How to Put Together a Presentation Pack

1. Keep Notes Short & Sweet

How many times have you been at work and read something three times before it sunk in? With so many distractions, it’s important to get straight to the point and just give the critical details about your business. You may have done this exercise before, but the ‘lift speech’ is a great way to ensure you cut the fluff from your notes. Create a short summary to quickly and simply define what you’re trying to say.

2. Make Your Information Accessible

These days, the office is the car, the coffee shop, the kitchen table – thanks to Tablet computers and Smartphones, it can be anywhere. You therefore need to make sure that your information can be accessed anywhere. Gone are the floppy disk days, get your presentation slides on a CD, a USB flashdrive – even add it to a website so it is truly portable – just make sure you have that web address printed on a business card or postcard so it doesn’t get lost.

3. Get To The Point

KISS – keep it simple stupid. It’s one of the most basic lessons you were taught at university, but is so often forgotten (maybe you had a killer hangover that day?). Think about it, how many times have you sat at your desk, twiddling your thumbs with nothing to do and thought “I wish I had mounds of information about a company to wade through.” Never. We all have a lot to cram into those 40+ hours a week, so if you want to stand any chance of being heard – just include the key information. Use bullet points, short notes, whatever it takes to get your point across in a pint-sized, easily digestible way.

4. Add the Wow Factor

You’re not the first person to create a presentation pack and you won’t be the last, so how do you make your guests gasp with glee when they see your work? Personalisation, style and creativity are the difference between you maintaining pride of place on a desk, and falling to the back of a dusty filing cabinet. The best way to achieve this is to invest in some great quality leather conference folders. Genuine leather folders are an impressive touch when trying to win over a client. They are durable, long lasting and usable, unlike some other gimmicky promotional items. Clients will use them year after year thanks to the high quality of our leather conference folders, with waterproof items handy for wiping of dirt and spills for years to come. Personalise your leather folder with the company brand name, and add a splash of colour for an extra special touch.

5. Bring Everything Together

So you have your company notes, your USB, your CD, your pens and business card – now what? Well this is where your leather business folder comes into its own. It’s not just designed to be a luxury gift for your client, the handy zipped pockets, ring binders and compartments inside allow you to store all of your information in the correct places, so it looks neat, tidy and well thought out. Your client will be impressed by the attention to detail and level of care that has gone into creating your leather folder. They’ll also thank you for organizing your information into an easy to use format, so they can quickly find what they are looking for.

So the next time you are presenting at a conference or pitching for business, invest in some stunning leather conference folders to deliver your information in a professional and organised fashion. Your leather folder will be around for years to come, acting as a constant reminder of your business.

Learn to Breathe Correctly: It Will Make Your Voice and Your Presentation Stand Out!

As a voice coach, the first thing I teach my clients is how to breathe with the support of the diaphragm. The reason is because you cannot discover your ‘real’ voice until you learn this simple technique.

When I discuss your ‘real’ voice, I am not talking about using different words or thoughts to make some psychological change to how you speak. I am talking about finding your ‘real’ sound. And, that ‘real’ sound comes from your chest cavity (the largest of your 5 vocal resonators) to produce a voice that is deeper in pitch, fuller in body, and mature in quality. The voice you are currently using is being produced by your other 4 resonators which include the cavities of your voice box, throat, mouth and nose.

Because most people breathe by means of the upper portion of the chest cavity – known as shallow or lazy breathing – and not the lower half, they are unable to make use of that large cavity as their primary sounding board.
All voices that have depth, resonance and a rich quality are being powered by the chest cavity. And those voices are reminiscent of James Earl Jones, Kathleen Turner, Kate Beckinsale, and George Clooney. The only difference between their voice and yours is in the placement of their sound. In fact, you may have a fantastic speaking voice; however, you will never know just how great it is until you learn to breathe with support and power your voice by means your chest resonator.

Another tremendous benefit of breathing with the support of your diaphragm is in the control of your nervousness in public speaking. There is nothing better that you can do physically than to allow your breathing to take control of your nervous jitters and put them to good use.

Nervousness can be either a nightmare or a blessing. When you allow it to work for you and not against you, you will benefit from the ‘fight’ response of nervousness in which your level of awareness will intensify, your sight will become sharper, and your perception of pain will be diminished. And this is exactly what you need if you want to be at your best when addressing an audience.

While breathing with the support of your diaphragm can have a tremendous effect on your speaking (and singing) voice as well as your presentation skills, it can also change your life in other respects because it is the most important thing you can do to eliminate stress in your life. Imagine something as simple as a diaphragmatic breath improving your life, both professionally and personally.

Wedding Present Ideas

Spring and summer bring about a flurry of weddings. That means that anyone who has friends or acquaintances of marrying age has to prepare for the possibility of buying a lot of gifts. When the couple has a wedding registry available, it can make the task a bit easier, but when the registry starts to get picked over, it can be hard to find something you actually want to purchase.

When you think about it, there are some basic groupings of gifts that commonly get purchased for newlyweds. Because the new couple will be starting out in a new home in many cases, it is common to buy items related to house and home. Depending on how well you know the couple, you might opt for going with something that is more fun than practical. In any case, you will want the gift you give to be appreciated and used by your friends.

Sometimes people like to buy something special for a newlywed couple’s bedroom. This might not be wise unless you are certain of how they will be decorating. Something like a comforter or drapes might seem like a thoughtful present, but if the item does not match the rest of the bedroom, it will probably not get put to use.

A relatively safe bet when buying wedding presents, is something for the kitchen. If the registry has been picked clean of these items, consider going for something fun that the couple might not have thought of on their own. A machine for making milkshakes can be a fun surprise, and the couple will probably put it to use if they enjoy the frozen dessert.

Although there are many very entertaining electronic devices available for purchase, buying one for newlyweds can be risky. Many married people bring their own electronic items with them to the relationship, so they do not really need all that much more.

Very young newlyweds may be starting out with very little in the way of home supplies. Even things like folding chairs might be appreciated by these folks. Take into consideration what basics the couple already owns, and then try to think of something practical that you know they will be excited to receive. You may be surprised how much they will appreciate not having to go out and buy even simple home basics.

Keep your perspective when buying for a new couple. What you like or want is not always appropriate for someone else. You need to consider what the couple actually will want and need as they start their new life. Older couples may not need as many practical gifts, as they may have each collected quite a few of the basics on their own over time.

Sometimes something quirky or uncommon can be a fun wedding present idea. Consider pitching in with someone else and buying the couple a special weekend package at come romantic venue. If that does not strike your fancy, think about paying to get them a membership to a gym or some other place they would both enjoy.

You will want whatever you buy for a newlywed couple to be appreciated and put to use. No one wants to find the gift they purchased for someone sitting on a yard sale table. Be thoughtful and consider what you know about the bride and groom. Then, build a present idea around it.