August 18th, 2010
 We recently stumbled upon this article from Dave Paradi, co-author of “Guide to PowerPoint” and couldn’t resist sharing it with you — this is a question we get asked a lot, and here’s a fine explanation. This is the link to the full article.
No matter how many slides you choose, be sure to count on Projector123.com for all your rental projector needs. Click here now to rent a projector.
How many slides is too many?
By Dave Paradi, MBA, co-author of “Guide to PowerPoint”
If you delivered 155 slides in 35 minutes, would that be too many slides? Most presenters would immediate say “Yes! Way too many!” And up until recently, I would have agreed. But a recent experience made me reconsider my initial response.
Most rules of thumb in the past have been that there should be one slide for every two to three minutes. And I have agreed with this. But I reviewed a presentation on video tape for a client from one of their top sales professionals in front of clients and he used 155 slides in a 35 minute presentation (yes, I counted). And it looked great. How could this be?
It stems from what is on the slide. Most of his slides were product photos that he showed in fairly quick succession showing off the different features. His use made it almost like a movie of sorts, with the flow working quite well. He spent more time on the text slides, such as when he was explaining how to place the order for the product. He spent time on the most important part of his presentation, the call to action, and did not stick to a particular formula.
So based on this experience, here is what I am now thinking. If it is a primarily text slide, I think the traditional rule of two to three minutes per slide would still be a good guideline. But when the slide is primarily a graphic, a much wider range of timing can apply. A sequence of photos may be run through quite quickly, with maybe five slides in one minute. Some graphics, such as a process flow diagram, require a two or three minute explanation. So my new thought is that a graphic slide could range from 10 seconds to three minutes, depending on what the graphic is and how it is used in the presentation.
I am starting to use more graphics, primarily photographs, in my presentations, and sometimes it is on the screen for a short period of time since the point is clear. Other times, I show the photo, tell a store about the photo, and then make a point. In this case, the photo slide is on the screen for multiple minutes.
If you have been basing the number of slides in your presentation on the traditional formula, consider these ideas in determining whether you want to modify the rule you have used in the past.
©MMIV Dave Paradi
Dave Paradi’s Think Outside the Slide™ approach helps presenters get results by showing them how to quickly create effective PowerPoint presentations. He is the co-author of “Guide to PowerPoint”, part of the Prentice Hall Series in Advanced Business Communication. He offers a free PowerPoint e-course, newsletter and articles on his web site at www.ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com.
August 2nd, 2010
Whether you’re a newbie at PowerPoint or a presentation professional, here’s one question that seems to surface a lot. How many slides should you include in your presentation?
Many PowerPoint experts will use “1 slide per 2-3 minutes” as a general rule, but truthfully, it isn’t quite that cut and dried.
How many slides you need depends a lot on what kind of material you’re presenting, and to what sort of audience.
For example, if your presentation is of a particular sales product, then more slides containing photographs may be more effective than less slides featuring text. Likewise, if you’re presenting highly detailed or technical information to a group of people who are very familiar with industry terms and metrics that you’re presenting, you may use more slides that you pass through rather quickly, but which are necessary to provide supporting documentation.
Consider the purpose of your audiovisual support. Is it your intention to reinforce the verbal points with visual images? Do you need the graphics as a starting point from which you will explain results, trends, predictions or specific outcomes? Are you using visuals merely to keep your audience engaged, to provide humor, and/or to incorporate more types of learning styles?
How large is your audience, and do you intend to field questions throughout your presentation, or only at the end?
/>Let’s look at some specific examples.
Suppose your audience consists of colleagues in your field, and you are presenting new evidence that will be explained and supported by graphics and charts. A very brief presentation (say, two to three minutes in length) might consist of 5 or 6 slides, depending on how much detail you will verbalize for each graphic. A ten-minute presentation may include 5-12 slides (again, depending on how long the slide needs to remain visible while you are explaining the specific metrics or results).
Now suppose you are delivering a new product presentation of 15 minutes in length to decision-makers who are potential clients. You could use as few as 5 slides (speaking in detail on each slide), or as many as 20-25 (if you were zipping through product images and pointing out specific features or selling points). However, if the nature of your product was so new and revolutionary that it required extensive education and explanation, you might have as few as 5-10 slides for the same 15-minute presentation.
When you take all of these factors (detail, technicality, audience size and awareness, etc.) into consideration, you can see that the only short answer to “how many slides should I use” is this:
“It depends.”
But hopefully this article provided you with the information you need to make an informed decision about how many slides will work best for your presentation. Good luck!
No matter how many slides you ultimately choose, remember this — when you’re ready to order your rental projector, click here to visit Projector123.com and see just how easy it is to reserve a fast, professional LCD projector.
