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	<title>m62</title>
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	<link>http://www.m62.net</link>
	<description>PowerPoint Design. PowerPoint Presentation Evolution</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:30:40 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Movie Template</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/education-templates/movie-template/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/education-templates/movie-template/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:30:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Education Templates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Widescreen PowerPoint Templates]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=14203</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This Movie PowerPoint Template features a modern black and white design in the style of a clapperboard and film reel. Download the template for free.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Movies_sm.png"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-14206" title="Movie PowerPoint Template Thumbnail" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Movies_sm.png" alt="Movie PowerPoint Template Thumbnail" width="165" height="124" /></a>This Movie PowerPoint Template features a modern black and white design. The title slide is designed as a clapperboard, with space for the presentation title and presenter name. <span style="font-size: 13px;">The main body slides of the template are set out in the style of a film strip, and come with pre-programmed design features.</span></p>
<p>The Movie Template would be suitable for presentations on media, film studies, and entertainment in general. Download for use in schools, colleges, universities, businesses, or any other area you see fit!</p>
<p>This template is in widescreen format.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/m62_Movie_PowerPoint_Template.potx">Download Movie Template</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Movies_lg.png"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-14210" title="Movie PowerPoint Template Body Slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Movies_lg.png" alt="Movie PowerPoint Template Body Slide" width="350" height="197" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>All our PowerPoint templates are free. If you use one, please say thanks by sharing via Google+1, Twitter, or Facebook. Thank you!</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Tennis Template</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/sport-and-leisure-templates/tennis-template/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/sport-and-leisure-templates/tennis-template/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:04:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Sport and Leisure Templates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Widescreen PowerPoint Templates]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13962</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Tennis PowerPoint Template has a watercolour-effect background of a competitive tennis court, and comes with animated title bars and design objects.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/4x3-cover.png"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-14003" title="Tennis PowerPoint Template Title Slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/4x3-cover.png" alt="Tennis PowerPoint Template Title Slide" width="165" height="124" /></a>Summer is finally here and the sun has (suprisingly!) been shining, which here in England can only mean one thing &#8211; Wimbledon is just around the corner! So to get us into the tennis spirit, we&#8217;ve produced this Tennis PowerPoint Template.</p>
<p>The tennis template has a watercolour-effect background built to look like a competitive tennis court, with animated title bars on the main body slides. <span style="font-size: 13px;">The template also includes in-built design objects you can use to help you visualise your content.</span></p>
<p>This template is in widescreen format.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/m62_Tennis_PowerPoint_Template.potx">Download Tennis PowerPoint Template</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/16x9-slide.png"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-14004" title="Tennis PowerPoint Template Body Slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/16x9-slide.png" alt="Tennis PowerPoint Template Body Slide" width="260" height="147" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px;">All our PowerPoint templates are free. If you use one, please say thanks by sharing via Google+1, Twitter, or Facebook. Thank you!</span></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Father and Son Template</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/retail-templates/father-and-son-template/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/retail-templates/father-and-son-template/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:03:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Retail Templates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Widescreen PowerPoint Templates]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=14179</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This Father and Son PowerPoint template depicts a father and son walking together over a hazy sunset. Download for free and use as a Father's Day Card.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/FathersDay_sm1.png"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-14183" title="Father and Son Template Thumbnail" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/FathersDay_sm1.png" alt="Father and Son Template Thumbnail" width="165" height="124" /></a>With Father&#8217;s Day fast approaching, we&#8217;ve developed this sentimental template depicting a father and son walking hand in hand over a hazy sunset.</p>
<p>The template includes built-in transitions and an animated title bar. Use the Father and Son PowerPoint Template to send an online greetings card for Father&#8217;s Day, and let him know he&#8217;s thought of.</p>
<p>This template is in widescreen format.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/m62_Fathers_Day_PowerPoint_Template.pptx">Download Father and Son Template</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/FathersDay_lg1.png"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-14192" title="Father's Day Template Body Slide " src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/FathersDay_lg1.png" alt="Father's Day Template Body Slide" width="350" height="197" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>All our PowerPoint templates are free. If you use one, please say thanks by sharing via Google+1, Twitter, or Facebook. Thank you!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>PowToon: Review</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/presentation-skills/presentation-technology/powtoon-review/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/presentation-skills/presentation-technology/powtoon-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 29 May 2013 14:10:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harry Wilson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Presentation Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Online Presentation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13534</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[m62 reviews PowToon, an internet-based PowerPoint alternative that allows users to easily produce creative video animations.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: 'lucida grande', 'lucida sans unicode', arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/powtoonlogo.png"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-14044" title="PowToon Review Thumbanil" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/powtoonlogo.png" alt="PowToon Review Thumbnail" width="165" height="124" /></a>PowToon is an internet-based PowerPoint alternative that allows users to easily produce creative video animations. PowToon combines traditional PowerPoint methods with animations and cartoons</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">. PowToon is currently in beta testing stage.</span></p>
<h3><strong>What does it do?</strong></h3>
<p>PowToon operates on an online interface from which you can create videos by choosing from a selection of templates and then adding text, images and other content with built-in entrance and exit animations. These videos can be saved out as an mp4 video file, or uploaded straight to YouTube from within the application. PowToon positions itself as a cheaper alternative to hiring a multimedia designer. PowToons are not designed to replace live presentations or <a href="http://www.m62.net/view62/">video presentations</a>; they are standalone video animations to be viewed from your computer or television screen.</p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.powtoon.com/embed/bBEPGQARJRd/" frameborder="0" width="550" height="356"></iframe></p>
