11. Great Presentations - secrets - great lighting

Secrets of successful corporate presentations. Great lighting and careful staging really matters for larger events. Keep powerpoint slides simple. How to use powerpoint. Secret of great keynote conference speeches. How to give great lectures. Powerful presentation tools and tips. How to use Powerpoint. How to reach an audience. Connect with audience emotion. Understand needs of audience. Watch audience responses. Keep close to event organisers. Prepare very carefully. Adapt key messages. Take care over humour, jokes and culture. Guide, conference preparation tips and tools. How to win an audience over. Keep messages simple and relevant. Guide to great presentations by Patrick Dixon, Futurist and keynote conference speaker -- has spoken to audiences in 50 nations, up to 4 countries a week, 30-2000 people each time, and ranked as one of the most influential business thinkers alive today.
Presentations, lectures, conference, powerpoint, keynote, speech, event, workshop, seminar, prepare, success, tools, guide. Communicating with audiences.

8. Powerpoint Secrets of Great Presentations

Secrets of successful corporate presentations. Keep powerpoint slides simple. How to use powerpoint. Secret of great keynote conference speeches. How to give great lectures. Powerful presentation tools and tips. How to use Powerpoint. How to reach an audience. Connect with audience emotion. Understand needs of audience. Watch audience responses. Keep close to event organisers. Prepare very carefully. Adapt key messages. Take care over humour, jokes and culture. Guide, conference preparation tips and tools. How to win an audience over. Keep messages simple and relevant. Guide to great presentations by Patrick Dixon, Futurist and keynote conference speaker -- has spoken to audiences in 50 nations, up to 4 countries a week, 30-2000 people each time, and ranked as one of the most influential business thinkers alive today.
Presentations, lectures, conference, powerpoint, keynote, speech, event, workshop, seminar, prepare, success, tools, guide. Communicating with audiences.

10 Allow Questions - secrets of great presentations

How to give great presentations -- part 10. Allow questions. Secret of great keynote conference speeches. How to give great lectures. Powerful presentation tools and tips. How to use Powerpoint. How to reach an audience. Connect with audience emotion. Understand needs of audience. Watch audience responses. Keep close to event organisers. Prepare very carefully. Adapt key messages. Take care over humour, jokes and culture. Guide, conference preparation tips and tools. How to win an audience over. Keep messages simple and relevant. Guide to great presentations by Patrick Dixon, Futurist and keynote conference speaker -- has spoken to audiences in 50 nations, up to 4 countries a week, 30-2000 people each time, and ranked as one of the most influential business thinkers alive today.
Presentations, lectures, conference, powerpoint, keynote, speech, event, workshop, seminar, prepare, success, tools, guide

9. Fit into whole programme: secrets of great presentations

How to give great presentations -- part 9. Keep your key messages in context of whole event. Secret of great keynote conference speeches. How to give great lectures. Powerful presentation tools and tips. How to use Powerpoint. How to reach an audience. Connect with audience emotion. Understand needs of audience. Watch audience responses. Keep close to event organisers. Prepare very carefully. Adapt key messages. Take care over humour, jokes and culture. Guide, conference preparation tips and tools. How to win an audience over. Keep messages simple and relevant. Guide to great presentations by Patrick Dixon, Futurist and keynote conference speaker -- has spoken to audiences in 50 nations, up to 4 countries a week, 30-2000 people each time, and ranked as one of the most influential business thinkers alive today.
Presentations, lectures, conference, powerpoint, keynote, speech, event, workshop, seminar, prepare, success, tools, guide

7. Use lots of energy! Secrets of great presentations

How to give great presentations -- part 7. Use lots of energy. Secret of great keynote conference speeches. How to give great lectures. Powerful presentation tools and tips. How to use Powerpoint. How to reach an audience. Connect with audience emotion. Understand needs of audience. Watch audience responses. Keep close to event organisers. Prepare very carefully. Adapt key messages. Take care over humour, jokes and culture. Guide, conference preparation tips and tools. How to win an audience over. Keep messages simple and relevant. Guide to great presentations by Patrick Dixon, Futurist and keynote conference speaker -- has spoken to audiences in 50 nations, up to 4 countries a week, 30-2000 people each time, and ranked as one of the most influential business thinkers alive today.
Presentations, lectures, conference, powerpoint, keynote, speech, event, workshop, seminar, prepare, success, tools, guide

