3 Secrets from the Most Trusted Brands Around

Accountability Fedex

Additionally Amazon

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DGWB

Jim Stengel

Kari Blanchard

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Simple Personal Amazon

United States

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Which company would you say has the best customer service in the world?

For me, only big names come to mind. Amazon, Fedex, Starbucks, Apple, Target; all these companies are seen and valued as great empires that run the United States, and to some extent, the world. Customer service has become a major facet of how people judge businesses today. Within customer service, lies it’s core foundation, trust. When people trust a brand, they use it, recommend it, share it, and more importantly, like it.

When we discuss branding, one of the simplest and most relevant examples would probably be corporate presentations. The way quality with which one presents their company to others is the level to which their branding valued. For that very reason, being able to understand and recreate the important aspects these trusted companies currently use will be invaluable to any executive.

We decided to take a crack at it and analyze the consumer survey created by Entrepreneur and The Values Institute at DGWB, a California-based think tank, which explored this very issue. The results are an analysis of 5 of the top 10 most trusted brands.

Simple & Personal: Amazon

The tycoon online retailer of just about everything comes out on the top of our list. Amazon’s success doesn’t root from the millions of products is manages, the unlimited and 24/7 access its offers, the great quality search filter it holds, or the shockingly effective and satisfying customer service it is compromised of. Amazon is best the because of its superior purchase experience. People love things to be easy and to be treated well; two things Amazon does beautifully well.

>Additionally Amazon is arguably best at fostering relationships with consumers by helping them make decisions through recommendations from other people. “People are able to choose items based on other consumer’s past purchases, user reviews and ratings and suggested complementary purchases. Consumers also have many options for forging a personal bond with the brand, including user profiles, reviews and ratings.”

So if there is anything we should learn from Amazon, it is to make things easy and personal. This is especially true for your professional PowerPoint presentations. You must be able make things easy to understand while allowing your audience to relate to you in a variety of ways. Tell a story, show emotion, show an inspiring video, or just do something that will invoke emotion from your audience and consequently more sales for you.

Customer Appreciation & Accountability: Fedex

FedEx has designed and more importantly, maintained one of the strongest corporate identities around. In the aforementioned consumer survey the company “received its strongest ratings in ability, specifically for being able to achieve what it promises and for the efficiency of its operations.”

Try to remember any of the recent Fedex commercial spots on TV. They all show a strong focus on recognizing that it’s not just about the logistics of moving boxes, but about an appreciation of what’s inside. The content, the story, the emotion, to a simple point, the meaning each box has. This is the main point. Fedex does a phenomenal job at showing their value for their customer and

“To further deliver that message, FedEx engages with consumers through its personalized rewards program and by interacting on social media channels.” The company thinks of their customers as much more than just an order number or box, and they show that in their branding and marketing, and that is true customer appreciation.

With regard to your corporate presentation, use the same idea. Highlight how you show customer appreciation and make clear that you hold yourself, and no one else accountable for your quality.

Be Product-Centric: Apple

Not many companies have the public and press waiting in line, for days, waiting breathlessly for each new product release. “The bottom line is whatever that new Apple product is, consumers trust that it will be smart and sleek and that it will improve the way they communicate, work or spend their leisure time. What’s more, they’ll enjoy the experience of making the purchase.”

Even more, Apple is known to hire empathetic people, and not measure their sales associates on sales. This at first seems absurd; almost every other retail store in the world wants good salesmen and will create a competitive environment to weed out the weak. Apple knows that its product is so well liked, that it can sacrifice the competitive edge between its sales associates. The only factor that allows them to be so confident in their product, its that they put so much focus on it, and they make sure everyone knows that.

Wrapping up

In short, today’s most trustworthy brands have created relationships with consumers through experiences that trigger a visceral and amazingly effective response. Quoting the aforementioned consumer survey results analysis by branding consultant Jim Stengel, “We’re seeing more of an emphasis on brands building emotional relationships with consumers because it’s powerful and it works. When you do it, you have a much stronger affinity, a much stronger business, much stronger growth and much stronger results.”

It doesn’t just come down to you making your have better customer appreciation, accountability, or product-centricty, it comes down to showing that your do these things. What easier way to show these things than through your next corporate, sales, or marketing presentation. Be transparent, be clear, and show your customers, partners, and the world how you do things, in return you might just be the next one on this list.

