06 Mar 11 Mistakes to be Avoided while making and Delivering a PowerPoint Presentation

PowerPoint aided presentation is an integral part of formal presentation before the audience. It not only enhances depth of the presentation but also brings many more things on table like – easy to understand flowcharts and graphics, constant textual reminder, short and easy to comprehend points, sum up checklists towards end, a compact understanding of the entire topic. But while preparing and delivering a PowerPoint presentation speaker often loses focus and commits several notable mistakes. Don’t repeat these mistakes.

Too much of text

We are often tempted to overstuff our PowerPoint slides with too much of text and long paragraphs. Don’t forget presentation is all about putting points on slides and narrating or elaborating them in detail verbally. Don’t suffocate your presentation with too much of text. No one is interested in reading long texts. So write in bullets or points. Elaborate those verbally. Make sure you leave blank space in your slides.

Too much of animation

Many presenters love to show off their technical skills by animating each line or graphic of the slides. Remember, simplicity always sells. Don’t let the whoosh sound of your presentation distract the audience. It’s highly annoying when repeated. Keep slides simple, minimalistic, and elegant. Don’t animate each and every text or header or graphic element in it. Too much of rotation, blinking, floating, swinging of elements worsen a good content. Don’t use those animated sounds which are highly disturbing.

Baseless data

Presenters often put factual data, without mentioning the source. It’s a strict ‘no no’. Never put facts and figures, graphs without mentioning its source. No data seems authentic and valid without the source mentioned. People may doubt credibility of your presentation.

Reading out from the slides

Often presenters are seen doing nothing, but simply reading out whatever is there on the PowerPoint slide. It not only bores the audience, but also doesn’t add any value to the entire presentation session. You can add substantial value to a presentation only when you give your valuable inputs besides reading out from the slides alone. It also shows presenter’s lack of confidence, public speaking fear and lack of knowledge.

Make sure you avoid these mistakes.

Tags: Animation, Audience, Blank Space, Bullets, Checklists, Credibility, Factual Data, Flowcharts, Formal Presentation, Graphic Element, Graphs, Minimalistic, Paragraphs, Powerpoint Presentation, Powerpoint Slide, Powerpoint Slides, Presentation Powerpoint, Reminder, Simplicity, Whoosh

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23 Jan 11 Tips for Brochure Writing

Brochure writing is an art besides its scientific approach. If you are new to brochure here are few helpful tips for you.

Detailed yet interesting

Brochure writing is a detailed affair, yet crispy. Modern brochure writing style is crisp yet very effective. A brochure may run over many pages or consist just 3-4 pages, depending upon its nature. Make sure you include all important information like company’s history and description, CEO’s message, mission and vision statement, product or service detail, achievements. Since brochures are long in nature it will be all inclusive yet crisp.

Keep the style same

Irrespective of brochure’s total number of pages, keep the writing style same all over. If you are talking in passive voice, talk in the same style throughout. Don’t switch on and off between styles. If you have taken a poetic style of writing maintain that throughout. Sign off with the same flavor. Even keep your font style same.

Understand the purpose

There’s no set formula of brochure writing. Brochure writing style may vary depending upon the purpose of writing. A technical brochure or a product brochure; corporate brochure or sales brochure, each calls for a different style and purpose of writing.

Don’t overstuff

Often marketers are tempted to stuff a brochure with maximum amount of factual data. It certainly bores the reader. Don’t overstuff a brochure with data. Keep it light, crispy yet all inclusive. Touch upon all important points needed to be conveyed, and elaborating in short only most important parts. If you are mentioning product features, make sure you convert those features into benefits. Translate each feature into functional and emotional benefit. Break the paragraphs into bullet points when needed, else into short paragraphs. Don’t write a page full, in one single paragraph. Make sure you leave enough blank space or space for images on a page. It makes reading interesting.

Put quotations whenever applicable

Quotations are always appealing. While you craft a brochure page, try to put some quotations wherever they are applicable. It can be some words from the company’s chairman or some famous quotes or simply few lines you wish to emphasize. When the brochure page is designed such quotations can be nicely used in bold and bigger fonts. It easily grabs attention.

Tags: Blank Space, Brochure Writing, Bullet Points, Corporate Brochure, Different Style, Emotional Benefit, Factual Data, Font Style, Helpful Tips, Marketers, Passive Voice, Poetic Style, Product Brochure, Product Features, Sales Brochure, Service Detail, Short Paragraphs, Technical Brochure, Vision Statement, Writing Style

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14 Nov 09 5 More Types of Freelance Writing Jobs

In this second part of 5 types of freelance writing jobs, we will see some more writing assignments that excite freelance writers. You can choose one or more than one types of writing assignment during the course of your freelance writing career. It is not that you have to leave one to choose another. You can choose more than one. To be honest, I must say, in last one year, I have completed all kinds of writing except one, i.e., report writing. If I can do that, you can too.

E-Book writing

Writing a book is the ultimate dream of any writer, but not everyone can accomplish that goal despite having all the required ingredients. Well, I wandered off the topic. The point I wanted to make was this, there are lots of demand for niche market e-books, and lot many people are looking for ghost writers for their e-books. If you can meet the tight deadline and write 20-100 pages e-books then this market is waiting for you with its arm flung open.

Report writing

Reports are short documents written about a specific topic. A report is primarily a condensed output of the research or survey done by the report writer. Reports are objective and based on factual data only. It may or may not contain interpretation. For example: an online marketing report will have data about rise or fall of online marketing effectiveness, and a blogging report may contain the new advancements in the blogging world, etc.

Essay writing

Essay comes in various shapes and sizes. It could be persuasive, descriptive, argumentative, comparative, evaluative, or narrative. Most of them are academic in nature, and they follow a certain writing style as well as opening and closing statements. If you know how to write academic essays then you can earn a lot more than any other form of freelance writing. This is the best paying writing market. You need to know MLA and/or APA style of citation to succeed in this market.

Sales letter writing

An effective sales letter is often the difference between winning and losing the sales battle, online. If you know this fact, and if you posses the ability to write a good sales letter that converts well then you can ask for lifeblood as a fee for your services. An online marketer struggles for a good sales letter to promote his product. He will embrace you like his new-born first child.

Review writing

Writing a review is entirely different from other forms of writing. A review takes more time because you need to familiarize yourself with product before you can write an honest review about the same. You need to know features and attributes of the products and services, its competition, and history of its producer etc. There are many paid review works available online as well.

Tags: Academic Essays, Book Writing, Closing Statements, e book, E Books, Effective Sales, Factual Data, Freelance Writers, Freelance Writing Career, Freelance Writing Jobs, Ghost Writers, Niche Market, Report Writer, Shapes And Sizes, Tight Deadline, Writing A Book, Writing Assignments, Writing Essay, Writing Reports, Writing Style

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