|
Author: Laura Bergells Article source: http://www.keen-intellect.org/. Used with author's permission.
You're in a conference room. You're giving a PowerPoint presentation to several of your colleagues...and your boss.
On a scale of 1 to 5, how sensual is this experience? And just how important is sensuality in business-related PowerPoint presentations?
Believe it or not, live PowerPoint presentations can be sensory, full-bodied experiences. Sadly, many presenters focus primarily on the visual elements of PowerPoint, adding a dizzying display of wild backgrounds, pictures, charts, animations, and bullet points...simply because PowerPoint makes it easy to do so.
While focusing solely on visuals may stroke a presenter's ego, it does very little to provoke a positive emotional response from the audience. That's because information arrives in our brains through all five of our senses: taste, touch, sight, smell, and sound.
Just how sensual are you willing to be when you give a PowerPoint presentation? Put another way, how well do you address each of the following five sensory areas?
See PowerPoint Run... The best sensual presenters only use visual elements to activate the audience's imagination or emotions. As an audience member, when you feel your brain cells spark or your heartbeat increase upon seeing a graphic, you've been visually stimulated! Great visuals can stir your emotions…and spur you to take positive action. Sensual presenters skip endless, needless, hard-to-read, or boring visuals. They might be easy to add, but they do nothing positive for the audience.
Now Hear This... Sound is an incredibly important part of any presentation. I went to hear a widely recognized expert on PowerPoint design speak last week...and almost went straight to sleep! It wasn't his visuals, it was his voice! His slides might have been eye candy, but they weren't enough. His bored monotone didn't match his widely purported passion for demonstrating and promoting excellent multimedia visuals. The most sensual presenters use a voice that projects enthusiasm for the subject matter at hand. And they skip the cheesy "ta-dahs" and other trite sound bites that inspire groans and eye-rolls!
The Aroma of PowerPoint... If you think that you can't smell a PowerPoint presentation, think again. Oh, the fragrance of dry-erase markers on a white board! The odor of perspiration, day-old pizza, and stale cologne that lingers from the coworkers who met in the room before you! What kind of scent best compliments your message? An aromatherapist I know anoints her room with essential oils that elicit audience attention and interest. If this sounds too new-age goofy for you, how about a fresh pot of brewed coffee, a vase of flowers, a bowl of fruit - there are many business-acceptable ways to improve the aroma of your PowerPoint!
PowerPoint is a Banquet... What's a business meeting without a nosh? Tasty little treats can really win over an audience. Sensual presenters score big points for providing a box of donuts, pizza, pastry, boxed lunch or other edible goodies for their audiences.
Feel the PowerPoint... As an audience member, you're always touching or feeling something during a PowerPoint presentation. Super sensory presenters provide pleasant or useful items for their groups to feel. If you're presenting, consider pencils and paper, product samples, and porcelain cups instead of styrofoam. Make sure the room temperature is a little cool...the more bodies you have in the room, the warmer it will get (and warmth can make the audience sleepy!)
All five senses provide a portal to the human mind. The more you can awaken and enliven your audience's senses, the more powerful your PowerPoint presentation can be. Since 1999, over a million people have accessed free PowerPoint tips, tricks, techniques, and templates at Laura's website, http://www.maniactive.com. Now, you can learn even more about using PowerPoint more effectively by listening to Laura's PowerPoint Podcasts or by subscribing to her
PowerPoint blog
Time Management? NO!
Many people want to be coached to manage their time better. I say NO! to that. You cannot manage time anyway; it just keeps ticking away no matter what you do. ...
Seven Questions to Improve Your Business, Your Relationships, and Your Life
One of the most powerful tools we have as humans is our ability to ask questions. The more adept we are at asking them (and waiting for and listening to the an...
It Really Is Simple RSS
I have 'Googlebot' coming to my site every day since a month ago I put up my first news feed, since then I have put up yet another. I never used to see 'Google...
Lead Generation 101
Once you get your streamlined sales force up to speed, it's going to need more people to talk to. Leads! We need more leads. Who hasn't heard that recently? Lea...
Discovering The Art of Bending Your Mindset And Manifesting Your Multiple Intelligences
How a Doctor transcended from a Foot Surgeon-Podiatrist to mastering the art of selling real estate. It ain't easy going from a public perceived profession of s...
RV Vacations: Ten Tips
If you have a hint of the RV itch, then here are 10 top reasons for taking an RV vacation.
How to Lower a Wedding Cake Price
Have you wondered why wedding cakes costs hit the roof? Why do they cost so much? You will be amazed to know that the prices could touch $15 per person or more?
Kid Birthday Cake Idea Collection - Cake Decorating Without Fear
You don't have to be a pastry chef to create a professional quality cake for your child's birthday or other special event. Our kid birthday cake idea collection...
What Does a Dangerous Man Look Like?
When you are dating you try to keep from a dangerous man. What do they look like? Why is when you are dating people that some guys just manage to slip through...
Generic Medicines
Why buy Generic Medicines? Well maybe because you can save up to
70% on your prescription drugs...
Everything Your Parents Did Not Tell You About Strengths and Weaknesses
The difference between a Peak Performance Team and an average group of people trying to create results together is very often found in how the Strengths and Wea...
How to Stop Bad Breath In 4 Refreshing Steps
OK, no more excuses, here's how to stop making everyone laugh behind your back after getting a wiff of your noxious breath.
5 Tips to Help You Identify WHO To Market To
If you have your own small business, it's important to decide exactly who you will be marketing your products or services to. But for many small business owners...
A Morning Smoothie to Help You Stop Constipation
Learn how to prepare a morning smoothie that will give you minerals, vitamins, and morning power. This smoothie will also activate your colon to help you keep ...
Want to Try on That New Hair Style Before You Get It?
New hair imaging software allows you to try on various hair styles to see how they would look. There are many different hair imaging software programs availabl...
Tricks For Removing Snow Easily Using Snow Throwers
The article on snow thrower will tell you how snow throwers work, the technical information regarding gas engine snow throwers, and tell you tricks to make remo...
Calcium and Pregnancy
Calcium-deficiency, especially during pregnancy, has been associated with decreased bone density, hypertension, preeclampsia, increased cavities, preterm delive...
Combat Frizzy Hair With These Essential Tips
If your hair has even the slightest wave or curl, it's susceptible to frizz. This article details the six critical things you can do to launch a full-on assault...
Webmasters and Publishers: A Match Made in Heaven!
It's pretty well-known that one of the best ways to drive traffic to your website is to post in various forums and leave your signature that includes a link to ...
Social Bookmarking Traffic Results
The results of the social bookmarking experiment I have been carrying out are materialising. There have been some surprising results and some results that have ...
Improve Your Golf Game Using the Unlimited Power of Your Imagination
This article focuses on using the Power of Imagination to improve all aspects of your golf game. Learn to use this technique to your advantage from this inspir...
The Maharishi Ayurveda Approach to Beauty and Skin Care with Nancy Lonsdorf M.D.
"Every person is born perfect. Inferiority is a mistake of the mind, a cloud covering the light. Dissolve the clouds by observing a balanced life with healthy h...
What Motivates You To Buy?
Think about your last major purchase. How did the internal buying process start? Something motivated and/or triggered your "interest, want, or need". What wa...
Virgin Coconut Oil - Solution for Your Health
Virgin coconut oil is definitely NOT hydrogenated coconut oil. Treated without bleach, solvents nor heating, this oil shows big promise in curing many diseases ...
|
Print this page