Business Quick Tips April 2009 Vol 5 No# 42

1. Are you a leader or follower?

 

2. What people really want

3.

4. Can you name the new book?

5. Travel Schedule

Debbiespeaks Website | Business
Books | http://www.successis.co.nz/newsletter/sign-up.htm QuickTips Sign-up

 

You know the Internet has made marketing more visual. Consider this. The Britians Got Talent singer Susan Boyle got over 100 million views of her Idol song, 20 million viewed Obama’s inaugural speech, most TV commercials are put on YouTube and much more – does a paper brochure still stand the test of time?

I made the move this week, putting a video brochure on the website, on my blog, on Linked In as well as on YouTube which hosts the video (and foots the bill for the bandwidth required from viewing it). However, doing a straight video is not enough. If you look at any other speakers video, it’s the same old boring little person on the stage, a male voice over, thunderous applause – all about them. I did something very different. If you’re curious, have a look because it leads into the next article on using humour to be more successful.
 

Get to the video via the image at right (no graphic showing?) or see the unique way it displays on the www.debbiespeaks.co.nz website.

By the way, if you like it (or don’t) let me know please Video feedback

 

I guarantee that if you add a bit of humour into a presentation. a report, memo or conversation, it will make you more memorable and persuasive. In this modern age of information overload, instant gratification and Twitter, humour works wonders.

Humor to fit your persona.

If you are not naturally funny, you’ll crumble at the thought of adding it. I’ve read umpteen books on the how-to but as my daughter Samantha said in an exasperated breath (as I stopped to look through yet one more book) “What’s the point mom”?
You can know the various ways that books tell you how you can be more funny or write funny lines, but if it’s not naturally in your personality, the how-to won’t put ideas in your head. Here are a few tips on how even the most serious can get that smile. Easy Humor Adds

Funny graphics. Laughing at yourself works, poking fun at your oddities or shortcomings. Highlight the things your kids tease you about. Another area to exploit is problems in common with your listening or audience. Throw in something (unexpected) about the partner, pets, teens….

I used to show a picture of our six children, then launch in straight to the business point of not treating customers the same. Now I ask first “why did I show you this picture” After a pregnant pause I answer my question with “To make you feel real sorry for me.” Instant laughter. Then I launch into the business point. This builds empathy, but does not detract from the business message about to come.

When giving examples, work in threes. Have the third one unexpected and funny. For example “Have you ever heard something life changing? Will you marry me, the job is yours. Shoes, 50% off”. This last line is good when there are a lot of females in the audience.

Unexpected funny graphics are an easy way to add a laugh. Go directly to Google images  www.google.com/images. You can hone your search by content and image size. When you find the image you want, don’t select it from the thumbnails you see. Click to go to the original source where you’ll get the proper image itself (vs. the Google small thumbnail).

Adding the word cartoon to your search in images will give you exactly that – only the cartoons.

Tip: Larger sized images are better for print and presentations.

 

One of the great pains of a dbase in Excel is getting rid of doubles. It can take hours and hours – or if you watch this video it’s one click (Excel 2007; or just a few more in Excel 2003 and prior) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET9Y8sJRH0I

Did you know that simply by holding down the control key you can click and select from different parts of a document, file, worksheet and make changes to them all at once? Have a look.

 

By the way, This link will take you to 26 Hewlett Packard Videos (as well as Chinese and Korean versions).
http://h30458.www3.hp.com/au/en/smb/786357.html