READ MORE: Secrets of the 10 Most-Trusted Brands – Entrepreneur 

An Angel Investor’s Guide to Cracking the Mind of an Angel Investor

Angel Investor

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Edward Harley

Keiretsu Forum

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Sales Strategy Presentation

TAM

“I would like to introduce myself to you. I am an angel investor. You may not have met the likes of me. I play several different roles. I listen to your presentations, a challenger of your strategy, an investigator conducting due diligence, a negotiator over investment terms, and finally a check writer to fund your growth.”


Who better to advise on an angel investment pitch than an angel investor himself? Edward Harley, Angel Investor and member of the Keiretsu Forum lays out exactly what you need to do to become part of the “top 5% of all presenters.” Though his context lies in the world of investor pitches, his advice is true and useful for anybody presenting about any subject.

Usually, you’ll have about 10 minutes to “pitch” your idea to an investor. Within those few minutes, you need to tell Harley’s seven stories successfully:

1. The ‘fundamental business logic’ story

This part of your presentation illustrates how you don’t just have an idea but a logical approach to making a business out of it. Great ideas are valuable but relatively useless without proper execution. It’s a great execution that changes the world. That is what investors, and really just audiences, want to understand from you: the steps you took or are taking to realize your idea. In other words, share your story.

2. The ‘total available market’ story

This section of your presentation is essentially the evidence you use to support your “fundamental business logic story.” You highlight the path your business will walk on and explain how wide the passageway is.

3 This is a $50m to $100m business’ story

Continuing on the ”evidence” of your business logic story, this presentation portion is meant to display a sense of value. It would be best if you made your audience understand that your business venture is credible and an enticing and convenient investment for them.

4. ‘The product can be differentiated’ story

Here, you’ll show why and how you are different and better than your competition. This is a key point. Your audience wants to know and identify your specialty. After all, it is that very specialty that people will remember you by. Harley says it that his  “expectation is that [he] will hear about a solution that is significantly better for the customer than all their existing choices, by ‘significantly better’, [he] mean[s] 10X better.”

5. ‘The product/service can be sold’ story

This area of your presentation should come back to the past four sections. Here it would be best if you reaffirmed that your product or service is reliable and has the potential to lead to satisfying results.

6. ‘This management team can do it’ story

You’ve made your case for the product or service; now, you have to establish your credibility and that of your team as valuable, effective, and reliable workers.

7. ‘This is a good investment for the investor’ story

This presentation portion should summarize everything and reiterate the essential selling points. Here you are making the idea of an investment, sale, or whatever call-to-action concrete.

At the end of all this, it is time to ask yourself through an investor’s mentality, “Could I, your listener, replay to another person the very basics of your venture and how your target customers will benefit from using your product?”

If the answer is yes, then you have successfully increased your chances of realizing your presentation’s call to action.

Harley sums it up best by saying, “If you can passionately tell me those 7 stories while building a rapport with me where I eventually become an investor, we can jump over obstacles together. In addition to being a source of funds, I am a member of a terrific network of successful colleagues who are willing to assist you in your entrepreneurial effort. Our knowledge is both deep and wide, crossing industries, technologies, markets, and distribution channels. Thus, I encourage you to make an upfront effort to tell me your story. We can be successful together!”

Reference:

The Infographic that You Need to See

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PowerPoint has about a 95% share of the presentation software market. There are over 500 million PowerPoint users worldwide and more than 30 million presentations are created daily. Over 6 million academic teachers use PowerPoint for classroom instruction.


Inforgraphic 1

Captus is Ready to Crush Their Competition

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LSR

planning

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Though Captus

Captus provides proven military-grade analytics to big data in the commercial sector.


 The company is an essential component in the field of analytics. Anyone could see that both their product and service were both top-of-the-line. Even then, Captus knew what most seem to overlook, which is that it doesn’t matter how good your product or service is, if you cant convince anyone to buy it, its practically useless. 

