Power Points!: How to Design and Deliver Presentations That Sizzle and Sell

Power Points!: How to Design and Deliver Presentations That Sizzle and Sell

by Harry Mills
Released May 2007
Publisher(s): AMACOM
ISBN: None

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Book description

Today’s audiences have come to expect presentations that are not only informative, but also innovative and visually exciting. Power Points! shows readers how to create and use stunning PowerPoint graphics and visuals to their fullest, while also speaking with greater eloquence and persuasiveness. Author and persuasion expert Harry Mills reveals how to: * Captivate audiences with a mastery of graphics, diagrams, cartoons, and photos. * Speak and present with confidence and style. * Learn to influence any kind of audience. * Use the hundreds of professionally designed samples and PowerPoint templates on the companion CD-ROM to add drama to presentations. * Create dazzling visuals more easily by taking advantage of PowerPoint 2007’s new features. With these invaluable tips, even the most reluctant speakers can deliver informative, entertaining, and persuasive presentations.

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. The Companion CD-ROM
    1. Slideshows
    2. PresentationPro Templates, Graphics, and Icons
  3. Acknowledgments
  4. Introduction
  5. One. Stand and Deliver: The Seven Steps to Presentation Success
    1. One. Step One: Define Your Purpose
      1. Establishing Focus
        1. Determine Your Purpose
        2. Inform, Persuade, or Entertain?
      2. Hot Tips
      3. Presenting to Inform
        1. Purpose
        2. Use New and Useful Information
        3. Structure for Retention
        4. Speech or PowerPoint Presentation?
      4. Hot Tips
      5. Presenting to Entertain
        1. The Fear of Failure
        2. The Biggest Myth About Humor
        3. Communicate a Sense of Humor
        4. Speech or PowerPoint Presentation?
      6. Hot Tips
      7. Presenting to Persuade
        1. What is Persuasion?
        2. The Credibility Formula
        3. Use Logic and Evidence
        4. Use Emotion
        5. Speech or PowerPoint Presentation?
      8. Hot Tips
    2. Two. Step Two: Profile Your Audience
      1. Analyzing Your Audience
        1. Tailor Your Strategy
        2. The Six Audience Types
        3. The Three Key Questions
        4. Audience Analysis Template
      2. Influencing a Hostile Audience
        1. Your Toughest Challenge
        2. Create Rapport
        3. Build Credibility
        4. Don’t Ask For Too Much
      3. Hot Tips
      4. Influencing a Neutral Audience
        1. Create a Connection
        2. Be Likeable
        3. Keep It Simple
        4. Point Out the Downside
      5. Hot Tips
      6. Influencing an Uninterested Audience
        1. They Don’t Care
        2. Inspire and Motivate
        3. Provide Relevance
        4. Don’t Ignore the Negative
      7. Hot Tips
      8. Influencing an Uninformed Audience
        1. Educate
        2. Keep It Simple
        3. Don’t Debate Issues
        4. Be Interactive
        5. Take Your Time
      9. Hot Tips
      10. Influencing a Supportive Audience
        1. Inspire and Recharge
        2. Call for Action
        3. Beware of Complacency
      11. Hot Tips
      12. Influencing a Mixed Audience
        1. Identify the Decision Makers
        2. Tailor Your Rewards
        3. Enlist Your Supporters’ Help
      13. Hot Tips
      14. Set Realistic and Achievable Goals
        1. Cognitive Consistency
        2. We Reject Information That Conflicts with Our Beliefs
    3. Three. Step Three: Map and Structure Your Story
      1. The Three-Part Classic Presentation Formula
        1. Building Your Outline
        2. Part One: Preview
        3. Part Two: View (Point of)
        4. Part Three: Review
      2. Applying the Three-Part Formula to PowerPoint
        1. What Makes PowerPoint Different?
