There are three steps to making an IBM presentation
Plan It offers advice on organizing your message sharpening your focus on what you want to say and arranging it in a manner that audiences can follow
Prepare It is a resource for constructing graphic support materials in Freelance Graphics (PowerPoint is also supported) You will find instructions on how to include elements such as text charts and graphs in a style that will be consistent to all our audiences an IBM look in much the same way that our advertising and marketing materials have a distinct appearance
Present It offers tips on how to deliver what you＇ve prepared effectively to an audience Presentations are not about showing a series of slides they are about you communicating a message with visual elements in a supporting role
Where to begin
In her book Secrets of Power Presentations Micki Holliday suggests answering the following questions as a first start to organizing your presentation
· What does the audience need to know
· What does the audience want to know
· What are the possible benefits of a successful meeting for this audience (What＇s in it for me)
· What questions might the audience have
Here＇s what you do first Stop Take some time As Thomas Watson Sr used to advise famously Think
You are about to mount an argument What do you need Don＇t succumb to the temptation of collecting every apparently relevant item into a jumble and then trying to reshuffle them into a coherent order (Jim has a nice chart on this and Lisa has some good market data I＇ll get those) That＇s the flawed technique behind many of the more overblown leaden presentations you＇ve ever dozed through That＇s working backwards Instead start with nothing and work forward
Ask yourself this What is my point Every presentation is an attempt to communicate something It may be a complex topic with lots of supporting data but fundamentally there will always be something simple you want to say It might be IBM understands your business or This technology is the best for our requirements or We need more time to do this job right
Figure out what you＇re trying to communicate in its simplest clearest most concise form Write it down in one sentence Does it make sense Does it really cut to the heart of what you need to convey If not rewrite it
If you only could deliver this one sentence to your audience with no charts or any supporting information would this be the one you＇d choose
Composing this basic sentence might take two minutes or it might take an hour It doesn＇t really matter which Just get it right Without a clear point of view you are navigating without direction
Get it wrong and you＇ll struggle the rest of the way
Get it right and the pieces will begin falling naturally into place behind it
Build your case
OK you＇re clear about the point you need to convey But it＇s safe to assume that your audience is not prepared to accept your message on faith After all if everyone in the room already knew what you wanted to tell them and agreed with it there would be no point whatever to your standing up and talking
The purpose of your talk is to move your audience to your point of view So you will have to build your case You need to organize your argument
Make a rough flow chart of the information you are going to present Just sketch it out on paper this isn＇t going to be a chart you＇ll show and you＇ll probably have to revise it a few times anyway
The organizing principle behind this is a pyramid each statement you make will have one or more likely several supporting pieces of information under it As you build your presentation in this outline form a pyramid will form with your basic statement at the top and everything else arrayed beneath it Don＇t worry yet about the order in which you＇ll actually present each item Just get them all down on paper to look at
The Pyramid Principle book listed in our recommended reading list is devoted to this method of organization and it＇s a useful resource But the basic idea is really common sense merely a way of laying out your information so you can arrange and later on present it logically
Let＇s take a look at a hypothetical presentation and how you might organize its various elements using this technique
From the top down
Let＇s assume your basic point is IBM＇s solution is your best option because its combination of products and services is integrated and flexible and because we understand your business challenges
Now put yourself in your audience＇s position They want to know why they should believe this They expect proof
You have let＇s assume four reasons First IBM products work together Second IBM offers the flexibility of open systems Third IBM services tie everything together Fourth IBM has experience in the customer＇s industry
This is the heart and framework of your pitch Lay it out graphically
You now see that you＇re going to open by stating your main point and you＇re going to proceed through your presentation by offering facts and data in these four areas Don＇t worry yet about which will come first
Take each of your supporting arguments and do the same again Build another pyramid under each of the four Under products work together you might have information about each of the elements in the solution servers middleware storage You might want to talk about interdivisional efforts in IBM to integrate technologies across our product lines It would look something like this
Fallen Pyramids
Some people find it helpful to use a pyramid on its side with the topic in the leftmost box and building the pyramid out to the right instead of below it If you use this method you＇ll notice that the pyramid more closely resembles a classic outline structure Unlike an outline however the relative equality of the boxes make it much easier to restructure and reorder your presentation and establish new relationships to item without altering the entire organization as often occurs when creating an outline
For this example we don＇t need to bother creating all the pyramids that build downward but you will want to do this for your entire presentation Organize all the information that you might want to include You will then have a pyramid that encompasses everything you need to convey
Now play with it Look at the big picture See what＇s most important Take out things that while you might think they＇re important just won＇t resonate with or be understood by your audience Move things around Add or delete but keep the organizing structure intact
Once you have a pyramid that seems to represent your theme and the various points you need to get across you＇re ready to start creating the materials you will actually show people bullet points charts graphs Instead of organizing onthefly you＇ve organized first Congratulations you now have a clear picture literally of what information is relevant to your presentation what points it supports and where it should go Unfortunately many people don＇t bother to begin with this formal structured approach
Although you haven＇t even created your first slide the most critical (and often botched) work in creating your presentation is complete
If this all seems too plodding too restrictive and structured don＇t worry it isn＇t By the time you have a presentation ready to show the underlying organization will fade from view leaving behind merely a framework that helps your audience focus more easily on your message and enhances your own mastery of the material since you understand thoroughly how it all fits together
Now let＇s take your graphical pyramid outline and prepare a presentation
Where to begin
Visual elements such as graphs charts and text can enhance your ability to communicate helping your audience follow your message and quickly understand various types of information
Used thoughtfully they can be valuable tools
Used indiscriminately or constructed poorly however they can actually detract from your message They can clutter your presentation and confuse your audience
This template will facilitate the preparation of your presentation and will help to continue establishing you as one of the best expressions of the IBM brand
· It reflects IBM＇s corporate design style which also influences our advertising and marketing materials It is straightforward clean and simple
· It＇s flexible enough to accommodate a variety of uses Some may use it with little or no graphic elements while others might need to convey far more complicated data
· It＇s simple to use Although communications specialists and graphic designers have worked to create this template anyone in IBM should be able to use it without any special skills or software beyond what is already available
Don＇t automatically assume you need to use presentation software to make your presentation
Some of the most effective sales jobs are done just by speaking directly sincerely and informatively about the subject without hiding behind charts In Say It With Presentations noted presentation designer Gene Zelazny gives three basic types of media you should consider if you need visuals to help convey your message
Lap visuals so called because each member of the audience receives his or her own copy of the materials at the start of the meeting if not before Best for small groups their use can open up discussion and help everyone participate as equal partners The downside is that they may read ahead and start asking questions you would prefer to deal with later in the discussion And you can also miss opportunities for eye contact if everyone is looking down reading