<p>Objects in PowToon currently come in 8 different styles. The overarching style manages the different components you can include on your slide, covering text effects, image holders, characters, props, markers, shapes and backgrounds. This pre-loaded content is designed to make adding video objects to slides easier than starting from scratch. <span style="font-size: 13px;">At present there are a limited number of styles to choose from but as it is currently in beta mode I expect more to come in the near future.</span></p>
<p>Once you have mastered the basics of adding text, changing images, and selecting animation effects, users can quickly and easily create self-running video animations. PowToon also allows you to add your own custom music and voiceover to your videos; these can be imported or recorded within the application.</p>
<h3><strong>Installation</strong></h3>
<p>As it is run in your internet browser, PowToon doesn’t really have an installation process. In order to use PowToon, however, you will need to be connected to the internet and have a Flash-enabled browser. If you use Google Chrome this will be installed as standard, or you can download it for free from adobe.com. Other than these requirements, PowToon should work with most computers.</p>
<p>To get started, simply sign up for a free trial account by visiting powtoon.com, and follow the steps outlined.<strong></strong></p>
<h3><strong>How easy is it to use?</strong></h3>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/animation.png"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-14060" title="Powtoon interface" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/animation-260x195.png" alt="Powtoon interface" width="260" height="195" /></a>PowToon has been designed to allow non-designers to create videos, and has an accessible layout that users should be able to navigate fairly easily. There are many help videos available, and a step-by-step tutorial that talks you through the basics of making your first PowToon.</p>
<p>Once you&#8217;ve understood the key components &#8211; most importantly how the timeline works &#8211; PowToon is easy to use. The timeline in particular is a great feature that quickly and clearly allows the user to see and adjust what is happening on a slide, and when. While it doesn&#8217;t allow anything to happen other than in full-second increments, its simplicity makes this far easier to use than PowerPoint&#8217;s animation pane. It also encourages users to think in terms of a sequence rather than just throwing all content on a slide at once, particularly as objects are automatically given entrance animations based on the order they were created on the slide.</p>
<h3>Recording Narration</h3>
<p>We tested recording narration for a PowToon using two different methods.</p>
<p>First we tried recording from within PowToon itself. This method is very easy using the Powtoon interface, which takes you through slide by slide whilst you record the narration. This is a good option if you have no audio editing knowledge or want a quick recording. However, PowToon takes the ‘raw’ input of the microphone which can result in a poor quality recording.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Record-Narration.png"><img class=" wp-image-14146 aligncenter" title="PowToon Review Record Narration" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Record-Narration-550x242.png" alt="PowToon Review Record Narration" width="352" height="155" /></a></p>
<p>The other method we tried, and the one used to record the narration in the PowToon above, does require some previous audio editing experience. For this, the narration was recorded into a different application (Adobe Audition) and the software&#8217;s compression and processing effects used to improve the quality of the recording. This was then uploaded to the PowToon as an mp3 file (easily done), before we adjusted the animation timeline for each slide to ensure objects were in time with the narration.<span style="font-size: 13px;"> This was the preferred method as the narration was of a much higher quality. However, it requires software and additional knowledge, and was considerably more time consuming that the first method.</span></p>
<h3><strong>What’s right with it?</strong></h3>
<p>PowToon sets out to make animated video affordable and accessible to a wider audience, and it definitely achieves that. While the output might not always be the most professional, particularly on the cheaper packages, it certainly enables inexperienced individuals and startups on limited budgets to produce videos that they would not have been able to do without other knowledge. Of course, <a href="http://www.m62.net/view-an-online-demonstration/">PowerPoint is perfectly capable</a> of producing these types of video &#8211; but we appreciate that not everyone is able to do this. The great thing about PowToon is that you don’t need to be tech-savvy to create videos, and PowToon actively encourages users to build slides visually.</p>
<p>PowToon allows users to upload their own images to include on slides, and has handy image placeholders for a more professional finish. You can even upload your own custom designs to include as objects. However, this isn&#8217;t an instant service as designs have to be emailed to PowToon and there is a delay involved, which could be annoying if you&#8217;re working to a deadline.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Timeline.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-14149" title="PowToon Review Timeline" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Timeline-260x175.png" alt="PowToon Review Timeline" width="260" height="175" /></a>The timeline feature is easily the best thing about PowToon. It&#8217;s simple and encourages users to think about their slide sequence as a whole, and not as a pile of content to dump on the slide at once. PowToon is designed to be used for video rather than in a live presentation setting, and it really encourages users to think about using engaging visuals for their videos.</p>
<h3><strong>What’s wrong with it? </strong></h3>
<p>As PowToon is an online application, it can only be used if you&#8217;re connected to the internet. You can still view PowToons that have been saved out as video files, but will struggle to e.g. edit your PowToons whilst on the move.</p>
<p>Animations, although very well managed, are limited to entrance and exit animations. The simple addition of something akin to PowerPoint&#8217;s <a href="http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-training/powerpoint-animation/motion-path-effects/">motion paths</a> would enable users to truly visualise stories and create far more engaging videos.</p>
<p>There&#8217;s nothing to help the user position things correctly on the slides. Alignment tools or even a simple grid would really help to get things in the right positions and looking professional &#8211; as it is, users must use guesswork.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Resizing1.png"><img class="alignright  wp-image-14152" title="PowToon Review Resizing" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Resizing1-260x147.png" alt="PowToon Review Resizing" width="208" height="118" /></a>Perhaps the biggest issue with PowToon however is that it doesn&#8217;t allow for much customisation. The pre-built objects provided by PowToon that form the basis for most animations come in colours related to their style, with no option to change them. While you can adjust the size of objects, you cannot adjust their dimensions. These restrictions limit the possibility of e.g. using rectangle shapes to build bar charts. We hope that this is due to PowToon still being in the beta stage, and that more flexibility will be granted in future developments.</p>
<p>Also due to its being in beta phase, PowToon suffers from a few bugs, such as issues when resizing text boxes or not saving animations. Again, we expect these to be resolved in the next phase of development.</p>
<h3><strong>Pricing</strong></h3>
<p>The prices for PowToon vary. You can pay $8 per export, or there are monthly plans starting from $19 a month (depending on your requirements around e.g. HD quality and length of video). There is also a free version that allows you to export videos of up to 5 minutes with PowToon branding.</p>
<p>You can make unlimited presentations and revisions to presentations within PowToon, as these are only charged for if exported. It does mean however that a video cannot be edited once published; you’ll need to export an entirely new video and take it out of your allowance.</p>
<h3><strong>Should I buy it?</strong></h3>
<p>For an application in beta phase, PowToon is a great product. The few bugs it has need to be ironed out, and some additional features added, in order to really make it a serious contender for other options (including the more laborious, but more advanced, PowerPoint), but it really is showing promise already.</p>