        2. Three-Act Structure
        3. Slide Sequences
      3. Focusing Your Pitch
        1. Start with the End in Mind
        2. Write a Compelling Title for Your Presentation
        3. The Three Tests
      4. Hot Tips
      5. Use Compelling Headlines to Create Flow and Direction
        1. Titles vs. Headlines
        2. The Naked Headline Test
      6. Hot Tips
      7. Sell the Sizzle
        1. WIIFM
        2. Sell the Tan Not the Sun
        3. Losses and Gains
      8. Hot Tips
      9. Starting Strongly
        1. Presenting with Impact
        2. The Three Functions of an Opening
        3. Churchill’s Greatest Opening
      10. Hot Tips
      11. Making Your Point
        1. Support Each Point with Evidence
        2. Use the Latest Information
        3. Customizing Your Evidence
      12. Hot Tips
      13. Finishing in Style
        1. End on a Climax
        2. Blood, Sweat, and Tears Ending
      14. Hot Tips
      15. Bridging with Transitions
        1. Signposts
        2. Leading Your Audience
        3. Mini Internal Summaries
      16. Hot Tips
      17. Tried and Proven Organizational Patterns
      18. Hot Tips
      19. Use a Persuasive Structure to Add Coherence
        1. Problem-Solution
        2. Refutation
        3. Cause and Effect
    4. Four. Step Four: Add Drama and Impact
      1. Making Head and Heart Appeals
        1. Logical and Emotional Appeals
        2. Moved by Emotion?
        3. Combine Appeals
        4. Speaking vs. PowerPoint
      2. Hot Tips
      3. Tapping into the Power of Stories
        1. What’s the Purpose?
      4. Hot Tips
      5. Quoting for Impact
        1. Memorable Sound Bites
        2. Pithy and Profound
        3. Stick to the Point
        4. Use Fresh Sources
      6. Persuading with Metaphors and Analogies
        1. The Power of Metaphors
        2. Churchill and Lady Astor
        3. The Power of Analogies
      7. Hot Tips
      8. Using Statistics
        1. Lies, Damned Lies
        2. Use Credible Sources
        3. Make Your Numbers Understandable
        4. Use Comparisons
      9. Hot Tips
      10. The Power of Three
        1. Memorable Examples
        2. Mundane Examples
      11. Hot Tips
      12. Persuading with Visuals
        1. Visuals Increase Persuasion
        2. Visuals Have Staying Power
        3. Visuals Simplify Concepts
        4. PowerPoint is a Primarily Visual Tool
      13. Hot Tips
      14. The Potency of Visuals
        1. The Speed of Perception
    5. Five. Step Five: Rehearse Until Perfect
      1. Speaking with Notes
        1. Memorization
        2. Reading
        3. Speaking with Notes
        4. Use a Numbered Outline
      2. Hot Tips
      3. Reading a Speech from a Script
        1. To Read or Not to Read
        2. The Two Biggest Mistakes
        3. The Churchill Formula
        4. Type for Easy Reading
      4. Using Speaker Notes as Handouts in PowerPoint
        1. Speaker Notes
        2. Handouts
      5. Hot Tips
      6. Practicing for Perfection
        1. Start Early
        2. Rehearse Out Loud
        3. Seek Feedback
      7. Hot Tips
    6. Six. Step Six: Deliver with Style
      1. Overcoming Stage Fright
        1. Presentation Panic
        2. The Instant Calming Sequence (ICS)
      2. Use High-Impact Body Talk
        1. The 93 Percent–7 Percent Split
        2. Posture Don’ts
      3. Power Words
        1. Words Evoke Emotions
        2. Warm and Cold Words
      4. Using Assertive Language
        1. Be Congruent
        2. Communicate Strength
      5. Hot Tips
      6. Develop Vocal Impact
        1. Commanding Voice
        2. Your Voice Is Your Calling Card
        3. The Ideal Pace
      7. Hot Tips
      8. Staying Center Stage
        1. PowerPoint is a Speaker Support Tool
        2. Four Killer Errors
      9. Hot Tips
      10. Handling Tough and Tricky Questions
        1. Welcome Questions
