Categories
communication design fun improv storyfinding

Lost Mittens & Lost Opportunities: The 3 Little Kittens of Business Emails

I’m sick and tired of getting emails from what I call the Three Little Kittens.

You know the story of the three little kittens who lost their mittens?

Well, those three little losers are also in too much of a rush to hit “send” on their business emails. As a result, they’re missing three factors that make emails useful:

🐱The first little kitten sent me an email and forgot to do any research on me or my business. They made a clumsy pitch that didn’t align with my needs, wants, or values.

🐈 The second little kitten sent a vague email that didn’t have a clear call to action. I didn’t know what to do when I got this email, so I shrugged and moved on.

😹 And the third little kitten? They completely missed out on editing! The email was a wall of words without white space, bullet points, grammar check, or spell check. I wasn’t about to wind my way through that ball of yarn!

Don’t be a little kitten when you send emails. Be a professional.

Categories
Coaching communication content ideas design fun improv Presentation storyfinding

Five Little Piggies Wrote Business Emails: And So Can You

The five little piggies were on a mission. They wanted to craft professional business emails that resonated with their recipients! Each piggy took a different approach:

🐷 The first little piggy went to market. It knew its purpose and got straight to the point! Its message was clear and concise. Like five toes, it ticked off five bullet points that led recipients step-by-step through the content.

🐷 The second little piggy stayed home. It wrote a professional out-of-office autoresponder that told recipients when it would respond to their emails, and who to contact in case of emergency. It also provided links to resources for answering common questions.

🐷 The third little piggy ate roast beef. Now that’s a specific personal preference! But was it tenderloin or bottom round? Before writing the email, that little piggy did research to learn more about the recipient’s preferences. Through personalization, they addressed the recipient’s specific needs and concerns.

🐷 The fourth little piggy had none. By the time it got to the fourth pig, it was exhausted. The poor swine’s inbox was swamped. Don’t overwhelm recipients with too many emails, or you’ll teach them to ignore yours!

🐷 The fifth little piggy went wee, wee, wee! A little humor can make your email memorable! Still, it’s a good idea to avoid unnecessary repetition. Make your message clear.

Each little piggy’s email had an outcome. Define your email’s goal—whether it’s generating leads, building relationships, or providing information.

And remember how the little piggies tickled and made you laugh? Inject a touch of warmth and friendliness into your emails.

Who knows? Maybe a playful tone can brighten someone’s day!

Categories
design fun PowerPoint Presentation public speaking

The Goldilocks Guide to Adding Detail in Your Presentations

Imagine Goldilocks preparing a business presentation. She doesn’t add too much detail. That might overwhelm her audience.

But she doesn’t use too little, either. She doesn’t leave her audience info-starved!

As usual, Goldilocks goes for that elusive “just right” amount of detail. So how does she do it?

✔ Goldilocks captivates with storytelling. She chooses concrete and relatable details that paint captivating mental images. A forest, a house, 3 bowls of porridge, 3 chairs, and 3 beds. Goldilocks also lets you know the sizes of the bowls, chairs, and beds.

✔ Goldilocks lets you in on her emotional state. First, she’s hungry. Then, she’s sleepy. But she doesn’t just say this with words; she describes her ACTIONS. She samples a taste from each bowl. She sits in each chair. She lays down in each bed.

✔ Goldilocks uses her tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language to emphasize the story’s emotional content. When she tells you how her first bowl of porridge was too hot, she makes a face. On her third bowl, she smiles and purrs, “Just right!”

✔ Goldilocks leaves room for engagement. She is all about having an interactive experience! She moves through her space, inviting you to emotionally engage with her actions. When you hear the story of Goldilocks, you relate to her experience.

But Goldilocks didn’t do everything “just right!” — did she? She made one serious misstep along the way….

❌Goldilocks didn’t read the room. She needed to find out where she was and what pitfalls she would likely encounter. The curious girl needed to uncover a few more essential details. A little audience research would have helped Goldilocks nail her ending instead of running screaming from the room!

Using the right amount of detail takes practice. It’s like putting cinnamon on your porridge. You’ll want to add flavor without overpowering your breakfast!

Aim for clarity, intrigue, and a touch of surprise. Your presentations and stories will resonate, leaving your audience well-nourished and eager for more!

Categories
design PowerPoint PowerPoint Presentation Presentation public speaking storyfinding

Ditch Your Slides: Draw on the Power of Whiteboard Talks!

I went to a business meeting in a small conference room. The presenter whipped out a PowerPoint deck and started presenting at us.