<p>PowToon actually takes a good step in the right direction in encouraging more engaging, animated video content, and certainly helps the user to step away from bullet points. The key thing to remember about PowToon is that it produces video, and isn&#8217;t really a <em>presentation</em> solution at all &#8211; but if it stops users treating PowerPoint as a means to produce &#8216;slideuments&#8217;, it&#8217;s certainly not going to receive any complaints from our end.</p>
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		<title>Maths Template</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/education-templates/maths-template/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/education-templates/maths-template/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2013 14:16:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Education Templates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Widescreen PowerPoint Templates]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=14065</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This Maths PowerPoint Template is designed to look like a whiteboard with a graph-lined background, including whiteboard pen tray.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Math_body_4x3.png"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-14067" title="Maths PowerPoint Template Body Slide Thumbnail" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Math_body_4x3.png" alt="Maths PowerPoint Template Body Slide Thumbnail" width="165" height="124" /></a>This Maths PowerPoint Template is designed to look like a whiteboard with a graph-lined background. The template includes pre-programmed animated title bars, and features whiteboard pens at the bottom of the slide for added detail.</p>
<p>The template would be useful for presentations on mathematics or graphic design, due to the graph background. The maths template could be used in schools, colleges or universities, or even in business presentations. Download the maths template for free for use in your own presentations.</p>
<p>This template is in a widescreen format.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/m62_Maths_PowerPoint_Template.potx">Download Maths PowerPoint Template</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Math_title_16x9.png"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-14071" title="Maths PowerPoint Template Title Slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Math_title_16x9.png" alt="Maths PowerPoint Template Title Slide" width="260" height="147" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px;">All our PowerPoint templates are free. If you use one, please say thanks by sharing via Google+1, Twitter, or Facebook. Thank you!</span></p>
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		<title>Sunrise Template</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/abstract-templates/sunrise-template/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/abstract-templates/sunrise-template/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 May 2013 13:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Abstract Templates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Widescreen PowerPoint Templates]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13685</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This Sunrise PowerPoint Template depicts the sun rising. The Sunrise Template would be useful for presentations on the outdoors, or abstract themes.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Sunrise-Template-Large.png"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-13687" title="Sunrise Template" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Sunrise-Template-Large-165x125.png" alt="Sunrise Template" width="165" height="125" /></a>This Sunrise PowerPoint Template has a title slide depicting a landscape view, which animates to show the sun rising through the clouds. The main body slide features a light grey overlay with subtle sun rays in the background, and a dark grey animated title bar.</p>
<p>The Sunrise Template would be useful for a range of presentations, from topics on the outdoors to presentations with a more abstract theme. Download for free for use in your own presentations.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/m62_Sunrise_PowerPoint_Template.potx">Download Sunrise PowerPoint Template</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Sunrise-Template-Small.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-13688" title="Sunrise Template Main Body Slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Sunrise-Template-Small-260x195.png" alt="Sunrise Template Main Body Slide" width="260" height="195" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>All our PowerPoint templates are free. If you use one, please say thanks by sharing via Google+1, Twitter, or Facebook. Thank you!</p>
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		<title>Presentation Anxiety</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/presentation-skills/presentation-tips/presentation-anxiety/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/presentation-skills/presentation-tips/presentation-anxiety/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 May 2013 13:04:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Presentation Tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13908</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Presentation anxiety is common for presenters. m62 outlines five points presenters can remember to help them combat these nerves.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Presentation-Anxiety-Thumbnail.png"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-13927" title="Presentation Anxiety Thumbnail" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Presentation-Anxiety-Thumbnail.png" alt="Presentation Anxiety Thumbnail" width="165" height="124" /></a>Presentation anxiety &#8211; five tips to help you combat it</h2>
<p>You’ve been working with your team for weeks to prepare the perfect bid. It’s less than three days to the presentation and you’ve done as much as you can to get ready for the big day &#8211; your talk track is perfect, the slides work well and the whole team is confident that the content covers every aspect that needs to be addressed. You have a presentation to be proud of and yet you still can’t get rid of the butterflies you feel when you get up to present it. Worry not – presentation anxiety is a problem we regularly see in clients. Below are five things to remember that may help combat the anxiety that goes with a high pressure presentation.</p>
<h4>Accept Imperfections</h4>
<p>As soon as you realise that there’s no such thing as the perfect presentation, the easier the whole thing will become. Many of the common symptoms of nervousness are caused by a need, consciously or unconsciously, to make sure every aspect of your presentation is perfect. If you set yourself these impossibly high targets, you’ll never be happy with what you’re presenting and it will show. Try and take the time to consider where your standards are at and where they really need to be. Admittedly, this is often easier said than done if a lot is riding on the outcome of your performance, but it’s worth it in the long run. If you come across as content and at ease with where your presentation is when you get up to speak, you’ll be able to focus completely on the task of effective delivery.</p>
<h4>You Get Better Every Time</h4>
<p>Standing in front of an audience if you’re nervous is one of the best things you can do to combat presentation anxiety over the long term. The more often you do it, the more you’ll feel the benefits. It’s recognised that regular and increased exposure to a fear or phobia will eventually lead to desensitization (Wolpe, 1958). Whilst it’s natural to be nervous in front of an audience, if you simply keep presenting regularly, your anxiety will continue to diminish over time.</p>
<h4>You’re The Expert</h4>
<p>It’s easy to feel that you have something to prove to the audience when you’re stood in front of a wall of their intense stares; that you need to justify being there. You don’t.</p>
<p>Remember that, whether as an individual or as part of a team, you have been selected as an expert who is able to provide the answers the audience are looking for. The stress you may be feeling is a natural, but temporary, effect of the situation. Presenting with the confidence, passion and authority of an expert will go a long way towards combatting it this stress. Remember that you know the content and are there because you are best placed to provide valuable information to those who need and want it.</p>
<h4>The Audience Want You To Succeed</h4>
<p>Have you ever sat down in a presentation and wanted the presenter to crash and burn? Probably not. I’m not sure I know anyone who has (competitors aside).</p>