Easels or white boards Great for increasing interactivity among 15 or fewer people since you＇re recording the audience＇s ideas as they come up Downsides Avoid spending all your time with your back to the audience perhaps deputize a member of the meeting to help write down points so you can concentrate on their comments and reactions to you and each other
Onscreen presentations While less personable than the other two methods this is by far the most polished and suitable for large audiences Since this is also the medium with the greatest pitfalls this is the type of presentation we＇ll be working on in this section
Title screen
By using a standard title chart and following the style consistently we will add a professional touch not only to our individual presentations but collectively to all of IBM＇s facetoface communications
The title slide is a straightforward element and generally requires only that you include your name IBM organization and speaking topic in the places provided However the template allows for other elements that might be required and it＇s important to follow the guidelines if you will be using these
More text (if you must)
The template also provides a format for longer blocks of text You should use blocks of text very sparingly Yes once in a while there might be a longer passage that is relevant and valuable For instance you might have a quote from an analyst or customer that is particularly striking
If you are going to make your audience read something make sure it＇s worth their time and effort More important make sure it＇s worth your time since you don＇t have much available and you＇ve just turned some of it into a small reading assignment
Don＇t overdo it
Before you begin keep in mind some key points
· Visuals are not your presentation You are the presentation Your audience has not gathered for the purpose of reading your Freelance (or PowerPoint) pages they have come to hear you communicate Use visuals to support your message
· Less is more A graph that shows (for example) levels of customer spending on certain technologies can reveal at a glance trends in the market but it remains your task to explain that data＇s relevance to your audience A single wellconstructed graphic supported by your thoughtful explanation is more effective than a series of charts that the audience must decipher
· Projected visuals have severe limits They are constrained by the resolution of a computer screen which is far lower than the printed page They are limited further by being projected onto a screen that people must read from a distance For this reason we want to keep visuals simple and bold More complex graphics are better suited for inclusion in printed materials
Let＇s take a look at the main elements of the IBM Presentation Template that you might need to include More possibilities and variations are available in the presentation templates themselves But understanding which you need and when is the first step
Bulletpoint text
Your audience is ready to listen and to look but they don＇t want to read long passages of text on a screen And you don＇t want them too either — reading takes their attention away from what you are saying
The most effective way to use text is with short phrases that can be read at a glance Presented this way text can remind people of your key points or help them follow the progress of your presentation Here＇s an example of text poorly used
That isn＇t a badlooking page and it isn＇t too difficult to read But it can be improved This would be even better
The first example tries to present your message The second example merely provides cues to the messages you are discussing It engages the audience＇s time only for a moment and demands that they listen to what you＇re saying as you explain the points
Of course even when you reduce your message to a bulletpoint phrase you can still defeat yourself by cramming too many onto a single page That＇s why you should limit any page of text to no more than five items (and even five is pushing it) You＇ll see that the template reflects this limit
This limit of five is not a matter of how much text will fit onto a page while remaining both legible and visually pleasing although these are important considerations Rather it＇s a question of how much information someone can easily retain at one time especially while listening to you speak
But what if you have more than three or even five points to make about IBM servers Perhaps you want to talk about the technologies that give our servers their priceperformance edge and cite some benchmark studies as evidence You have more to say about management capabilities too It simply won＇t fit into five lines
No problem If you examine your information you are likely to find that it will arrange itself into groups of details that support more general points (If you＇d prepared your information carefully according to the pyramid structure described in the ＇Plan It＇ module this should already be clear) The solution is to create another page which focuses in greater detail on one of your topics In our current example you might progress to this
Here again you are giving your audience a limited manageable amount of information at any one time If you have benchmark data (in this example) that simply demands a graphic treatment don＇t cram it onto this page unless it＇s a very simple graphic Make another page devoted to that
When you＇ve finished with your information about priceperformance return to your list and the second point Your next page might list the key points about IBM servers＇ advanced management capabilities followed by one with more detail on Linux and open standards
If those other topics don＇t have as much supporting detail you might simply show your first page about IBM servers again perhaps with your next point highlighted
You would then proceed to discuss the advanced management features Your audience has a clear and quick visual cue that you＇re moving on to the second point along with a reminder that a third one will follow
It＇s perfectly okay to repeat pages in this manner Repeating pages can help your audience follow the presentation without requiring a lot of their attention to do so While it＇s true that less is more on any single page (and even for visuals in general) so long as your pages are brief and direct repeating pages in order to highlight the progress of your presentation is an effective use of supporting visuals In this instance more can be more Just don＇t get carried away you don＇t need a line on the screen to summarize every single thing you＇re going to say
(If you are preparing a printed version of your pitch to distribute to your audience you will probably include a page only once and remove any highlighted and repeated pages)
Charts & graphs
Chartware
If your presentations require greater use of a wider variety of charts you can find a more detailed exploration of the topic in Say it With Charts by Gene Zelazny one of the books in our recommended reading list For an even deeper examination of visual communication Envisioning Information by Edward Tufte is excellent though not as directly relevant to business presentations
Charts and graphs can be very effective tools They can also be annoyingly clumsy obscuring the very information they＇re intended to communicate Like other tools they must be used when the task requires them and with care
Our template calls for charts stripped clean of extraneous clutter free from such visual gimmickry as threedimensional effects and restrained in their use of color If your information is relevant to your audience it shouldn＇t be obscured by this sort of distraction If your information isn＇t relevant it shouldn＇t be on the screen at all
This introduction to the simplest most common and effective types of charts used in presentations should help you develop the basic skills you need to decide when to use a graph how to select the type most appropriate to your data and how to create it using the software you already have available in a style that will blend harmoniously into the IBM template
Before you even begin creating charts there are a few points to keep in mind
· Charts must be read They don＇t convey information but rather present it in a visual way that makes understanding it easy Still your audience is going to have to extract the message of a chart by looking at it by reading it possibly with your assistance in pointing out its key aspects
The simpler a chart is the more clear and direct its message will be Complex charts of simple information are failures Simple charts of complex information are achievements
· When data demands complex charts they are nearly always better presented on a printed handout We will work around these limits as best we can but you must be aware of them and strive for simplicity
· In the hands of skilled people trained in presenting information visually there are software tools capable of transforming complex data into elegant and effective charts But these often require specialized skills
You＇ll find all sorts of examples of charts and graphs in the Infographics presentation templates Once you＇ve got your presentation prepared however you＇re ready to Present It — which just happens to be the subject of the third and final section of the IBM Presentation Methodology
The template
The IBM Presentation Template (someone reading this has already mentally shortened it to the IPT no doubt) gives you a few basic options to choose from Inside of the blue bands (the letterbox area) you can either use a black background with white text or a white background with black text You can have background imagery on the title slide inside the letterbox or in the blue bands