6 Move around -- secrets of great presentations

How to give great presentations -- part 6. Movement is a really powerful way to keep audience focussed. Secret of great keynote conference speeches. How to give great lectures. Powerful presentation tools and tips. How to use Powerpoint. How to reach an audience. Connect with audience emotion. Understand needs of audience. Watch audience responses. Keep close to event organisers. Prepare very carefully. Adapt key messages. Take care over humour, jokes and culture. Guide, conference preparation tips and tools. How to win an audience over. Keep messages simple and relevant. Guide to great presentations by Patrick Dixon, Futurist and keynote conference speaker -- has spoken to audiences in 50 nations, up to 4 countries a week, 30-2000 people each time, and ranked as one of the most influential business thinkers alive today.
Presentations, lectures, conference, powerpoint, keynote, speech, event, workshop, seminar, prepare, success, tools, guide

4 Watch your audience -- secrets of great presentations

How to give great presentations -- part 4. Watch your audience. Secret of great keynote conference speeches. How to give great lectures. Powerful presentation tools and tips. How to use Powerpoint. How to reach an audience. Connect with audience emotion. Understand needs of audience. Watch audience responses. Keep close to event organisers. Prepare very carefully. Adapt key messages. Take care over humour, jokes and culture. Guide, conference preparation tips and tools. How to win an audience over. Keep messages simple and relevant. Guide to great presentations by Patrick Dixon, Futurist and keynote conference speaker -- has spoken to audiences in 50 nations, up to 4 countries a week, 30-2000 people each time, and ranked as one of the most influential business thinkers alive today.
Presentations, lectures, conference, powerpoint, keynote, speech, event, workshop, seminar, prepare, success, tools, guide

4 Watch your audience -- secrets of great presentations

How to give great presentations -- part 4. Watch your audience. Secret of great keynote conference speeches. How to give great lectures. Powerful presentation tools and tips. How to use Powerpoint. How to reach an audience. Connect with audience emotion. Understand needs of audience. Watch audience responses. Keep close to event organisers. Prepare very carefully. Adapt key messages. Take care over humour, jokes and culture. Guide, conference preparation tips and tools. How to win an audience over. Keep messages simple and relevant. Guide to great presentations by Patrick Dixon, Futurist and keynote conference speaker -- has spoken to audiences in 50 nations, up to 4 countries a week, 30-2000 people each time, and ranked as one of the most influential business thinkers alive today.
Presentations, lectures, conference, powerpoint, keynote, speech, event, workshop, seminar, prepare, success, tools, guide

2 Know Your Audience -- secrets of great presentations

How to give great presentations -- part 2. Know Your Audience. Secret of great keynote conference speeches. How to give great lectures. Powerful presentation tools and tips. How to use Powerpoint. How to reach an audience. Connect with audience emotion. Understand needs of audience. Watch audience responses. Keep close to event organisers. Prepare very carefully. Adapt key messages. Take care over humour, jokes and culture. Guide, conference preparation tips and tools. How to win an audience over. Keep messages simple and relevant. Guide to great presentations by Patrick Dixon, Futurist and keynote conference speaker -- has spoken to audiences in 50 nations, up to 4 countries a week, 30-2000 people each time, and ranked as one of the most influential business thinkers alive today.
Presentations, lectures, conference, powerpoint, keynote, speech, event, workshop, seminar, prepare, success, tools, guide

3 Listen to event organiser: secrets of great presentations

How to give great presentations -- part 1. Passion is everything. Secret of great keynote conference speeches. How to give great lectures. Powerful presentation tools and tips. How to use Powerpoint. How to reach an audience. Connect with audience emotion. Understand needs of audience. Watch audience responses. Keep close to event organisers. Prepare very carefully. Adapt key messages. Take care over humour, jokes and culture. Guide, conference preparation tips and tools. How to win an audience over. Keep messages simple and relevant. Guide to great presentations by Patrick Dixon, Futurist and keynote conference speaker -- has spoken to audiences in 50 nations, up to 4 countries a week, 30-2000 people each time, and ranked as one of the most influential business thinkers alive today.Presentations, lectures, conference, powerpoint, keynote, speech, event, workshop, seminar, prepare, success, tools, guide

Tips for conference organisers

Do make sure that the conference venue is easy to get to by a variety of routes – especially if the conference is relatively short.  I went to speak at a conference in the Lake District today (Northern England) – beautiful setting by Lake Windermere but no airports anywhere near and roads in and out are slow. Fastest rail to London over three hours.

