Entrepreneurship Resources: Pitching & Presentations

Whether you are a university professor, researcher at a think tank, graduate student, or analyst at a private firm, chances are that at some point you have presented your work in front of an audience. Most of us approach this task by converting a written document into slides, but the result is often a text-heavy presentation saddled with bullet points, stock images, and graphs too complex for an audience to decipher-much less understand. Presenting is fundamentally different from writing, and with only a little more time, a little more effort, and a little more planning, you can communicate your work with force and clarity. Designed for presenters of scholarly or data-intensive content, Better Presentations details essential strategies for developing clear, sophisticated, and visually captivating presentations. Following three core principles-visualize, unify, and focus-Better Presentations describes how to visualize data effectively, find and use images appropriately, choose sensible fonts and colors, edit text for powerful delivery, and restructure a written argument for maximum engagement and persuasion. With a range of clear examples for what to do (and what not to do), the practical package offered in Better Presentations shares the best techniques to display work and the best tactics for winning over audiences. It pushes presenters past the frustration and intimidation of the process to more effective, memorable, and persuasive presentations.

Highly accessible, full of memorable examples, and at times amusing, this book presents ten powerful techniques for getting your point across in all venues--including new media. In today's world, nearly everyone, including business professionals and executives, salespeople, teachers, authors, and entrepreneurs--in short, anyone who needs to put an idea before others--needs strong presentation and persuasion skills. Moreover, just as important as traditional public speaking skills is the ability to present effectively via various media. Today's presentation is just as likely to be given over Skype or on YouTube as in a room, before a live audience. Present Like a Pro shares the expertise of a veteran presenter who knows what is demanded in today's marketplace and has lectured publicly, appeared on television, and testified before Congress. The straightforward, step-by-step instructions provide a sensible "plan of attack" for preparing and presenting. The ten techniques give readers the ability to simplify the challenge of presenting, to understand what works, and to develop an effective strategy for solving any presentation problems not directly covered in the book. Author Carl Hausman addresses all of the common problems for those new to presenting or working in a new environment, such as overcoming stage fright, injecting humor and wit into a presentation while delivering credible expertise, and winning over an inattentive, skeptical, or hostile audience. * Clearly explains how to identify the best approach for a presentation, gear your speech toward your audience, and ensure a presentation is a resounding success * Describes how to make your voice more powerful, clear, and appealing by employing techniques used by broadcasters, voice artists, and singers * Identifies strategies for going beyond the old-fashioned "public speaking" mode into the modern world of the media-savvy presenter who integrates different formats and technologies into his or her approach--a particularly valuable skill set for entrepreneurs * Teaches how to develop flexible skills that will allow you to persuade, captivate, and entertain, regardless of the specific purpose of your presentation

Master the art of public speaking with a mind- and content-based approach to success How to Present to Absolutely Anyone is the ultimate guide to successful public speaking. Presentations, talks, and speeches are unavoidable in school, work, and even social occasions (have you ever had to deliver a wedding toast?)--but fear of public speaking is statistically more common than fear of death. Author Mark Rhodes once pretended he had crashed his car to avoid doing a presentation! Permanent avoidance will eventually hold you back, but mastering the art of the successful presentation can take you to new heights! This book shows you how Mark eventually learned to love public speaking: by setting himself up for a self-sustaining cycle of presentation success. It takes more than stage presence to make a great presentation--you need great content. Without it, you won't get the result you're after, and you will dread the next talk. But if your presentation stands on its own two feet and you manage to banish the stage fright, you get a taste of success that ignites your passion and gets you excited to present every time! Packed with practical advice for both mental anguish and content creation, this book approaches public speaking holistically to arm you with real skills for success: Build confidence, reduce fear, and develop the right mindset for public speaking Engage your audience from the start, and reduce first-minute jitters Develop great content that you look forward to presenting each time Go beyond simple body language to reach your audience in a more authentic, organic way Don't mumble your way through a PowerPoint or try to put flash over substance. Craft an engaging, informative presentation that people want to see and that you want to present! This book covers performance anxiety, speaking skills, ideas/content, practice, preparation, and audience interaction. How to Present to Absolutely Anyone guides you from fear, to excitement, to success!