It was odd. There was a whiteboard right behind him. Instead of presenting at us, we could have enjoyed a convivial and interactive whiteboard chat.

If you automatically think, “I must PowerPoint at people” instead of “I must reach people,” — it’s time to switch the default setting in your brain! Step away from your PowerPoint slides and embrace a blank canvas of possibilities!

Instead of PowerPoint, consider delivering a whiteboard talk (or chalk talk) for your next presentation. Here’s how a whiteboard talk can make a real impact:

1️⃣ Showcase Your Personality: A whiteboard talk allows you to showcase your genuine self. You foster a sense of connection and authenticity by speaking directly to your audience. It’s an opportunity to engage personally, capturing attention and building trust.

2️⃣ Amplify Engagement: Whiteboard talks invite active engagement from your audience. As you draw or write in real-time, it sparks curiosity and encourages participation. The dynamic experience breaks the presenter-audience barrier, fostering meaningful interaction and dialog.

3️⃣ Visual Storytelling: The simplicity of a whiteboard can be a powerful storytelling tool. Use it to visually illustrate your narrative, creating a transparent and memorable journey for your audience. Combining spoken words and visual cues enhances comprehension, making complex ideas more accessible and powerful.

4️⃣ Flexibility and Adaptability: Whiteboard talks provide the flexibility to adapt on the fly. You can adjust the pace, dive deeper into specific topics, and respond to real-time audience questions or insights. This adaptability creates a dynamic and tailored presentation experience that resonates with your listeners.

Presentations are not limited to slides alone. Reimagine the way you captivate your audience!

If it’s been a while since you delivered a chalk talk, it’s time to give it a whirl!


Laura Bergells teaches classes and workshops. Hire Laura.
Or you can take Laura’s communications and public speaking classes at LinkedIn Learning – Free to LinkedIn Premium Members!

Categories
Blogging Coaching communication design Presentation storyfinding

How to Repurpose Content for Maximum Impact: The Power of the Story Arc

How can you tell one story across different channels without losing its essence or impact?

It can be so frustrating! You want to repurpose that story, but each platform has different requirements and audiences!

The answer is to start with the arc! Create a story arc to adapt your story to different formats, lengths, and audiences.

What’s a story arc?

A story arc is a structure with a beginning, a middle, and an end. It’s called an “arc” because it has a rising and falling action. The arc follows a clear progression of building up events and emotions and then winding them down toward the end.

The story arc can help you craft a compelling and coherent narrative that can be easily modified for different channels and audiences. For example, you can use the same story arc to create a blog post, a social media post, a video, or a podcast episode. You can also adjust the length of your story depending on how much time and attention you have from your audience.

How to create a story arc:

To create a story arc, you need to identify four elements:

  1. The Hook: Grab Your Audience’s Attention

    The hook is an opening sentence or paragraph that grabs your audience’s attention and makes them curious about your story. It should introduce the main topic, problem, or question that your story will address.

    For this blog post, the hook is the first line.
    “How can you tell one story across different channels without losing its essence or impact?”

  2. The Challenge: Create Tension and Emotion

    The challenge is the main obstacle or conflict you or your protagonist faced in your story. It should show what was at stake, why it mattered, and how it emotionally affected you or your protagonist.

    For this blog post, the challenge is “It can be so frustrating! You want to repurpose that story, but each platform has different requirements and audiences!”

  3. The Solution: Show How You Overcome the Obstacle

    The solution is the outcome or resolution of your challenge. It should show how you or your protagonist overcame the obstacle, what you learned, and how you changed.

    For this blog post, the solution is:

    “The answer is to start with the arc! You’ll want to create a story arc that you can adapt your story to different formats, lengths, and audiences.”

  4. The Takeaway: Share Your Main Point or Message

    The takeaway is the main message you want your audience to remember from your story. It should relate to your purpose, audience, and channel and include a call to action if applicable.

    For this post, a solution might be “Start with the arc!”

Use the Story Arc as Your Building Blocks

Once you have these elements, you can use them as building blocks to create different versions of your story for different platforms. Let’s use this blog post as an example:

  1. The Hook: Use it to create a headline or an Instagram caption

    I riffed on the hook to create the headline for this blog post. I might also use it for an Instagram caption or a Twitter post.

    Blog Title: “How to Repurpose Your Stories for Maximum Impact: The Power of the Story Arc”


  2. The Challenge: Use it as a video/podcast teaser

    If I was going to create a YouTube video teaser or a podcast episode, I might start by riffing on the challenge.

    Video Intro: “You want to repurpose one story across a variety of platforms, but dang it! Each platform has different requirements and audiences! What are you supposed to do?”

  3. Solution: Use it as a case study, LinkedIn post, or presentation

    If I was creating this blog as a case study or an instructional presentation, I might go straight to the solution:

    “To repurpose content that you can easily adapt to different platforms, start by creating a story arc. Here’s how…”


  4. Takeaway: Great for titles, rallying cries, and tweets

    I can always use a takeaway as a conclusion, a call to action or a rallying cry. I might even do a simple tweet on Twitter.

    “Want to repurpose content more easily? Start with the arc! Here’s how:”

By creating a story arc, you can more easily repurpose your stories for multiple platforms without losing their essence or impact. You can also create a consistent brand message across different channels and audiences, which can help you build your authority and reputation online.

I think you can see how this blog post is going to end! I’ll give you a final rallying cry for repurposing content:

Start with the arc!


Laura Bergells teaches public speaking and business communication classes and workshops. Hire Laura.

Take Laura’s communications and public speaking classes at LinkedIn Learning.  – Free to LinkedIn Premium Members! 

 

Categories
Coaching design PowerPoint Presentation public speaking

How to Turn Your Pre-Presentation Anxiety into Your Secret Friend

We’ve all been there. You’re about to give a presentation and you feel your heart racing, your palms sweating, and your stomach churning.

hello butterflies, my old friends! 🦋

You might think that the best way to deal with this anxiety is to get rid of it. To calm yourself down, to breathe deeply, to tell yourself it’s not a big deal.

But what if I told you that your anxiety is actually a good thing? That it’s a sign that you care about your topic and your audience? That it’s a source of energy and motivation?

That’s right. Your nervousness is not your enemy. It’s your ally. It’s there to help you perform better, not worse.

So instead of trying to overcome it or beat it into submission, why not embrace it? Why not say hello to it and thank it for showing up?

Try this: Next time you feel anxious before a presentation, say something like this:

“Well, hello there, my old friend anxiety. What are you here to teach me today?”

Maybe it’s there to remind you to do more research on your topic.

Maybe it’s there to encourage you to practice more. Maybe it’s there to boost your enthusiasm and excitement for your audience.

Whatever it is, listen to it and learn from it. Don’t let it scare you or stop you.

Befriend your butterflies so that they work FOR you, not against you!


Laura Bergells teaches public speaking and business communication classes and workshops. You can also book a private, one-one-one Zoom consultation with here: Hire Laura.

Take Laura’s communications and public speaking classes at  LinkedIn Learning.  – Free to LinkedIn Premium Members! 

Categories
Coaching communication design Education Presentation public speaking storyfinding

How to Hook Your Audience: In Medias Res

Picture this: You’re on stage, telling a story about the night you became a criminal. You say:

I’m lying in wet grass behind a cow barn. I just vandalized a property. Two angry men are hunting me down. My heart is pounding. I’m thinking, ‘I’m a mom of two. What am I doing here?

Boom! You’ve got your audience hooked. They want to know more. They’re on the edge of their seats.

You’ve also just used a storytelling technique called in medias res.

What is in medias res?

In medias res is Latin for “in the middle of things”. It means starting your story in the middle of the action, instead of at the beginning.

Why use in medias res?

En medias res can make your story more exciting and intriguing. It can spark curiosity and suspense in your audience. It can make them wonder:

  • What’s going on?
  • Who’s the speaker?
  • How did they end up in this situation?

Then, you can go back to the beginning and fill in the gaps.

How to Use In Medias Res

You don’t have to use in medias res for every story. Sometimes, it’s better to start at the beginning and build up to the climax.

But if you want to add some excitement to your story, try starting in the middle. Here are five tips for using in media res effectively:

  • Choose a moment that’s dramatic, surprising, or funny.
  • Make sure it’s relevant to your main point or message.
  • Don’t give away too much information at once. Keep some mystery.
  • Use sensory details to make the scene vivid and realistic.
  • Let your audience know that you’re safe and that everything turned out okay.

Experiment with in medias res and see how it changes your stories. You might find that it makes them more engaging and memorable!


Laura Bergells teaches public speaking and business communication classes and workshops. Hire Laura!

Take Laura’s communications and public speaking classes at LinkedIn Learning – Free to LinkedIn Premium Members!

