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 wow-ing 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