Category: Communication

Powerpoint presentation design – more than a bunch of slides

Emma

Powerpoint Presentations are very simple to put together, but excellent Powerpoint design is extremely hard. Pushed for time, most of us will sling together a bunch of slides based on our talk, perhaps illustrating some key points. The versatility of Powerpoint makes this easy – too easy. Thanks to the user-friendliness of the programme, you can very quickly build up slides with text, images, audio and video, transitioning to each other with a range of special effects. But that’s not enough. Good sales presentations are more than window-dressing, and if you don’t know what you’re doing your audience will find out pretty soon.

Bad Powerpoint design simply repeats what the audience hears in your spoken presentation. Good design has a narrative: a story that moves through the presentation and that is communicated with conciseness and clarity. The visuals matter, but only in pointing to this primary aim. People take in information in different ways, so don’t assume that the slides are an optional extra to the talk you write. In many cases these snapshots will be most or all of what a viewer/listener takes away.

This isn’t something that just anyone can do – at least not without training. If you work in a business of any size, you’ll already understand that. Although you can put together your own copy, it’s far more effective to hire a copywriter to do it for you. Anyone can write; not everyone can copywrite (although in smaller organisations they may try). Powerpoint is the same. The problem is that the ease of using the software means there are a lot of dilettantes out there, with the obvious results. Creating a really killer slideshow is actually quite an art; it’s just that creating a mediocre slideshow is within anyone’s reach – just as writing a bad sales pitch or website landing page is something anyone can do.

If your Powerpoint design is letting you down, there are companies who can either do it for you or train someone within your organisation so that they can create high-quality sales presentations. Great powerpoint presentations don’t just happen by themselves; they are crafted, just like any other worthwhile product – copy, artwork, software, a website. As in anything like this, the proof of the pudding should be in the eating, and very quickly. Return on investment is the only meaningful measure of success when hiring a service like this, and you should see it almost immediately in the form of successful bids and convincing presentations.

Please visit http://www.eyefulpresentations.co.uk/

http://www.eyefulpresentations.co.uk/

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Document management -€“ what’€™s the idea?

Emma

With the adoption of any new technology there has to be a reason to justify the expenditure and the trouble of training personnel and moving systems. In the instance of document management that purpose is efficiency, which has numerous impacts elsewhere – not least in terms of reputation, as well as your finances. Invoice processing, for example, allows you to pay suppliers and clients on time (whilst not overpaying or repeat paying); whilst this has financial benefits, it is also an important courtesy to those you work with and will do much to maintain the relationship between you. That, of course, has knock-on impacts for the long-term arrangement between you. Cost is so often not the sole criterion for changing provider or supplier; bad service is a more common reason. People often don’t mind paying a little more so long as it’s worth it. Remove that incentive and you can find their loyalty is (rightly) short-lived. Document processing can therefore be an important tool in your customer retention, with all that means for other sides of your business.

The general idea is simple: all of your physical documents are converted to electronic ones. This is carried out by several means. At the bottom end of the scale a scan-to-pdf may be involved. More sophisticated systems use optical character recognition and are capable of turning handwritten notes into computer documents.

These files can then be stored centrally, where they can be accessed by anyone who has the right permissions. That means documents cannot be lost or destroyed, and photocopying key papers is no longer required. It allows you to treat all documents the same – letter or email, paper or virtual invoice. Companies can often unwittingly operate a two-tier system depending on which medium they are more familiar with; either they will deal with paper first and leave the electronic communications, or vice versa. The problem is that some clients may get left behind this way.

Document processing removes this hierarchy, and a good document management system will mean that your people do not have to distinguish between paper and electronic copies. This will be particularly important for your accounts department, since ignoring invoices or being slow to settle them is a sure way to upset clients and suppliers. Consequently you should find that invoice processing enables your organisation to run more efficiently – something that those who use you will like.

Please visit http://www.bottomline.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.bottomline.co.uk/

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Invoice processing that optimises your resources

Stuart

Document management is a essential part of any company’s operations, and also reduces costs and optimises working capital. Solutions to document processing can be catastrophic when the provider turns out to be unpunctual, or have hidden costs. With a capable provider however, routine and necessary procedures such as invoice processing are enhanced.