<p>Despite what your gut may tell you when you stand up to present, the audience is on your side! There’s no conspiracy to make it as awkward as possible for you to be successful &#8211; the audience wants to enjoy the presentation when they sit down to watch you. They’ve likely sat through more than a few bullet-pointed slides and want to be engaged and enthused by your delivery. They want your pitch to go as well as possible &#8211; for their sake as well as yours!</p>
<h4>You Have Already Imagined The Worst</h4>
<p>Your mind will likely have already suggested all the worst possible outcomes &#8211; and it won’t do any good my listing the most common ones here &#8211; but the chance that any of them will actually come to pass is pretty slim.</p>
<p>Critically though, even if something does go awry, the audience likely won’t care. As mentioned earlier, there’s no such thing as a perfect presentation and the audience will be looking for the value you can offer, not the mistakes you might make &#8211; they’ll remember what you can do for them and not that you may have tripped as you got up to speak.</p>
<p>Being nervous is an instinctive reaction to threatening situations &#8211; and presenting in front of an intimidating audience can easily be classed as this. It heightens the senses, quickens the body’s reactions and in small doses it can help keep you on your toes. In excess though it can play havoc with your ability to think clearly and deliver. If you keep these few pointers in mind you should be able to convey yourself as an expert delivering an effective pitch that will have the audience hooked from beginning to end.</p>
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		<title>Science Template</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/education-templates/science-template/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/education-templates/science-template/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 May 2013 11:09:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Education Templates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Widescreen PowerPoint Templates]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13932</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This Science PowerPoint Template has a blackboard background with text written in chalk and a microscope icon. Download the science template for free.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/teacher2.png"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-13933" title="Science Template Slide Thumbnail" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/teacher2.png" alt="Science Template Slide Thumbnail" width="165" height="124" /></a>This Science PowerPoint Template features a blackboard background with text written in chalk and a microscope icon. The template features details including a stick of chalk and a blackboard eraser, and comes with a fully programmed title bar.</p>
<p>The Science Template would be suitable for class presentations on chemistry, biology, physics, or science in general. The template is designed for use in a school or college setting. Download for free for use in your own presentations. This template is in widescreen format.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/m62_Science_PowerPoint_Template2.potx">Download Science PowerPoint Template</a> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/teacher1widescreen.png"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-13934" title="Science Template Widescreen Title Slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/teacher1widescreen.png" alt="Science Template Widescreen Title Slide" width="260" height="147" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px;">All our PowerPoint templates are free. If you use one, please say thanks by sharing via Google+1, Twitter, or Facebook. Thank you!</span></p>
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		<title>Haiku Deck: Review</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/presentation-skills/presentation-technology/haiku-deck-review/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/presentation-skills/presentation-technology/haiku-deck-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2013 13:14:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Harry Wilson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Presentation Technology]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13542</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[m62 reviews Haiku Deck, a free application for iPad and iPhone that enables the user to create simple, attractive slides.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/presentation-skills/presentation-technology/haiku-deck-review/attachment/haiku-web/" rel="attachment wp-att-13544"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-13544" title="haiku - web" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/haiku-web.png" alt="haiku - web" width="165" height="125" /></a><span style="font-size: 13px;">Haiku Deck is a free iOS-based application that can create simple yet attractive slides. Haiku Deck is purely iPad-based for production, but completed Haikus can be shared online and viewed from desktop computers and other devices.</span></p>
<h3>What does it do?</h3>
<p>Haiku Deck is an app that allows you to create presentations on an iPad or iPhone by adding text and image backgrounds. The app allows you to quickly and easily create a presentation from scratch, incorporating text from a small selection of ready-made layouts, and an image, graph, or colour-based background.</p>
<p>Haiku Deck allows you to set a background for each of your slides. You can choose from six block colours, or you can select an image using the built-in Creative Commons search. This allows you to search through thousands of images online using keywords. The Creative Commons licence means that any images found are available for you to use freely without charge, including for commercial purposes. Haiku deck also allows you to use your own images; you can take one from within the app or select images from the Photos folder of your iPad.</p>
<p>The simplicity of this application means that there are very few things to edit; they are the content (almost exclusively text), background image or colour, and the theme, which changes the font of the text. Haiku Deck doesn’t have advanced features such as <a href="http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-training/powerpoint-animation/">animations</a> or the ability to insert objects into the foreground, which massively restricts the <a href="http://www.m62.net/presentation-theory/visualisation/">visualisation</a> potential.</p>
<p><a style="line-height: 20px;" href="http://www.m62.net/presentation-skills/presentation-technology/haiku-deck-review/attachment/charts/" rel="attachment wp-att-13783"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-13783" title="Haiku Charts" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/charts.png" alt="Haiku Charts" width="165" height="125" /></a></p>
<p>Haiku Deck does, however, allow you to insert graphs and pie charts using its built-in editor. This is done in place of a background image, from the same menu. In the application, it gives you the option for the type of chart you want to display and the data to go with it. It can be a little fiddly to edit, and there are minimal editing options (even the colours are automatically generated based on the theme), but this recent addition to Haiku Deck is a huge improvement.<span style="font-size: 13px;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet MS', 'lucida grande', 'lucida sans unicode', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Installation</span></p>
<p>As an app, Haiku Deck doesn’t have a complicated install wizard &#8211; just search for the app via the App store on your iPad. The download and install take about a minute to do and after that you&#8217;re ready to go.</p>
<h3>How easy is it to use?</h3>
<p>Haiku Deck is simple to use. It has taken some of the very basic features of PowerPoint and put them into an easy-to-use app. Haiku Deck is simple to pick up, and even a novice without any sort of experience in using slideware should find it easy.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/presentation-skills/presentation-technology/haiku-deck-review/attachment/bullet-points-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-13563"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-13563" title="bullet-points" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/bullet-points.png" alt="bullet-points" width="165" height="125" /></a>After installing Haiku Deck you will see some example ‘Haikus’ demonstrating how Haiku Deck works. To start, select ‘play’ and swipe left and right to scroll between slides. By clicking the ‘edit’ button in the top right of the screen you will be able to edit the slides. To start a new Haiku, just press the ‘new’ icon.</p>