 

Delightful of course once you arrive, but limiting for an international event (the participants were almost all from the UK and many from the North.

 

 

Watch conference speakers before you make decisions

The most important thing in selecting a speaker is to talk to people who have booked the conference speaker before - and also if you can to go and see the person perform. If you can't then at least insist on looking at some videos. Be aware however that a video cannot capture the electricity that an audience feels in an inspired live performance. A great speaker will always deviate substantially from his or her own familar material, in order to connect with the particular needs, culture, experience, interests of the audience and to fit in with the other speakers / theme of the event. That is why it is so vital to browse around and get to understand how a conference speaker works.

Here are some videos of presentations I have given recently - some speakers hate letting go of their material and many websites of conference speakers have very little video available. What are they afraid of? Someone stealing their thunder? Running out of fresh insights?

Give me a call if you want to discuss your event:

+ 44 7768 511 390 - or SMS or leave a message. I will phone you right back as soon as I can. Or you can call Leigh Bureau on + 353 1 230 2322.

Future of phones, computers, consumer choices and lifestyle changes in emerging markets - staged multimedia event for 450 of MTN's global leadership team - South Africa 2007.

Future customer trends, consumers, marketing, products and services - event for 350 clients of Siemens, mostly Chief Technology Offices, or Chief Information Officers, from multinationals.

How the future of America will be dominated by older consumers, lifestyle choices and growth of financial and political power of senior citizens - presentation for national leadership team of AARP (American association for people over the age of 50) - 2005..

Future technology trends and what people really want - personally and in business - seminar for 25 leaders at Dimension Data in Johannesburg with video-linked audiences in three other site - 2007.

The Future of Education - lecture for 100 Head Teachers of US high schools (NAIS). What kind of education do tomorrow's citizens need? How does the way we teach people need to change? What kind of world do we need to prepare students for? - 2006.

Future trends and their impact on investment banking, fund management and related financial services - Credit Suisse seminar - 2006.

Future of Consumers, Technology and Communications - one hour presentation for 600 clients of Toshiba in Sydney. Major shift, new fashions and fads, convergence and divergence and the need to make a difference - 2006.

Future of the European Petrochemical Industry - logistics and supply chain - half hour keynote presentation for the European Petrochemical Association (EPCA). This is an example of a highly customised presentation for a specific audience - 2007.

How to Make Great Things Happen - presentation for 250 government workers organised by the Welsh Parliament (Assembly). Participants from health, education, police, fire services, social services, transport. Keys to effective leadership, change management and improved productivity - 2007.

Take Hold of Your Future - technology and other major trends affecting the future of large cororporations. Event for 2,000 clients of Fujitsu Siemens - 2005.

Futurewise - Six Faces of Global Change and the Future of Banking - keynote lecture to 400 financial intermediaries of UBS, with focus on fund management, financial services and wealth management - 2006.

Future of medicine, biotechnology, health care, the pharmaceutical industry - and related trends - biotech investors conference in Switzerland - 2003.

Future of Logistics, Distribution, Global Transportation and other Trends - client event for IBS - 2005.

Future of digital technology and other global trends - client event for 2000 CIOs and CTOs of Fujitsu Siemens on major trends and their impact on multinational business - not only in technology - 2006

Dr Patrick Dixon chairing conferences and running panel interviews

Google Zeitgeist CEO Summit - 5 minute intro of session on future of entertainment, media, advertising, online communities such as YouTube and perhaps the ultimate consumer experience - space travel with Virgin Galactic

Google Zeitgeist CEO Summit - Chairing session on future of broadcasting and the BBC - guest Mark Thompson, Director General BBC

Google Zeitgeist CEO Summit - Chairing discussion with co-founder of YouTube Chad Hurley - on meteoric rise of YouTube

Google Zeitgeist CEO Summit - Space Tourism and Virgin Galactic - Chairing session with remarkeable video of early flight, discussion and then closing with whole panel of 5 on range of issues relating to entertainment and virtual life

