions and attempts to respond with the right answer.

2. Her voice tone is not hurried but encouraging you to try the sometimes daunting tasks.

3. Her energy level is high without sounding like she had too much coffee or cocaine.

4. She defines her terms not assuming that everyone will understand them

5. She involves her audience in the training by asking questions via online polls during her webinars.

7. Her vocal inflection gives a high level of importance and meaning to her words.

8. She shows concern for her audience. She dosen’t sound like the “Show me the money” type of presenter.

9. She spells out all of her url’s if they are not shown on the screen. She will, at times, also spell them out for listeners who are driving and not close to their computers.

10. She challenges her students with ACTION STEPS within a defined time period.

Ok, that was only 1o there are more. But if you want to experiance some of her material you can grab a free special report and e-course.
Keep peeking over the shoulders of those you hear. Observe how well they are presenting to you. Also, assess the things they are doing that you do not want to add to your tool box of delivery skills.

Well, I decided to share some references I found that might help you. I am also [...]]]> Have you ever been on a webinar and became frustrated because their were problems? Have you ever conducted a webinar but had problems with technical stuff like, no sound, no visual, no reason for it to mess up your session?

Well, I decided to share some references I found that might help you. I am also convinced that you should cautiously use a service that does ot allow an opportunity  to call for technical support during your presentation. Of course if you do not have access it is critical that you do some kind of rehearsal prior to the session with a staff member or friend.

What do you think?

Here are a couple of articles to check out. Some of them are directed to you as an audience member and others are for you the presenter. Many are the instructions given by particular webinar services. But I thought there were some good tips that can be mulled over and considered for implementation.

Making Your Webinar Experience Smooth and Simple

7 Keys to Running a Glitch Free Webinar-White Paper
(Note-you will need to opt in to get the White Paper

What Makes a Good Webinar?

5 Tips for Amazing Webinars and Web Meetings

Webinar Public Chat Be Careful What You Ask For

Finally thought this was a really cool tutorial for using one of the very popular systems called Go To Webinar

Now I am not suggesting that you ignore the fact that your [...]]]> Program your mind to have energy even if you are tired when presenting online. A tired voice only convinces folks that you stayed up half the night preparing for the presentation. It may also mean that you had techno issues  that wore you out.

Now I am not suggesting that you ignore the fact that your are tired and need to rest. What I am suggesting is that you do not allow the tired, f atique heavy voice  to dampen your enthusiasm you need for your message.

Imagine the internet marketer who is sharing their unique product offer during a teleseminar saying. “I am so excited about this product, it will transform your online marketing.” If that line of text is delivered with a lack luster tone contradicting any real excitement you think the listeners will be convinced?

Sometimes I hear online marketers also deliver a line like the one above with a “matter of fact tone of voice.” It is almost as if they are required to share that line with you and cannot wait to just finish and crash.

So what am I suggesting?

I am suggesting that you even if you are tired, drink some water , remind yourself why presenting and force yourself to be energetic. Carefully, take breaths before words that need energy and speak slowing so you can place inflection on key words like “excited” and”transform”

Just remember, it is your message, your product and your responsibility persuade your listeners.

Please share your thoughts

As the presenter you can:

You are doing a teleseminar when all of a sudden instead of pressing the speaker button you press the mute button. No one hears you. Yet, you get rapid messages via your email, or the teleseminar system you are using saying that they [...]]]> Point out your mistakes when you are speaking and teach a powerful lesson.

You are doing a teleseminar when all of a sudden instead of pressing the speaker button you press the mute button. No one hears you. Yet, you get rapid messages via your email, or the teleseminar system you are using saying that they cannot hear you?

Of course you are not happy about this but there is little time for red faces or sad commentaries on your feelings of failure. You unpress the mute button and explain what happened.  Use it as an opportunity to share what could have happened if you decided to ignore it or did not continue to moniter the screen for messages and questions.

Of course there a lots of mistakes you can make while speaking online but it is all part of the expertise grooming. And trust me when I say even the top experts still make mistakes.

1. Showcase upbeat music for your listening audience before you even open your mouth.

2. Identify the name of the broadcast [...]]]> Punch your listening audience in the jaw, face, and whole body when you start your online presentation. Consider  There are  7 PAINLESS ways, I suggest, you can engage your audience in the beginning of your presentation.

1. Showcase upbeat music for your listening audience before you even open your mouth.

2. Identify the name of the broadcast before you say your own name.

3. Pick up the pitch of your voice when you say the name.

4. Introduce yourself and your topic as if you were introducing a star.

5. Consider asking a question before you go into your topic.

6. Consider telling a really short anecdote and transition to your topic.

7. Use a rhythmic style when doing all of the above.

These suggested strategies can engage your audience in the very beginning of your presentation and keep them listening longer. The only thing that will HURT will be boredom.

Give them a try.

Do you want some audio illustrations?

1. She takes time to spell out url’s

2. She is authentic

3. She uses great vocal variety.

4. She provides good content with inspiration as well as a healthy dose of persuasion. 

So, [...]]]> I am on Ellen Britt’s mailing list and for the very first time I listened to her preview call on doing Teleseminars. She impressed me because:

1. She takes time to spell out url’s

2. She is authentic

3. She uses great vocal variety.

4. She provides good content with inspiration as well as a healthy dose of persuasion. 

So, keep in touch and listen to her calls, etc.

You can follow her on Twitter