The way to think of the situation is not as a problem to be overcome, but as potential waiting to be utilised. These assets can be gathered via the available technologies into substantial quantifiable and consequent benefits.

quantifiable benefits of document management are many, and include the reduction of space used for paper storage, saving you commercial property costs. Integrating documentation into management systems obviates the need to store bulky amounts of paper documentation on site, allowing it to be stored if necessary in less expensive locations – and protects data from on-paper vulnerability to theft, fire, flood and vandalism. DMS archiving also preserves important paper documents from continual and damaging handling.
What is more, as well as ensuring stronger security, these systems make data retrieval more flexible and intuitive, and save time as accessing data does not even mean leaving one’s desk. Multiple indexing can be operated simultaneously, search functions are rapid and can operate a full text search, unlike paper or microfilm. Lost files are a thing of the past, as all documents are centrally stored.

As far as regulations and requirements are concerned, DMS security and control tracks the validity of stored files and lessens the risk of withdrawn licenses and even legal action, by demonstrating regulatory compliance. Due to the central control of invoice processing, DMS also greatly improves cash flow.  Less quantifiable benefits include improved day-to-day operations internally, increasing the amount of information accessible to staff. This also has a beneficial effect on customer service, allowing accurate, quick and professional response. The ability to distribute information electronically saves time and sharpens audience targeting, lending a competitive edge to your organisation over others not using DMS. For those that are, it removes a competitive disadvantage.

Finally, document management opens up the pool of information which would otherwise be imprisoned in individual’s head or separate email exchanges – or at best, ‘round robin’ emails. Once this information undergoes document processing and is utilised as shareable and accessible, its value increases and so does your employees’ ability to solve questions and tasks. Using invoice processing keeps all your financial transactions scheduled and trackable – all in all, the simplest and smartest business solution.

Please visit http://www.bottomline.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.bottomline.co.uk/

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ICT infrastructure upgrades for higher quality access to broadband

Jo

The internet has long been hailed as an inclusive and democratising resource proffering a staggering supply of information and useful services. However, many people still feel left out of the so-called age of information by the singular fact of living in a community where high-speed web connections are harder to obtain. Good news is on the way, however, as certain companies are getting behind ICT infrastructure developments that aim to bring an end to these unjust circumstances. Investments are being made, for example, in creative upgrades and corporate outsourcing drives that will help rural estates integrate into the online world through next generation access and community broadband set-ups.

We often hear the term ‘online community’ these days in reference to social networks created between friends, acquaintances and fellow professionals in the virtual realm. Evidently these networks can serve us well, particularly when they make organizing events and meetings or sharing documents or articles easier. For some time, rural inhabitants have experienced difficulties in reaping the benefits of such web-based communities, though they may have counterbalanced their technological lack by strengthening connections and communications in the physical realm. More and more, however, rural estates are having it both ways thanks to the success of community broadband: they are finding themselves in a position enabling them to maintain the strong contacts they have cultivated locally through slower means, as well as gaining in the online stakes. It really is a win-win situation.

Community broadband projects thus have a social as well as a professional function. Moreover, next generation access works to answer the requirements of both households, who may want to save time and resources by carrying out everyday tasks such as shopping and paying bills online, and businesses whose expansion and success has become unavoidably dependent on taking advantage of their presence on the internet. That is why ICT infrastructure upgrades represent such a serious and significant undertaking. Indeed, a great number of local councils are showing their support for the companies investing in improvements to internet access. In the north of the UK, in areas such as the South Yorkshire towns and cities of Sheffield, Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster in particular, many business centres and science parks actually count on the technological innovations making broadband better: their very survival depends on the advantages that are sometimes only accessible online.

Please visit http://www.broadbandvantage.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

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Telepresence video conferencing can be applied to more than businesses

Stuart

video conferencing has come a long way since its early days (as early as the late 1920s and early 1930s, when AT&T was experimenting with the new TV technology that was being developed). Perhaps the simplest sort of audio visual conferencing is afforded by a basic Skype camera connection, giving both picture and sound transmission across the world. However, this is fairly basic when compared with the sophisticated telepresence video conferencing systems that are now available. These are usually employed by big corporations that need to communicate with personnel in other locations – often in foreign countries – and give a higher degree of fidelity and reliability than simpler systems.

Whilst individual users might get on ok with an internet camera system and speakers for casual chatting – indeed, these are now frequently built into even the cheapest devices, such as netbooks – and wealthy corporations may make use of state-of-the-art systems, there are alternatives in between. Midrange video conferencing equipment still affords excellent sound and picture quality, and for several parties to use the facility at the same time. One application of these systems is communication by sign language with the deaf or hearing impaired. Then there are the videophones that are beginning to become viable after a bad start a few years ago.

The various options have to be weighed up for your particular requirements, and there are many variables to consider. Obviously, there is the cost of the initial equipment. This can go from almost nothing for point-to-point internet calls to many thousands of pounds for the most cutting-edge telepresence technology. Alongside this, there is the quality of transmission. The reproduction of sound and picture given by a Skype phone and camera might be fine for two people talking informally, but it’s not enough for a multinational corporation organising an important conference between many different team members, perhaps spread over the world. Then there is the bandwidth required by the different options and, related to this, the cost of use.

So, depending on the nature and requirements of your company or individual needs, you will need to consider many different variables. Telepresence video conferencing is the pinnacle of this technology, giving an ‘immersive’ experience between many different users with extremely high levels of sound and video quality. On the other hand, simple video conferencing facilities can be gained cheaply with common computer peripherals. Between these extremes there are other kinds of audio visual conferencing equipment at varying costs and degrees of sophistication.

Please visit http://www.edgevision.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.edgevision.co.uk/

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Make boring Powerpoint presentations a thing of the past

Emma

We have all seen generic powerpoint presentations that make us want to close our eyes.  The main point to be aware of when writing and delivering sales presentations is making sure the audience come away with information that is in line with the original point of the presentation.  If the audience leave the presentation with a degree of confusion, there has been a failure on your part. Powerpoint design allows for the presentation of a great deal of information, but this can be a challenge rather than a blessing, as there tends to be a temptation to include an excessive amount.

In sales, presenting information properly to prospective clients is crucial .  From the first stages of introducing a product or service to closing the sale, at any stage one cannot risk people walking away feeling like their time has been wasted.  Pictures are sometimes added to presentations as an afterthought, but unfortunately or not, many of us have a tendency to engage more quickly and for longer with pictorial content, so this aspect of Powerpoint design might be more important than you realise.  Using pictures from the generic clipart folder to fill space, for example, sends a very particular  message about your presentation.  The audience is likely to automatically expect to see a generic  presentation, so they can sit back and not think  too much.  Your audience’s attention will be lost before you even start.  Purchasing a CD set of backgrounds and pictures, or subscribing to a big  online picture library, can be a very smart  investment.

Powerpoint technology does allow users to create very dynamic and highly technological presentations, but it is important not to overdo it.  Often, presenters feel that if their presentation looks new and dynamic, it will be effective, but the secret is to tailor the effects to ones that are specifically useful to communicate your message, rather than throwing in any extra detail you can in the hope of hitting the ‘wow factor’.  A common mistake of this kind is the overuse of animations and transitions during a slide show – the audience has hardly been able to read what is on the screen before a new sentence flies in, creating something of a visual overload.

Powerpoint design is there to make communication easier, and it should be used with this in mind.  It is not necessary to approach sales presentations with an aim to wow your audience with your technical abilities, but equally, stock images and a tired old format will only remind them of all the other powerpoint presentations they have ever seen.  As with so many other things in life, it is a question of finding the perfect balance.

Please visit http://www.eyefulpresentations.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.eyefulpresentations.co.uk/

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Business proposal writing: a crucial skill in the modern world

Jo

business proposal writing is all about getting into the needs of the client.  Many professionals think that they can write a good proposal if they know a lot about the bid, but many people make the mistake of failing to give sufficient consideration to the client’s position.  If this could be the case in your business, you may find that some professional bid support will give your company a real boost.  Similarly, many sales teams approach their presentations in the same way they have for years, and a few changes in their strategy might really have an effect on sales figures.  It can be difficult for teams to rethink their strategies at the drop of a hat, and therefore a bit of sales presentation training might be exactly what you need.

Business proposal writing can be a stressful business; with million pound contracts at stake, the content of a business proposal might be the most important thing you write in a year.  If your entire team’s job security is dependent on the outcome of your presentation, it certainly seems worth taking some advice on how to construct a bid.  Perhaps the most important element of any bid is clarity, as clients who receive several submissions will have limited time in which to read through many documents.  If you can help them by summarising the content of your proposal in 2-3 sentences at the outset, your proposal will certainly have a head start.  This enables you to highlight the key strengths of your presentation at the outset, so that the reader knows what to look out for.  Nobody likes having to read a document twice before they properly understand what the writer is trying to convey, and by inserting a clear summary at the start, you can ensure that your document will not demand this kind of attention.

