Death by PowerPoint, Oh It’s Real!

Death by PowerPoint, oh yes, it is a real thing and not as uncommon as you would think. It happens. While you are reading this blog, somewhere someone is dying while sitting through a PowerPoint presentation. Okay, they may not be literally dying, but figuratively they are. This is such an issue you can find books all over Amazon describing how it happens and how to stop it.

Speakers need to realize, if you use PowerPoint slides, the slides are for your audience not you. They are not to be used to remind you of what you are going to say. The slides should provide additional information to the audience. Additional information, not you reading the bullet points for them. If you are using bullet points, remember these things: one, the audience is reading ahead of what you are saying, two, they are not focusing on you. If you want your presentation to be successful, you do not want either of these things to happen.

If you ask me if I still use bullet points in my presentations, I would say yes occasionally. I do have a number of corporate clients that expect this when I am speaking in a staff meeting to their employees. You have to give the clients what they want but I always try to add other things in my slides such as pictures, cartoons or quotes to break up the slides. Adding these “non-bullet point slides” also makes my presentations more memorable.  At times you may want your audience to feel some type of emotion: sad, happy, outraged, etc. A picture is worth a thousand words, this saying has been around a long time for a reason.

Consider adding media clips to your presentations, pictures, even personal pictures if they fit your theme of the presentation. Your audience will appreciate it and they will be more engaged. The audience will look at the slide then turn their attention back to you, the speaker.

Until the next blog or video blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise

Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President
DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

YouTube – Empowering Women TV Show:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkS-fsSVzGlE5SI_yg3I8ZAGn3GB4DglO

Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

Blog:  http://DGTrainingsolutionsinc.blogspot.com

Answer a Question? That’s a Good Question.

One of the most popular questions I get asked about presenting pertains to…questions. Seriously, the questions range from how do you handle questions during your presentation, do you even take questions, or do you wait until the end to answer them.

The answer depends on the situation. If I am doing a training and it is several hours long, I will stop to answer questions as they come up. My main goal is to ensure the audience leaves with an understanding of the material, that is why the company paid me to be there.

If I am doing a presentation that is short, under an hour, I usually take questions at the end. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. While going over the agenda at the beginning of the presentation I may say, “In order to cover all the material I am asking you to jot down your questions and I will answer them at the end”. 

If I am delivering a speech which is more motivational or inspirational than informative, questions from the audience should not be an issue. Although I will try to answer as many questions as I can at the end of all my presentations.

Another tip would be to incorporate some of the frequently asked questions into your presentations. It becomes tricky to answer questions during your presentations. Sometimes a question will take you away from where you want to be in your talk. At times, the question will spark the other attendees to ask a question unrelated to your presentation but related to the question that took you off topic. Once a question is asked, others may feel they want to ask questions at that moment. This may cause you to run out of time.

To take a question or not? That is a good question. What are your thoughts on questions?


Until the next blog or video blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise

Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

YouTube – Empowering Women TV Show:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkS-fsSVzGlE5SI_yg3I8ZAGn3GB4DglO

Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

Blog:  http://DGTrainingsolutionsinc.blogspot.com

Would you prefer Handouts or Slides?

It never fails, when I do a presentation someone in the audience asks me for a copy of my slide deck. Does this happen to you?

Most of the time I do not give out my slides. There are a few reasons why. Reason #1, I prefer to give out handouts with the important material on the pages. Sometimes if it is a long presentation and people want the slides, it is too many pages to give out at the event. Reason #2, even if I print them out and email to the attendees afterwards, they may not know or remember what the slide signifies. I try to use less words but more pictures or symbols to achieve my message. Unless I am explaining why they are there, someone will not understand my intent. And reason #3, the slides are my intellectual property that I designed and created. I don't want to share them and have someone share them as their own.

For the reasons above, this is why I rarely provide my slides to an audience. Handouts or slides, which if any do you give out?

Until the next blog or vlog, Keep Speaking!

Denise

Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

YouTube – Empowering Women TV Show:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkS-fsSVzGlE5SI_yg3I8ZAGn3GB4DglO

Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

Narrow Down Your Topic

Last month I wrote about making sure you know exactly how long you will be speaking when doing a presentation. I also explained why you should have extra information if your time is extended or how to cut out information if your time runs out.