June 21st, 2010
If you earn your living by conducting product demonstrations and live presentations, you deserve to know how a rental projector can enhance your presentation and create more sales.
It’s cliché but it’s true – a picture really is worth 1,000 words. And video is worth exponentially more – that’s why it just makes sense to use an LCD rental projector if you’re hosting a live presentation or product demo. When your group size exceeds about a half-dozen observers, you don’t want people jostling for room just so they can see what you’re demonstrating.
With nothing more than a laptop or video camera and a rental projector, you can transmit larger-than-life images of your live demo so that everything can see what you’re doing. From cooking demonstrations to network marketing presentations to gadget demos, there are countless industries and sales reps who can benefit from adding a rental projector to their live demo.
If you’re just starting out, it helps to video your presentation and review the video to find ways to improve it. Video has an uncanny way of capturing those things that we tend to tune out, such as stammers, verbal irritations (um, like, you know), physical irritations (fidgeting, hands in pockets, fussing with hair or clothing), and swaying, to name a few.
Plus, using an LCD rental projector tends to attract more folks who are curious and can spot you from across the store, the festival, or the trade show floor. More viewers ultimately means more sales, and more money in your pocket.
And with weekend rental rates starting as low as just $99, can you really afford not to use a rental projector?
 Now it’s true that you might not be demonstrating the latest Microsoft creation, but you can still generate sales and work the room like a pro with a rental projector from Projector123.com. Click here to get started.
June 14th, 2010
You’ve persisted and persisted to finally get some quality face time with the physician and his staff, and you’ve scheduled a time and date to present your information. Now how can you ensure the best possible turnout at your event? Try these handy tips on for size.
 1. Be different
Odds are, dozens of drug reps are stalking the hallways, competing for physician face time. Booking the same-old same-old is not the way to ensure a good turnout at your presentation. While it may be helpful to find out what the staff likes (in terms of gadgets, giveaways or catering), don’t be afraid to stand out and be different — it’s sure to get you noticed by the physician and his staff.
2. Solicit staff involvement
Whenever possible talk to the staff ahead of time to drum up interest in your presentation. Offer a gift or incentive in exchange for some assistance from the staff secretary or office manager, who may also be able to garner interest from potential participants. Write hand-written thank you notes (not emails!) to everyone who assists — this personal touch is a long-lost secret of great business.
3. Be flexible
The physician’s schedule is largely unpredictable, so it pays to be flexible and considerate when emergencies and unplanned schedule changes arise. Be gracious and accommodating whenever you can and look for win-win solutions if the doc’s schedule gets unruly.
4. Incentivize thoughtfully
Some pharmaceutical gadgets and gifts make no sense whatsoever — stress balls bearing the name of sedatives, for example. Be thoughtful and considerate and try to find out what the doc wants or needs so you can offer something that makes sense and will be used.
If you use these 4 guidelines, you’re sure to have an excellent turnout at your next pharmaceutical presentation. Got more ideas? Post a comment here and share your knowledge.
And when you’re ready to rent an LCD projector for your presentation, click here to discover how easy it is to rent from Projector123.com.
May 21st, 2010
Thanks for joining us for the final installment of our three-part series on building powerful presentations. In this segment, we’ll show you how to polish your speech for maximum professionalism and efficacy.
1. To thine own self be true
Perhaps Shakespeare said it best, and his wisdom still rings true after all these years. If it’s one thing an audience can spot a mile away, it’s a phony. Be authentically you and you will win your audience over every time – even if the “real you” isn’t witty, funny, or outgoing. Being yourself means incorporating humor that suits YOU, using a delivery style that fits your personality, and presenting information that you personally believe in. Additionally, when you are being yourself, you will find that presenting becomes easier and more natural, since trying to be anything else can only serve to increase your nervousness. Go for it!
2. Effective use of humor
As mentioned in the prior paragraph, you’ve got to work with what you’ve got. If you’re not a funny guy, don’t feel as though you need to pepper your presentation with jokes and humor, if merely one powerful joke — that you can tell masterfully — would suffice. If you have a wry, or dry sense of humor, work that angle. If sarcasm is your thing, use it – but be sure people know when you’re being ironic or sarcastic (you’d be surprised). If you’re a funny person, don’t over-do the humor; make sure you only apply humor when it’s relevant to the material (or during a segue – see our recent post on mastering the segue), and don’t let the humor upstage the material itself and the takeaway. Humor should enhance your talk and engage your audience.