It is also a very good idea to include visual elements in your presentation as much as possible.  Logos, images, charts and graphs will greatly enhance the appeal of your document and make it much easier for the reader to understand.  Ploughing through pages of written text is not always conducive to engaging the reader and ensuring that they remember your proposal over the many others they have to read.

The best written proposal can fall flat if it is poorly delivered, which is why sales presentation training can be an extremely valuable investment.  If your business proposal writing is streamlined and your presentation style is original and effective, you should have few problems in securing the contracts that will make you the envy of your colleagues. Once start seeing the positive results, you may end up thinking that paying for bid support is priceless.

Please visit http://www.salesengine.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

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Telepresence Video Conferencing is Closer Than Ever To Face To Face Communication

Stuart

Video conferencing technology has come a very long way since the development of digital telephony transmission networks, which took place in the 1980s. Back then, the first commercial telepresence video conferencing systems started to come to the market. the audio visual conferencing that it was designed for was tough on transmission networks, and the compression of large volumes of data was problematic. As a result of this, the technology was dear, and this expense transferred onto clients and customers.

The 1990s, however, saw a surge in forward movement regarding the technology involved in video conferencing. For the first time the data could be compressed using Internet Protocol, which meant that audio visual communication was possible on desktop computers. Contemporary to this the technology involved in the compression of data was made more and more impressive. Bit by bit, conferencing solutions continued to develop as an industry, and the ready availability of the required technology, coupled with a rise in international trade and a demand for fast communication, meant that these solutions became ever more affordable and, as a result, common in businesses.

Now we have entered the second decade of the twenty-first century, and technology is more sophisticated than ever. These are very amazing times for global communication, and boundaries continue to be pushed. But the best part is that this technology is available to your company for an affordable cost. Its use is not limited to the highest profile platforms such as the news media and awards ceremonies (in the form of satellite links, for example) but has spread to the wider public through the widespread use of personal internet access in the form of web chatting and, more recently the Skype phenomenon.

While in the past, we have marvelled at the idea of being in ever more realistic ‘virtual’ contact with people across the globe, this has only been an idea, and the reality has not done it justice. You only need to look at 1990s television adverts for internet providers to witness this; they make it seem like you could step into someone else’s world for a while before coming back to your own, when really the product they are advertising is video added to a phone call. In this era of audio video conferencing we have edged the reality closer to the idea. Audio visual conferencing these days is significantly more than just video added to a phone call. telepresence video conferencing makes the whole experience as similar to real as it is possible to get.

Please visit http://www.edgevision.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.edgevision.co.uk/

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You should grasp the opportunity to learn PowerPoint design

Jo

Are you one of those employees who cringe every time your manager boss asks you to make PowerPoint presentations? If so, you’re not alone. Many people share that opinion.

These days it’s not acceptable to merely show a few good looking slides. Your PowerPoint presentations have to have power. They need to change people’s perceptions and stay with the audience. You need to relay a strong story that puts over a straightforward message.

Sales presentations are regularly done in PowerPoint because you can show diagrams, graphs, images and add audio. These are essential elements when it comes to attracting prospective customers and, if they are utilised properly, can lead to a massive increase in your sales figures.

Your sales presentations need to be able to capture the interest of the audience and this can be tough to achieve. A lot of people have a short attention span and in order to enthrall them you have to come up with something truly special.

It’s amazing how many sales presentations fall flat merely because the powerpoint design is not well thought through. merely Just throwing a few slides together can’t work. Like a story, a PowerPoint design should include an introduction, middle – the section where you show off your product and its advantages, and an ending.

So by now you’ve probably worked out that making good PowerPoint presentations is a bit more complex than you first thought and you might be wondering how you can get some assistance.

Eyeful Presentations is a UK firm that specialises in PowerPoint design. They’ve been around since 2004 and since that time have designed PowerPoint presentations for enterprises such as Microsoft, JP Morgan and Santander.

They offer a variety of services from checking over your presentations and making recommendations for development, producing state of the art customised sales presentations, right down to motivating your sales team.

Whatever your requirements Eyeful Presentations can assure you of one thing – presentations are what they do best.

You owe it your organisation to seize the opportunity to learn powerpoint design from the industry leader.

Please visit http://www.eyefulpresentations.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.eyefulpresentations.co.uk/

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