Subject-based Blog Archive

blog at least twice per month on Presentation Skills and Communication issues. You can find the Blogspot by clicking on the 'Blog' button above. The subject matter is based occasionally on news events, but mostly on discreet reports of my coaching sessions with a view to highlighting and illustrating tips that business presenters might find useful.

With this in mind, I have compiled below an archive directory of blogposts, divided into categories for your convenience. If you click on the title it will take you straight to the post.

If you would like to receive regular notification of the blogposts you can either click ‘Subscribe’ at the bottom of the Blogspot page or follow me on Twitter @nickfitzherbert.


THE ARCHIVE

DELIVERY

Opening & Closing

Firsts and Lasts – how Mick Jagger, Michael Caine and the best magicians make themselves memorable.

Take a moment to ‘own the space’ when getting straight to the point in your business presentation.

Open and close your business presentation with more impact – by switching off.

Dragons’ Den victim highlights the importance of a crystal-clear opening to your business presentation.

Open your business presentation as if you were finishing it – the John Archer way.

What business presenters can learn from a young comedian with ‘massive teeth’.

Say it. Then Shut up. Dave Trott nails the essence of good construction for business presentation.

The perils of failing to ‘own the space’ as soon as you start your business presentation.

As Monty Python would say, talking yourself down at the start of a presentation is just silly.

How do you generate applause at a business presentation?

Is communicating effectively by phone becoming a ‘lost art’?

The benefits - and surprising hazards - of throwing out questions to kick off your business presentation




Impact  

How many ‘WOMs’ does your latest business presentation contain?

Standing or sitting for your business presentation?

Sainsbury’s shows how to reduce the impact of your communication – just add a negative.

Applause Cues are crucial to business presentations with a memorable message.

Obama is not positioning himself to best effect as he helps to boost self-assured Cameron.

Tim Bell’s frankness about Frank shows the business communicator how to both charm and convince.

The perils of failing to ‘own the space’ as soon as you start your business presentation.

Open and close your business presentation with more impact – by switching off.

Impact in business presentations needs props as well as PowerPoint.

Steve Jobs and three of the ways in which he communicated like a master magician.

Dragons’ Den victim highlights the importance of a crystal-clear opening to your business presentation.

Killing the PowerPoint to bring focus back to yourself just needs ‘Plan B’.

Firsts and Lasts – how Mick Jagger, Michael Caine and the best magicians make themselves memorable.

Uumm....Christopher Bailey errs his way into the top job at Burberry.

How do you generate applause at a business presentation?



Body Language including Voice

Standing or sitting for your business presentation?

Are your stripy ties sending out positive or negative signals?

Chris Evans’ apology for smile failure is a lesson for all business presenters.

The million/billion dollar question – how badly do business presenters need to get back to proper enunciation?

Prince George helps to highlight the importance of strong, direct eye contact




Visual Aids including PowerPoint

Should you drop the PowerPoint?

The best visual aids for a business presentation are often cheap and impromptu.

Ad legend Dave Trott proves you don't need hi-tech aids for a winning business presentation.

Be sure to get your words in sync with your visuals.

Impact in business presentations needs props as well as PowerPoint.

‘Props are your enemy’ – as Madonna has displayed all-too-publicly.

Open and close your business presentation with more impact – by switching off.

Killing the PowerPoint to bring focus back to yourself just needs ‘Plan B’.

It's PowerPoint's 25th birthday. How many happy returns?

Why can’t PowerPoint shake off its ‘death by’ tag?

How to avoid a 'crashing' end to your PowerPoint presentation


  

Nerves

Reframe your nervous feelings to get into the best shape for your business presentation.

Public Speaking retains high position in YouGov's Phobias poll; but a few steps can turn fear into fun.



When things go wrong

Why ‘doing nothing’ is usually the best solution if something goes wrong in a business presentation.




CONSTRUCTION

Is it time to put 'corporate storytelling' to bed?

Don’t be afraid of simple solutions when constructing your business presentation.

Everyday public speaking scenarios point directly to the dos and don’ts of business presentation.