3. Breathe
It’s so simple, yet so powerful. Take several deep breaths while working on creating and polishing your presentation – it will keep your head clear and ensure a true focus. Practice deep breathing just before you stand up to present, to relax your body, sharpen your focus and calm your nerves. Remember to breathe during your talk, and if should you stumble, lose your place or otherwise become flustered, remember to take a moment to breathe before you proceed.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this series on building powerful presentations. Got killer tips of your own? Post a comment here and share them with us! Or click here to rent a projector from Projector123.com.
May 19th, 2010
Welcome back! In this segment, we’ll explore some specific tips for keeping your presentation interesting and impactful. Follow these tips and you’re sure to keep your audience riveted and engaged.
1. Know when to hold ‘em
It is positively baffling how many speakers and presenters don’t know how to simply and effectively use audiovisuals. Used properly, these tools can enhance a presentation, drive home key points, and keep the focus where it belongs: on the speaker. Anything else becomes a distraction that leads to boredom. Look around – there are plenty of articles here on this blog that demystify the proper use of rental projectors and audiovisual support. Read up on the subject matter and you can master this quickly and easily!
 2. Meat and potatoes
Be sure to structure your presentation so that it has plenty of meat (valuable subject matter, new information, useful tips, etc.) as well as potatoes (such as supporting explanations, demonstrations, hands-on experiences, and exercises or material designed to reinforce the key points). A presentation that’s “all-meat” often gives too much new material without allowing for integration, which may result in a much lower retention of the information by the audience. Similarly, an “all-potato” presentation lets the participant walk away feeling as though they learned nothing new or useful. As a presenter, it’s up to you to strike a balance.
3. The Takeaway
Here on this blog, you can find entire articles that explain how to master the takeaway, which refers to the key point or points you want your audience members to remember (and possibly take action on) long after your talk is complete and you take a bow. Speakers who master the art of the takeaway are the ones who tend to have the most lasting impact on their audiences – sometimes for years to come.
Come back next time for our final installment in this three-part series, where we’ll explore additional tips for the putting those finishing touches on a well-developed and polished presentation. Meanwhile, you can rent a projector from Projector123.com by clicking here.
May 17th, 2010
In this three-part series, we’ll explore the finer points of crafting a powerful presentation. During part one, we cover the basics – but don’t be fooled by the simplicity of these tips! All the best presentations have these characteristics in common.
1. Less is more.
Let’s face it – we live in the age of Twitter communication, where anything longer than a sentence starts to lose our interest. We’re constantly being bombarded with information at every turn, so it pays to keep things brief. Sound bites rule! Of course you’ll want to have supporting information to back up any bold declarations you make, but there is something to be said for brevity. Don’t be afraid to end early…nail this presentation and you just might get invited back to speak in more detail on your chosen topic!
2. Keep it relevant.
The lecture format is passé. Keep the mood fresh and engaging, invite questions and audience participation, and if you have a longer presentation, incorporate an activity or exercise that gets people involved while driving home a key point. Use current references and analogies, don’t be afraid to weave in pop culture references if you can make it relate to your key point (assuming this is a match for your audience).
3. Be enthusiastic.
Odds are, you can fondly remember a teacher from your grade school days and you may remember things that he or she taught you – even if you didn’t particularly like the subject itself! Likeable people keep us interested and engaged, and enthusiasm is contagious. Bring your own passion into your presentation and your audience will sit up and take notice — even if the very same material would have bored them on paper.
Be sure to stop back by for the next installment, when we’ll explore some specific tips for keeping your presentation interesting and impactful. In the meantime, if you’re ready to rent an LCD projector for your talk, click here to get started.
April 28th, 2010
Welcome to the second segment of our two-part series for landscapers: How to get more business from home shows. In this part, we will address the number one mistake most business owners make after the trade show ends.
Just to recap the two tips we covered last time:
1. Go visual and make it count (a rental projector from Projector123.com will definitely help showcase images of your work).
2. Incentivize with a juicy offer (give potential customers a compelling reason to buy from you — sooner rather than later).
Now let’s move on to tip #3:
3. Collect pertinent data.
What information will you need from the person in order to add them to your database or to contact them for a consultation? Name, telephone number and email address comprise the bare minimum. Perhaps you’d also like to know what city they live in (or what part of town) so you can refer them to a colleague if they live outside of your preferred work zone. Maybe you want to know what they’re thinking of having done (front yard, back yard, trees, water features, etc.) or what their timeline or budget entails. Collecting answers to questions such as these will assist you in prioritizing follow ups, and can save you loads of time after the show. Consider bringing or renting a laptop to collect data digitally on the spot, or use paper forms and clipboards if you prefer to work offline. Remember to provide plenty of pens!
