by Andrea Pacini —
One of the hardest lessons to learn in communication is the art of keeping things simple. The more we know about something, the easier it is to fall into the trap of making our ideas too complex and too technical. It’s something I see business leaders doing all the time before they learn to improve their presentations. They wrongly assume that the audience will understand something just because they do.
by Andrea Pacini —
If there’s a common purpose to most business presentations it’s to persuade the audience to act upon your ideas in some way. The best way to persuade the audience to do what you want them to do is with a clear call to action. If the call to action isn’t clear enough, the audience will fail to act. Your presentation will have been in vain. For example, imagine you were giving a webinar or an introductory workshop on your area of expertise.
by Michael Rickwood —
Of the three million articles written about public speaking, isn’t it refreshing to read something useful in under three minutes? I think so, or at least that is what I would appreciate. So here are my three minutes’ worth for you. It’s high time to get live presentations kicking again. But can we go back to them seamlessly like before? It can be a little daunting after such a long spell presenting virtually.
by Andrea Pacini —
The first words of a presentation are the most important. Your opening needs to grab the audience’s attention and hold it. The philosopher Plato said: “The beginning is the most important part of the work.” Sadly, most business leaders don’t think carefully enough about the way they open their presentations. Instead, they focus on the main body of their presentation and leave the opening to chance. Or they make the common mistake of opening with a boring agenda slide or by introducing themselves.
by Michael Rickwood —
How a famous Bruce Lee quote can help presenters conquer fear by surrendering the outcome. So this got your attention! Drawing on a 70s Kung Fu star to get some presentation tips! For those who don’t know Bruce Lee, he was an icon of the 1970s whose movies including Enter the Dragon and Fist of Fury have inspired generations. He was both impressive and also rather eccentric. Crafting his own philosophy during his relatively short life, he was quoted saying some interesting things.
by Andrea Pacini —
The greatest films, TV shows and novels are the ones with the best storylines. The same is true for presentations. A strong narrative can help you bring your presentation alive and make it memorable and successful. However, most business owners, leaders and professionals don’t pay enough attention to the way they structure their presentations. They fail to develop a clear storyline. I’ve come across many presenters who simply improvise their presentation around some slides.
by Andrea Pacini —
It’s almost pointless asking if you feel nervous before a presentation. It would be strange if you didn’t. The vast majority of people are afraid of public speaking. It’s perfectly normal to have a fear of public speaking, also known by its technical name of glossophobia. Research shows that more than 75 percent of the population has some level of public speaking anxiety. So you’re in good company. I’m a presentation coach and I feel nervous all the time before a presentation.
by Michael Rickwood —
I ask this question in order to answer it because clarity leads to serenity. We are bombarded daily with new concepts and trends, and Personal Branding is another one, albeit a little vague for most of us. People are taking what ideas they think they know from Personal Branding and applying them with gusto. Others are doing it instinctively. One thing is for sure: it’s here to stay and remains a key tool to get ahead in the landscape of opportunity.