Rexi Media

• When someone asks you a question, repeat it (especially if you present to a large group).
• A strong ending is every bit as important as a strong beginning. The beginning and the ending of your presentation should be intimately linked.
• Use changes in melody and pitch to add expression to your voice.
• Use a pause to allow your audience to absorb what you just said
• Manage the time and direction of your Q and A session. Don’t let it run over; keep discussions on track.
• When answering questions, move toward the audience member and square your shoulders to them.
• Understand cultural gesture differences if you present to different cultures on a regular basis.
• Make eye contact with everyone in the room.
• When you plan your ending, think about what you want your listeners to feel, think, and do at the end of your presentation.

• When you ask a question, wait at least ten seconds so that the audience can understand the question, consider an answer, and formulate a reply.

Presentation Skills

Carmen Taran

Business presenters use too many clichés. Have you been in those presentations where people speak about a solution, a value added, or a paradigm shift? Have you heard presenters speak about customer-centric solutions, win-win situations, and holistic approaches? Do you feel connected to those who speak like this?

Buzz words do not build an audience connection because they are obscure and calorie-free. If you wish your audience to focus on what you say and not switch to checking mobile devices during your presentation, avoid lazy clichés and greasy corporate talk in your presentations.

In order to avoid using corporate buzz words, we must first acknowledge the reasons why business presenters might be tempted to fall victims to faded language. There are four reasons:

1. Glamorize words. Due to the fact that some business people do not have glamorous jobs, they embellish their words. This is why we often hear flowery phrases such as leveraging technologies and creating strategic alliances and creating knowledge-centric systems to maximize human performance – all of this instead of saying “we provide consulting services.” Instead of these big, empty words, use precise, fresh, and simple words that you would typically share with your friends around the dinner table.
2. No expertise. When people speak about “global visions” and “available bandwidth” and “industry phenomena” – all these big words mask lack of knowledge. If these speakers knew what they wanted to convey, you would hear clear words, tasks and names of people, and specific information about what is happening and what needs to be done. Find examples or stories or props or numbers or concrete information to support your statements and avoid speaking in front of an audience unless you are an expert in your domain.
3. Deliver happy news. When speakers are afraid to acknowledge reality around them, they start using phrases like conspicuous nonsuccess and thinking proactively. If quality has been down, say that it’s been down; if there is a flaw in your product, say there is a flaw; if you made a mistake, admit it. That’s when language becomes clean and builds a connection.
4. Avoid accountability. Those who are afraid of commitment are more prone to corporate clichés. Speak in front of an audience only when you fully believe in what you’re saying and are prepared to stand up for it no matter what. Being accountable purifies your language immediately.

You can see how these principles work in practice. Here are two cliché phrases that may seem innocent on the surface but give the wrong impression about what you offer. The first phrase is “best practices”.

“Best practices,” while acknowledging some standards you follow, might also imply insecurity about your direction. When you don’t know where you’re going, you’re borrowing from other people’s wisdom. It is more persuasive to say “we have developed a product or a service with original features”. Now I am more curious about what you have to offer.

Another tired phrase is “leading edge”. Everyone seems to be on the leading edge and it makes us wonder… how is this possible? If you typed in a search engine the phrase “leading edge,” check out how many results you get. Unless your products or services beat the other millions, avoid using “leading edge.”

To learn how to use memorable language that builds a connection with an audience, check out the Presenter Pro mobile app on the iTunes store, powered by Rexi Media.

Presentation Skills

Death by PowerPoint… Rexi Media Delivers Vaccine Via iPhone App

Presenter Pro teaches the critical skills needed to deliver outstanding presentations.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — June 4, 2009 — Today Rexi Media announced the release of Presenter Pro, the first application to deliver professional presentation skills training to the iPhone. Based on leading executive training programs developed by Rexi Media for Fortune 500 corporations, Presenter Pro uses media-rich content to teach business professionals how to deliver high-impact, memorable presentations, without a high-impact, memorable price.

Presenter Pro makes available a caliber of training traditionally only affordable by large corporations. Combining rich supporting graphics, audio, and video, with proven techniques from psychology, sociology, advertising, sales, and education, Presenter Pro was designed to give corporate and sales executives, managers, trainers, lawyers, and other professionals the skills needed to become outstanding presenters.

“Effective presentation skills are critical to growing a company’s business,” said Tom Hale, Chief Product Officer at Linden Lab. “Presenter Pro has not only helped me polish my presentations, but allows me to keep those skills sharp while on the go.”

With unemployment rates reaching new highs, and competition for business fierce, keeping an edge that helps differentiate you, as well as your company, is critical to survival. Rexi Media’s introduction of Presenter Pro is a timely and economical answer for professionals looking for tools to help them stay ahead. Presenter Pro delivers training content that costs thousands of dollars per person in a corporate environment, for only $4.99.

“In today’s economic environment we must break away from the boring sameness of the typical presentation and distinguish ourselves,” said Dr. Carmen Taran, executive at Rexi Media. “Our corporate clients have asked us to create a mobile application that encapsulates Rexi Media’s approach to advanced presentation training so their employees can continually improve a skill set which is not optional, but mandatory. Presenter Pro is not simply an application… it is a survival tool.”

“As the most powerful mobile platform for learning, the iPhone’s multimedia capabilities complement our engaging content well,” said Danielle Daly, executive at Rexi Media. “Time and again, business professionals have expressed to us a need for high-quality presentation training content on a mobile platform, so we developed Presenter Pro to make our enterprise training accessible to everyone. Presenter Pro is a tool for professionals who don’t simply want to survive during these difficult times, but wish to thrive.”

An iPhone Application for Business Users
With the introduction of Presenter Pro, Rexi Media has set a new standard for business applications on the iPhone. By empowering users to be more effective in their daily business lives, Presenter Pro is an indispensible tool for professionals who need to influence audiences. The application is a best-in-class business solution now available on the iPhone.

Pricing and Availability
Presenter Pro is currently available through Apple’s iPhone Application Store and sells for $4.99.

About Rexi Media
Founded in 2007, Rexi Media works internationally to provide executive coaching and training designed to help business professionals give outstanding, memorable presentations that transform audiences into advocates. For more information on Rexi Media visit http://www.reximedia.com. For more information on Presenter Pro visit http://www.reximedia.com/products/presenterpro/

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For more information, press only:
Brandon Graff
Phone: (408) 417-0824
Email: bgraff@reximedia.com

Presentation Skills