by Marianne D’Alessandro | Featured Contributor
I’m sure a few of you may remember the early days of PowerPoint – when we created our presentations and then printed them on transparencies. Now those that don’t remember are asking, why did you print them? Well, we did not always have access to data projectors and in case something did not work, we could use an overhead projector to display our visual aids.
If you’re totally confused now, don’t worry. This blog is about back up plans and not about old technology. You see, visual aids are just that – aids! I see far too often people relying on those PowerPoint slides – actually reading from them. Ugh!
So what happens when technology fails you – your laptop isn’t compatible with the data projector, you forgot a cable, there’s no extension cord, there’s no wifi … It’s bound to happen, something will go wrong at least once! Will you be prepared? Or will you be flustered? And, please don’t apologize because the technology isn’t working making your audience feel that your presentation is going to be substandard!
In those “old” days, we had our back up transparencies. Did they really save the day? Sure, they provided a visual tool but YOU are the key part of your presentation.
What’s the advice I’m passing on: Create your presentation based on “no” visual aids. Yep, that’s right – no visual aids. Even in today’s world of fabulous videos and images, plan to use none of them. Plan and practice as if there are no aids to rely on!
Once you are focused on your message, create the visuals that will complement your message. Don’t over-complicate things.
When you’re presenting and all the pieces line up … your presentation will be awesome! And if you face some challenges, you’ll still be awesome because you focused on your message.
YOU are the presenter …
YOU have the knowledge and stories to share …
The audience is there to learn from YOU …
The visual aids support YOU!
So Keep Calm and Make It About YOU
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Marianne D’Alessandro knows how busy an executive can be. Marianne has been an Executive Assistant for 30+ years. She has supported many, many, many senior level execs and is now working toward her own virtual assistant business. Her goal is to save time for her clients by looking after their admin tasks. When it comes to public speaking, she conquered her fear more than 20 years ago by taking, and now instructing, the Christopher Leadership Courses of Canada. The highlight for her was traveling to China to train instructors to teach the course there! Marianne loves seeing people take the challenge and conquer the fear by “taming those butterflies!”
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Marianne D’Alessandro is the owner and virtual assistant for TimeFlies-Admin Services. She takes her extensive 30+ years as an executive assistant in the corporate world and transfers t into virtual support for small to medium size business owners. Marianne’s business motto: Use my time not yours!
Marianne’s desire to support, help and volunteer has her instructing with CLC Canada – offering courses which promote confidence in public speaking and serving on the Board of Directors of Food4Kids Hamilton Halton, an organization focused on helping to eliminate child hunger in our community.
She loves giving presentations, being the organizer and right-hand person to her clients, and keeping it fun. There’s always a way to get things done and still have fun and balance in your life. Marianne offers a free TIME chat session because there’s always a way to find a bit of extra time in your day or week.
