Reference no: EM131466929

Background:

Presenters, salespeople, and even CEOs have embraced PowerPoint, but they're using it incorrectly and undermining their messages, says Paul LeRoux, author of Visual Selling. He offers six tips for regaining control and delivering presentations that truly persuade. Use pictures, not words. Researchers tell us that the brain stores and retrieves pictures more efficiently than words. A face is easier to remember and recall than a name. Cognitive psychologists call this phenomenon "the picture superiority effect." You can leverage it to sell your ideas by presenting powerful images to your audience, unsupported by text, as you give your pitch. Use PowerPoint, but avoid text. "If you don't read text aloud, you can bet your audience is reading it and not paying attention to what you're saying," says LeRoux. "If you do read it aloud, your audience is insulted. Aren't they smart enough to read for themselves? Either way, PowerPoint text takes the focus off of you and drains the persuasiveness out of your presentation." Don't sell your ideas with a handout. Providing a written summary of your main points before your presentation draws your audience's attention away from you and directs it toward the piece of paper. "I'm not saying you can't give your audience a handout at all; I'm saying that you should delay doing so until after your presentation," LeRoux points out. Give out an "image deck." You'll satisfy your audience's need to follow along without distracting them. If your group demands a handout, print full-page versions of your image slides and duplicate them to create your handout. This is an acceptable compromise. With an image version, your audience will not be overly distracted from reading. They will rapidly peruse the entire document and return their attention to you. Images need a presenter to fill in the details. As a result, your participants will listen that much closer to you and your presentation. Use hand gestures. When you're under pressure, your adrenaline surges and you want to do something with your hands. Don't try to squelch this natural impulse by hiding them behind your back or jamming them into your pockets. Instead, use gesturing to help you burn off energy, look professional, support the message, involve listeners, and maintain a conversational pace. Speak up. Enthusiasm sells. Yet, it's the hardest of all delivery skills to learn or to teach. "Increase your volume and, like magic, enthusiasm usually appears," says LeRoux. "It is a direct, one-to-one relationship. When you speak louder, you also are more likely to display body language that communicates your enthusiasm." LeRoux notes that microphones do not help to induce enthusiasm. "It's a crutch," he says. "Unless you're in a large room speaking to 40 or 50 people, I suggest that you don't use one.

Question: Present with Panache

What would be the summary of the entire article list above in one's own words?