Deck 12: Business Presentations

Question 1

Which effective three-step organizational plan do many speech experts recommend, and why does it work well for oral presentations despite its redundancy?

Answer 1

After the audience is analyzed, the next step will be to collect the information and organize it logically. Intended repetition is one of the important points that help the speaker to retain the audience.The three step organizational plan that are recommended by the speech experts are as given below:
• Step 1 - The speaker should tell them what he/she is going to convey in that presentation. Do cover the key points of the content of the presentation.
• Step 2 - The speaker should convey the content that he has prepared to convey.
• Step 3 is to tell that what was explained to them in the presentation. Repetition of the content helps the audience to learn the major points of the presentation.

Question 2

Most people never address large audiences and live in fear of public speaking. Why then should you hone your presentation skills?

Answer 2

Speaking in the public is a difficult task for those people who do not have confidence of speaking in front of a group. It is an important for a speaker to practice well so that they can speak in front of a group confidently.
The speaker can overcome stage freight by using the following techniques:
• Presentation skills can easily be improved by preparing thoroughly before the presentation. This is one of the effective strategies for improving presentation skills.
• The speaker should speak and prepare in front of the mirror several times each day before the presentation. Those who try to read from then notes always end up giving a worst presentation.
• Presentation can also be rehearsed alone or with friends. This will help the speaker to build up the confidence and present themselves in front of a group.
• Drinking water between the talks would relieve dry mouth.• Fear should be used in a positive way to share the ideas.
• Any mistakes between the sessions should be ignored.

Question 3

Your Task. On Twitter, in the Search window on top of the page, enter the name of the businessperson whose tweets you wish to follow. Donald Trump, Jack Welch, Richard Branson, Suze Orman, Guy Kawasaki, and other well-known businesspeople are avid Twitter users. Over the course of a few days, read the tweets of your favorite expert. After a while, you should be able to discern certain trends and areas of interest. Note whether and how your subject responds to queries from followers. What are his or her favorite topics? Report your findings to the class, verbally with notes or using PowerPoint. If you find particularly intriguing tweets and links, share them with the class.

Answer 3

Richard Branson is an adventurer who believes in turning ideas into reality. According to his latest tweets, he is working with hundreds of other entrepreneurs and according to him; it is a great opportunity to learn this way.
He also talks about the different smileys that he uses in his daily life and how those cheer him up. He seems to be a down to earth person according to his latest tweets. He believes in thanking for people who work for him.
According to him, it makes a difference in someone's life if we thank them and appreciate them for their work like the managers do for their employees. He also launched a high-tech product on the Necker Island.

Question 4

"Can you pass the elevator test?" asks presentation whiz Garr Reynolds in a new twist on the familiar scenario.16 He suggests that this technique will help you sharpen your core message. In this exercise you need to pitch your idea in a few brief moments instead of the 20 minutes you had been granted with your vice president of product marketing. You arrive at her door for your appointment as she is leaving, coat and briefcase in hand. Something has come up. This meeting is a huge opportunity for you if you want to get the OK from the executive team. Could you sell your idea during the elevator ride and the walk to the parking lot? Reynolds asks. Although this scenario may never happen, you will possibly be asked to shorten a presentation, say, from an hour to 30 minutes or from 20 minutes to 5 minutes. Could you make your message tighter and clearer on the fly?
Your Task. Take a business idea you may have, a familiar business topic you care about, or a promotion or raise you wish to request in a time of tight budgets. Create an impromptu two- to five-minute speech making a good case for your core message. Even though you won't have much time to think about the details of your speech, you should be sufficiently familiar with the topic to boil it down and yet be persuasive.

Question 5

What three goals should you accomplish in the introduction to your presentation?

Question 6

Communication expert Dianna Booher claims that enthusiasm is infectious and "boredom is contagious."12 What does this mean for you as a presenter? How can you avoid being a boring speaker?

Question 7

What scares you the most about making a presentation in front of your class? Being tongue-tied? Fearing all eyes on you? Messing up? Forgetting your ideas and looking silly?
Your Task. Discuss the previous questions as a class. Then, in groups of three or four, talk about ways to overcome these fears. Your instructor may ask you to write a memo (individual or collective) summarizing your suggestions, or you may break out of your small groups and report your best ideas to the entire class.

Question 8

Your Task. Using a research database, perform a search to learn how Fortune magazine determines which companies make its annual lists. Research the following lists. Then organize and present a five- to ten-minute informative talk to your class. a. Fortune 500
B) Global 500
C) 100 Best Companies to Work For
D) America's Most Admired Companies

Question 9

Name at least eight techniques that can help you gain and keep audience attention.

Question 10

Why do many communication consultants encourage businesspeople to move beyond bullet points? What do they recommend instead and why?

Question 11

Your Task. Interview one or two individuals in your professional field. How is oral communication important in this profession? Does the need for oral skills change as one advances? What suggestions can these people make to newcomers to the field for developing proficient oral communication skills? Discuss your findings with your class.

Question 12

Your Task. Select a report topic from the following suggestions or from the expanded list of Report Topics at www.cengagebrain.com. Prepare a five- to ten-minute oral presentation. Consider yourself an expert who has been called in to explain some aspect of the topic before a group of interested people. Because your time is limited, prepare a concise yet forceful presentation with effective visual aids.
a. What kind of incentives could your company offer to motivate employees to make healthier food choices and to exercise more?
b. How can businesses benefit from Facebook and Twitter? Cite specific examples in your chosen field.
c. Which is financially more beneficial to a business, leasing or buying copiers?
d. Tablet computers are eroding the market share previously held by laptops and netbooks. Which brands are businesses embracing and why? Which features are must-haves?
e. What kind of marketing works with students on college campuses? Word of mouth? Internet advertising? Free samples? How do students prefer to get information about goods and services?
f. How can consumers protect themselves from becoming victims of identity theft?
g. How can companies and nonprofits protect themselves from hackers?
h. How could an intercultural training program be initiated in your school?
i. Companies usually do not admit shortcomings. However, some admit previous failures and use them to strategic advantage. For example, Microsoft acknowledged the shortcomings of Windows 8, its redesigned operating system that users find confusing and annoying. Find three or more examples of companies admitting weaknesses, and draw conclusions from their strategies. Would you recommend this as a sound marketing ploy?
j. How can students and other citizens contribute to conserving gasoline and other fossil fuels to save money and help slow global climate change?
k. What is the career outlook in a field of your choice? Consider job growth, compensation, and benefits. What kind of academic or other experience is typically required in your field?
l. Find a recent "disruptive" (i.e., game-changing or groundbreaking) start-up and study its business model. What need does it fill? Is it about to change its industry significantly? What are its prospects? (For example, check out Uber, Airbnb, or Coursera.)
m. What is telecommuting, and for what kinds of workers is it an appropriate work alternative?
n. What options (think aid, grants, and scholarships) do students have to finance their college tuition and fees as costs continue to rise?
o. What is the economic outlook for a given product, such as hybrid cars, laptop computers, digital cameras, fitness equipment, or a product of your choice?
p. What is Bitcoin and why are banks and law enforcement authorities concerned?
q. What franchise would offer the best investment opportunity for an entrepreneur in your area?
r. How should a job candidate prepare for a video interview via Skype or FaceTime?
s. What should a guide to proper cell phone use include?
t. Are internships worth the effort?
u. Why should a company have a written e-mail and social media policy?
v. Where should your organization hold its next convention?
w. What is the outlook for real estate (commercial or residential) investment in your area?
x. What do personal assistants for celebrities do, and how does one become a personal assistant? (Investigate the Association of Celebrity Personal Assistants.)
y. What kinds of gifts are appropriate for businesses to give clients and customers during the holiday season?
z. What rip-offs are on the Federal Trade Commission's List of Top 10 Consumer Scams, and how can consumers avoid falling for them?

Question 13

List high-tech and low-tech visual aids that you can use when speaking to an audience. Which two are the most popular?

Question 14

How can you prevent multimedia presentation software from stealing your thunder?

Question 15

One of the hardest parts of preparing an oral presentation is developing the outline.
Your Task. Select an oral presentation topic from the list in Activity 12.14, or suggest an original topic. Prepare an outline for your presentation using the following format:

Question 16

Professional speakers come in two flavors. On the one hand, celebrities such as famous athletes, businesspeople, and politicians command astronomical fees. On the other hand, ordinary people who have built a following by marketing themselves well and providing useful content also ply the speaking circuit, but they do so at more moderate rates, ranging between $4,500 and $7,500 per speech. One expert estimates that 95 percent of professional speakers make less than $10,000 per speaking engagement, still a hefty sum.
Professional speaker Chris Widener17 offers the following insights to aspiring speakers:
Skip the speakers bureaus. Before the Internet, speakers bureaus were helpful intermediaries with strong corporate ties. Today, newcomers can bypass them and go into business without them.
Develop multiple sources of revenue. Collecting speaking fees is one thing; selling one's CDs, DVDs, e-books, and print books is another. Widener sells up to $140,000 in products after a talk.
Create free valuable content. Widener wrote 450 articles on success and business that became his signature. After building a list of 100,000 people, he self-published his books.
Develop a social media presence. Between Facebook and Twitter, Widener has almost 900,000 followers. He self-markets his content but also pays for Facebook marketing and ads.
Consider your fee your résumé. The honorarium should match the speaker's accomplishments. Widener raises his fee as his reputation grows, after TV appearances, after publishing a new book, and after speaking at prestigious events.
Think creatively to find the money. Widener gets around associations' or companies' limited speakers budgets by, for example, targeting their "education budgets." Also, he encourages organizations to seek funding from several corporate sponsors to share the cost of paying him.
What other strategies might work to help you develop a following and be a sought-after speaker?
Your Task. Use this activity to give a brief impromptu speech. Without much preparation, objectively paraphrase and summarize the information to convey to your listeners what it takes to become a successful professional speaker. Include all relevant details and organize your summary well. Alternatively, conduct additional research to learn how one might become a professional speaker. Use search terms such as speakers bureau and Toastmasters. Once you have assembled enough additional information, create a multimedia slideshow using presentation software or give a concise extemporaneous briefing. Be sure to outline your talk and to rehearse.

Question 17

What is the 6-x-6 rule, and what might prompt a presentation slide creator to break it?

Question 18

U.S. senator from New Jersey, Cory A. Booker, himself a popular and gifted orator, related his father's philosophy on public speaking as follows: "My dad worked for IBM. He said, 'Look, I can't sell products I don't believe in. People will see right through me. But if I'm passionate and have a deep conviction about what I'm doing, I'm the greatest salesman there is.'"13 What qualities is Senator Booker describing, and why are they important in business?

Question 19

Your Task. Search online for a speech by a significant businessperson or well-known political figure. Consider watching the following iconic political speeches, thought to be among the best in the 20th century: Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, President Kennedy's inaugural address, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Pearl Harbor address.14 If you prefer business tycoons dispensing advice, search for the best-known commencement speeches; for example, Steve Jobs' "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish" Stanford address, Salman Khan's "Live Your Life Like It's Your Second Chance" speech, or Sheryl Sandberg's "Rocketship" commencement speech at Harvard. Transcripts of these and other well-known speeches are also available online.15 Write a memo report or give a short presentation to your class critiquing the speech in terms of the following:
a. Effectiveness of the introduction, body, and conclusion
b. Evidence of effective overall organization
c. Use of verbal signposts to create coherence
d. Emphasis of two to four main points
e. Effectiveness of supporting facts (use of examples, statistics, quotations, and so forth)
f. Focus on audience benefits
g. Enthusiasm for the topic
h. Body language and personal mannerisms

Question 20

Your Task. Watch Don McMillan's now famous YouTube classic "Life After Death by PowerPoint 2012." Which specific PowerPoint ills is McMillan satirizing? Write a brief summary of the short clip for discussion in class. With your peers, discuss whether the bad habits the YouTube video parodies correspond with design principles introduced in this chapter.

Question 21

Your Task. Find an intriguing business article, and verbally present it to the class with or without notes. Summarize the article and explain why you have chosen it and why you believe it's valuable. Another option is to select a short business-related video clip. First introduce the video and summarize it. Time permitting, show the video in class. Visit any business website-for example, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, or Bloomberg Businessweek. If your instructor directs, compose a tweet recommending or commenting on your article or video clip. Of the available 140 characters, leave at least 10 for retweeting.

Question 22

List and describe five types of presentations a business professional might make.

Question 23

What questions might help you critically evaluate a slideshow?

Question 24

Do you care deeply about a particular nonprofit organization or cause? Perhaps you have donated to a cancer charity or volunteered for a local faith-based nonprofit. The Red Cross, Greenpeace, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) may be household names, but thousands of lesser-known nonprofit organizations are also trying to make the world a better place.
Professional fund-raiser and nonprofit service expert Sarah W Mackey encourages volunteers-to-be to become ambassadors for their favorite organizations. Much like brand ambassadors, advocates for nonprofits should wear the nonprofit's logo, invite friends, tell their families, raise money, volunteer, and spread the word on social media, Mackey says.18 Some nonprofits-for example, the California-based environmental group Heal the Bay-are proactive. They offer speaker training to volunteers eager to reach out to their communities and raise awareness.19 Ambassadors do good, become professional speakers, and acquire valuable skills to put on their résumés, a win-win-win!
Your Task. Select your favorite charity. If you need help, find your charity or cause by visiting GuideStar, a nongovernmental watchdog that monitors nonprofits, or simply google list of nonprofits. Learn as much as you can from your organization's website and from articles written about it. Also, vet your charity by checking it out on GuideStar. Then assemble your information into a logical outline, and create a persuasive oral presentation using presentation software. Your goal is not only to introduce the charity but also to inspire your peers to seek more information and to volunteer. Tip: Focus on the benefits, direct and indirect, of volunteering for this charity. Finally, if your instructor asks, practice writing tweets advocating for your organization and calling the public to action.

Question 25

If you have been part of a team that created an oral presentation together, you know that the process can be frustrating. Sometimes team members don't carry their weight or produce poor- quality work. Very often members struggle to resolve conflict. On the other hand, team projects can be harmonious and productive when members establish ground rules and follow these steps:
• Prepare to work together. First, you should (a) compare schedules of team members in order to set up the best meetings times, (b) plan regular face-to-face and virtual meetings, and (c) discuss how you will deal with team members who are not contributing to the project or submitting shoddy work.
• Plan the presentation. Your team will need to agree on (a) the specific purpose of the presentation, (b) your audience, (c) the length of the presentation, (d) the types of visuals to include, and (e) the basic structure and content of the presentation.
• Assign duties. Once you decide what your presentation will cover, give each team member a written assignment that details his or her responsibilities, such as researching content, producing visuals, developing handouts, building transitions between segments, and showing up for team meetings and rehearsals.
• Collect information. To gather or generate information, teams can brainstorm together, conduct interviews, or search the Web. The team should set deadlines for collecting information and should discuss how to ensure the accuracy and currency of the information collected. Team members should exchange periodic progress reports on how their research is coming along.
• Organize and develop the presentation. Once your team has completed the research, start working on the presentation. Determine the organization of the presentation, compose a draft in writing, and prepare presentation slides and other visual aids. The team should meet often in person or online to discuss the presentation and to decide which members are responsible for delivering what parts of the presentation. Each member should build a transition to the next member's topic and strive for logical connections between segments.
• Edit, rehearse, and evaluate. Before you deliver the presentation, rehearse several times as a team. Make sure transitions from speaker to speaker are smooth. For example, a speaker might say, Now that I have explained how to prepare for the meeting, Ashley is going to discuss how to get the meeting started. Decide who will be responsible for advancing slides during the presentation (either on the computer or using a remote). Practice fielding questions if you plan to have a question-and-answer session. Decide how you are going to dress to look professional and competent. Run a spell-checker and proofread your presentation slides to ensure that the design, format, and vocabulary are consistent.
• Deliver the presentation. Show up on time for your presentation and wear appropriate attire. Deliver your part of the presentation professionally and enthusiastically. Remember that your audience is judging the team on its performance, not the individuals. Do what you can to make your team shine!
Career Application. Your boss named you to a team that is to produce an organizational social media communication strategy for your company. You know this assignment will end with an oral presentation to management. Your first reaction is dismay. You have been on teams before in the classroom, and you know how frustrating they can be. However, you want to give your best, and you resolve to contribute positively to this team effort.
Your Task. In small groups or with the entire class, discuss effective collaboration. How can members contribute positively to teams? How should teams deal with members who aren't contributing or who have negative attitudes? What should team members do to ensure that the final presentation is professional and well coordinated? How can the team use technology to improve collaboration? If your instructor directs, summarize your findings in writing or in a brief presentation.

Question 26

To learn from the presentation skills of the best speakers today, visit the TED channel on YouTube or the TED website. Watch one or more of the 1,600 TED Talks (motto: Ideas worth spreading) available online. Standing at over one billion views worldwide, the presentations cover topics from the fields of technology, entertainment, and design (TED).
Your Task. If your instructor directs, select and watch one of the TED Talks and outline it. You may also be asked to focus on the selected speaker's presentation techniques based on the guidelines you have studied in this chapter. Jot down your observations either as notes for a classroom discussion or to serve as a basis for an informative memo or e-mail. If directed by your instructor, compose a concise yet informative tweet directing Twitter users to your chosen TED Talk and commenting on it.

Question 27

The program chair for the campus business club has asked you to present a talk to the group about consumer credit. He saw a newspaper article saying that only 10 percent of Americans know their credit scores. Many consumers, including students, have dangerous misconceptions about their scores. Not knowing your score could result in a denial of credit as well as difficulty obtaining needed services and even a job.
Your Task. Using research databases and the Web, learn more about credit scores and typical misconceptions. For example, is a higher or lower credit score better? Can you improve your credit score by marrying well? If you earn more money, will you improve your score? If you have a low score, can you raise it? Can you raise your score by maxing out all of your credit cards? (One survey reported that 28 percent of consumers believed the latter statement was true!) Prepare an oral presentation with or without a multimedia slideshow appropriate for a student audience. Conclude with appropriate recommendations.

Question 28

Review Sections 3.01-3.16 in the Grammar/Mechanics Handbook. Then study each of the following statements. Draw three underlines below any letter that should be capitalized. Draw a slash (/) through any capital letter that you wish to change to lowercase. Indicate in the space provided the number of changes you made in each sentence, and record the number of the G/M principle(s) illustrated. If you made no changes, write 0. When you finish, compare your responses with those provided at the back of the book. If your responses differ, study carefully the principles in parentheses.

___________________________ 1. All united passengers must exit the Plane at gate 16 when they reach the key west international airport.
___________________________ 2. Personal tax rates for japanese citizens are low by International standards; rates for japanese corporations are high, according to Iwao Nakatani, an Economics Professor at Osaka university.
___________________________ 3. Stephanie, an aspiring Entrepreneur, hopes to open her own Consulting Firm one day.
___________________________ 4. Randy plans to take courses in Psychology, Math, History, and english next semester.
___________________________ 5. Did you see The new york times article titled "Reebok to pay $25 million for toning shoe claims"?
___________________________ 6. I purchased the dell inspiron 2200, but you may purchase any Tablet Computer you choose.
___________________________ 7. According to a Federal Government report, any regulation of State and County banking must receive local approval.
___________________________ 8. The vice president of the united states said, "we continue to look for Foreign investment opportunities."
___________________________ 9. The Comptroller of Zarconi Industries reported to the President and the Board of Directors that the securities and exchange commission was beginning an investigation of their Company.
___________________________ 10. My Father, who lives near death valley, says that the Moon and Stars are especially brilliant on a cold, clear night.
___________________________ 11. Our Marketing Director met with Karin Bloedorn, Advertising Manager, to plan an Ad Campaign for our newly redesigned Smartphone.
___________________________ 12. In the Spring our Admissions Director plans to travel to venezuela, colombia, and ecuador to recruit new Students.
___________________________ 13. To reach Belle Isle park, which is located on an Island in the Detroit river, tourists pass over the Douglas MacArthur bridge.
___________________________ 14. On page 8 of the report, you'll find a list of all employees in our accounting department with Master's degrees.
___________________________ 15. Please consult figure 3.2 in chapter 5 for U.S. census bureau figures regarding nonenglish- speaking residents.

Question 29

Which delivery method is best for persuasive business presentations? Explain why.

Question 30

You are a consultant and have been hired to improve the effectiveness of corporate trainers. These trainers frequently make presentations to employees on topics such as conflict management, teamwork, time management, problem solving, performance appraisals, and employment interviewing. Your goal is to teach these trainers how to make better presentations.
Your Task. Create six visually appealing slides based on the following content, which will be spoken during your presentation titled Effective Employee Training. The comments shown here are only a portion of a longer presentation.
Trainers have two options when they make presentations. The first option is one-way communication in which the trainer basically dumps the information on the audience and leaves. The second option is a two-way approach that involves the audience. The benefits of the two-way approach are that it helps the trainer connect with the audience and reinforce key points, it increases audience retention rates, and it changes the pace and adds variety to the presentation. The two-way approach also encourages audience members to get to know each other. Because today's employees demand more than just a "talking head," trainers must engage their audiences by involving them in a dialogue.
If you decide to interact with your audience, you need to choose an approach that suits your delivery style. Also, think about which options your audience would be likely to respond to most positively. Let's consider some interactivity approaches now. Realize, though, that these ideas are presented to help you get your creative juices flowing. After reading the list, think about situations in which these options might be effective. You could also brainstorm to come up with creative ideas to add to this list.
• Ask employees to guess at statistics before revealing them.
• Ask an employee to share examples or experiences.
• Ask a volunteer to help you demonstrate something.
• Ask the audience to complete a questionnaire or worksheet.
• Ask the audience to brainstorm or list things as fast as possible.
• Ask a variety of question types to achieve different purposes.
• Invite the audience to work through a process or examine an object.
• Survey the audience.
• Pause to let the audience members read something to themselves.
• Divide the audience into small groups to discuss an issue.

Question 31

Your Task. Select a recent issue of Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Economist, or another business periodical approved by your instructor. Based on an analysis of your classmates, select an article that will appeal to them and that you can relate to their needs. Submit to your instructor a one-page summary that includes the following: (a) the author, article title, source, issue date, and page reference; (b) a one-paragraph article summary; (c) a description of why you believe the article will appeal to your classmates; and (d) a summary of how you can relate the article to their needs.

Question 32

What if you had to create a presentation for your classmates and instructor, or perhaps a potential recruiter, that describes the multiple tasks you perform at work? Could you do it in a five-minute multimedia presentation?
Your instructors, for example, may wear many hats. Most academics (a) teach; (b) conduct research to publish; and (c) provide service to the department, college, university, and community. Can you see how those aspects of their profession lend themselves to an outline of primary slides (teaching, publishing, service) and second-level slides (instructing undergraduate and graduate classes, presenting workshops, and giving lectures under the teaching label)?
Your Task. Now it's your turn to introduce the duties you perform (or performed) in a current or a past job, volunteer activity, or internship in a brief, simple, yet well-designed PowerPoint presentation. Your goal is to inform your audience of your job duties in a three- to five-minute talk. Use animation features and graphics where appropriate. Your instructor may show you a completed example of this project.

Question 33

The age, gender, education level, experience, and size of the audience will affect your presentation style and message. List at least five questions you should answer to determine your organizational pattern, delivery style, and supporting material.

Question 34

How can speakers overcome stage fright? Name at least six helpful techniques.

Question 35

Have you ever wondered why famous business types, politicians, athletes, and other celebrities can command high speaking fees? How much are they really making per appearance, and what factors may justify their sometimes exorbitant fees? You may also wonder how a motivational speaker or corporate trainer might benefit you and your class or your campus community. Searching for and selecting an expert is easy online with several commercial speaker bureaus vying for clients. All bureaus provide detailed speaker bios, areas of expertise, and fees. One even features video previews of its clients.
The three preeminent agencies for booking talent are Speakerpedia, BigSpeak Speakers Bureau, and Brooks International. Speakerpedia represents the likes of economist Nouriel Roubini, Donald Trump, Jack Welch, Richard Branson, and Suze Orman. BigSpeak standouts are Deepak Chopra, Dr. Susan Love, and distance swimmer Diana Nyad. Brooks International features financier and philanthropist Mike Milken and TV commentator and personal finance expert Terry Savage, among others. Imagine that you have a budget of up to $100,000 to hire a well-known public speaker.
Your Task. In teams or individually, select a business-related category of speaker by visiting one of the speaker bureaus online. For example, choose several prominent personal finance gurus (Orman, Savage, and others) or successful entrepreneurs and venture capitalists (Branson, Trump, Jack Welch, and so forth). Other categories are motivational speakers, philanthropists, and famous economists. Study their bios for clues to their expertise and accomplishments. Comparing at least three, come up with a set of qualities that apparently make these people sought-after speakers. Consider how those qualities could enlighten you and your peers. To enrich your experience and enhance your knowledge, watch videos of your chosen speakers on YouTube or TED, if available. Check talent agencies, personal websites, and Facebook for further information. Write a memo report about your speaker group, or present your findings orally, with or without PowerPoint. If your instructor directs, recommend your favorite speaker and give reasons for your decision.

Question 36

Venture capitalist and angel investor Guy Kawasaki believes that persuasive PowerPoint presentations should be no more than 10 slides long, last 20 minutes at most, and contain 30-point fonts or bigger (the 10/20/30 rule). Kawasaki is convinced that presentations deviating from this rule will fall short of their purpose, which is typically to reach some type of agreement.
Could you interest an investor such as Guy Kawasaki in your business idea? The venture capitalist believes that if you must use more than 10 slides to explain your business, you probably don't have one. Furthermore, Kawasaki claims that the 10 topics a venture capitalist cares about are the following:
1. Problem
2. Your solution
3. Business model
4. Underlying magic/technology
5. Marketing and sales
6. Competition
7. Team
8. Projections and milestones
9. Status and time line
10. Summary and call to action
Your Task. Dust off that start-up fantasy you may have, and get to work. Prepare a slideshow that would satisfy Kawasaki's 10/20/30 rule: In 10 slides and a presentation of no more than 20 minutes, address the 10 topics that venture capitalists care about. Make sure that the fonts on your slides are at least 30 points in size.