Even if you are a confident, seasoned speaker, you still need to connect

with your audience with terrific content and visual aids. Knock ‘em dead
with your words and the visual aids you use in order to truly have
audiences on the edge of their seats!

How can you get a crowd of hungry or tired conference attendees

interested in your presentation? How can you stand apart and be
remembered out of a series of speakers?

Be daring and different. Seek untraditional methods to relate your

information. Investigate all your options and all resources. Never rule
anything out.

Supplement Your Presentation with the Internet's Help

The Internet has a wealth of information that presenters can use – many
of it is free.

Charts, graphs and other statistics can be found easily by using various
Internet search engines (Yahoo.com and Lycos.com are two good ones)
for sites related to your topic.

Many Web sites exist that offer speakers a variety of visual aids to
download or print. Sometimes it’s as easy as printing a list of hot tips;
other times you may want to use more high-tech animation or purchase
equipment.

Many Web sites offer "Shareware" – allowing you to sample a

presentation graphic, sound bite, or other software. If you like what you
downloaded, after a certain time frame, these Shareware developers
expect to be compensated for their product. It’s an unspoken rule.

Remember that some people are more auditory learners than visual.
With this in mind, look for interesting audio files on Web sites that you
can incorporate into slide shows. The more senses you can connect to
with audience members, the better your chances to captivate more
people. The future of information technology is directly connected to the
Internet, and it’s the best way for presenters to have a global library of
facts, figures, and graphics a mouse click away. Many CD-ROM
packages for sale offer presenters similar options to what is found on the
Internet.

Tad Simons, editor of Presentations magazine, cautions, however,

"Presenters who take information off of the Internet should be aware that
copyright laws apply to articles, pictures, audio files, and graphics on the
Web as well. Just because it’s on the Web doesn’t mean it’s free for the
taking – you need to get permission from the copyright holder in order to
reuse it, or else you could be inviting a potential lawsuit."

It’s terrific to use exciting visual aids and unconventional graphics during
a presentation. The danger is to make sure you don’t look like you’re just
doing a data dump or trying to use tricks to cover up a lack of relevant or
informative content.

Options That Are Out There

Presenters have to carefully consider their audience, its needs, and the
overall objective of the speech before deciding which visual aids to use.
If you are presenting to a high-tech crowd, for example, using only a flip
chart simply won’t cut it.

Keep an open mind on these options:

Slide shows/Computer-generated graphics

One of the best software packages out there for creating engaging,
dynamic visual aids is PowerPoint. I like its ability to create exciting,
colorful templates that can be used very effectively in a team
presentation to maintain consistency of the visual aids used. I also
use a remote mouse to control presentations that I show on my
laptop. A few handy tips that not too many presenters know about
PowerPoint – if you click the "b" key on your keyboard you get a
black screen. If you hit "b" again it brings you back to the same
slide you were just viewing. This comes in handy if you want to
pause between slides without showing the next one. Clicking a "w"
is the same as the "b" key, only it gives you a white screen. Using
the period "." also works the same way.

Videos
A video works well if you need to convey motion in a presentation
graphic. The video is also a great tool to convey an actual episode
in life. Watching a video helps make a flagging audience more alert.
It becomes almost like a theatre experience – watching the new
action thriller.

Overheads
Although it is a low-tech option, presenters can still use overheads
and effectively convey a sense of professionalism and their
message. The overhead projector can help the presenter interact
with the audience – writing additional points or comments
throughout a speech on the actual overhead can snap an audience
member to attention. Overheads are also necessary as backup in
case your projection system and computer crash.

Whiteboards
This visual aid option also allows for spontaneity and is good for
displays. You need to be savvy with computer-connected boards
and related software.

Flipcharts
The oldest visual aid around, back before the days of fancy
electronics, the flipchart can still be a highly effective way to convey
points during a presentation. If the speaker is a good illustrator, the
flipchart becomes an even better way of capturing audience
attention.

Products/Props
If appropriate, consider using your own product if it is large enough
to be seen by the audience, yet small enough to manage. Never
pass products around during a presentation – it can be distracting.
 Props also can be used to create imagery. I use a magician’s hat in
my "Market Your Magic" speech. It’s a very effective way to tie in
my theme and make people pay close attention to what I’m doing.
Another prop I use is a bar of soap to convey my ideas about
packaging. Consider what you can use that will help people
remember your message.

Presentations magazine editor Simons says, "It’s all too easy to go

overboard on the nifty graphic options that come with PowerPoint. The
key to using presentation software in a sophisticated way is to boil down
key concepts into an arresting visual image – one that communicates
what you are trying to say without creating a lot of excess visual noise."

It’s important to remember that visual aids should not replace your
content. They are not supposed to be your notes or relate every idea
that you are talking about. Instead the visual aid is best used when it
relates key points or concepts to remember. Short statements or
sentences that help audience members remember and act upon your
message are especially valuable to use.

Ultimately, the best thing to do is use a combination of the low-tech and

high-tech visual aid options – allowing you to connect better with
audience members and keep their attention riveted to you.

About Marjorie Brody

Reprinted from The Presenters University
(www.presentersuniversity.com). Article copyright 2000 Marjorie Brody,
MA, CSP, CMC. Reputation is everything and Marjorie Brody stakes her
reputation on enhancing yours. Marjorie is an internationally recognized
expert and motivational speaker on career enhancement and corporate
etiquette. Her message ignites the passion and purpose of audience
members to unleash their potential and polish their skills, motivating
them to move from ordinary to extraordinary. She is author of 15 books,
including Speaking is an Audience-Centered Sport, Complete Business
Etiquette Handbook and the four-booklet series 21st Century Pocket
Guides to Proper Business Protocol. Marjorie can be reached via e-mail
at mbrody@brodycomm.com, or visit her Web site
at www.marjoriebrody.com