<p>To play a Haiku you can either play it directly from your iPad, connecting it to an external projector or screen if you wish, or export it and then email it as an attached file. Doing this will send a PowerPoint file to the email address of your choice, which will open as a read-only file. The downside of this method is that the resolution stays the same as on an iPad and does not adjust, meaning that if you have a large projector screen or laptop the slides appear stretched and slightly pixelated. You can also save it to Haiku Deck&#8217;s web app, from which you can view your Haiku from any device with an internet connection.</p>
<h3>What’s right with it?</h3>
<p>I like the simplicity of this application &#8211; you don’t need to be a genius to work it, as it is very straightforward. To change something within your slides you just click the object you want to edit, then change the text or picture.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/presentation-skills/presentation-technology/haiku-deck-review/attachment/editscreen/" rel="attachment wp-att-13560"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-13560" title="editscreen" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/editscreen.png" alt="editscreen" width="165" height="125" /></a></p>
<p>Haiku Deck is a great application for creating attractive slides on the move, and could prove useful if you travel a lot. However, importing pictures for the backgrounds requires an internet connection, meaning that you would have to select from the default images available, or those already saved on your iPad. You can <span style="font-size: 13px;">however still view decks offline once the pictures have been downloaded.</span></p>
<h3>What’s wrong with it?</h3>
<p><img class="size-full wp-image-13782 alignleft" title="Haiku Deck Themes" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/test99.png" alt="Haiku Deck Themes" width="165" height="125" /></p>
<p>Although the finished Haikus are aesthetically pleasing, they don’t make for an effective presentation. Audiences can&#8217;t read and listen at the same time, <a href="http://www.m62.net/presentation-theory/bullet-points-dont-work/visual-aids-gone-wrong/">pretty pictures are distracting</a>, and lack of animation, which is a key component in <a href="http://www.m62.net/presentation-theory/bullet-points-dont-work/visual-cognitive-dissonance/">Visual Cognitive Dissonance</a>, means that presentations cannot be made truly engaging.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px;">Another downside is that in order to customise the design, including font and colour changes, users must purchase additional themes. Haiku Deck charges for these themes, which currently start at £1.49 each. </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">Because it lacks in features and gives you no control over simple things like text size, Haiku Deck makes PowerPoint and other presentation software much better contenders.</span></p>
<h3>Should I buy it?<strong></strong></h3>
<p>Haiku Deck is a good way to quickly create attractive self-explanatory billboard slides. As Haiku deck is free on the app store I’d give it a go, however the lack of visualisation-enabling features such as animation and foreground objects means that I don’t think this will be a serious contender for alternative slideware at the moment. What it does &#8211; which is enable the user to create simple, beautiful slides quickly and easily &#8211; it does well, but without animations and foreground objects Haiku slides will never be a serious consider for effective presentations.</p>
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		<title>Presenter or Slides?</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/presentation-theory/presentation-best-practice/presenter-or-slides/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/presentation-theory/presentation-best-practice/presenter-or-slides/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2013 13:00:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Presentation Best Practice]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13892</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[How much weight should you place on the slide content of your presentation, and how much on the presenter? Which has the biggest impact on effectiveness? ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/PresenterArticle.png"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-13921" title="Presenter or Slides thumbnail" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/PresenterArticle.png" alt="Presenter or Slides thumbnail" width="165" height="124" /></a>PowerPoint and the Importance of the Letter ‘B’</h2>
<p>It’s easy to think that your slides are the most important part of your presentation &#8211; if the content is perfect, the presentation should be as well, right?</p>
<p>But this is a dangerous line of thought. Slide content alone can’t, and shouldn’t, speak for itself. A presentation without a presenter isn&#8217;t really a presentation at all. And sometimes, <a href="http://www.m62.net/presentation-theory/presentation-objectives/why-present/">only a presentation will do</a>.</p>
<p>There’s been an interesting trend in recent years of creating a deck of slides, uploading them to a site like Slideshare and being content that your slides are out there, being seen. The &#8216;presentations&#8217; that you find on sites like this are often just a loosely arranged combination of images and words and invariably not as effective as a deck with a presenter. In fact, they can&#8217;t really be called presentations at all &#8211; being created in PowerPoint does not automatically classify something as a presentation. These uploaded presentations are perhaps an understandable option if, for whatever reason, you can’t meet your audience in person (although, even then, there are <a href="http://www.m62.net/view62/">far better alternatives</a>).  At any rate<strong>, </strong>without a presenter, your content just won&#8217;t be as persuasive.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px;">The involvement of a presenter makes it infinitely easier for the audience to assimilate the message. It’s been well documented that the mind can only absorb a limited amount of content at any one time, and a presenter can make sure that the information is being conveyed in the most effective way. Studies show that audiences absorb over double the information when they receive it via dual encoding &#8211; that is, both aurally and visually at the same time &#8211; than</span><span style="font-size: 13px;"> by only one channel (i.e. just by reading, or by listening to a presentation delivered over bullet points).</span></p>
<p>Presentations are a combination of presenter and visual aids, and this balance moves throughout the course of a presentation. Presenters need to keep track of the audience’s reaction. If they’re staring, glassy-eyed, at the presenter, their attention may need to be directed back to the content being shown on the slide. If they are too occupied by what is being shown on the slide, it could be time to draw their attention back to the speaker by the timely use of one of PowerPoint’s best kept secrets – the ‘b’ key. This will blank the screen and instantly force the audience to focus on the presenter and listen to what’s being said. Maintaining this dynamic in a presentation will ensure that people stay engaged throughout the presentation and remember more of the content than they otherwise would – something impossible to do when slides don&#8217;t work <em>with</em> the presenter.</p>
<p>Remember that the effectiveness of a presentation is decided by both the content of your visual aids, and you, the presenter. If you deliver your slides in such a way that the audience remains engaged and receptive, you’ll be on the right path to a bid-winning presentation.</p>
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		<title>Golf Course Template</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/sport-and-leisure-templates/golf-course-template/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/sport-and-leisure-templates/golf-course-template/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:06:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Sport and Leisure Templates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Widescreen PowerPoint Templates]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13857</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This Golf Course PowerPoint Template features a golf course with a golf ball in the foreground, and an animated title bar in a golf flag design.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/golf3.png"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-13861" title="Golf Course Template Slide Thumbnail" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/golf3-165x125.png" alt="Golf Course Template Slide Thumbnail" width="165" height="125" /></a>Inspired by Adam Scott&#8217;s recent victory at the Masters, we have created this Golf Course Template. The template features a golf course with a golf ball in the foreground, and an animated title bar in the design of a golf hole flag. The title slide features the silhouette of a golfer about to take a swing.</p>