Short video clips on major issues

GOOGLE VIDEOS

The truth about global warming

Mobile phone radiation - truth about health scares, cancer and other issues

Future of government, politics and single issue activism - radical

Why most new phones will be sold to people on low incomes in poorest nations

Power of tribalism - in conflicts, communities, corporations

How low cost prevention programmes can stop AIDS in Africa

Impact of low cost computers and phones in Africa and Asia

The scandal of unreliable and bug-ridden technology

Urbanisation, demographics and mobile phones in emerging nations

Convergence and divergence in technology products innovation

How mobile phones are having an impact in places like DR Congo

How to lose 30% of your business in 30 seconds

Impact of SMS and mobile phones on life in Africa

Market research - why consumers can't be trusted to give right answers about future

Market research and consumer emotion - listen to your customers but don't believe what they say

Managing uncertainty - wild cards: low probability, high impact events

Why market research does not work - and future of marketing

Human cloning - who is carrying out human cloning research, how it is being done and why. Why investors are moving away from human cloning and human embryo experiments to invest in adult stem cell technology.

Managing rapid change - secret of change management and leadership

Take hold of your future or the future will take hold of you

Book Patrick Dixon for an event

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

10 billion computers the size of a grain of sand

Connecting with emotion of customers online

1 billion new consumers - future

Human cloning - part one - who is doing human cloning

Human cloning - part two - why investors don't like cloning

Future of genetic engineering

Future of Ukraine - economy and country

Future of Malaysia Economy

Future of Kazakhstan - economy

Future will be driven by emotion - take hold of your future!

Make It Work! Scandal: technology sold which doesn't work

Motivation, leadership, change management, passion

Mobile phone sales in emerging economies - bottom of pyramid

Why consumers won't wait - impatience online

Can we stop getting old - reverse ageing? New research.

Impact of ageing population in Europe and Russia

Secret of Change Management - by Patrick Dixon

Purpose of fund management - by Patrick Dixon

Fund Management Risks - Potential Crisis - Patrick Dixon

Wild cards - low probability, high impact events

Tribalism - greatest force in world today

Low cost mobile phones in emerging nation / Africa

Why market research gives wrong results - blogging

Mobile phone radiation - health risks - facts

Convergence and Divergence - future technology and consumers

Mobile phone impact on poorest nations

The world is changing faster than you can make decisions

Stopping spread of AIDS in Africa

Truth about global warming and practical answers

Future of Malaysia

Should you use speaker bureaux to locate speakers for an event?

Simple answer is yes and no.  The best thing is to do some of the initial research yourself online, and start with your own short list.  Look at copies of recent presentations and videos online (yes any well established speaker should have a site offering this kind of material).

 

Then it is worth approaching one of the longer established agencies (eg Leigh Bureau http://www.leighbureau.com) for advice on extending your own list.  Speaker Bureau can only really advise on the people they represent but be wary of bureaux who seem to have a huge number of people on their books.  Many don’t, they just copy biographical details of people like me without permission and hope for the best.

 

But speaker agencies will also be able to give invaluable advice about theme, content, what other organisations have found works in your area etc.

 

Then do a Google search on your favoured list, and see what others are saying about them.  For a start, type their names in speech marks into the engine and count how many web pages are talking about them.

 

And the next and most important thing is to insist on a personal conversation with the speakers before you make any decisions.

Conference speakers need proper briefing

Many conference organisers have only an outline in their mind when they first start to look for speakers to fill their programmes. Great ideas develop best together, and the strongest corporate events often come out of early conversations with world class thinkers, about what the biggest issues will be for participants in a few months time.

All great conferences are meeting points between the organising team, their faculty of speakers and participants.

The most important thing is to know what you want out of the event, what take home messages you want people to have in their minds as the event closes, and what you want them to remember in a year or two.

The next most important thing is to line up your biggest speakers as early as possible. People who have a great reputation for delivering wonderful, provocative, thought-provoking and entertaining presentations.

One reason for early action is that diaries get booked up a long time ahead. Another reason is that they will bring with them vital insights which will help your conference develop - at least that is what you hope. The best speakers at conferences are usually team players whose greatest concern is the wider success of your event, rather than just their own time slot. They get involved, they make themselves available before and after their own sessions, and contribute in many other subtle ways to the atmosphere of the event.

Try to avoid speakers who seem to have no interest in you or your event apart from turning up (briefly) to give a their standard message and getting paid.
Audiences can tell the difference and you will too.