A few things you shouldn＇t change however
· The color or size of the blue bands except between the two variations given as options in the template and for the style of the bands in the printable blackandwhite version
· The font which is Arial (Arial is one of the sansserif fonts which are generally considered easier to read projected on a monitor or screen or when printed on dark backgrounds Serif fonts such as Times New Roman and Bodoni are generally considered easier to read in print on white or lightcolored paper)
· The size position or other attributes of the IBM logo in the upper right
· The color palette
· The minimum point or font size of the various text elements
· The position of such elements as IBM Confidential the title of the presentation the page numbering if you use it
When you use the template you＇ll see more guidelines in the nondisplaying margins of its slides and more detailed explanations are available from the template download menu For now we＇ll concern ourselves with some of the most basic kinds of pages and how to use them most effectively
Where to begin
Congratulations You have a wellorganized concise targeted presentation You know the material well enough to improvise if needed and respond to questions Your supporting visual materials look sharp and more important they convey information to support your messages nothing more or less You have created an edited version of your slides reformatted for blackandwhite and printed enough to hand out to your audience You＇re thoroughly prepared
Say It Don＇t Just Play It
It＇s become an accepted part of the culture at IBM (and elsewhere) to email a presentation to someone in lieu of presenting it in person or when an inperson presentation isn＇t possible While this can be a great costsaver in terms of travel and time realize that if your charts are complete enough to stand all on their own without your thoughtful arguments and explications then you＇re probably forcing your inperson audience to read too much And if you＇ve pared all the nonessentials from your visuals so that only the most important elements are displayed and they truly support your presentation instead of become your presentation then it probably isn＇t going to be able to stand on its own when you email it off to whoknowswhat environment and audience
If you have to email a presentation you won＇t be delivering via phone concurrently to it being viewed consider recording your comments (Freelance and PowerPoint both have this option you need only to get a plugin microphone for your computer if one isn＇t already included) If you can＇t record it or that adds too much to the file size for emailing create a second similar presentation and use the speaker notes function Then you can encourage your audience to print out the presentation with your speaker＇s notes or create an Adobe Acrobat file of such a printout which is what you can then email to them
Speaking tips
There are many books articles and seminars devoted to the skill of speaking to an audience This isn＇t meant to replace them so if you＇re new to public speaking you might want to browse the list of recommended reading provided elsewhere However here are a few general pointers that apply to novice and experienced presenters alike
You Talking to Me
Before you present try to answer the following for yourself about the people you see in the room based on what you know about them or if you have nothing else to go on their expressions and the way others respond when they speak
· Who are the critical decision makers of the audience whose yes or no may be all that matters ultimately What are their needs and priorities
· Who are the influencers in the audience who seem to command a sense of authority and may be expected to make recommendations to the critical decision makers
· Who are your allies Not just friends or colleagues you may recognize in the audience but the 20 percent who appear most receptive to the points you are making and are probably generally supportive to most people presenting to them
While it may seem counterintuitive present mostly to the people you see in the audience who obviously want you to succeed while being aware of the decision makers and influencers Micki Holliday (Secrets of Power Presentations) says Presenters tend to get distracted and controlled by the negative personality types They try to convince cajole persuade that one person often to the detriment of the rest of the audience It is usually a hopeless task
Do not read your slides Assuming the text (if any) on your slide is legible (as it should be) your audience can read it faster than you can speak it Few things are more annoying than watching someone merely read or closely paraphrase page after page of text People will either assume that you don＇t know the topic very well and have nothing to add or else that you＇re a novice presenter and too nervous
Explain your slides Good supporting materials on their own will prompt questions in the audience＇s mind questions that you answer even before they are asked For slides that present data (in graphs charts etc) ask yourself What does this information mean Or more critically What do I want it to mean to this audience
For example if you have a chart that shows an IBM product outperforming its competitors in a benchmark it＇s useless merely to tell your audience what they＇re looking at Look here our software is more powerful Instead use that as your cue to explain why it＇s more powerful what critical technologies are in the latest version and why this particular benchmark is relevant to your audience
Transition first then change slides This is one of the most effective practices you can adopt Too often speakers will change the visuals first everyone starts reading while the speaker starts a transition to this subject and the audience starts with a sense of confusion until the speaker＇s finished this transition At best it will seem as if you need to see your own slides to remember what to tell people Transition verbally to the next slide first Here＇s an example of the effective way to transition between slides given by Gene Zelazny in Say It With Presentations
1 Continue eye contact with the audience as you finish discussing the previous slide As we＇ve just seen the United States holds tremendous potential for JJ Ltd
2 Hold the eye contact as you make the transition to the next slide But will JJ be able to enter the US market In fact there are no insurmountable barriers to entry
3 Be quiet stop talking as you replace the old visual with the new one
4 Make eye contact once more as you begin to tell the story of the new visual Here are the barriers you＇re familiar with and the recommendations for overcoming them
Change your own slides While not always possible depending on the presentation environment you should generally be prepared to change your own slides
Sometimes though you have to have someone else running your slides or perhaps the audience is stepping through the slides themselves while you speak to them over the phone or in a Webcast You＇ll show a great deal of familiarity with your own presentation and manage to control the situation better if you make it clear when to advance the slide each time Please go to slide six After the first few instances of this the audience will barely notice your saying it Just as when you＇re changing the slides on your own you should be quiet during the change of visuals so that the audience can absorb the new slide for half a second without also having to concentrate on what you＇re saying in the middle of it
Finish early follow up
There have been no studies to determine what percentage of business audiences are left wishing a presentation had continued longer Possibly this is because so many run long that there＇s rarely time for a survey
In any case it＇s probably safe to assume that your audience will be pleased if you finish on time or even early And if you somehow leave them wanting more then ironically you will have exceeded their expectations
If you will be taking questions allow a realistic amount of time for that If you don＇t plan to take questions allow a little time for them anyway
As important as it is to deliver a good presentation it＇s equally important to learn from the experience and improve your skills One way is by recording yourself and listening to it afterwards — probably several days or a week later when the experience is less fresh in your memory and you can listen to the recording more objectively
It might also be useful depending on the audience to follow up informally and ask one or two of the people who attended what they thought
Definitely follow up with anyone who requested information you weren＇t able to give them off the top of your head during the presentation or with any materials or contacts you promised And you＇ll make far more allies than you thought possible if you＇ll take a few notes for yourself during the presentation and schedule short 15 or 30minute calls to discuss those topics for which you asked if we could take this offline That shows not only were you appreciative they listened to you but you were listening to them and their priorities as well
Whether you deliver presentations infrequently or as a regular part of your job putting a little extra thought and work into the process of planning preparing and presenting them will make you more effective at your job
Practice makes perfect
Talk the Talk
In Secrets of Power Presentations Holliday offers this advice to make your presentation stand out