        2. Why Don’t People Ask Questions?
        3. Keep Control
        4. Practice
      11. Hot Tips
    7. Seven. Step Seven: Review and Revise
      1. Evaluate Your Performance
  6. Two. PowerPoint Magic: How to Design and Deliver Persuasive Power Points
    1. Eight. Persuasion Strategies: How to Optimize the Persuasive Impact of PowerPoint
      1. Strategy 1. Align PowerPoint with the Way the Brain Works
        1. How the Mind Works
        2. One Mind, Two Channels
        3. Limited Capacity
        4. Active Processing
      2. Strategy 2. Segment Your Story into Visually Digestible Bites
        1. Too Much, Too Fast
        2. Use the Billboard Test
        3. Pace Your Presentation
      3. Hot Tips
      4. Strategy 3. Signpost Location and Direction with Graphic Organizers
        1. Graphic Organizers
        2. Use PowerPoint’s Build and Color Features
      5. Strategy 4. Wherever Possible, Persuade with Visuals
        1. PowerPoint Is Primarily a Visual Tool
        2. Visuals Move Audiences
        3. Visuals Increase Message Retention
      6. Hot Tips
      7. Strategy 5. Purge All but Essential Text and Audiovisual Effects
        1. Less Is More
        2. Interesting but Extraneous Information Distracts
        3. Ban Clip Art
      8. Hot Tips
      9. Strategy 6. Dice and Sequence Complex Visuals
        1. Complex Diagrams Cause Confusion
        2. One Point Per Slide
        3. Stay in Control
    2. Nine. Say it with Color: Tapping into the Power of the Rainbow
      1. Influencing with Color
        1. Color Persuades
        2. Colors Evoke Emotions
        3. Too Many Colors Confuse
      2. Picking the Right Color
        1. Tailor Your Colors to Your Audience
        2. Red and Green
        3. Business Blue
        4. Cultural Challenges
      3. Managing Color in PowerPoint
        1. Background and Foreground Elements
        2. Contrast Is Critical
      4. Hot Tips
    3. Ten. Bullets, Bullets, and More Bullets: How to Write, Use, and Lay Out Compelling Text
      1. Terrific Text
        1. What is a Typeface?
        2. Type Styles
        3. Serif Type
        4. Sans Serif Type
      2. Hot Tips
      3. Type, Size, and Style
        1. Changing Font Size
        2. Line Spacing
        3. Readability and Legibility
      4. Hot Tips
      5. Bullet Layout and Design
        1. The Benefit of Bullets
        2. Bullet List Fundamentals
      6. Hot Tips
      7. Writing Compelling Bullets
      8. Hot Tips
      9. Using Text Builds
        1. Boring Text Slides
        2. Use the Animations Feature
        3. Using Builds
      10. Text or Images
        1. The Two Paths to Persuasion
        2. Thoughtful Persuasion
        3. Mindless Persuasion
    4. Eleven. Compelling Charts: How to Put the Wow into Pie, Bar, and Line Graphs
      1. Persuading with Charts
        1. Select the Appropriate Chart
        2. Pinpoint the Relationship
        3. Choose Your Title
      2. Use Pie Charts for Percentages
        1. Highlight the Key Slice
        2. Add 3D
      3. Use Bar Charts to Compare Magnitudes
        1. Control the Order of the Bars
        2. Use Contrasting Colors
        3. Limit the Number of Bars
      4. Use Column Charts to Compare Data Changes Over Time
        1. Keep It Simple
        2. Make It Easier for the Viewer
        3. Subdivided Column Graphs
      5. Use Line Charts to Plot Trends
        1. Plotting Trends
        2. Highlight the Trend Line
      6. Use Area Charts to Compare Changes in Quantities Over Time
        1. Anchor the Graph
        2. Allow Extra Time for Viewing
      7. Use Scatter or Dot Charts to Show Relationship Patterns
        1. When to Use Scatter Charts
        2. Do’s and Don’ts
      8. Use Tables to Summarize Data
        1. Charts with Data
        2. Formatting Tables
        3. Ration Your Use of Bold
    5. Twelve. Diagrams, Photos, and Cartoons: How to Inform With Impact