<p>Download the Golf Course PowerPoint Template for free for use in your own presentations. <span style="font-size: 13px;">This template is in widescreen format.</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/m62_Golf_Course_PowerPoint_Template1.potx">Download the Golf Course PowerPoint Template</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/golf2.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-13865" title="Golf Course PowerPoint Template Title Slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/golf2-260x196.png" alt="Golf Course PowerPoint Template Title Slide" width="260" height="196" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>All our PowerPoint templates are free. If you use one, please say thanks by sharing via Google+1, Twitter, or Facebook. Thank you!</p>
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		<title>St George PowerPoint Template</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/travel-templates/st-george-powerpoint-template/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/travel-templates/st-george-powerpoint-template/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:34:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Travel Templates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Widescreen PowerPoint Templates]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13841</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In honour of St George's Day this week, we've created this St George PowerPoint Template that features the flag of St George and a knight on horseback.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/stg3.png"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-13846" title="St George PowerPoint Template slide thumbnail" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/stg3-165x125.png" alt="St George PowerPoint Template slide thumbnail" width="165" height="125" /></a>It was St George&#8217;s Day here in England this week, and we&#8217;re still feeling patriotic. So in honour of our homeland we&#8217;ve created this St George PowerPoint template.</p>
<p>The template title slide features an image of the flag of St George rippling in the wind and an archaic font. The background on the main body slides has a the faded image of St George&#8217;s flag, with the subtle silhouette of a knight on horseback in the lower right corner. The template features fully-programmed title bars and transitions. This template is in widescreen format.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/m62_St_George_PowerPoint_Template.potx">Download St George PowerPoint Template</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/stg2.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-13847" title="St George PowerPoint Template Title Slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/stg2-260x195.png" alt="St George PowerPoint Template Title Slide" width="260" height="195" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>All our PowerPoint templates are free. If you use one, please say thanks by sharing via Google+1, Twitter, or Facebook. Thank you!</p>
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		<title>Presentation Designer</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-training/powerpoint-design/presentation-designer/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-training/powerpoint-design/presentation-designer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:45:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[PowerPoint Design]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=7548</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What does it take to be an effective presentation designer? A step-by-step guide to producing effective presentation design.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Sales_Presentation_thumb.png"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-5590 alignright" title="presentation designer" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Sales_Presentation_thumb-165x125.png" alt="presentation designer" width="165" height="125" /></a>With the new wave of thinking on presentations, more and more presenters and designers are now looking out of the box when it comes to presentation design, and really trying to raise the bar when it comes to the PowerPoint norm. Yet, in terms of audience engagement and achieving objectives, ineffective design is just as bad as having no design at all.</p>
<p>In order to produce effective design, designers need to understand how audiences work; how to get the best out of PowerPoint; and how to get the right balance between design and function. Ultimately, presentation designers need to understand what will make a presentation more effective – and not just prettier.</p>
<p><strong>Start in Analogue</strong></p>
<p>First and foremost, presentation design should not begin in PowerPoint. A presentation is delivered for a reason, and the starting point of any presentation preparation should be to map out the <a href="http://www.m62.net/presentation-theory/presentation-objectives/">objectives</a> and <a href="http://www.m62.net/presentation-theory/presentation-messages/">messages</a>, and plan the presentation – on paper.</p>
<p><strong>Visualisation</strong></p>
<p>All presentation designers who take themselves seriously should know by now that <a href="http://www.m62.net/presentation-theory/bullet-points-dont-work/">bullet points don’t work</a>. Audiences will read rather than listen to the presenter; become bored; and will completely disengage.</p>
<p>Instead, <a href="http://www.m62.net/presentation-theory/visualisation/">visual slides</a> should be used, that use <a href="http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-training/powerpoint-animation/">animation</a>, <a href="http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-training/powerpoint-graphs/">graphs and diagrams</a> to express the point at hand in a way that engages the audience, as well as helping them to absorb information. When presentation design is used in this way, it can impress and engage audiences, and even ensure that audience members are able to recall more of the information delivered. Watch <a href="http://www.m62.net/presentation-theory/visualisation/the-right-visuals/">this video</a> to gain a better understanding of how visualisation can impact audiences.</p>
<p><strong>What Looks Good?</strong></p>
<p>There are certain rules about what works on a slide that all presenters should follow. For example, colour schemes can have a big impact. The human eye is drawn to contrast, so colour schemes, whilst they shouldn’t clash (because it looks amateurish), should be sharp enough that text can still be seen clearly. Similarly, text needs to be big enough for it to be clearly read on any screen. At m62, we have OQS based on years of experience, designed to create the best possible impression of the presenter. You can find more information on our OQS <a href="http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-training/powerpoint-design/quality-in-presentation-design/">here</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Distraction</strong></p>
<p>Presenters and designers also need to be careful not to distract their audiences. Irrelevant images, ‘exciting’ animations, and other pretty but unnecessary touches can take away from the focus of a presentation – the message. If you include an image that is pretty but not strictly relevant, you could lose your audience to a completely different train of thought. For example, using an aeroplane to represent travel can actually leave your audience members thinking about their holidays. If it’s not strictly relevant – don’t use it.</p>
<p><strong>Animation</strong></p>
<p>That said, when used correctly, <a href="http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-training/powerpoint-animation/">animation</a> can be a powerful tool in a presentation designer’s belt. Subtle animations can ensure that the audience’s attention is drawn to the right place at the right time. An example of this working effectively is to make a graph build, so that the audience sees each level of information at the relevant time. This stops information overload, allowing audience members to process each stage before moving on to the next. Using animation in this way ensures that the audience’s attention is where you want it to be.</p>
<p><strong>Focus</strong></p>
<p>But most importantly, every presentation should be designed in a way that truly reflects the message, and best delivers it to the audience. Every point and every piece of design should be created with the message in mind, so that upon every click of the slide, the message is further supported.</p>
<p><strong>Days, Not Minutes</strong></p>
<p>Don’t expect to be able to produce a winning presentation overnight. A presentation should take days to prepare, not minutes. We have plenty of resources on the site that can help  – in addition to those listed above, check out our <a href="http://www.m62.net/presentation-theory/bullet-points-dont-work/">Bullet Points Don’t Work</a> articles, or our <a href="http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-training/">PowerPoint tutorials</a>. However, a few subtle changes may not have the effect you were looking for. In order to having the biggest impact on audiences, presentation designers need to embrace an entire presentation overhaul.</p>
<p>If, however, you want immediate results, or aren’t sure you’ll be able to get this one hundred percent right – talk to us. m62 has a range of services available for many different presentation needs, ranging from a <a href="http://www.m62.net/about-m62/presentation-services/m62-impress/">design service from £75 a slide</a>, to an all-encompassing <a href="http://www.m62.net/about-m62/presentation-services/m62-recall/">messaging rework</a>, to <a href="http://www.m62.net/about-m62/presentation-training/">presentation workshops</a> that will transform the way presenters and designers think about PowerPoint – and presentations in general.</p>
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		<title>Shakespeare Template</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/education-templates/shakespeare-template/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/education-templates/shakespeare-template/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:00:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Education Templates]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13734</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[To celebrate the world's most famous playwright, William Shakespeare, we've produced this Shakespeare PowerPoint template for you to download.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Shakespeare_Template_Thumbnail.png"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-13736" title="Shakespeare Template Thumbnail" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Shakespeare_Template_Thumbnail.png" alt="Shakespeare Template Thumbnail" width="165" height="124" /></a>Here in sunny England, it&#8217;s St George&#8217;s Day next week, which also coincides with Shakespeare Day! To celebrate the world&#8217;s most famous playwright, William Shakespeare, we&#8217;ve produced this Shakespeare template for you to download.</p>
<p>The Shakespeare PowerPoint template features a faded image of the bard against an old paper background, with a contrasting title slide designed as a leather bound book. The template also includes a pre-programmed title bar with animated feather quill. The Shakespeare template would be suitable for class projects, in a teaching environment, or simply to celebrate Shakespeare&#8217;s talent. Download the Shakespeare template for free for use in your own presentations.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/m62_Shakespeare_PowerPoint_Template1.potx">Download Shakespeare Template</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Shakespeare_template_large_image.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-13740" title="Shakespeare PowerPoint Template slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Shakespeare_template_large_image-260x195.png" alt="Shakespeare PowerPoint Template slide" width="260" height="195" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>All our PowerPoint templates are free. If you use one, please say thanks by sharing via Google+1, Twitter, or Facebook. Thank you!</p>
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		<title>Pitch Presentation Details</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/presentation-skills/sales-presentation-skills/pitch-presentation-details/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/presentation-skills/sales-presentation-skills/pitch-presentation-details/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:55:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Sales Presentation Skills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sales Presentation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13746</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When working on a high stakes pitch, it’s all too easy to focus on the endgame and lose track of the finer points. Here m62 highlights the dangers.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Pitch-Presentation-Details-Thumbnail.png"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-13760" title="Pitch Presentation Details Thumbnail" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Pitch-Presentation-Details-Thumbnail.png" alt="Pitch Presentation Details Thumbnail" width="165" height="124" /></a>Don&#8217;t Forget the Details</h2>
<p>So, you’ve spent weeks crafting the perfect structure for your pitch and have complete confidence in your material. You know each part of your pitch backwards and the reasoning behind it all. You’ve employed the services of a graphic design agency to create the slides. They were listening to Moby and drank<strong> </strong>plenty of Lapsang Souchong tea so you’re sure that what they handed back to you is in fact a work of art that will woo the audience into a state of dreamy-eyed receptiveness*. You’ve rehearsed the deck so many times that you’ve managed to streamline your delivery and trim the deck down to a lean 20 minutes &#8211; the optimum length for a presentation, well done!</p>
<p>It’s at this point that you should take a break. Detach yourself as much as possible from the presentation for an afternoon or an evening and then come back to it with fresh eyes.</p>
<p>Now, have you really included everything that’s required to back up your pitch’s story, or have you just assumed it’s all there? I’m not talking about the big stuff &#8211; whatever you do, don’t start second guessing the structure of your deck at this point. I’m referring to the inner workings of the bid. The important, easily overlooked, details.</p>
<p>When working on a high stakes pitch, it’s all too easy to focus on the endgame and lose track of the finer points. If you and your team have spent months preparing a bid, you could be forgiven for assuming that the essential detail has been included from the start. However, when you’ve been committed to a project for a length of time, it’s tempting to see what you <em>think</em> you’re producing rather than what’s actually being brought together. Combine this with the high pressure atmosphere involved in planning and executing a bid and it becomes easy for essential points to get overlooked entirely. Even in a large team, where you may think that large numbers mean that <em>somebody</em> would spot an omission, if everyone is equally familiar with the presentation, the details are still at risk of getting lost in the big picture. Taking a break once in a while will enable you to step back and make sure the presentation touches all the points it needs to.</p>
<p>Once you’re certain all the necessary points have been included in the foundations of your presentation, it’s important to ensure you don’t overlook them in your enthusiasm to deliver a winning bid. The success of a pitch relies in a large part on the ability to maintain a healthy perspective on the content. You’ve grown to know the story and details behind your bid intimately during your preparation; the audience won’t have the same familiarity. As much as possible when rehearsing, be mindful that your audience may need you to demonstrate and explain things that, at this stage, you could easily take for granted. Try to see the content with fresh eyes &#8211; is your delivery actually demonstrating all the information it needs to be?</p>
<p>Relentless practice without perspective eventually becomes rote, counter-productive, and ultimately risks the success of the bid. When you’re in the final stages of your preparation, assume nothing; don’t ignore key components of your bid story because you’re familiar with them &#8211; they will likely need to be demonstrated &#8211; and pay attention to how the presentation <em>really</em> flows rather than how you <em>think</em> it’s flowing.</p>
<p><strong>*</strong>For the record, agency slides probably won’t do much more than look pretty, but that’s <a href="http://www.m62.net/about-m62/presentation-agency-selection/">another article</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Even in a large team, where you may think <em>somebody</em> would spot an omission, if you’re all equally familiar with the subject matter, the details are at risk of getting swept up in the excitement and lost amidst supporting facts and figures.</strong></p>
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		<title>Cherry Blossom Template</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/travel-templates/cherry-blossom-template-2/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/travel-templates/cherry-blossom-template-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:03:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Travel Templates]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13693</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This Cherry Blossom PowerPoint template has an elegant Japanese theme and features animated cherry blossom petals.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/7.png"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-13695" title="Cherry Blossom Template Slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/7-165x125.png" alt="Cherry Blossom Template Slide" width="165" height="125" /></a>This Cherry Blossom template has an elegant Japanese theme. The template features a Shoin-zukuri in the bottom corner, with a cherry blossom tree and subtle animated petals.</p>
<p>The Cherry Blossom PowerPoint template is fully programmed and includes a title slide and animated title bar. Download for free for use in your own presentations.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/m62_Cherry_Blossom_PowerPoint_Template2.potx">Download Cherry Blossom Template</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/6.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-13696" title="Cherry Blossom Title Slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/6-260x195.png" alt="Cherry Blossom Title Slide" width="260" height="195" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px;">All our PowerPoint templates are free. If you use one, please say thanks by sharing via Google+1, Twitter, or Facebook. Thank you!</span></p>
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		<title>Horse Racing Template</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/sport-and-leisure-templates/horse-racing-template/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/sport-and-leisure-templates/horse-racing-template/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 04 Apr 2013 10:00:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Sport and Leisure Templates]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13706</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This Horse Racing PowerPoint Template features the silhouette of a horse galloping on a racecourse in front of white fencing.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/GrandNational_Title_Small.png"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-13708" title="Horse Racing PowerPoint Template" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/GrandNational_Title_Small-165x125.png" alt="Horse Racing PowerPoint Template" width="165" height="125" /></a>Here in Liverpool, we&#8217;re eagerly anticipating the Grand National this weekend, and have created this template to celebrate the UK horse racing event of the year.</p>
<p>The Horse Racing PowerPoint Template features the subtle silhouette of a horse galloping on a racecourse in front of white fencing. The template includes an animated title bar and a contrasting green title slide.</p>
<p>The Horse Racing Template would be suitable for presentations on the Grand National, or on horses and the races in general. Download for free for use in your own presentations.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/m62_Grand_National_Template_PowerPoint_Template.potx">Download Horse Racing Template</a></p>
<p><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-13710" title="Horse Racing Template Title Slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/GrandNational_Front_Big-260x195.png" alt="Horse Racing Template Title Slide" width="260" height="195" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>All our PowerPoint templates are free. If you use one, please say thanks by sharing via Google+1, Twitter, or Facebook. Thank you!</p>
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		<title>Spring Template</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/abstract-templates/spring-template/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/abstract-templates/spring-template/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:46:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Abstract Templates]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13675</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This Spring PowerPoint Template features bright sunflowers on a grassy foreground, with blue skies behind. Download the Spring Template for free.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Spring_Front_Small.png"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-13677" title="Spring PowerPoint Template Title Slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Spring_Front_Small-165x125.png" alt="Spring PowerPoint Template Title Slide" width="165" height="125" /></a>Although the weather&#8217;s still miserable here in the UK, we&#8217;ve got our fingers crossed that Spring is just around the corner. So see in the warmer weather with this Spring PowerPoint Template!</p>
<p>The Spring Template features bright sunflowers on a grassy foreground, with blue cloudless skies behind. The main body slides include a contrasting background for content.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/m62_Spring_PowerPoint_Template.pptx">Download Spring PowerPoint Template</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Spring_Title_Big.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-13678" title="Spring PowerPoint Template Body Slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Spring_Title_Big-260x195.png" alt="Spring PowerPoint Template Body Slide" width="260" height="195" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>All our PowerPoint templates are free. If you use one, please say thanks by sharing via Google+1, Twitter, or Facebook. Thank you!</p>
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		<title>Happy Easter Card</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-slides/powerpoint-greeting-cards/happy-easter-card/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-slides/powerpoint-greeting-cards/happy-easter-card/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:03:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[PowerPoint Greeting Cards]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13648</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This Happy Easter PowerPoint Greeting Card features a hopping rabbit chasing an Easter egg. Download for free to send to friends and family.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/easter-1.png"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-13650" title="Happy Easter PowerPoint Card Thumbnail" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/easter-1-165x125.png" alt="Happy Easter PowerPoint Card Thumbnail" width="165" height="125" /></a>This Happy Easter PowerPoint Greeting Card features a hopping rabbit chasing an Easter egg along the ground.</p>
<p>Download this Happy Easter Card to send Easter greetings to friends and family.</p>
<p>Happy Easter!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/m62_-Happy_Easter_PowerPoint_Slides.pptx">Download the Happy Easter PowerPoint Greeting Card</a></p>
<p><iframe src="http://m62.kulu.net/view/9EGvXIOUDJj?embed=true&amp;width=550&amp;height=413" frameborder="0" width="550" height="413"></iframe></p>
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		<title>Palm Sunday Easter Template</title>
		<link>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/christian-templates/palm-sunday-easter-template/</link>
		<comments>http://www.m62.net/powerpoint-templates/christian-templates/palm-sunday-easter-template/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:46:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jessica Pyne</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Christian Templates]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.m62.net/?p=13634</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[m62's Palm Sunday Easter Template would be suitable for a sermon or presentation on Palm Sunday and the events leading up to Easter. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2.png"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-13637" title="Palm Sunday Easter Template Title Slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2-165x125.png" alt="Palm Sunday Easter Template Title Slide" width="165" height="125" /></a>This Palm Sunday Easter Template features a title slide displaying a scenic view with palm trees in the foreground. The main body slides have a palm leaf in the background with overlay space for slide content.</p>
<p>The Palm Sunday Easter PowerPoint Template would be suitable for a sermon or presentation on Palm Sunday and the events leading up to Easter. Download the template for free for use as you wish.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/m62_Palm_Sunday_Easter_PowerPoint_Template.pptx">Download Palm Sunday Easter Template</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-13638 alignleft" title="Palm Sunday Easter Template Main Body Slide" src="http://www.m62.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3-260x196.png" alt="Palm Sunday Easter Template Main Body Slide" width="260" height="196" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px;">All our PowerPoint templates are free. If you use one, please say thanks by sharing via Google+1, Twitter, or Facebook. Thank you!</span></p>
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