Speak lower and slower than normal When you slow down it drops the pitch of your voice and gives the impression of authority and power Speaking slower will also allow those who are trying to take notes to do so without missing your next point
Watch your tone of voice Remember it＇s not only what you say but how you say it No matter how good the material is if you speak in a demeaning softspoken or preachy tone of voice you will lose your credibility and probably your audience
Deliver your presentation with confidence and humility No one likes to listen to an arrogant speaker No matter how knowledgeable you are you need to make your audience feel comfortable with you and the message you are presenting
There are several good reasons to rehearse your presentation It helps you become comfortable with the material and the flow of information It helps you determine how long your presentation will take so you can adjust if necessary And it might help you spot any flaws or weak spots
A rehearsal does not require an audience though if it＇s an important presentation having someone listen to you might prove helpful
A rehearsal doesn＇t necessarily mean you need to stand and pretend to be in a conference room or auditorium though if you aren＇t completely comfortable in front of an audience this might help you develop the physical rhythm of speaking gesturing changing slides in your presentation and so forth
A rehearsal does however need to be spoken aloud Find someplace quiet make sure you will not be interrupted and talk it all through Don＇t skip or skim over your introductory remarks or summary comments and time it
Talk it through at least twice to make sure your timing is consistent
It＇s often a good idea to record yourself and play it back Do you sound rushed or too slow Are there words or phrases you use so often that they become distracting Usually it＇s difficult to recognize these flaws while you＇re speaking because your concentration is on the process of delivering a speech but listening to yourself on a recording can help you spot them and improve
Taking questions
Here are a few things to remember when responding to questions
Repeat the question This is a standard technique and for good reason In larger rooms people often cannot hear what has been asked Repeating the question for the whole audience avoids confusion — and helps you verify that you＇ve heard the question correctly too If however the room is small enough the questioners have microphones or they ask their questions in a conference call you don＇t need to repeat the question just for the sake of doing so (However if it＇s a tough question then repeating it can buy you time to compose your thoughts)
They aren＇t all winners Years ago someone came up with the idea of congratulating every questioner on the brilliance of his inquiry This was a subtle and effective psychological tactic until everyone started doing it If someone asks you when purple ThinkPads will be available appearing delighted with the question will only make you look insincere By all means comment on a question if you have something to say (A lot of customers have been asking that I＇m glad you brought it up) but don＇t do it as part of a questiontaking formula
Be direct The beginning of any response to a question should be a short simple sentence If you＇re asked whether IBM plans to offer ThinkPads in different colors (to pick an unlikely inquiry) do not begin your answer by listing the many design awards our allblack line has received Just say ＇No＇ and then expand on that if you feel it＇s necessary
Answer and move on It＇s usually the Q&A sessions that turn a 20minute presentation into a 45minute marathon Yes the giveandtake of a conversation with the audience can be extremely valuable so you should be listening closely for questions and issues that you hadn＇t anticipated But don＇t let the Q&A drift from topic to topic Answer a question confirm that you have provided a satisfactory answer and move on Realize that for each person asking a question there may be another person in the audience who was ready to agree with you when you hit the last slide and now you＇re just annoying him or her by extending this presentation past its deadline or interest level
You Gotta Love ＇Em
People will be attending your presentation for a variety of reasons Some truly want to hear what you have to say others have been told to hear what you have to say and others think they know what you have to say and they don＇t want to hear it It also helps to be aware of some of the possible dynamics in the room you may not be able to solve them all and produce an armistice but recognize that the mood of the room and behaviors and maturity of the attendees isn＇t solely your fault
Devil＇s advocates For some reason some people like to play devil＇s advocate but don＇t want to tell you so (People who genuinely are trying to understand or move the conversation along will generally say Just to play devil＇s advocate which is a different matter entirely) They may even come across as slightly hostile or skeptical during the presentation but later sidle up to you to let you know they actually agreed with you all along they just wanted to see what you had to say in response By flustering the speaker any speaker they may have earned points with their boss or peers if that＇s the kind of culture they work in
Hidden agendas The person who invited you to speak may have made enemies in the past and they＇re sitting in the third row arms folded Recognize that criticism of you or your presentation may be as much about existing politics as about anything you have to say and admit to the limitation of your subject matter expertise you don＇t have to know everything about everything (You＇re probably not prepared to advocate a change in the parent company＇s accounting procedures if you＇re just there to discuss their chip foundry needs)
Threats Whatever you＇re proposing or advocating may be seen as a threat by someone listening to you Your solution may on the surface (or actually) result in their job or department being eliminated Or perhaps merely the spheres of influence and power will shift in the heavens if your premise is taken to its logical conclusion That＇s why it＇s good to think ahead of time in the planning stages about what the audience needs to know and what they want to know If you can determine ahead of time or at least during the questioning what threats your presentation may represent you can address their true concerns (the wanttoknows) opening up the possibility of acceptance for the needtoknows
To download click on the icons for your presentation software under the name and select Save to disk to save it on your desktop Once it＇s downloaded doubleclick on the file to decompress it and follow instructions to save it on your hard drive in the proper directory
Microsoft PowerPoint Lotus Freelance Graphics
(Microsoft PowerPoint is part of the Microsoft® Office software suite Lotus Freelance Graphics is part of the Lotus® SmartSuite software Both are available from the IBM Standard Software Installer)
DeLuxe templates use background textures to add energy and polish (More textures are available below)
Blue Onyx DeLuxe 25 Oct 02
Blue Pearl DeLuxe 25 Oct 02
Basic templates are good for demonstrating work in progress and quick status reports at small meetings
Blue Onyx Basic 25 Oct 02
Blue Pearl Basic 25 Oct 02
The BlackandWhite template is for printonly or faxing purposes
BlackandWhite 25 Oct 02
Resources
For advanced users try these additional resources to spark your presentation
The Infographics templates give you startingpoint examples for everything from tables and column charts to more complex diagrams of value chains and flow charts
Blue Onyx Infographics 25 Oct 02
Blue Pearl Infographics 25 Oct 02
The Textures templates give you variations on the background images used in the DeLuxe templates Changing the texture from one presentation to the next creates a subtle dynamic and sense of flexibility
Blue Onyx Textures 25 Oct 02
Blue Pearl Textures 25 Oct 02
There＇s a reason no one calls us Big GreenishBlue our own brand consistency Don＇t undercut yourself by using colors that clash with your own or another IBMer＇s presentation Here are the 20 colors (with their RGB values) you＇ll want to employ
Color Palette 25 Oct 02
The IBM Presentation Series is a growing library of uptodate presentations on crosscompany strategic initiatives Each presentation is available in either Lotus Freelance Graphics or Microsoft PowerPoint format and contains speaker＇s notes in Rich Text Format
IBM＇s On Demand Transformation Reinventing the Enterprise
08 Apr 03
IBM＇s ebusiness transformation story and our pursuit to becoming an on demand enterprise
About IBM
25 April 03
Overview of the IBM Corporation including company history current business operations and evolution of the IT industry
ebusiness on demand
03 Nov 02
The next phase of ebusiness will take place in an operating environment that＇s integrated open virtualized and autonomic
Linux The Game Changer
30 April 03
Growth of the Linux movement and IBM＇s strategy for pursuing this opportunity
Corporate Security Challenges
25 Oct 02
What customers need to know to manage their IT security concerns
Grid Computing The Next Evolution of the Internet
25 Oct 02
Explanation on how customers＇ changing IT requirements has led to a greater need for accessing and sharing of resources and information resulting in emergence of Grid Computing
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There are three steps to making an IBM presentation