If you are preparing to speak, you most likely already have your topic. Hopefully it is a topic you know a lot about. Here lies the problem, how much information do you provide to the audience? Sometimes we want to give so much value we overwhelm the audience or confuse them with too many details. How do you narrow down all the information you know about the subject to fit into those time limits?

In most cases, you should be able to pick three main points and build your presentation from there. You can add as much detail as your audience needs or time allows. Choosing only three main points allows you to tell the audience during your introduction what they will hear. An example would be "Today I am going to tell you how to prepare a room to paint, pick a color for the walls, and the most efficient way to get the room painted". The audience knows in advance what they will learn.

Once you have your main points, you can add the details. In our example, the first main point would be preparing the room.  You can then add any supporting information such as supplies you will need, how to properly prepare, why it is so important, etc. You would continue with each point and keep building on those main points. How much detail do you need? It really depends how on how much you want to add to your presentation to fill the time and educate your audience.

Next month I will give you suggestions to polish your presentation.


Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise

Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

YouTube – Empowering Women TV Show:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkS-fsSVzGlE5SI_yg3I8ZAGn3GB4DglO

Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

Blog:  http://DGTrainingsolutionsinc.blogspot.com

Timing is Everything

You have been asked to give a presentation. You are excited because you have so much information to share. This is a big moment for you. Then the thought enters your mind, how do I narrow this down?

Before you start working on your presentation, here are a few tips to keep you from stressing out the day of the event. First, make sure you ask how long you will have to speak. Have them be specific about the layout of the program.  People may say the presentation is an hour, but often they conduct some business before you speak, wait until most people have arrived, give a longer introduction or want to have time to wrap up the event. After all this is done, your speaking time may be forty-five minutes. Fifteen minutes may not sound like a big deal, but if you timed your presentation for sixty minutes and after forty minutes you are getting the sign to wrap it up, it is very stressful, and the audience will see you struggling.

Have you ever been listening to a speaker and they fast forward through the end of the presentation and you can’t even keep up? Guess what happened? They either ran out of time, or thought they had more time to speak.

Since we are talking about timing, after your presentation is written, practice your timing so you can fit your presentation into the allotted time you have to speak. Go slowly when practicing and allow time for laughter (if your presentation is humorous), questions, etc. You can fill time easier at the end than struggling to get all your information in before you run out of time. Remember if you tell them you are going to tell them something, you better have time to tell them. If you are a few minutes early, it shouldn’t be a problem. Overtime, big problem and the audience will let you know by their body language.

Only after you have all the details of the presentation, can you start to prepare your presentation. Tips on narrowing your topic and planning your presentation will be next month.

Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise
Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President
DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com
Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc7d1KUEIqZTUBlSzMSm9eA

Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc
LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

Of course it makes perfect sense!

I remember it as it happened yesterday.  I was sitting in the audience at a Toastmasters function listening to the 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking, Darren LaCroix, presenting a workshop.  Darren was speaking about trying to break into the business of stand-up comedy. His mentor told him never pass up an opportunity to perform.

Darren calls this “Stage Time, Stage Time, Stage Time” and this is his mantra in which he strongly believes. 

Of course, this makes perfect sense.  If you want to be great, you need to practice, practice, and practice.  If you want to be great in public speaking, you need stage time.

I never pass up an opportunity to speak in public.  It may be at my Toastmasters club when they ask if anyone can fill in and do an impromptu speech, or it may only be at a board meeting when I have to address my fellow board of directors.  It may be reading the past minutes from a meeting in a business networking group that I am a member.  This is all stage time.

To be an effective public speaker, you need to be a great communicator.  Hence…stage time, stage time, stage time as fellow Toastmaster Darren tells everyone.

Public Speaking means a variety of things to different people.  You may not have any aspirations to stand up in front of an audience of 1,000 people.  Public Speaking to you may mean teaching a workshop, giving a presentation during a staff meeting in your organization, or standing up in front of your congregation and reading scripture.  This is all public speaking!

Practice, practice, practice and you will see improvement.  But better yet, others will see your improvement.

Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise

Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

Blog:  http://DGTrainingsolutionsinc.blogspot.com

Meetup:  https://www.meetup.com/DG-Training-Solutions-Professional-Development-Meetup/

I Was Ready With a Plan B

I am a firm believer of always double checking everything before a presentation and having a Plan B in case something goes wrong.

That is exactly what I did last summer while preparing for a workshop I was presenting for 65 people. I saved my slides on a USB in case my computer didn’t want to work. I was ready! I made sure my computer was fully charged as well as brought my adapter, just in case. I was ready! I tried my projector, had extra batteries for my presenter and wrote down all my passwords I needed for the presentation in case I became logged out. I was ready! I even went out the day before and bought a 15-foot extension cord just in case I needed one. I was ready!

The day of the workshop I showed up an hour early to setup. The outlet was far from where my laptop and projector would be placed. Whew, I thought, good thing I brought an extension cord. When I went to plug my projector into the extension cord I couldn’t. My extension cord was 2- prong and the projector needed a 3-prong extension cord. What? Are you kidding me? These were the questions running through my head. I just kept holding the extension cord and the projector cord willing it to fit. It didn’t. Who would have thought to plug everything into the extension cord to see if it worked? Not me.

Always have a Plan B or C. No matter how much you double and triple check, something always seems to happen. Lesson learned.

Oh, my Plan C, the presenter scheduled after me had an extension cord and I used hers.

Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise

Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

Keep Your Audience Talking

I recently did a presentation for a company with twelve people in attendance.  The topic was communication.  While this was a new topic I was presenting, I have been in front of audiences of all sizes for many years and have been able to engage them through questions and examples.

There were only two ladies in the group that would answer the questions I would ask.  A third woman would make negative comments throughout the presentation.  It was a difficult presentation and I struggled to get interaction, which I found surprising.  I would ask a question, wait for a response and not hear a thing.  What really made the whole presentation worse was one evaluation form I received back had a comment that I could not engage the audience!

What!! I wanted to scream when I read this comment later that night.  I did everything but stand on my head to get participation.

An audience that responds to the trainer will gain more from the presentation.  The trainer isn't asking questions to have a break from talking or cannot fill the allotted time.  The trainer wants the audience to be engaged to increase their comprehension of how the information can be used back in their work environment and how their fellow participants are processing the information.

Later that evening I thought about what else I could have done to encourage the rest of the group to participate.  I went through my experience: asking open ended questions, relate the information to their industry, ask how they could apply this information to their positions, give my personal examples, and listen to clues where some of the questions were leading.  Check to all the above, I did these things.

I realized some people will not say anything in a group.  I also realized some people just want to be heard and will try to hijack the presentation from the speaker.  It can be a challenge to find the balance.

Sometimes no matter how hard you try, you cannot keep an audience talking.  What other ways do you get an audience to keep talking?


Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise

Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni


 

 

 

 

Am I a Trainer, a Presenter or an Actress?

Besides Trainer, Presenter, or Actress, I can add other labels to the title of this blog.  A Facilitator, Speaker, Teacher….the list can go on and on.

You may be wondering what acting has to do with anything.  Am I acting like I know what I am talking about?  No, that is not what I mean.  When I say I am an actress in front of an audience I mean that I step out of being just Denise to being engaging Denise to my audience.  I learned this many years ago and have always kept this in the back of my mind.

Let me give you an example.  Twenty years ago I was a Tupperware lady.  At this time you had to order Tupperware from a Tupperware representative.  We didn’t have online ordering, probably because we didn’t have online at the time.  There was no website.  I would drive all over and conduct Tupperware parties for my hostesses.  I used to have a great time and lots of fun doing this.  I had a sign on my display that said “I get paid to party at work”.

I noticed when I wasn’t feeling well or in a bad mood the sales of my parties reflected this.  Since I made a percentage on the Tupperware I sold, this was an issue.  It took a few unsuccessful parties before I realized something.  I had a moment of clarity:  the hostess and her friends didn’t care if I was having a bad day, going through a difficult situation or not feeling well.  They were there to have fun, socialize with their friends, and buy Tupperware.

