Bright Lights:
The Executive Presenter
In
the majority of instances, the effectiveness of any
presentation rests on a very complex set of factors
that go beyond the content you want to convey. In our
workshop, The
Executive Presenter, we help you to identify these
important factors so that you can plan and account for
them. First of all, the nature of the audience will
determine how you proceed. Different personality types
are interested in different things, so you want to be
able to identify the make-up of your audience. Also,
body language and tone of voice have just as much of
a persuasive impact as the actual content of your message.
We will help you find the right balance to get your
message across.
Today's
midrange portable projectors can make your presentations
shine.
You're
about to give a stirring business presentation to a
conference room full of potential customers. You don't
need a whiteboard or an overhead transparency. You're
up with the times. You've gone digital. With multimedia.
In full color. You flip open your laptop, power up your
presentation program and say, "Squeeze in here.
No shoving. Can everyone see OK? Great. Let's begin."
Not likely. It's time for a portable projector.
Sales pitches and presentations by on-the-go entrepreneurs
or their employees are the top business use for portable
projectors. When you're trying to win over new customers,
it's critical that the images projected on the wall
are of professional quality. A good projector will also
be right at home in the office conference room for board
meetings or employee gatherings. Most come equipped
with inputs designed to handle laptops, desktops, Macs,
PCs, VCRs or DVD players.
Portability
pays off, but first it's going to cost you. We've included
sub-$4,000 budget and midrange portable projectors,
but prices can jump well past $5,000 when you get into
the higher-range models. Low-cost projectors will satisfy
most business needs, but sometimes the features of more
expensive devices will justify the upgrade.
Of
course, the whole point of buying a portable projector
is portability. Assuming you're already hauling around
a laptop, briefcase, cell phone and accessories, you
don't want your projector to feel like an added cinder
block. The projectors in our chart range from the featherweight
5-pound Hitachi CP-X270W to the somewhat heftier 9.3-pound
Epson PowerLite 600p. Any heavier than that, and you
might want to consider hiring a pack mule to move all
your equipment around.
Resolution
is the most noticeable specification when it comes to
projectors. The main types in the midrange are SVGA
(Super Video Graphics Array) and XGA (Extended Graphics
Array). SVGA offers a resolution of 800 x 600, equivalent
to what most computer monitors are set at. XGA has a
finer resolution of 1,024 x 768, equivalent to what
most notebook displays are set at. An XGA projector
like the Hitachi CP-X270W or the Sharp PG-C20XU will
do a better job with images like spreadsheets and detailed
graphics, but you won't notice much difference with
your typical PowerPoint chart presentation.
Next
in line on the specs sheet is brightness. Given in terms
of lumens, a light measure, the brightness will affect
what kind of lighting conditions the projector will
work well under and how large a room it can handle.
A higher lumens rating, like that sported by the 1,700
lumens Epson PowerLite 600p, is suitable for even large,
well-lit rooms. The trade-off for the high lumens rating
is a higher price tag and final weight.
Other
features to look out for are keystone correction and
audio. Keystone correction involves adjusting the image
to account for the projector being at an angle. It changes
the keystone-shaped projection to the standard rectangle.
The InFocus LP280, for example, features digital keystone
correction. Most projectors have built-in audio suitable
for small rooms. For more involved presentations, look
for audio outputs that allow for external speakers.
As
with many technology buys, it's helpful to see what
you're getting first. Working with a local dealer will
be an advantage here. Narrow down your suspect list
through price and specifications, and then ask to see
the projectors in action, side-by-side. Try to mimic
the lighting and room conditions you expect to be working
under as well as the type of images you expect to project.
Look for strong color, good contrast, sharpness and
adequate brightness, and you'll be well on your way
to wowing the customers on your next road trip.
By
Amanda C. Kooser
"Presentation
Training - Being Portable Can Pay Off"
Presentation
Training Quote
"To succeed in business it is necessary to make
others see things as you see them."
John H. Patterson
Suggested
Reading:
Guidelines
for effective seminar presentation (Training manual
EPS)
by Constance Woloschuk
Ten
steps to effective presentations
by Lydia D Bjornlund
How
to Run Seminars and Workshops : Presentation Skills
for Consultants, Trainers, and Teachers
by Robert L. Jolles
Peacekeeping:
Incore Conference on Training and Presentation
by Roger MacGuinty
Lead
wire training presentation (BusM MAP project)
by John G Nickence
Presentation
Skills Training: 30 High-Involvement Training Designs
by Wendy Denham, Elizabeth Sansom
Design,
development, and presentation of international training
courses
by Kenneth D Hoyt
Training
the dog: A presentation of the mentality of the dog
by Will Judy
Angle
of attack presentation in pilot training
by Frank G Forrest
Videotape
training: Analysis of two presentation modes
by Margaret F Schimpf
Round
table presentation: Problems of professional training
by Prachith Soulisak
The
analysis and presentation of engineering problems;:
A training course for plant engineers
by Harry C Walker
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