Plan It offers advice on organizing your message sharpening your focus on what you want to say and arranging it in a manner that audiences can follow
Prepare It is a resource for constructing graphic support materials in Freelance Graphics (PowerPoint is also supported) You will find instructions on how to include elements such as text charts and graphs in a style that will be consistent to all our audiences an IBM look in much the same way that our advertising and marketing materials have a distinct appearance
Present It offers tips on how to deliver what you＇ve prepared effectively to an audience Presentations are not about showing a series of slides they are about you communicating a message with visual elements in a supporting role
Where to begin
In her book Secrets of Power Presentations Micki Holliday suggests answering the following questions as a first start to organizing your presentation
· What does the audience need to know
· What does the audience want to know
· What are the possible benefits of a successful meeting for this audience (What＇s in it for me)
· What questions might the audience have
Here＇s what you do first Stop Take some time As Thomas Watson Sr used to advise famously Think
You are about to mount an argument What do you need Don＇t succumb to the temptation of collecting every apparently relevant item into a jumble and then trying to reshuffle them into a coherent order (Jim has a nice chart on this and Lisa has some good market data I＇ll get those) That＇s the flawed technique behind many of the more overblown leaden presentations you＇ve ever dozed through That＇s working backwards Instead start with nothing and work forward
Ask yourself this What is my point Every presentation is an attempt to communicate something It may be a complex topic with lots of supporting data but fundamentally there will always be something simple you want to say It might be IBM understands your business or This technology is the best for our requirements or We need more time to do this job right
Figure out what you＇re trying to communicate in its simplest clearest most concise form Write it down in one sentence Does it make sense Does it really cut to the heart of what you need to convey If not rewrite it
If you only could deliver this one sentence to your audience with no charts or any supporting information would this be the one you＇d choose
Composing this basic sentence might take two minutes or it might take an hour It doesn＇t really matter which Just get it right Without a clear point of view you are navigating without direction
Get it wrong and you＇ll struggle the rest of the way
Get it right and the pieces will begin falling naturally into place behind it
Build your case
OK you＇re clear about the point you need to convey But it＇s safe to assume that your audience is not prepared to accept your message on faith After all if everyone in the room already knew what you wanted to tell them and agreed with it there would be no point whatever to your standing up and talking
The purpose of your talk is to move your audience to your point of view So you will have to build your case You need to organize your argument
Make a rough flow chart of the information you are going to present Just sketch it out on paper this isn＇t going to be a chart you＇ll show and you＇ll probably have to revise it a few times anyway
The organizing principle behind this is a pyramid each statement you make will have one or more likely several supporting pieces of information under it As you build your presentation in this outline form a pyramid will form with your basic statement at the top and everything else arrayed beneath it Don＇t worry yet about the order in which you＇ll actually present each item Just get them all down on paper to look at
The Pyramid Principle book listed in our recommended reading list is devoted to this method of organization and it＇s a useful resource But the basic idea is really common sense merely a way of laying out your information so you can arrange and later on present it logically
Let＇s take a look at a hypothetical presentation and how you might organize its various elements using this technique
From the top down
Let＇s assume your basic point is IBM＇s solution is your best option because its combination of products and services is integrated and flexible and because we understand your business challenges
Now put yourself in your audience＇s position They want to know why they should believe this They expect proof
You have let＇s assume four reasons First IBM products work together Second IBM offers the flexibility of open systems Third IBM services tie everything together Fourth IBM has experience in the customer＇s industry
This is the heart and framework of your pitch Lay it out graphically
You now see that you＇re going to open by stating your main point and you＇re going to proceed through your presentation by offering facts and data in these four areas Don＇t worry yet about which will come first
Take each of your supporting arguments and do the same again Build another pyramid under each of the four Under products work together you might have information about each of the elements in the solution servers middleware storage You might want to talk about interdivisional efforts in IBM to integrate technologies across our product lines It would look something like this
Fallen Pyramids
Some people find it helpful to use a pyramid on its side with the topic in the leftmost box and building the pyramid out to the right instead of below it If you use this method you＇ll notice that the pyramid more closely resembles a classic outline structure Unlike an outline however the relative equality of the boxes make it much easier to restructure and reorder your presentation and establish new relationships to item without altering the entire organization as often occurs when creating an outline
For this example we don＇t need to bother creating all the pyramids that build downward but you will want to do this for your entire presentation Organize all the information that you might want to include You will then have a pyramid that encompasses everything you need to convey
Now play with it Look at the big picture See what＇s most important Take out things that while you might think they＇re important just won＇t resonate with or be understood by your audience Move things around Add or delete but keep the organizing structure intact
Once you have a pyramid that seems to represent your theme and the various points you need to get across you＇re ready to start creating the materials you will actually show people bullet points charts graphs Instead of organizing onthefly you＇ve organized first Congratulations you now have a clear picture literally of what information is relevant to your presentation what points it supports and where it should go Unfortunately many people don＇t bother to begin with this formal structured approach
Although you haven＇t even created your first slide the most critical (and often botched) work in creating your presentation is complete
If this all seems too plodding too restrictive and structured don＇t worry it isn＇t By the time you have a presentation ready to show the underlying organization will fade from view leaving behind merely a framework that helps your audience focus more easily on your message and enhances your own mastery of the material since you understand thoroughly how it all fits together
Now let＇s take your graphical pyramid outline and prepare a presentation
Where to begin
Visual elements such as graphs charts and text can enhance your ability to communicate helping your audience follow your message and quickly understand various types of information
Used thoughtfully they can be valuable tools
Used indiscriminately or constructed poorly however they can actually detract from your message They can clutter your presentation and confuse your audience
This template will facilitate the preparation of your presentation and will help to continue establishing you as one of the best expressions of the IBM brand
· It reflects IBM＇s corporate design style which also influences our advertising and marketing materials It is straightforward clean and simple
· It＇s flexible enough to accommodate a variety of uses Some may use it with little or no graphic elements while others might need to convey far more complicated data
· It＇s simple to use Although communications specialists and graphic designers have worked to create this template anyone in IBM should be able to use it without any special skills or software beyond what is already available
Don＇t automatically assume you need to use presentation software to make your presentation
Some of the most effective sales jobs are done just by speaking directly sincerely and informatively about the subject without hiding behind charts In Say It With Presentations noted presentation designer Gene Zelazny gives three basic types of media you should consider if you need visuals to help convey your message
Lap visuals so called because each member of the audience receives his or her own copy of the materials at the start of the meeting if not before Best for small groups their use can open up discussion and help everyone participate as equal partners The downside is that they may read ahead and start asking questions you would prefer to deal with later in the discussion And you can also miss opportunities for eye contact if everyone is looking down reading
