For script writing:

• Google documents:  similar to Microsoft Word and easy for joint editing.  Stores on your Google Drive
• Open Office: Mirrors a lot of the functionality of Office, but is run by a group of open coders.  Colors don’t always translate well!
• Pages:  Part of iWork, Apple’s answer to Microsoft Office.  Is more affordable and you can export your documents to Microsoft products. ~$20 in the US
• Notes: a function on iPads and iPhones that you can export in email
• Email:  it’s not pretty, but it spell checks.  Be sure to send the email to yourself!

Slide design:

• Google documents: They have a slide function with very limited capabilities, but better than nothing!
• Keynote: Cheaper than Microsoft Office, only works on Mac.  Has some functionality that you can’t get in PowerPoint, lacks a few other features, but only features that a PowerPoint Pro would miss.  Runs videos more smoothly.  Preferred format in many design circles.  Has an export to PowerPoint function, but slides need to be checked.
• Open Office: Mirrors a lot of the functionality of Office, but is run by a group of open coders.  Colors don’t always translate well!  Limited number of functions.  Your documents need to be double checked in PowerPoint later.
• SlideRocket: More functionality than Google documents.  Is also a great platform for giving presentations online both live and recorded.  There are fremium and premium tiers with different functionalities.  Closest option to PowerPoint without purchasing PowerPoint outright.  Worth an exploration in it’s own right!  You can export to PowerPoint or to a .pdf.  Also a stand-alone document to be run offline, but that requires the premium membership.
• Prezi:  It’s also got fremium and premium options.  It’s meant to be used in more of a motion-graphic sort of manner, but it does have a function where you can export your slides by stops.  Limited fonts and templates at this point in time (but full customization is coming in the future!)  If connected online, you can use Youtube and Vimeo videos directly without having to download.  The best Prezis have centralized metaphors, which doesn’t work for all audiences. You can’t export to PowerPoint but you can download as a .pdf for those situations when you really need a printed presentation. More here.
• slid.es:  Similar look and feel to Keynote, but with less customization unless you are a CSS coder, at which point it’s VERY customizable   You have to show these either online or pay the $7 a month subscription fee to share offline in their own software.  You can save to .pdf.  Really meant for online sharing, lots of links into social media.  It’s still in it’s earlier days of development and is really promising.
• Hire someone:  You can always go old school and just hand write it all out or work with a designer.

Do you have any other ideas?

~~~

Fear of speaking in public is ranked higher than fears of falling, spiders, the dark, and even death on opinion polls. However, as our society grows and communication becomes increasingly more mobile and global, the need for public speaking is growing as well. We work with others and are constantly in groups, but some speeches are more comfortable than others. Here are some ways to get from “talking with friends” to “addressing a crowd.”

1. Realize that we are always speaking with groups of people. We address our children, our friends, our family members, and our coworkers many times each day. In informal settings, we are unconcerned about those nuances that can stress us out when we address a more formal group. While we should certainly look our best when addressing a formal crowd, we can become accustomed to fixing our hair and clothes to present our best self in any environment, even in everyday situations. This authentic version of self, even if only practiced for the week of the presentation, will make us feel more at home during the speech.
2. Understand that everyone wants you to do well. Some people come from a supportive, loving environment, whether they were born into it or created it later in life, while some people are not there yet, but everyone is aware of how it feels to have that support and to lack that support. Therefore, it is basic human nature to be altruistic and to want comfort for others. When we speak in public, our audience is there to support us. They are interested in the topic, or are meeting an obligation, or are ready to be swayed to interest by our words and actions. Thinking of the audience as social support can take the edge off your presentation because this is more like the way we speak with friends and coworkers and there is no need to rehearse with them.
3. Recognize that anxiety is a physiological response to perceived threat. When rabbit sees wolf, rabbit becomes strong, alert, and motivated in order to run away. When we understand that our body is simply responding to a new situation, and there is nothing to be done to “fix” anything that is not wrong, we can see that our perception was faulty and thank the messenger for bringing this message, then dismiss him. When we dismiss the messenger (fear) for bringing the message (run away), we do so with the understanding that the message (perceived threat) was in error. Once we are logical about our mind’s response to the error, our body immediately follows suit and the feeling of anxiety changes to that of facing a challenge.
4. Utilize breath work as a last minute fix. Just before we address a crowd, the body may still be in “flight” mode. Here is a quick tip to trick the mind into calm: Breathe in for 2 counts and out for 4 counts. When we are anxious, the breath comes quickly and raggedly. When we slow the breath consciously, it takes only 2 such breaths to reset the mind to center.

When I was taking my undergraduate classes, I put off public speaking until the last semester. I lived through it, and even got over my fear during that class. Since then, I’ve been required to do speeches in graduate school, train others, run group therapy sessions, discuss mental health issues with the community, and even address a group of 120 friends and family members of patients when I was initially told there would only be 15 of them. I hope these tips take you from trepidation to calm in 2 breaths or less.

