Tag Archive for 'memory retention'

Product Launch like an Executive – Memorable product launches with taglines Part 2

Published on in Connection and produce your message. Closed Tags: , , , , .

preparing-tagline-fingerprint-idIn part two of this three part look at product launches, we will build on “Less is More” as featured in Part 1 here.

Tagline with word pictures

While pictures help to make a presentation more memorable, having a tagline can push recall even higher. A tagline is a one line description which sums up your key message. For example, the MacBook Air was described as “the world’s thinnest notebook”. You may not remember all the technical specifications but you if you remember the tagline, you understand why the product is special. And let’s face it, if you are really interested in the tech spec, visit the product’s web site.

Every product and service can use this approach. When 37signals launched their project management online software, Basecamp, their tagline was “the better way to get projects done.” Taglines are simple and easy to pass on to your clients, sales team and media.

While a good headline tagline will help your audience remembers your product uniqueness, you can add word pictures to other parts of your content. This turns your presentation into a more visual one. At the iPod launch, Jobs described it as ‘the size of a deck of cards.” This was accompanied by a picture of a deck of cards. This word-picture is much more memorable than giving the dimensions of the product as many technical presentations tend to do. Look for ways to highly key features and benefits with word pictures and taglines.

RESOURCE BOX

Warwick John Fahy is the international executive speech coach for senior executives, business leaders and entrepreneurs who need to influence clients, investors, shareholders and team members. His highly practical approach and deep cross cultural intelligence have made him a sought-after business presentation coach throughout the world.

Warwick is the author of the acclaimed book, The One Minute Presenter – 8 steps to successful business presentations in a short attention span world. For free executive speaking tips visit http://www.oneminutepresenter.com/blog

To arrange presentation skills training or coaching to build your executive presence visit this web site.

For a media interview call +86 1391 786 7502.

Copyright 2010 Warwick John Fahy All rights reserved.

Don’t present like your audience has unlimited time, attention or energy

Published on in Attention spans, interaction and Memory. Closed Tags: , , , .

time-attention-energyOne thing you can be sure about when you are delivering your next presentation.  Your audience wish you would finish it quicker, get to the point sooner and wrap it up faster.  Your audience don’t have unlimited time, attention or energy. So don’t present like they do.

If you see people’s eyes glazing over, notice sighs and hear yawns, you are in the “dead energy zone” from which no memories emerge. Your audience is switched off and waiting for you to finish. Those who are less polite will walk out.

To become a better presenter, you need to understand how memory works.  One technique to learn is called spaced learning.  Advocated by Dr John Medina in his book Brain Rules and put into practice in a school in the UK, spaced learning stops trying to force information on the brain. Instead it aligns with how memories are actually formed.

Spaced learning uses intense learning periods of 20 minutes, interspersed with 10 minute intervals of physical exercise that requires hand-eye coordination, such as juggling, basketball and plate spinning. Sounds barmy right? But the results are amazing.  Students who took a 90 minute class on biology had a 58% pass rate. A year late taking another science subject and this time four months of conventional class study the pass rate went up to only 68%.

The technique is fast and uses “hooks” and visual cues to stimulate the learning points. How can you introduce gaps in your presentations where the audience can take abreak, move around and then be ready for a quick review when they return.  You need different versions of your presentations. Insert “check slides” which have gaps in the key messages and ask the audience to fill in the missing words.  Have handouts that ask key questions about the messages. Insert more five minute breaks (keep it to exactly 5 minutes though!) and don’t be afraid to go back to skim through your slides.  Above all, dump your text-based slides for visuals that use pictures and slogans. Make your slides resemble billboards.

Submerged with (useless) information

Published on in Attention spans and Memory. Closed Tags: , .

niagra-fallsFirst used by Shakespeare’s As You Like It, the phrase “too much of a good thing” is wise.  It’s usually used to mean “too much of a good thing is not always good”.   When it comes to information that is certainly true. Considering that the average Sunday newspaper with its numerous section pull outs and glossy magazines contains as much information as our grandfathers came across in their whole lives, it’s no wonder that we feel that information is overloading our poor brains.  It’s like the Niagara Falls pouring into an egg-cup. Massively overpowering. Ultimately pointless.

The causes of information overload are never-ending with 24-hour cable TV, the internet, video games, messaging, newspapers, magazines, blogs, wikipedia, and social networking.  It never stops. And, on the main, it’s completely useless.  It provides no productive or creative use. Sure, we all go to the web to “research”.  But three hours later we are not entirely sure which brand of MP3 player we should buy. The choice is overwhelming to the point of drowning out our ability to make decisions effectively.

So armed with this knowledge, what do most business presenters do? They prepare the most information-heavy presentations they can cram into a PowerPoint slide. Slide after slide of text. Data packed into font size 8 tables. Reams and reams of bullet points, which really don’t have a point.  Why would any presenter in their right mind do this?

Whatever the reasons, you need to start cutting down on the information you deliver to your audience. Use no more than 10 slides for a presentation.  Use graphics and pictures instead of text. Build up a photo database that you can reference while you are preparing your presentations. A picture speaks a thousand words and more importantly, it’s memorable.