An audience feels the same way.  They want to be engaged.  Think back to the last presentation you sat through and thought to yourself this speaker would rather be anywhere else.  How did you feel as a member of the audience?  You gave up your time and money to be there and the speaker didn’t engage, motivate you, or even want to be there.

I’m an actress in a sense that I perform in front of my audience, classroom, and colleagues.  I’m not over the top with drama or wild with hand gestures.  I am positive, energetic, and engaging.  The audience would never know anything about how my day was going or how I felt.

How do I know this is true?  While giving a speech at my local Toastmaster club, I started to get a migraine.  My migraines cause me to have visual auras which means the room changes colors, flashes of lights (similar to strobe lights), and waves run in front of my eyes.  I kept right on delivering my speech without any reaction even though I could no longer make out the faces of the audience.  When I sat down someone commented that I am always smiling, positive and in a good mood.  They had no idea I was in the middle of a terrible migraine while delivering the speech.

Yes I am a Trainer, a Presenter, and an Actress!

Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise

Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

 Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

 Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

 Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

Is a Picture worth a Thousand Words?

A picture is worth a thousand words!  We have all heard this expression.  But is this true?  Is Visual Imagery that important when you are writing or giving a presentation?

Yes it is very important!  I was once at a Toastmasters Conference listening to the keynote speaker telling a story of a farmer on his tractor plowing the fields.  He gave such details the audience could actually see the farmer doing his daily chores.  How do I know the audience could visualize what the speaker was saying?  Because at the end of his speech he asked the group of 100 people if they remembered what was the color of the flannel shirt the farmer was wearing.  The audience responded by yelling, yes of course we do.  When the speaker asked what color was the farmer’s shirt, half of the room said red and half of the room said blue.  There were also a handful of people who shouted out different colors. 

You may be saying to yourself, well Denise he must not have been that good of a speaker for people not to remember what was the color of the farmer’s shirt. He didn’t paint the picture very well you may also be thinking.  You will be as shocked as I was when I tell you he didn’t mentioned at all the color of the farmer’s shirt.  Everyone in the room was shocked and surprised!  We all had a different picture of the farmer as we were watching him plow the fields in our minds, but we all had a picture of the farmer and that was the point he was trying to make with this audience.

If I were telling you a story about a quiet walk through the park in the fall season and said the park was so empty and quiet I could hear the leaves blowing, you would have a picture in your mind.  But what if I took it to the next level and described the park more visually:

“Silence was everywhere in the park.  It was like a blanket of quietness was placed on the park.  Beyond the bushes you could hear the rustling of the dead leaves that fell off the old maple trees.  It sounded like someone had a large broom and was sweeping from side to side.”

The first description of the park painted the picture, while the second description brought that picture into focus in High Definition like most of the new television sets on the market today. 

A picture is worth a thousand words.  By using the correct words you can bring the picture to life for your audience. You don’t need to use many words, just make them descriptive.

Get the picture?

Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise


Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

 Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

 Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

 Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

Anticipate Your Audience

(portions previously posted on September 26, 2011)

Did you ever show up for a business function and were over or under dressed?  The same thing can happen when you show up to do a presentation or give a speech.  You must know who your audience will be and dress accordingly.  I'm not saying to dress unprofessionally, just in line with what type of audience you will be addressing.  My rule of thumb is to dress one step above what the audience will be wearing.  I will give you my personal example. 

In my last job I would go out into the community to give presentations.  I would also go into companies and give the same type of presentation with similar information.  If I was going into a company or organization to give my budgeting presentation I would dress in a suit and my presentation would be very professional.  I had to give that same presentation to a women's shelter one day.  I did not want to alienate the audience by walking in dressed in a suit, I wore a more casual skirt and top.  Still looking professional, but more casual.  I did not stand up and lecture as I did previously at a large company, I sat down with the women and gave my presentation more as a conversation and less intimidating for my audience.  You do not want your audience to think you consider yourself to be better or above them.  This will turn them off immediately, they will be resentful and will not listen to you. 

Always dress for success, but always dress for your audience.

Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!!

Denise


Denise Ann Galloni, Owner and President
DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/deniseanng

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni