Has anyone ever asked “How many slides do you have?” when inquiring about the length of your presentation? I think this goes back to an old belief that presenters (supposedly) should average 1 slide per minute…it was assumed that by using this “rule” you could gauge the length of the presentation. Of course there isn’t a “1 slide per minute” rule. In fact there are no rules regarding the number of slides a presenter should have for a specific time, or how much time you should spend per slide. The only rule presenters should follow is to finish on time – or even better, a little early! In The Non-Designer’s… Read More
Continue ReadingSales vs. product presentations: one size does not fit all
There was a question posted by Craig Preston (Saratech Inc) on LinkedIn a couple of weeks ago. He asked, “Why do sales people modify their slide presentation instead of using the one prepared for them?” I think sales people modify the presentations provided by marketing because they are typically product presentations, not sales presentations. My definition of a product presentation is a presentation that is focused on a product/service; it highlights features and benefits. I believe a sales presentation is different, it goes beyond the product. It focuses on a specific audience and their situation; specifically how the product benefits them or addresses their unique requirements. Each sales presentation is… Read More
Continue ReadingIs your medium your message?
On a recent blog post at Duarte.com (http://tinyurl.com/3bwr4kg) it was stated that “Your slides are a visual representation of your idea and are a reflection of you.” This tweaked my interest because I had just read a similar statement in The Non-Designers Presentation Book by Robin Willliams (http://tinyurl.com/6jflvnm). In the book she said, “You are your slides. If they are sloppy and unclear, it naturally follows (in many minds) that you are sloppy and unclear, or that your information is not sound.” So at least two experts in presentation design agree – you are your slides. This makes sense to me, and goes back to Marshall McLuhan who, in 1964, coined the… Read More
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