Easels or white boards Great for increasing interactivity among 15 or fewer people since you＇re recording the audience＇s ideas as they come up Downsides Avoid spending all your time with your back to the audience perhaps deputize a member of the meeting to help write down points so you can concentrate on their comments and reactions to you and each other
Onscreen presentations While less personable than the other two methods this is by far the most polished and suitable for large audiences Since this is also the medium with the greatest pitfalls this is the type of presentation we＇ll be working on in this section
Title screen
By using a standard title chart and following the style consistently we will add a professional touch not only to our individual presentations but collectively to all of IBM＇s facetoface communications
The title slide is a straightforward element and generally requires only that you include your name IBM organization and speaking topic in the places provided However the template allows for other elements that might be required and it＇s important to follow the guidelines if you will be using these
More text (if you must)
The template also provides a format for longer blocks of text You should use blocks of text very sparingly Yes once in a while there might be a longer passage that is relevant and valuable For instance you might have a quote from an analyst or customer that is particularly striking
If you are going to make your audience read something make sure it＇s worth their time and effort More important make sure it＇s worth your time since you don＇t have much available and you＇ve just turned some of it into a small reading assignment
Don＇t overdo it
Before you begin keep in mind some key points
· Visuals are not your presentation You are the presentation Your audience has not gathered for the purpose of reading your Freelance (or PowerPoint) pages they have come to hear you communicate Use visuals to support your message
· Less is more A graph that shows (for example) levels of customer spending on certain technologies can reveal at a glance trends in the market but it remains your task to explain that data＇s relevance to your audience A single wellconstructed graphic supported by your thoughtful explanation is more effective than a series of charts that the audience must decipher
· Projected visuals have severe limits They are constrained by the resolution of a computer screen which is far lower than the printed page They are limited further by being projected onto a screen that people must read from a distance For this reason we want to keep visuals simple and bold More complex graphics are better suited for inclusion in printed materials
Let＇s take a look at the main elements of the IBM Presentation Template that you might need to include More possibilities and variations are available in the presentation templates themselves But understanding which you need and when is the first step
Bulletpoint text
Your audience is ready to listen and to look but they don＇t want to read long passages of text on a screen And you don＇t want them too either — reading takes their attention away from what you are saying
The most effective way to use text is with short phrases that can be read at a glance Presented this way text can remind people of your key points or help them follow the progress of your presentation Here＇s an example of text poorly used
That isn＇t a badlooking page and it isn＇t too difficult to read But it can be improved This would be even better
The first example tries to present your message The second example merely provides cues to the messages you are discussing It engages the audience＇s time only for a moment and demands that they listen to what you＇re saying as you explain the points
Of course even when you reduce your message to a bulletpoint phrase you can still defeat yourself by cramming too many onto a single page That＇s why you should limit any page of text to no more than five items (and even five is pushing it) You＇ll see that the template reflects this limit
This limit of five is not a matter of how much text will fit onto a page while remaining both legible and visually pleasing although these are important considerations Rather it＇s a question of how much information someone can easily retain at one time especially while listening to you speak
But what if you have more than three or even five points to make about IBM servers Perhaps you want to talk about the technologies that give our servers their priceperformance edge and cite some benchmark studies as evidence You have more to say about management capabilities too It simply won＇t fit into five lines
No problem If you examine your information you are likely to find that it will arrange itself into groups of details that support more general points (If you＇d prepared your information carefully according to the pyramid structure described in the ＇Plan It＇ module this should already be clear) The solution is to create another page which focuses in greater detail on one of your topics In our current example you might progress to this
Here again you are giving your audience a limited manageable amount of information at any one time If you have benchmark data (in this example) that simply demands a graphic treatment don＇t cram it onto this page unless it＇s a very simple graphic Make another page devoted to that
When you＇ve finished with your information about priceperformance return to your list and the second point Your next page might list the key points about IBM servers＇ advanced management capabilities followed by one with more detail on Linux and open standards
If those other topics don＇t have as much supporting detail you might simply show your first page about IBM servers again perhaps with your next point highlighted
You would then proceed to discuss the advanced management features Your audience has a clear and quick visual cue that you＇re moving on to the second point along with a reminder that a third one will follow
It＇s perfectly okay to repeat pages in this manner Repeating pages can help your audience follow the presentation without requiring a lot of their attention to do so While it＇s true that less is more on any single page (and even for visuals in general) so long as your pages are brief and direct repeating pages in order to highlight the progress of your presentation is an effective use of supporting visuals In this instance more can be more Just don＇t get carried away you don＇t need a line on the screen to summarize every single thing you＇re going to say
(If you are preparing a printed version of your pitch to distribute to your audience you will probably include a page only once and remove any highlighted and repeated pages)
Charts & graphs
Chartware
If your presentations require greater use of a wider variety of charts you can find a more detailed exploration of the topic in Say it With Charts by Gene Zelazny one of the books in our recommended reading list For an even deeper examination of visual communication Envisioning Information by Edward Tufte is excellent though not as directly relevant to business presentations
Charts and graphs can be very effective tools They can also be annoyingly clumsy obscuring the very information they＇re intended to communicate Like other tools they must be used when the task requires them and with care
Our template calls for charts stripped clean of extraneous clutter free from such visual gimmickry as threedimensional effects and restrained in their use of color If your information is relevant to your audience it shouldn＇t be obscured by this sort of distraction If your information isn＇t relevant it shouldn＇t be on the screen at all
This introduction to the simplest most common and effective types of charts used in presentations should help you develop the basic skills you need to decide when to use a graph how to select the type most appropriate to your data and how to create it using the software you already have available in a style that will blend harmoniously into the IBM template
Before you even begin creating charts there are a few points to keep in mind
· Charts must be read They don＇t convey information but rather present it in a visual way that makes understanding it easy Still your audience is going to have to extract the message of a chart by looking at it by reading it possibly with your assistance in pointing out its key aspects
The simpler a chart is the more clear and direct its message will be Complex charts of simple information are failures Simple charts of complex information are achievements
· When data demands complex charts they are nearly always better presented on a printed handout We will work around these limits as best we can but you must be aware of them and strive for simplicity
· In the hands of skilled people trained in presenting information visually there are software tools capable of transforming complex data into elegant and effective charts But these often require specialized skills
You＇ll find all sorts of examples of charts and graphs in the Infographics presentation templates Once you＇ve got your presentation prepared however you＇re ready to Present It — which just happens to be the subject of the third and final section of the IBM Presentation Methodology
The template
The IBM Presentation Template (someone reading this has already mentally shortened it to the IPT no doubt) gives you a few basic options to choose from Inside of the blue bands (the letterbox area) you can either use a black background with white text or a white background with black text You can have background imagery on the title slide inside the letterbox or in the blue bands