For that very reason they knew they not only deserved, but required top-of-the-line branding. Investing in the way you look as a company is one of the most crucial elements for sales.Their professional PowerPoint presentation, designed by SlideGenius, effectively showed Captus’s product, process and key capabilities, which in turn made it very easy for their audiences to understand their holistic concept and solution.By developing a very high-quality professional PowerPoint presentation, Captus was able to display the issue their worked was based off of in a useful way.

The issue they worked on was that acquiring detailed information from multiple databases takes a huge amount of effort and time.

The presentation thoroughly emphasized the benefits of choosing Captus over their competition by focusing on the core differences Captus offers.

 Though Captus already had a self-made PowerPoint presentation, they knew that in order to set themselves apart from their competition they need to be be better, not just in their product or service, but in the way they are seen by others. Being different and being better is what led them to invest in, and now officially have, a chic, insightful, and effective tool for branding and pitching themselves.

“Employing proven defense and space technology, Captus brings real intelligence capabilities to serious businesses by providing complete data management and analysis solutions, not just pretty visualizations.” Now, both their product and their brand are not only unique in their own industry, but effectively maximized.  

To find out how you can start developing your brand and presentation more effectively sign up for a 15-minute discovery call with Slidegenius!

7 Quotes Every Presenter Needs to Know

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Quotes

Presentations are a vital part of the business world, whether you’re pitching a product, presenting results, or sharing a vision. To make your presentation stand out, you need more than just compelling content—you need inspiration. We’ve compiled our seven favorite quotes for presenters that not only provide motivation but can be used effectively in any professional PowerPoint presentation. These quotes are versatile, applicable across industries, and perfect for any presenter aiming to captivate their audience.

1. “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” – Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs was a master of impactful presentations, and his philosophy about design resonates deeply in the world of business presentations. A well-designed presentation isn’t just visually appealing—it’s functional, organized, and helps the audience understand your message. Use this quote to remind yourself and your audience that design is crucial in how your message is received.

2. “The most dangerous phrase in the language is, ‘We’ve always done it this way.’” – Grace Hopper

Presentations are often about introducing new ideas or processes. Hopper’s quote is a powerful reminder to challenge the status quo and think innovatively. Use this quote when proposing a new strategy or solution, urging your audience to embrace change and forward-thinking.

3. “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo da Vinci

In the rush to add more content, data, or graphics, it’s easy to overwhelm your audience. Da Vinci’s quote is a gentle nudge towards minimalism. The simpler your message, the more sophisticated and effective it becomes. This is a great quote to use when emphasizing clarity and focus in your presentation.

4. “The key to success is not information. It’s people.” – Simon Sinek

A presentation filled with data and information is important, but it’s the human element that resonates with your audience. Sinek’s quote is a timely reminder that people matter more than the slides or statistics. Incorporate this quote when highlighting teamwork, leadership, or customer-centric strategies.

5. “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin

Franklin’s quote is a lesson in engagement. The best presentations are interactive, encouraging participation from the audience. Whether you’re hosting a Q&A session or asking for feedback, this quote highlights the importance of involving your audience for better retention of your ideas.

6. “You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.” – Lee Iacocca

Even the most innovative ideas are useless if they’re not effectively communicated. Iacocca’s quote underscores the importance of delivery. This is an excellent quote to use at the beginning of a presentation, encouraging your audience to focus not only on what you’re saying but how you’re saying it.

7. “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein

Einstein’s wisdom reminds presenters of the importance of mastering their subject. Complicated jargon and overly technical explanations can alienate an audience. Use this quote as a personal reminder—or as part of your presentation—to emphasize the need for clarity and simplicity.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or new to the world of professional presentations, these quotes offer guidance, motivation, and a little wisdom to help you along the way. Presenting isn’t just about conveying information; it’s about engaging, inspiring, and connecting with your audience. Incorporate these quotes into your next PowerPoint presentation and watch how they resonate with your audience. Remember: your message is only as powerful as your ability to communicate it clearly, effectively, and with purpose.

 

Acme Construction Uses SlideGenius for Huge Client Bid

Acme Construction

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presenting

SlideGenius

In today’s competitive construction industry, standing out from the crowd can make or break a company’s chances of winning a major project. For Acme Construction, a regional leader in commercial and residential projects, the stakes were higher than ever when they had the opportunity to bid on a high-profile contract that could take their business to the next level. Recognizing the importance of their client presentation, Acme Construction turned to SlideGenius, a leading presentation design firm, to create a visually stunning and persuasive pitch. The result? A powerful presentation that helped them stand out and left a lasting impression on their prospective client.