4. Follow up with everyone.
It seems so obvious, right? But you might be surprised to learn how many business owners NEVER follow up with the leads they’ve gained during a show. Perhaps the most common reason for this is a lack of resources. Small businesses may lack the resources to follow up with each and every lead, but if you don’t do this, you are leaving money on the table. Additionally, some landscapers neglect new leads whenever business starts to pick up dramatically. You may book several new clients at (or shortly after) the home show, but it pays to be forward thinking and to book clients further in advance. Yes, you may need to hire additional staff. But expansion is all part of what is possible when you get increased exposure from an event like a home show.
You might consider hiring (or acquiring) temporary help to follow up with each lead. Phone personnel is not terribly expensive, or you can solicit help from someone close to you who may not be directly affiliated with the business (spouse, friend, relative, etc.). Just be sure to train the person, give them a list of questions to ask during the follow up, a way to take notes (online or on paper) and instruct them on how to handle these types of calls and how to get consultations booked.
And remember — it’s never too early to arrange for your rental projector from Projector123.com. Click here to get started.
April 26th, 2010
Home shows provide a fun and interactive way for residential contractors and service providers to acquire new business, accumulate leads, and gain exposure. Here are some tips for making the most of your home show booth rental.
If you’re in the landscaping business, you already know the importance of showcasing your work to the right kind of audience. But do you know how to make each home show count? Unfortunately, many business owners arrive at a home show with nothing more than a couple of banners and some pamphlets. Whether you plan to create a presence at just one home show this year (or at dozens), these tips can help you reign in a crowd, gather more leads, and grow your business.
1. Go visual and make it count.
Landscaping is a visual art that demands visual representation. The more predominantly you can present your past (and current!) successes at a home show, the more of an impact it will have on your potential customers.
Just think about it…from a potential customer’s perspective which of the following makes your work seem most impressive?
A photo album containing 4×6 photos
A 3-ring binder with 8×10 images
A hard-bound photo book with images of varied size and content, with printed text descriptions on each page
A projector and big screen with life-size slide show images, set amidst a smattering of healthy plants and flowers in your booth
Or possibly some combination of the above?
Projector rentals from Projector123.com cost as little as $99 per weekend — a minor cost considering what you probably paid to rent a booth at the home show. And the level of visual impact will draw folks from all across the showroom floor.
Additionally, you can use a service like apple.com or shutterfly.com to create a hard-bound coffee-table version of your portfolio (which positively exudes professionalism!) for around $30-40. Again, a small investment that can go a long way in presenting you as a credible vendor and a viable choice for potential customers.
2. Incentivize with a juicy offer.
OK, you’ve made a splash with some powerful eye candy….now how do you connect with these potential customers and turn them into sales? Consider creating a compelling offer that prompts them to retain your services now or book an appointment today — book during the show for future appointments. Remember — you may not be the only landscaper at this show. How will you stand out in your potential customer’s mind after the show ends and they’re left with a stack of business cards? If you can connect with people and get future consultation appointments booked at the show (or give people a compelling reason to contract with you right now), you’re leaps ahead of your competition.
In the next segment, we’ll look at the number one mistake most business owners make after the trade show ends. Until then, why not reserve your rental projector now? It only takes a minute, and you’ll see first-hand why Projector123.com is the top choice for rental projectors throughout the United States.
April 19th, 2010
We are using the term “ethical bribe” to refer specifically to public speaking tactics that involve gifting something to your audience members in exchange for their attention and participation.
In the prior installment, we looked at the “pros” of using ethical bribes to engage audiences and gain their participation. In this segment, we’ll address some of the “cons” to such a practice.
If it doesn’t fit the audience…
Some audiences do not respond well to these types of minor incentives. Again, it always pays to know your audience and to consider what methods and techniques would be effective.
A note about appropriateness…
More serious or academic topics do not always lend themselves to a playful presentation style, so it would be wise to use caution for these types of presentations. Examples may include: sexual harrassment, death statistics, presentations regarding war, natural disasters, etc.
Don’t be cheesy…
If the giveaways are viewed as cheap, cheesy, or otherwise lame, there isn’t much of an incentive to nab any. If you can, test the idea with a smaller group or get some opinions before you invest in giveaways.
Need permission?
In some circumstances, it may be necessary to gain certain permissions before using ethical bribes. For example, government officials and employees are not allowed to accept gifts from vendors or potential vendors – no matter the dollar value. Some employers may not approve of certain giveaways at employee training events. If in doubt, check it out.
And while you’re doing your due diligence and deciding whether or not to offer ethical bribes at your next presentation, remember to reserve your projector rental from Projector123.com. You won’t find any bribes here…unless you count out competitive pricing, “frequent flyer” discounts, outstanding service, and hassle-free experience. Order your rental projector today.
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