Categories
Coaching communication design Presentation public speaking storyfinding

How to Make Your Stories Sizzle with Tense Choices

Imagine this: You’re on stage, telling a story about your wild past. You say:

I’m lying in wet grass behind a cow barn. I just vandalized a property. Two angry men are hunting me down. My heart is pounding. I’m thinking, ‘I’m a mom of two. What am I doing here?

Sounds thrilling, right? You’re using present tense to make your audience feel like they’re there with you.

But what if you said:

I was lying in wet grass behind a barn. I had vandalized a property. Two angry men were hunting me down. My heart was pounding. I was thinking, ‘I was a mom of two. What was I doing there?

Not so exciting, huh? You’re using past tense to distance your audience from your story.

Why Tense Matters in Storytelling

Tense is the verb form that shows when something happens: past, present, or future.

Tense can affect how your audience feels about your story. Here are two tips to help you choose the right tense for your stories:

🔥 Use present tense to create urgency and excitement. Present tense makes your story feel like it’s happening right now. It draws your audience in and makes them feel the emotions you felt.

🧊 Use past tense to create calmness and detachment. Past tense makes your story feel like it’s over and done with. It gives your audience some space and lets them observe your story from a safe distance.

How to Choose the Right Tense for Your Stories

There’s no hard and fast rule for choosing the tense of your stories. It depends on your purpose, your audience, and your style.

But here are some questions to help you decide:

  • Do you want to make your audience feel like they’re part of your story or just watching it?
  • Do you want to make your audience feel more or less emotional?
  • Do you want to make your story sound more or less realistic?

Experiment with different tenses and see how they affect your stories. You might be surprised by how much difference a verb can make!


Laura Bergells teaches public speaking and business communication classes and workshops. Hire Laura!

Take Laura’s communications and public speaking classes at LinkedIn Learning – Free to LinkedIn Premium Members!

Categories
communication design PowerPoint Presentation video

6 Tips on Using Color in Slide Design.

using color in slide design

Color choices on your slides are important. People react to color on both a physical and emotional level.

Often, we see color on PowerPoint slides that don’t seem to have a purpose. Or worse, the color undermines the emotional intent of the message. Sometimes, setting constraints or following basic rules on colors can help you make better color choices.

Here are 6 quick tips that cover the basics of using color in slide design.

1. Use bright colors to attract + stimulate. Don’t use color merely for decoration. Use it for a purpose like drawing attention or setting a mood.

2. Use muted colors for reflection + contemplation. You don’t want to be in “attraction + stimulation” mode all the time. Think about the emotional content of color and how it can enhance learning outcomes.

3. Be careful about using too much color on one slide. It can be confusing. Remember the design concepts of contrast and sameness: without balance, you can create clutter and chaos.

4. Beware of bevels, gradients, and red text. They can be hard to see.

5. Check contrasts for accessibility. For those who are color blind or have photosensitivity, some colors may be difficult or impossible to see. Check contrasts at https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/

6. Consider a limited, coordinated color palette. Pick one that meets your needs here: https://color.adobe.com/

What’s your fave quick tip for using color in slide design?


Laura Bergells is a professional story finder. She writes, coaches, teaches, and speaks. Check out her online courses at LinkedIn Learning.

If you’re a LinkedIn Premium or Lynda.com member, these courses are free! If you’re not a member, you can either become a member or buy each of these classes à la carte.

Categories
Blogging Coaching communication content ideas design Education PowerPoint PowerPoint Presentation Presentation public speaking social media Twitter video

How to transform presentation content into video social media posts

Here’s a question about presentations and videos I started to get a lot last month. I’ll paraphrase it:

Hey Laura. How do you do those square, short, silent little videos that you share on LinkedIn and Twitter?

The answer is: really easily! I use a tool called Canva. Update: And here’s a direct link so you can use Canva to create presentations and slides.

As a stand & deliver trainer, I have oodles of presentation content. Canva lets me repurpose bits and pieces of this content for easy social media sharing.

Yes, Canva excels at quick online video creation. I’m finding a lot of people use Canva — but we tend not to think of using it for video. We tend to think of it for images.

I’m also thinking a lot of people have PowerPoint presentations. Why not try using Canva to repurpose your presentation content for social media posts?

Canva lets you do this in a way that’s super easy to accomplish. I show you how in this two minute video. Enjoy!


Laura Bergells is a professional story finder. She writes, coaches, teaches, and speaks. Check out her online courses at LinkedIn Learning.

If you’re a LinkedIn Premium or Lynda.com member, these courses are free! If you’re not a member, you can either become a member or buy each of these classes à la carte.