The Challenge: A High-Stakes Bid

Acme Construction was invited to bid on a multi-million dollar project that would not only enhance their portfolio but would also place them on the national stage. The bid required them to present their technical expertise, construction capabilities, project management approach, and innovative design ideas. With so much on the line, Acme knew that delivering an exceptional proposal was crucial. However, they also understood that content alone wouldn’t be enough—how they presented that content would be the key to winning the client over.

Enter SlideGenius: The Presentation Experts

Acme Construction knew they needed more than just a standard PowerPoint deck—they needed a partner who could elevate their message through design and storytelling. That’s when they sought the help of SlideGenius, an industry leader in creating custom PowerPoint presentations for companies across all sectors. With SlideGenius’ extensive experience in presentation design and business communication, they were the ideal partner to help Acme make a lasting impression.

The SlideGenius Approach

SlideGenius took a strategic approach to Acme Construction’s client bid, focusing on three main components: compelling design, clear messaging, and interactive elements.

  • Compelling Design: The SlideGenius team recognized that first impressions are everything. They designed a visually stunning deck, incorporating Acme’s branding and the project’s architectural elements to give the presentation a professional, polished look. The presentation was not just aesthetically pleasing but was also functional, guiding the audience through the content in a way that felt seamless and intuitive.
  • Clear Messaging: In addition to design, SlideGenius helped Acme Construction refine their messaging to ensure that every slide told a story. They worked closely with Acme’s team to highlight their key differentiators—experience, innovative construction techniques, and project management capabilities—while also demonstrating a clear understanding of the client’s needs and how Acme could meet them.
  • Interactive Elements: To further enhance engagement, SlideGenius included interactive features within the presentation, such as clickable diagrams and dynamic timelines, allowing the client to explore the project’s phases in depth. This interactive approach helped keep the audience engaged and gave them a sense of control as they reviewed the proposal.

The Result: A Winning Bid

Thanks to SlideGenius, Acme Construction’s presentation was nothing short of impressive. The client not only commented on the professionalism of the pitch but also appreciated the clarity with which Acme communicated their value proposition. The presentation’s flow, combined with its engaging visuals and interactive features, made it easy for the client to see why Acme was the right choice for the project.

Ultimately, Acme Construction won the contract, securing the high-profile project that will elevate their brand and open doors to even larger opportunities in the future.

Why Acme Construction Chooses SlideGenius

For Acme Construction, partnering with SlideGenius was a game-changer. The presentation design experts provided more than just a PowerPoint deck—they offered a comprehensive solution that blended storytelling, design, and strategy to create a winning proposal.

Here’s why Acme Construction and countless other companies trust SlideGenius for their high-stakes presentations:

  • Expertise: SlideGenius’ team of designers and presentation experts bring years of experience and industry knowledge, ensuring that every presentation is both visually appealing and strategically sound.
  • Customization: Each presentation is tailored to the client’s unique needs, ensuring that their message is effectively communicated in a way that resonates with their audience.
  • Engagement: With a focus on interactive and dynamic elements, SlideGenius helps companies create presentations that captivate and engage audiences from start to finish.

Final Thoughts

Acme Construction’s success with SlideGenius underscores the importance of a well-crafted presentation when it comes to winning major contracts. Whether you’re bidding for a multi-million dollar project or pitching to potential investors, the way you present your message can be the difference between success and failure.

If your business is looking to elevate its presentations, SlideGenius offers the tools and expertise to help you stand out. Like Acme Construction, you can rely on SlideGenius to create compelling, professional presentations that leave a lasting impression.

For more information on custom presentation design, visit SlideGenius or check out their pre-built templates at SlideStore.

You said:

Heinz’s Crucial Model for Transparency

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Heinz Ketchup

Heinz Tomato Ketchup

Henry Heinz

Henry John Heinz

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Pure Food Company

Heinz has built a reputation for transparency and consumer trust, a model that other companies can learn from and adopt. In an era where consumers demand more insight into the products they purchase, Heinz’s approach serves as a blueprint for success. Here’s how Heinz practices transparency and how your business can apply these principles.