Autumn Hahn is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist specializing in trauma, anxiety, and grief at Clear Mind Group in Weston, Florida. She also conducts team building and corporate seminars to increase communication skills anywhere in the US. You can follow her on Twitter @ClearAutumn and on Facebook, or call 954-612-9553 for collaboration and consultation.

Before you even pick up the phone to call someone, write down some quick notes on what you want to talk to them about.  A simple bulleted list will probably suffice.  Let’s say you’re calling a new business prospect to sell them some widgets.  There are 3 things they need to know:

• You have specific recommendations about their widget needs
• You will be in their vicinity to talk about the widgets over the next couple of days
• You have a special on widgets that will only last for a week

When you call them and get their voicemail, follow this formula:

“My name is Blah Blah, my number is blah blah, I’m from blah blah.  I’d like to talk to you about <list your 3 bullet points>. Again you can reach me at blah blah (said slowly, ideally twice), and my name again is blah blah, <spelled out>.”

However, if your voicemail receiver is like many these days, it may also make sense to send an email follow up.  Note in the email that you just left them a voicemail about your 3 bullet points and that you’d live to schedule a mutually convenient time to chat.  Give them 3-4 time options (only giving 1 time option is seen as arrogant).  Be sure to give them your phone number.

If you have an established relationship with this person already, it may make sense to not leave a voicemail at all and just text them.  Keep it short: I’ll be at blah blah in blah minutes.  Or: Call me! I have news for you!  Or: I found out about yadda blah, it’s xyz.  Leaving a text instead of a voicemail is not recommended for new relationships, unless you’ve been instructed otherwise.

You should not use Twitter DM instead of voicemail.  Some individuals don’t like Twitter and this can cause them anxiety.  Same goes for Facebook (unless you’re good friends) – follow ups to actual email addresses matter more to most people.  Many people ignore their Facebook inboxes for days at a time.

1. Do your audience analysis.  What does your audience member want to know?  What about the individuals that they report to?  What organizational interests are they enforcing?  Who else will be affected by what you say in the meeting?  Who could block you?  Support you?
2. Craft your storyline and storyboard.  What do you want to say?  Structure it using one of the great story structures.
3. Design your materials.  Will your materials be printed or on screen?  On a laptop or a projected screen?  Make sure your content is legible.  If your document is going to have a life beyond your 1-on-1 meeting with individuals you won’t be presenting to, make sure the detail is on your pages.  If all ultimate audience members are going to be presented to in your meeting, use less text.  As my old mentor Gene Zelazny reminds his students, “You are your presentation.”
4. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.  This is when you find out if what you’re planning to say comes off oddly; if you need to edit your charts; if you’re saying too much for the time allotted.   You’ll learn how to navigate technical difficulties.  This is also how you combat nervousness.  Even the best presenters get frozen with anxiety.  If you’ve rehearsed enough time,s you’ll be able to go into autopilot so no one knows you’re that anxious.
   This rehearsal may be different than a stand up presentation, though.  You may be sitting across from your audience or flipping through your laptop while sitting next to the person you are presenting to.  You can still rehearse and practice good posture.

Any other tips you follow?

Clarity:

Hierarchy of titles is clear.  The overall message of the page (the top line that says “message or topic title…”) is the largest and boldest.  These titles should be placed in the same spot form page to page in printed or projected decks, except in rare cases where each and every page is heavily and well designed by a presentation designer.

The sub-title, sometimes referred to as a major, is the second largest text on the page.  Sub-titles or typically used to title data charts or columns on a page.

All data-points should be labeled consistently so readers have an easier time reading your chart.

White space is important!  Make sure there is consistent white space around all of your objects so your readers can see your chart items more clearly.  If objects are too close together, nothing is legible.

Follow your guidelines.  A great way to ensure consistent white space is to create a grid, like the red lines on the sample chart.  You’ll see that all text is lined up along a certain margin, Nothing goes outside of the main box, etc.  A more advanced designer will likely have a more advanced grid for all titles, sub titles, measures, stickers, source notes, columns, etc.

Credibility:

All data sources should be noted in a consistent location throughout your pages.

You should scale your chart.  Are your data points in millions?  billions?  inches? Euros?  Make it clear.

If you have more than one chart on a page and those charts should be compared, make sure they have the same scale.  Charts with different scales can be confusing to your audience.

According to Merriam Webster, an opportunity is:

1. A favorable juncture of circumstances
2. A good chance for advancement or progress

Some ideas for possible visuals that could be used to show opportunity include:

• An empty seat in the front row of a very full auditorium/concert venue, etc.
• An empty parking space in a very full parking lot
• An empty piece of paper with a beautiful writing utensil
• Beautiful road ahead
• A gold platter with an envelope on it
• A beautifully wrapped box being handed over in a gloved hand
• A spread of cooking ingredients and amazing cooking ware
• A few roads coming together, showing possible directions that are all wonderful but for different reasons
• A wedding proposal
• Stairs going up with a red carpet rolled out on them
• Ramp up into a beautiful location: building, space ship, ball room, etc.
• An empty and high quality form of transportation: private plane, bus, camper, car, bicycle, etc.
• A set of keys to: a car, castle, house, office, etc.
• Doors with prizes behind them, like on a game show

Do you have any other ideas to add to the list?

According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of innovation is:

1.  The introduction of something new

2.  A new idea, method, or device

In business circles, it also tends to mean a new way of looking at things or a way of predicting what people will want/need in the future.  So, with these definitions in mind, here is a possible list of visuals for innovation that have not been done to death:

• Prism, for prismatic thinking (a huge favorite of Thomas Edison)
• A turned hat (to indicate looking in a new direction)
• Glasses with interesting lenses
• Children’s art supplies (from an age when everything was new)
• A present (something new)
• Different kind of light bulb, LED or something more creative looking like with solar powered elements (Incandescent has been done to death)
• Crystal ball, tarot cards, runes (tools of a psychic)
• Someone in a crowd who’s wearing something different/more fashionable so they stand out
• Young person in a crowd full of older people
• Someone sitting in an old environment, like a 1800s Wild West town, but is decked out in the latest clothing and with the latest technology
• Showing the evolution of something, other than a person.  Could be a technology, unique plant, etc.
• Showing the progression of a way of thinking from a socio-political perspective: women’s in the workplace, gay marriage, minority rights, mixed race groups, etc.
• Having someone/or a physical representation of an idea being introduced to a group (could be a robot, etc)
• Demonstration of pieces of something that normally would fit together, fitting together in a new way (puzzle pieces being flipped so the flat sides are against each other instead, square peg fitting in well into a round hole in a way that’s beautiful, etc)

Do you have any other ideas you’d like to share?

We meet our intellectual small towns at events; events that have been curated for our communities based on issues we think about, people we admire and see as leaders. These events that have formats and rules that are catered to our values and needs. For example, when I go to a tech event, there is an opportunity to Tweet along through hash tags and WiFi provided. If I go to a story telling event, everyone’s phone has been put away and the drinks are plentiful. If I’m at a visual communications event, there is paper provided and some visual board for me to interact with. The rituals of my community are available to me at a level where I can both expect and assume the tools for those rituals will be there. When indoctrinating a new person into our “small town,” we are able to go down the list of the better events and explain the rules and the layouts with confidence because these events are almost always the same on those fronts. And the critical thing is: we all count on our events to see each other and to re-enforce our community.

What does that mean for event planners? If you want to be well respected within a certain demographic, it’s best to think of yourself as a government official for whatever intellectual community you are organizing an event for. Here’s a checklist for considerations:

• What sort of internet should be available?
• What social media concerns should be dealt with for the day? Pinterest board? Twitter hashtag? Something new?
• What sort of materials will be expected? Does your community draw? Develop? Craft?
• What sort of areas do people typically network around? Coffee? Recharge stations? Bars? An activity?
• Does your community require interaction with speakers or do they just want to listen?
• How active should your social media evangelist be during the day?
• What sort of presentation formats are common in this community? What usually goes well? What new format could work? (Panels, presentations, interviews, open mic for questions, Twitter questions, etc?)
• What sort of entertainment will be expected?
• What sort of food and or drink is typical? Do you need a bar sponsor?
• Does this community interact with sponsor booths outside the room? Or are they considered crass?
• Are sponsored breakouts expected? How willing is this group to be marketed to in those sessions?
• Does this group expect to receive gift bags?
• How does this group typically like to dress?
• How do you ensure that your graphical look and feel is consistent and helpful throughout the event? Is it in a style that your group prefers?
• How much networking should be available? Should it be prompted?
• What did people in this community say about previous events? The good, the bad and the ugly?

You’ll find that if you’ve created the right event that people will come regularly. You’ll also find them wanting to interact with your community more often, both online and in person. Many may even start to identify themselves as someone who goes to your event when people ask about their interests. In that way, the village you create for the day will live on.

Anything else you’d add to the list?

1. Select a central metaphor (the best Prezis have a central image you zoom in and out of)
2. Write the voice-over script
3. Decide on a visual theme: standard Prezi or something else?
4. Create visuals for the theme, could be in PowerPoint or Illustrator
5. Create a storyboard for the visuals created (can be done in tandem with step 4)
6. Create your visual Prezi
7. Record your script to sync with your Prezi
8. Distribute to one and all

As part of that project, I created a storyboard for them. I share that storyboard with you and the Slideshare Universe: