Maxys Max Media and Entertainment

Marketing and making waves - beware the dumpers

Surfers watch weather maps for low pressure systems that will generate big waves in the days ahead.

Experience tells you which breaks will get the best waves - the best spots are usually busy.

Out in the surf pack on big days there is a strong hierarchy, a pecking order, a combination of experience, talent and bravado. 

In any group there are usually those who make their presence known quietly and others who bully and yell like greedy anxious seagull waiting for the next chip.

No matter what type of surfer you are - with every big wave you catch you have to wary of the dumpers that close out, the ones that suddenly explode out of control, sucking and grabbing you into the white water turbulence and smashing you across the reef.

There's always a risk in whatever we do - in surfing, the nirvanic reward, a perfect tube - the self realisation, the hoots from your peers, the applause from the crowd.

It's how you handle the situation that counts.

From the observers point of view standing safely on the cliffs above, the "spectacle" of both victories and defeats at the hands of the elements - that's sport, that's entertainment, that's business and relationships.

AND there is a significant difference between those doing the surfing and those observing from the shoreline.

Up on the hills and out in the water there's little sympathy for the weasel bloke smashed across the reef, picking up the pieces of his expensive broken board, crawling up the rocks and out of the water.  The chorused boos and indifference of the crowd.

"At least I was in the water" he says defiant and raising his finger, oblivious to the quick buck mentality road of destruction.

It's not the destination but "the journey", the "how we got here" that echos idol collective.

A new day, more waves to conquer, another surfer paddles out.

We've all been subjected to "death by Powerpoint" - presentations that steal your valuable time so I started looking for great presentations - ones that left the audience inspired and wanting more. 

Steve Jobs from Apple always delivers great presentations.  Like everything, what appears simple and natural usually means highly crafted.

So, I spent the last month looking at what makes highly effective presentations.  The sources ranged from a whole lot of different things - from advertising, to public speaking, from emails to articles and blogs.  They also included script writing to internet videos.

 The initial driver being three separate events -

1. Our first CLIVE ALIVE event at the beginning of the month
2. Another client who is presenting to a group of builders this Wednesday night.
3. Constantly improving our CLIVEvideo script writing and presentation skills

It wasn't hard to find some good presentations - you only have to look at the TED conferences and read up on some thoughts of marketing guru Seth Godin.

Four books filtered to the top and were consumed -

1. Seths Godins Purple Cow
2. On the back of a napkin
3. Ignore Everybody
4. Presentation Zen

The end result is some good basic guidelines for presentations (too numerous to try and write all down here)

BUT the key, break those sacred cows of presentations process.

When putting your presentation together

1. Get away from the computer and use Postit notes to storyboard and title header first
2. Focus on the audience and What's In It For Them - tell a story, keep it real and human.
3. Focus on the core message then break slides into topic headings.
4. Use high quality relevant images to support headings.
5. Reduce all clutter - Maximum seven words on a slide - remove logos etc
6. Leave the detailed information for handouts after the event.
7. No one every got shot for a slightly shorter presentation