1. Clear Labeling and Ingredient Transparency

Heinz has always prioritized clear and honest labeling, providing customers with detailed information about ingredients. This transparency builds trust and ensures consumers know exactly what they’re buying.

Why It’s Important:

  • Builds Trust: Honest labeling shows that your brand has nothing to hide, which builds long-term trust with consumers.
  • Empowers Consumers: Providing clear ingredient lists allows consumers to make informed purchasing decisions based on their preferences or dietary needs.

How to Do It:

  • Ensure all product labels are clear, comprehensive, and easy to understand.
  • Highlight any natural or health-conscious ingredients that align with consumer trends.

2. Ethical Sourcing and Sustainability

Heinz is committed to ethical sourcing and sustainability, which are communicated transparently to customers. This dedication to responsible sourcing practices enhances the brand’s credibility.

Why It’s Important:

  • Meets Consumer Demand for Ethics: More consumers are seeking products from companies that prioritize ethical sourcing and environmental responsibility.
  • Differentiates Your Brand: Transparency around sustainability efforts sets your brand apart in a competitive market.

How to Do It:

  • Share information about your sourcing practices and sustainability initiatives on packaging and in marketing materials.
  • Consider implementing certifications or partnerships with recognized sustainable organizations.

3. Open Communication with Consumers

Heinz regularly engages with its consumers, providing a platform for feedback and questions. This open communication fosters trust and allows Heinz to address concerns proactively.

Why It’s Important:

  • Improves Customer Relationships: Open communication helps build a stronger relationship with your customer base, making them feel valued.
  • Increases Brand Loyalty: Consumers are more likely to remain loyal to a brand that listens to and addresses their concerns.

How to Do It:

  • Establish clear channels for customer feedback, whether through social media, email, or product reviews.
  • Respond to inquiries and concerns in a timely and transparent manner.

4. Transparency in Product Development

Heinz involves consumers in the product development process by sharing updates on new products and innovations. This openness fosters a sense of collaboration and trust between the brand and its customers.

Why It’s Important:

  • Creates a Sense of Ownership: When consumers feel involved in the product development process, they are more likely to engage with and support new products.
  • Builds Anticipation and Trust: Sharing insights about upcoming innovations makes customers feel informed and excited about what’s next.

How to Do It:

  • Use social media or newsletters to update consumers on product innovations or upcoming launches.
  • Involve customers in the process by seeking feedback or running surveys on potential new products.

Final Thoughts

Heinz’s model for transparency has helped the brand build a loyal and trusting customer base. By focusing on clear labeling, ethical sourcing, open communication, and transparent product development, Heinz sets a standard for brands that want to create long-lasting relationships with their consumers. Adopting these principles can help your company build trust and stand out in today’s transparency-driven marketplace.

How to Think Like $5.99 and Not Like $6.00

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data

Focus

Hans Rosling

Jonah Berger

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presenting

TED

Imagine you own a clothing store. Now you decide to begin a sale for that store. Let’s say a particular type of shorts usually costs $20 per short, but for the purposes of the sale you’re going to mark them down to $15 a piece.

There are two ways you could present that discount. The first would be as a percentage. Going from $20 to $15 would be 25% off. The second would be as an absolute number with $5 off. Which way is better?

Both discounts amount to the same final price. 25% off $20 and $5 off $20 both result in the customer paying $15 for the shorts. So both representations of the discount should have the same effect, right?

Wrong. Jonah Berger, author of Contagion, explains to us that the consumers find the 25% discount more attractive than the 5$ off. While the two discounts are the same economically, they don’t trigger the same psychological effect. One feels like a larger discount than the other.

Accordingly, the next time you’re reporting numerical information, pay attention to how you are presenting it. The way changes are represented can have a big impact on how they’re perceived.

Focus on the final number.