      1. Using Diagrams
        1. Simplifying and Visualizing the Complex
        2. Circles, Triangles, and Rectangles
        3. The Ideal Diagram
      2. Hot Tips
      3. Use Organization Charts to Display Rankings
        1. Visualizing Your Organization
      4. Use Matrixes to Explain Concepts
        1. Displaying Concepts and Ideas
        2. Allow Extra Time to View
      5. Add Art and Illustrations to Create Impact
        1. Choosing the Right Image
        2. Avoid Cheap Clip Art
      6. Use Strategy Diagrams to Plot Tactics
        1. Simplify Complex, Abstract Ideas
        2. Military Metaphor
        3. Linking a Circle and Square
      7. Use Visual Metaphors to Sell Ideas
        1. Sales Funnel Metaphor
      8. Add Impact with Photos
        1. Reinforce Your Central Message
        2. Create Graphic Continuity
        3. Customize Your Imagery
      9. Presenting with Cartoons
        1. Use Cartoons to Add Levity
        2. Use Cartoons to Influence and Persuade
        3. Use Cartoons to Simplify Complex Issues
      10. Use Humor to Persuade
        1. Wit Increases Participation
        2. How to Make Humor Relevant
    6. Thirteen. Present and Sell: The Ultimate PowerPoint Sales Presentation
      1. Establish a Persuasive Structure
        1. Selling is Persuasion
        2. The Seven Steps to Persuasion
      2. Step 1: Identify the Problem
        1. Finding and Sizing the Problem
        2. Visualize the Problem
      3. Step 2: Quantify the Impact of the Prospect’s Problem
        1. The Ideal Problem
        2. Highlight Effects, Consequences, and Impact
        3. Highlight Opportunity Costs
      4. Step 3: Specify the Prospect’s Need
        1. Needs Are Concrete and Specific
      5. Step 4: Recommend your Solution
        1. Emphasize Practicality
        2. Make It Brief and Memorable
      6. Step 5: Quantify the Benefits
        1. Sell the Sizzle
        2. Quantify Each Benefit
        3. Don’t Forget the ROI
      7. Step 6: Differentiate Yourself
        1. Don’t Ignore Competitors
        2. Highlight Your Strengths
        3. Concede Weaknesses
      8. Step 7: Establish your Credentials
        1. Verify, Verify, Verify
        2. Cement the Sale
        3. Use Testimonials and Endorsements
        4. Ask for the Order
      9. Use a One-Page Visual Brief to Clinch your Sale
        1. Create a Visual Executive Summary
        2. Laminate Your Visual Sales Brief
  7. Appendixes
    1. A. The Mills Presentations Formula
    2. B. PowerPoint Presentation Planner Template
    3. C. Blank PowerPoint Presentation Planning Template
    4. D. Organizing Your Presentation
    5. E. Speaker Evaluation Template
    6. F. How PowerPoint 2007 Helps You Create Sensational Presentations
      1. 1. The Redesigned User Interface Makes Creating Sensational Presentations Easier and More Instinctive
      2. 2. The New Smartart Feature Allows You to Turn a Bulleted List into an Impressive 3D Smartart Diagram
      3. 3. The PowerPoint Slide Libraries Help You Ensure that Your Content Remains Up to Date
      4. 4. In PowerPoint 2007, You Can Define and Save Your Own Custom Slide Layouts
      5. 5. PowerPoint 2007 Allows You to Create a Consistent Look and Feel in One Click
      6. 6. You Can Easily Change Shapes, Text, and Graphics with the New Tools to Create Dramatic New Effects
      7. 7. Speed Up Your Presentation Review Processes Using PowerPoint 2007 and Office Sharepoint Server 2007
      8. 8. Improve the Security of Your PowerPoint Presentations
      9. 9. Reduce the Size of Your Files
      10. 10. Share Files with Users on Any Platform
    7. G. The Companion CD–ROM
      1. Slideshows
  8. About the Author
  9. Model Slides

Product information

  • Title: Power Points!: How to Design and Deliver Presentations That Sizzle and Sell
  • Author(s): Harry Mills
  • Release date: May 2007
  • Publisher(s): AMACOM
  • ISBN: None