Keep well away from your computer when planning a PowerPoint presentation.

How many ‘WOMs’ does your latest business presentation contain?

Nobody’s job is ‘too boring’ to make a compelling business presentation.

Derren Brown’s wise words on constructing a presentation – and how not to learn from standup comedians.

Say your words out loud as you write your business presentation – but hold back on ‘Sorkin-talking’!

Theo Paphitis highlights the advantages of a Columbo approach to revealing an idea rather than an ‘Agatha’.

High Concept – how business presenters can learn from the movie makers.

Tony Blackburn’s dumb-struck response to vintage record highlights the challenges of keeping abreast of the social agenda.

Steve Jobs and three of the ways in which he communicated like a master magician.



Engagement, Impact & Conviction

What is it that makes so many business presentations so boring? And what’s the (magic) trick to overcoming the affliction?

Building personal details into your business presentation can be the key to convincing your audience.

Getting your message to hit home by making it personal - Part Two, as rockers rally for Prostate Cancer.

To build a reputation as an expert you need some tasty bits of trivia.

James Blunt's ROFL tweets have a serious side - and a lesson for business presenters.

Catch the ‘conversational asides’ to make your presentation truly engaging and impactful.

For impact and engagement in your business presentations – go back and learn how to write!

Ditch the storytelling structure for your business presentation, but use personal stories to bring corporate messaging alive.

Keeping your business presentation to time – the Dos & Don’ts.

Use words that ‘paint pictures’ in your business presentation and your audience will ‘see’ what you are saying as well as hear it.

Turn the Storytelling spotlight onto yourself - to add memorability and conviction to your business presentation.

There's too much talk about Storytelling, not enough about how, when and when NOT to apply storytelling structure.

Is your communication remaining ‘hidden in plain sight’?

Making your business presentation memorable often takes a bit of bravery.

Bestselling crime novelist Peter James provides great lesson in retaining attention.




Editing

‘Kill some darlings’ before delivering your business presentation.

You can easily know too much when constructing a business presentation.

Clarkson endorses my plea to business presenters to ‘Kill their Darlings’.

Breaking Bad news for business presenters – DVD extras are on the way out, together with invaluable editing tips.




Visual Aids including props

Three questions to ask yourself about the ‘Visual Aids’ in your business presentation.

Impact in business presentations needs props as well as PowerPoint.

‘Props are your enemy’ – as Madonna has displayed all-too-publicly.

Keep well away from your computer when planning a PowerPoint presentation.

Ad legend Dave Trott proves you don't need hi-tech aids for a winning business presentation.

It's PowerPoint's 25th birthday. How many happy returns?

Making your business presentation memorable often takes a bit of bravery.




PREPARATION

Rehearsal & Planning

If you must use notes for your business presentation, here are the options.

Business presenters need to speak from the heart, not from their notes. You can wean yourself off the notes step-by-step and by stealth.

Steve Jobs’ most important presentation secret remains under wraps.

How do you generate applause at a business presentation?

How rock band Queen showed the way to becoming champions of the short presentation.

Uumm....Christopher Bailey errs his way into the top job at Burberry.

When it comes to Q&A - have some questions ready to ask yourself!

Keeping your business presentation to time – the Dos & Don’ts.

The importance of keeping to time when making a presentation – and using an analogue clock!

The prime time to stop rehearsing and fiddling with your presentation is sooner than you think.

Business presenters know the folly of expensive basement developments.

Would your business presentation pass the ‘Starbucks Test’? 




Equipment

Presenters need to be ready for both VGA and HDMI to be sure of getting connected.

The tiny tool that gets you perfectly positioned to deliver a business presentation.

Steve Jobs's big presentation mistake - be wary of big screens!


  
Personalities featured within the blogposts include:

Sir Michael Caine - trivia - opening & closing
Steve Jobs - like a magician - preparation - screens
Sir Mick Jagger - opening & closing - audience management 
President Barack Obama - positioning - stripy ties
Robert Peston
Dave Trott - visual aids - closing 

Magicians
Wayne Dobson - audience engagement - opening