Like the story above, most people seemed to be more enticed by the offer when the discount number was larger. Rule of thumb would be whenever you are offering a discount under $100 display it as a percentage, and when the offer is greater than $100 display it as an absolute number. This will make sure you are always maximizing your psychological impact. Simpler is better. No one cares about a page of numbers and figures that look like the green screen display from the matrix. You need to simplify your results, and then simplify them again. Think of your raw data as a pile of freshly picked vegetables. People don’t want to eat them when they still have dirt and leave stems on them. People want a quick and painless way to stay healthy, so what do you do? You take those vegetables, clean them, cut them, put them in a blender and make a smoothie. Then you take that smoothie and turn it into a wheatgrass shot. Quick and to the point. So yes, your data should be reduced to the size of a wheatgrass shot! After all, the simpler your can represent your findings, the easier it will be for your audience to understand you, which will in turn make your call-to-action more successful.

Tell a story.

Everyone knows the best stories are the ones told with pictures, so use them. Portraying data graphically reveals patterns in the data that are hard to notice otherwise Visual depictions of data are almost universally understood without requiring knowledge of a language. It is also useful to alter your tone and speed as you approach the finding of any given graph. Much like when telling a story, the storyteller tends to get really excited toward the climax or “best part” of the story; it is not only useful but critical to draw attention to the most important features of the data.

I’ll leave you with Hans Rosling’s fascinating TED talk revolved around displaying data effectively, which you can watch here.

References:

Berger, Jonah. “Fuzzy Math: What Makes Something Seem Like A Good Deal?linkedin. August 28, 2013.

Kakutani, Michiko. “Mapping Out the Path to Viral Fame.” The New York Times. February 25, 2013.

Rosling, Hans. “The Best Stats You’ve Ever Seen.ted.com. February 2006.

Moneyball’s Moneyball’s for a Game-Winning Call-to-Action

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“Managers tend to pick a strategy that is the least likely to fail, rather then to pick a strategy that is most efficient,” Said Palmer. ” The pain of looking bad is worse than the gain of making the best move.”

― Michael Lewis, Moneyball : The Art of Winning an Unfair Game


Baseball statistics are boring. Plain and simple. Sure they may get some people’s attention, but statistically speaking, they are seen as a mind-numbing subject to talk about. Now maybe I say this with such conviction because I’m not an avid baseball aficionado, but what does get my attention is how Moneyball, a movie about baseball stats, proved to be so fascinating and successful (even to me!). I think it’s because the film is not really about numbers, and it’s not really a movie about baseball, either. The movie is about about what drives people to take risks and how public perception plays a role in our work. My favorite and most absorbed line of the movie is when Brad Pitt (Oakland A’s general manager) tells Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Oakland A’s Head Coach) that though his last year’s team made it to semifinals,   “If you don’t win the last game of the series, nobody gives a shit.” This really resonated with me and even dragged itself into my world of corporate presentation design and delivery. Think about what the “last game of the series” would equate to in your presentation. Three words: Call-to-Action (CTA). If your CTA isn’t strong, it will result in a meaningless presentation. Your presentation can be filled from start to finish with incredible charts, min-blowing stats, or powerful images, but if at the end of it all, you leave your audience with “and that it” then you have lost your “last game of the series” and failed at your presentation. With that, let’s look at what a successful and “last-game-of-the-series-winning” CTA consists of:

Keeping it simple

Like all successful company commercials, its gotta’ be catchy. The point of a CTA is to gather all the info and data you have already presented, and bundle it up into a “next step.” Redbull says it will “give you wings.” Coca-Cola claims you’ll “open happiness.” 15 minutes from Geico will “save you 15% or more on car insurance.” Three mogul-like businesses, one theme; simplicity. Being simple is what led these campaigns to be so incredibly successful. Applying CTA to modern times, I’ll put it in as plain language as I can think of; your CTA has to “tweetable,” “facebook-statusable,” and “textable.” Working with that goal in mind will make you be more creative and effective.

Use active and urgent language

Donate, buy, register, subscribe, call, text, order; these are all words that invoke a sense of command. These words should clearly tell your audience what you want them to do. Follow your command with the urgency. Offer ends, for a short time only, order now and receive; these invoke urgency. Urgency reels in emotion. Emotion sells.

Knowing size matters!