A few things you shouldn＇t change however
· The color or size of the blue bands except between the two variations given as options in the template and for the style of the bands in the printable blackandwhite version
· The font which is Arial (Arial is one of the sansserif fonts which are generally considered easier to read projected on a monitor or screen or when printed on dark backgrounds Serif fonts such as Times New Roman and Bodoni are generally considered easier to read in print on white or lightcolored paper)
· The size position or other attributes of the IBM logo in the upper right
· The color palette
· The minimum point or font size of the various text elements
· The position of such elements as IBM Confidential the title of the presentation the page numbering if you use it
When you use the template you＇ll see more guidelines in the nondisplaying margins of its slides and more detailed explanations are available from the template download menu For now we＇ll concern ourselves with some of the most basic kinds of pages and how to use them most effectively
Where to begin
Congratulations You have a wellorganized concise targeted presentation You know the material well enough to improvise if needed and respond to questions Your supporting visual materials look sharp and more important they convey information to support your messages nothing more or less You have created an edited version of your slides reformatted for blackandwhite and printed enough to hand out to your audience You＇re thoroughly prepared
Say It Don＇t Just Play It
It＇s become an accepted part of the culture at IBM (and elsewhere) to email a presentation to someone in lieu of presenting it in person or when an inperson presentation isn＇t possible While this can be a great costsaver in terms of travel and time realize that if your charts are complete enough to stand all on their own without your thoughtful arguments and explications then you＇re probably forcing your inperson audience to read too much And if you＇ve pared all the nonessentials from your visuals so that only the most important elements are displayed and they truly support your presentation instead of become your presentation then it probably isn＇t going to be able to stand on its own when you email it off to whoknowswhat environment and audience
If you have to email a presentation you won＇t be delivering via phone concurrently to it being viewed consider recording your comments (Freelance and PowerPoint both have this option you need only to get a plugin microphone for your computer if one isn＇t already included) If you can＇t record it or that adds too much to the file size for emailing create a second similar presentation and use the speaker notes function Then you can encourage your audience to print out the presentation with your speaker＇s notes or create an Adobe Acrobat file of such a printout which is what you can then email to them
Speaking tips
There are many books articles and seminars devoted to the skill of speaking to an audience This isn＇t meant to replace them so if you＇re new to public speaking you might want to browse the list of recommended reading provided elsewhere However here are a few general pointers that apply to novice and experienced presenters alike
You Talking to Me
Before you present try to answer the following for yourself about the people you see in the room based on what you know about them or if you have nothing else to go on their expressions and the way others respond when they speak
· Who are the critical decision makers of the audience whose yes or no may be all that matters ultimately What are their needs and priorities
· Who are the influencers in the audience who seem to command a sense of authority and may be expected to make recommendations to the critical decision makers
· Who are your allies Not just friends or colleagues you may recognize in the audience but the 20 percent who appear most receptive to the points you are making and are probably generally supportive to most people presenting to them
While it may seem counterintuitive present mostly to the people you see in the audience who obviously want you to succeed while being aware of the decision makers and influencers Micki Holliday (Secrets of Power Presentations) says Presenters tend to get distracted and controlled by the negative personality types They try to convince cajole persuade that one person often to the detriment of the rest of the audience It is usually a hopeless task
Do not read your slides Assuming the text (if any) on your slide is legible (as it should be) your audience can read it faster than you can speak it Few things are more annoying than watching someone merely read or closely paraphrase page after page of text People will either assume that you don＇t know the topic very well and have nothing to add or else that you＇re a novice presenter and too nervous
Explain your slides Good supporting materials on their own will prompt questions in the audience＇s mind questions that you answer even before they are asked For slides that present data (in graphs charts etc) ask yourself What does this information mean Or more critically What do I want it to mean to this audience
For example if you have a chart that shows an IBM product outperforming its competitors in a benchmark it＇s useless merely to tell your audience what they＇re looking at Look here our software is more powerful Instead use that as your cue to explain why it＇s more powerful what critical technologies are in the latest version and why this particular benchmark is relevant to your audience
Transition first then change slides This is one of the most effective practices you can adopt Too often speakers will change the visuals first everyone starts reading while the speaker starts a transition to this subject and the audience starts with a sense of confusion until the speaker＇s finished this transition At best it will seem as if you need to see your own slides to remember what to tell people Transition verbally to the next slide first Here＇s an example of the effective way to transition between slides given by Gene Zelazny in Say It With Presentations
1 Continue eye contact with the audience as you finish discussing the previous slide As we＇ve just seen the United States holds tremendous potential for JJ Ltd
2 Hold the eye contact as you make the transition to the next slide But will JJ be able to enter the US market In fact there are no insurmountable barriers to entry
3 Be quiet stop talking as you replace the old visual with the new one
4 Make eye contact once more as you begin to tell the story of the new visual Here are the barriers you＇re familiar with and the recommendations for overcoming them
Change your own slides While not always possible depending on the presentation environment you should generally be prepared to change your own slides
Sometimes though you have to have someone else running your slides or perhaps the audience is stepping through the slides themselves while you speak to them over the phone or in a Webcast You＇ll show a great deal of familiarity with your own presentation and manage to control the situation better if you make it clear when to advance the slide each time Please go to slide six After the first few instances of this the audience will barely notice your saying it Just as when you＇re changing the slides on your own you should be quiet during the change of visuals so that the audience can absorb the new slide for half a second without also having to concentrate on what you＇re saying in the middle of it
Finish early follow up
There have been no studies to determine what percentage of business audiences are left wishing a presentation had continued longer Possibly this is because so many run long that there＇s rarely time for a survey
In any case it＇s probably safe to assume that your audience will be pleased if you finish on time or even early And if you somehow leave them wanting more then ironically you will have exceeded their expectations
If you will be taking questions allow a realistic amount of time for that If you don＇t plan to take questions allow a little time for them anyway
As important as it is to deliver a good presentation it＇s equally important to learn from the experience and improve your skills One way is by recording yourself and listening to it afterwards — probably several days or a week later when the experience is less fresh in your memory and you can listen to the recording more objectively
It might also be useful depending on the audience to follow up informally and ask one or two of the people who attended what they thought
Definitely follow up with anyone who requested information you weren＇t able to give them off the top of your head during the presentation or with any materials or contacts you promised And you＇ll make far more allies than you thought possible if you＇ll take a few notes for yourself during the presentation and schedule short 15 or 30minute calls to discuss those topics for which you asked if we could take this offline That shows not only were you appreciative they listened to you but you were listening to them and their priorities as well
Whether you deliver presentations infrequently or as a regular part of your job putting a little extra thought and work into the process of planning preparing and presenting them will make you more effective at your job
Practice makes perfect
Talk the Talk
In Secrets of Power Presentations Holliday offers this advice to make your presentation stand out
