I'm sure you've seen some public speakers who really inspired you with their confidence and their messages. I'm equally sure you've seen some cringeworthy performances. Often, it's the speakers' body language and the deliberate way they speak that make all the difference. Bad speaker habit #1: … [Read more...] about How to break four bad speaker habits
Do you show the forest or the trees?
Last night, my husband Mike and I had a wonderful time at a painting party. Although we hadn't received the unwritten memo about BYOB (or in this case BYOW), we managed to have fun following along with the instructor while he re-created a landscape painting of a beach. About halfway through, … [Read more...] about Do you show the forest or the trees?
How to make presentations less boring
"There is no such thing as a boring project. There are only boring executions." So said Irene Etzkorn, one of the United States' leading experts on plain English writing and simplifying communications. Many of us will be faced at some point with communicating information on a boring subject. But … [Read more...] about How to make presentations less boring
How not to treat your clients
Whether you are an in-house designer in a large corporation, a partner in an agency or a sole proprietor, you're in customer service. All that we do as commercial artists is to serve our clients to the best of our ability. So what happens when you're crazy-busy, facing looming deadlines, and you get … [Read more...] about How not to treat your clients
Do your pictures speak the RIGHT thousand words?
You've probably heard that "a picture speaks a thousand words." This means that rather than spend time trying to describe something, you can communicate more quickly and efficiently with an image. This instant communication occurs whether you want it to or not, so choosing the right images for your … [Read more...] about Do your pictures speak the RIGHT thousand words?
Exclusive offer, but not for you
Creating a sense of exclusivity can be a very effective marketing tactic. Check out this copy from luxury goods providers Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Singapore Airlines, and Mikimoto: "Bespoke is Rolls-Royce" "Our Singapore Airlines Suites…provide the distinguished few with their very own haven of … [Read more...] about Exclusive offer, but not for you
What happens when you assume?
"As I'm sure you're all aware…" "We all know that…" "Is there anybody in the world who doesn't like…" If you attend live presentations such as meetings, conferences, and lectures, maybe you've heard one of these lead-in phrases. If you haven't, congratulations! You've been spared the shame … [Read more...] about What happens when you assume?
Create an awesome Ignite in 6 steps
What if you only had 5 minutes and 20 slides to wow a roomful of people? That's the premise of an Ignite talk. Your slides auto-advance every 15 seconds. That means that you have to choose your words carefully, create slides with a lot of visual impact and be very entertaining. Think of it as an … [Read more...] about Create an awesome Ignite in 6 steps