Effective Presentations

The author describes the techniques behind great communication and shows how anyone can learn to use them well.

"No matter where you are on the organizational ladder, the odds are high that you've delivered a high-stakes presentation to your peers, your boss, your customers, or the general public. Presentation software is one of the few tools that requires professionals to think visually on an almost daily basis. But unlike verbal skills, effective visual expression is not easy, natural, or actively taught in schools or business training programs. slide:ology fills that void." "Written by Nancy Duarte, Principal of Duarte Design, the firm that created the presentation for Al Gore's Oscar-winning film, An Inconvenient Truth, this book is full of practical approaches to visual story development that can be applied by anyone. The book combines conceptual thinking and inspirational design, with insightful case studies from the world's leading brands." "Millions of presentations and billions of slides have been produced - and most of them miss the mark. slide:ology will challenge your traditional approach to creating slides by teaching you how to be a visual thinker. And it will help your career by creating momentum for your cause."--BOOK JACKET.

Presentation designer and internationally acclaimed communications expert Garr Reynolds, creator of the most popular Web site on presentation design and delivery on the net --presentationzen.com -- shares his experience in a provocative mix of illumination, inspiration, education, and guidance that will change the way you think about making presentations with PowerPoint or Keynote. Presentation Zen challenges the conventional wisdom of making "slide presentations" in today's world and encourages you to think differently and more creatively about the preparation, design, and delivery of your presentations. Garr shares lessons and perspectives that draw upon practical advice from the fields of communication and business. Combining solid principles of design with the tenets of Zen simplicity, this book will help you along the path to simpler, more effective presentations. -- Back cover.

The Wall Street Journal Bestseller Updated to include Steve Jobs's iPad and iPad2 launch presentations The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs reveals the operating system behind any great presentation and provides you with a quick-start guide to design your own passionate interfaces with your audiences. Cliff Atkinson, author of Beyond Bullet Points and The Activist Audience Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs s wildly popular presentations have set a new global gold standard and now this step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to use his crowd-pleasing techniques in your own presentations. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs is as close as you'll ever get to having the master presenter himself speak directly in your ear. Communications expert Carmine Gallo has studied and analyzed the very best of Jobs's performances, offering point-by-point examples, tried-and-true techniques, and proven presentation secrets in 18 "scenes," including: Develop a messianic sense of purpose Reveal the Conquering hero Channel your inner Zen Stage your presentation with props Make it look effortless With this revolutionary approach, you ll be surprised at how easy it is to sell your ideas, share your enthusiasm, and wow your audience the Steve Jobs way. No other leader captures an audience like Steve Jobs does and, like no other book, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs captures the formula Steve uses to enthrall audiences. Rob Enderle, The Enderle Group Now you can learn from the best there is both Jobs and Gallo. No matter whether you are a novice presenter or a professional speaker like me, you will read and reread this book with the same enthusiasm that people bring to their iPods." David Meerman Scott, bestselling author of The New Rules of Marketing & PR and World Wide Rave"

Robin Williams, teacher and designer, knows what it takes to give a good presentation. In this revised and updated book, Robin makes it easy for even first-time presenters to get past their fears of creating a presentation. She expands upon the four fundamental principles of good design and typography introduced in her award-winning Non-Designer’s series and adds four more principles specific to achieving clear communication with slides.

Let Robin guide you in her signature light-hearted style through the entire process of creating a presentation—from planning and organizing your ideas to designing effective, beautiful slides that won’t put your audience to sleep.

In this essential guide to presentation design, you’ll learn:
• What makes a good presentation—or a bad one
• How to plan, organize, and outline your presentation
• Four principles for developing effective presentations
• Four principles for designing beautiful slides that communicate clearly
• Specific tips for using animation and transitions that aren’t annoying
• A list of timeless presentation rules . . . that you should totally ignore