Speak lower and slower than normal When you slow down it drops the pitch of your voice and gives the impression of authority and power Speaking slower will also allow those who are trying to take notes to do so without missing your next point
Watch your tone of voice Remember it＇s not only what you say but how you say it No matter how good the material is if you speak in a demeaning softspoken or preachy tone of voice you will lose your credibility and probably your audience
Deliver your presentation with confidence and humility No one likes to listen to an arrogant speaker No matter how knowledgeable you are you need to make your audience feel comfortable with you and the message you are presenting
There are several good reasons to rehearse your presentation It helps you become comfortable with the material and the flow of information It helps you determine how long your presentation will take so you can adjust if necessary And it might help you spot any flaws or weak spots
A rehearsal does not require an audience though if it＇s an important presentation having someone listen to you might prove helpful
A rehearsal doesn＇t necessarily mean you need to stand and pretend to be in a conference room or auditorium though if you aren＇t completely comfortable in front of an audience this might help you develop the physical rhythm of speaking gesturing changing slides in your presentation and so forth
A rehearsal does however need to be spoken aloud Find someplace quiet make sure you will not be interrupted and talk it all through Don＇t skip or skim over your introductory remarks or summary comments and time it
Talk it through at least twice to make sure your timing is consistent
It＇s often a good idea to record yourself and play it back Do you sound rushed or too slow Are there words or phrases you use so often that they become distracting Usually it＇s difficult to recognize these flaws while you＇re speaking because your concentration is on the process of delivering a speech but listening to yourself on a recording can help you spot them and improve
Taking questions
Here are a few things to remember when responding to questions
Repeat the question This is a standard technique and for good reason In larger rooms people often cannot hear what has been asked Repeating the question for the whole audience avoids confusion — and helps you verify that you＇ve heard the question correctly too If however the room is small enough the questioners have microphones or they ask their questions in a conference call you don＇t need to repeat the question just for the sake of doing so (However if it＇s a tough question then repeating it can buy you time to compose your thoughts)
They aren＇t all winners Years ago someone came up with the idea of congratulating every questioner on the brilliance of his inquiry This was a subtle and effective psychological tactic until everyone started doing it If someone asks you when purple ThinkPads will be available appearing delighted with the question will only make you look insincere By all means comment on a question if you have something to say (A lot of customers have been asking that I＇m glad you brought it up) but don＇t do it as part of a questiontaking formula
Be direct The beginning of any response to a question should be a short simple sentence If you＇re asked whether IBM plans to offer ThinkPads in different colors (to pick an unlikely inquiry) do not begin your answer by listing the many design awards our allblack line has received Just say ＇No＇ and then expand on that if you feel it＇s necessary
Answer and move on It＇s usually the Q&A sessions that turn a 20minute presentation into a 45minute marathon Yes the giveandtake of a conversation with the audience can be extremely valuable so you should be listening closely for questions and issues that you hadn＇t anticipated But don＇t let the Q&A drift from topic to topic Answer a question confirm that you have provided a satisfactory answer and move on Realize that for each person asking a question there may be another person in the audience who was ready to agree with you when you hit the last slide and now you＇re just annoying him or her by extending this presentation past its deadline or interest level
You Gotta Love ＇Em
People will be attending your presentation for a variety of reasons Some truly want to hear what you have to say others have been told to hear what you have to say and others think they know what you have to say and they don＇t want to hear it It also helps to be aware of some of the possible dynamics in the room you may not be able to solve them all and produce an armistice but recognize that the mood of the room and behaviors and maturity of the attendees isn＇t solely your fault
Devil＇s advocates For some reason some people like to play devil＇s advocate but don＇t want to tell you so (People who genuinely are trying to understand or move the conversation along will generally say Just to play devil＇s advocate which is a different matter entirely) They may even come across as slightly hostile or skeptical during the presentation but later sidle up to you to let you know they actually agreed with you all along they just wanted to see what you had to say in response By flustering the speaker any speaker they may have earned points with their boss or peers if that＇s the kind of culture they work in
Hidden agendas The person who invited you to speak may have made enemies in the past and they＇re sitting in the third row arms folded Recognize that criticism of you or your presentation may be as much about existing politics as about anything you have to say and admit to the limitation of your subject matter expertise you don＇t have to know everything about everything (You＇re probably not prepared to advocate a change in the parent company＇s accounting procedures if you＇re just there to discuss their chip foundry needs)
Threats Whatever you＇re proposing or advocating may be seen as a threat by someone listening to you Your solution may on the surface (or actually) result in their job or department being eliminated Or perhaps merely the spheres of influence and power will shift in the heavens if your premise is taken to its logical conclusion That＇s why it＇s good to think ahead of time in the planning stages about what the audience needs to know and what they want to know If you can determine ahead of time or at least during the questioning what threats your presentation may represent you can address their true concerns (the wanttoknows) opening up the possibility of acceptance for the needtoknows
To download click on the icons for your presentation software under the name and select Save to disk to save it on your desktop Once it＇s downloaded doubleclick on the file to decompress it and follow instructions to save it on your hard drive in the proper directory
Microsoft PowerPoint Lotus Freelance Graphics
(Microsoft PowerPoint is part of the Microsoft® Office software suite Lotus Freelance Graphics is part of the Lotus® SmartSuite software Both are available from the IBM Standard Software Installer)
DeLuxe templates use background textures to add energy and polish (More textures are available below)
Blue Onyx DeLuxe 25 Oct 02
Blue Pearl DeLuxe 25 Oct 02
Basic templates are good for demonstrating work in progress and quick status reports at small meetings
Blue Onyx Basic 25 Oct 02
Blue Pearl Basic 25 Oct 02
The BlackandWhite template is for printonly or faxing purposes
BlackandWhite 25 Oct 02
Resources
For advanced users try these additional resources to spark your presentation
The Infographics templates give you startingpoint examples for everything from tables and column charts to more complex diagrams of value chains and flow charts
Blue Onyx Infographics 25 Oct 02
Blue Pearl Infographics 25 Oct 02
The Textures templates give you variations on the background images used in the DeLuxe templates Changing the texture from one presentation to the next creates a subtle dynamic and sense of flexibility
Blue Onyx Textures 25 Oct 02
Blue Pearl Textures 25 Oct 02
There＇s a reason no one calls us Big GreenishBlue our own brand consistency Don＇t undercut yourself by using colors that clash with your own or another IBMer＇s presentation Here are the 20 colors (with their RGB values) you＇ll want to employ
Color Palette 25 Oct 02
The IBM Presentation Series is a growing library of uptodate presentations on crosscompany strategic initiatives Each presentation is available in either Lotus Freelance Graphics or Microsoft PowerPoint format and contains speaker＇s notes in Rich Text Format
IBM＇s On Demand Transformation Reinventing the Enterprise
08 Apr 03
IBM＇s ebusiness transformation story and our pursuit to becoming an on demand enterprise
About IBM
25 April 03
Overview of the IBM Corporation including company history current business operations and evolution of the IT industry
ebusiness on demand
03 Nov 02
The next phase of ebusiness will take place in an operating environment that＇s integrated open virtualized and autonomic
Linux The Game Changer
30 April 03
Growth of the Linux movement and IBM＇s strategy for pursuing this opportunity
Corporate Security Challenges
25 Oct 02
What customers need to know to manage their IT security concerns
Grid Computing The Next Evolution of the Internet
25 Oct 02
Explanation on how customers＇ changing IT requirements has led to a greater need for accessing and sharing of resources and information resulting in emergence of Grid Computing
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