Make it big! Along with active and urgent language, one must make the CTA sound like earth-shattering news. It needs to be big enough that hearing it once will be memorable. A favorite example of mine is the HeadOn campaign from a few years back. It was essentially a 30 second commercial for a migraine relief chapstick-like product that said six words, “HeadOn, apply directly to the forehead.” It repeated the same six words over and over again until the 30 seconds were up. I must admit, it was pretty ridiculous and annoying, but guess what; I still remember it, and it’s been about 5 years since I’ve seen it. That says something.

Give it some space

Contrast, color, space, shape, and text; these are all characteristics of the design and layout of the text that you should thoroughly take into account. Just as the words themselves are crucial to the CTA’s success, so is the digital delivery. Make the CTA shine and impress. Think of the CTA as a star in your very own Broadway show. You want the spotlight on it at all times! Know the value of a great CTA and give it the time and effort it deserves. Soon enough, you’ll see results. 

I’ll end with my favorite scene from Moneyball, where you can enjoy here.

 
Work Cited: http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/416305-moneyball-the-art-of-winning-an-unfair-game

Our Five Favorite Books on Presenting with PowerPoint

Al Gore

Bruce Gabriel

Carmine Gallo

Cliff Atkinson

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Presentation Zen

Steve Jobs

When it comes to improving your PowerPoint presentation skills, nothing beats learning from the experts. There are countless books available that offer valuable insights on creating impactful presentations, but a few stand out as must-reads. Here are our five favorite books on presenting with PowerPoint that will help you elevate your presentation game.


1. “Presentation Zen” by Garr Reynolds

Garr Reynolds’ “Presentation Zen” is a classic for a reason. It focuses on simplifying slide design and using visuals to enhance your message, rather than overwhelming the audience with text.

Why It’s a Favorite:

  • Focuses on Minimalism: Reynolds advocates for clean, uncluttered slides that keep the focus on the presenter.
  • Promotes Visual Storytelling: The book emphasizes the importance of visuals in conveying your message.

Key Takeaway: Less is more. Create slides that support your narrative without distracting from it.


2. “Slide

” by Nancy Duarte

Nancy Duarte’s “Slide

dives deep into the art of visual thinking and design. Duarte offers practical advice on how to make your slides visually compelling while staying true to your core message.

Why It’s a Favorite:

  • Design-Centric: The book offers a masterclass in slide design, with real-world examples and tips.
  • Visual Thinking: Duarte teaches how to use design to communicate ideas more effectively.

Key Takeaway: Good design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about communicating your ideas clearly and effectively.


3. “The Naked Presenter” by Garr Reynolds

Another gem from Garr Reynolds, “The Naked Presenter” focuses on the art of live presentation delivery. It covers how to connect with your audience and engage them through storytelling and authenticity.

Why It’s a Favorite:

  • Focuses on Delivery: This book goes beyond slide design and delves into how to effectively deliver a presentation.
  • Encourages Authenticity: Reynolds emphasizes the importance of being genuine and open when presenting.

Key Takeaway: Engaging your audience requires more than good slides—it’s about connecting with them on a personal level.


4. “Resonate” by Nancy Duarte

“Resonate” is all about the power of storytelling in presentations. Duarte breaks down how to craft a narrative that captivates your audience and drives home your key points.

Why It’s a Favorite:

  • Narrative Focused: The book teaches how to structure your presentation like a compelling story.
  • Emotional Connection: Duarte explains how to use emotional appeal to connect with your audience.

Key Takeaway: A strong narrative is the foundation of a memorable presentation.


5. “Beyond Bullet Points” by Cliff Atkinson

In “Beyond Bullet Points,” Cliff Atkinson offers a practical framework for creating presentations that go beyond the typical bullet-point format. The book introduces a three-step method to help structure your presentation effectively.

Why It’s a Favorite:

  • Actionable Framework: Atkinson provides a clear, step-by-step approach to creating more engaging presentations.
  • Breaks the Mold: The book encourages presenters to move away from the conventional bullet-point format.

Key Takeaway: Presentations should tell a story, not just list information. Structure your content to guide the audience through a narrative.


Final Thoughts

These five books offer invaluable insights into both the design and delivery of PowerPoint presentations. Whether you’re looking to improve your slide design, craft a compelling narrative, or connect more effectively with your audience, these books will provide the tools you need to succeed. Incorporate their lessons into your next presentation, and watch your PowerPoint skills soar.