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As we all know different people learn in different ways. Some of us are thinkers; we take the information we are being fed, go away digest it, reflect upon it and happily store it once straight in our heads. Others are doers; best learning when we can carry out the task ourselves or immediately experiment with the information we are being provided. You have your information sponges; people who can absorb and store information easily and as quickly as it is being fed to them and then you have your visually stimulated learners; those of us who like and respond better to visual stimulation be it watching a video, being shown an example or seeing a drawing on a flip chart!

For visually stimulated learners the use of props and visual aids can really help the intake of information and for all other types of learner they can offer a welcome break from and humour to any presentation or tutorial.

Visual aids are used in all kinds of industries for all kinds of purposes whether it be for presentations, training courses or public speaking and not only do some learners respond better to visual aids, many people teach and present better with the use of them.

The pressure of public speaking can be immense especially when all eyes are you. Whether you are in a classroom of twenty or in a hall of 2000, the distraction of props away from yourself can often be a welcome one. As well as diverting attention, a visual aid also gives you another channel for your explanation & presentation. A simple example of this can be describing an apple! With nothing to hand you would probably be using phrases like “the bit at the top” and “the outer layer” and so on. However with a prop apple in our hand we would be more likely to present in a way where we would be saying “this part here” and “the green colour is the skin”. This example also explains why some people absorb the information better when taught in the visual way. By making a connection between the visual aid and the information being explained to us we combine the two and store the information easily.

Obtaining visual aids to assist in any presentation is easy. Sometimes it can be something simple we have at home, old clothes, boxes, packaging etc. Or for those visual aids that are more likely to be reused time and time again or be handled by members of the group you may want to consider replica items and props. The market today offers all kinds of replica items from fake food to fake diamonds all of which can be packed up and stored ensuring you are armed for any kind of future presentation.

As a public speaker you will want to reach all types of learners, you will also want to keep everyones attention and most of all hope that your group enjoy their time with you and take something away with them. By combining your presenting/ teaching methods using both information and visual stimulation you are more likely to keep your audiences attention and reach a broader spectrum of your targeted group.

Before sharing with you some general advice about principles of public speaking, I am assuming that you know that great presentations take hours, sometimes days, of dedicated preparation. I do realize that if you make presentations to clients on a regular basis and it’s only the actual content that changes, you won’t have to spend a great deal of time preparing after the first couple of times.

However, I base all my seminars on the principle that to present at your best, you must be prepared to prepare. Both your material and your self.

First Principle: Aural (listening) and visual communication are very different

The saying that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ can be true. Keep that saying in mind when using visual aids. Use a picture, diagram, flow chart or other image to convey visually what you’d need a thousand words (or so) to say. Your use of visuals in a presentation should illuminate the meaning of your spoken words.

Great presenters support their visual images by speaking in detail about what is being conveyed visually. That tactic is very useful and extremely powerful. It focuses the minds of the listeners simultaneously on the message which they’re receiving both visually and aurally (by listening).

When you show a slide of a rose but you talk about lemons – not that you’d dream of something as silly as that – but when there is a conflict between the visual image and what you’re talking about, confusion follows. Human beings find it difficult to listen to your words, while simultaneously looking at images about something even slightly different via your visuals.

Yet, even the most experienced public speakers do that. They spend their preparation time really well by distilling some complex information into a great diagram that is clear and easy to understand. They create that great visual and then talk and on and on (and on) – about something else.

We’ve all paid a huge entry fee to hear great public speakers present their information to an audience of people keen to hear them. We’re just relaxing into the presentation when up on the screen comes a diagram that looks like a circuit for a computer. Boxes all over the place, a few arrows going both ways or in circles and a colour/color scheme that confuses the listeners even more.

I’m sorry to have to say this, but University lecturers have been the worst offenders to date. The others are the people whose information is extremely up-to-date and very valuable but they haven’t invested enough time learning how to present their gems.

My approach to public presentations is inspired by something Albert Einstein is alleged to have said:

“If you really understand something, you can make it understandable to a ten year old.” So, be like Einstein: keep it simple. Your words and your visuals.

There’s a related rule I use in my own presentations. You don’t have to follow it, it’s just my advice. That rule is:

If your visual aids don’t stand alone, or make sense by themselves, dump them. If you don’t discard them, please at least have a very good second look at them. If your visual material is going to require lots and lots of verbal explanation, sorry sweetness, but they’re too complex for a public presentation. You can of course include them in your conference paper. That’s a different medium of communication altogether.

So to sum up that fundamental principle of good oral communication: never confuse your eager listeners by presenting difficult-to-follow visuals which in turn, are out of synch with what you’re actually talking about.

Public speaking fear can mar your presentation

A big reason for under par presentations is one with which we all feel some empathy. The person speaking is a world expert on the topic but… s/he is has such high levels of fear of public speaking that it becomes easier to hide in visuals. Worse still, some very nervous speakers resort to standing there and reading their presentation. I know that everyone can conquer their public speaking fear. If fear of public speaking is more of an issue for you than preparing your talks and presenting them using clear and simple visual and verbal language, I urge you to get the help to conquer that public speaking fear.

You’ve decided to attend a writer’s conference but you don’t have a book. No problem. Showcase your writing ability and writing style using articles featured in article directories. By glancing through your published articles, editors will know at a glance if your message is a perfect fit for their company.

You are a professional, especially if you have published articles. Don’t be afraid to market your articles. According to Jeff Herring, “Article writing is sharing a slice of your expertise with others. Article marketing is getting your expertise in front of as many eyes as possible, in as many consumable forms as possible.” If we accept his statement as true, writer’s conferences are the ideal place to share a slice of your expertise while getting it in front of as many eyes as possible.

As a professional who writes articles, market your articles in a way that appeals to others. Here are some tips to effectively present and market your articles at writer’s conferences.

1. Purchase a nice presentation binder for your articles. You are a writer looking for a job. Your articles are your resume. Invest the money and time selecting the right binder that suits your purpose. You can be creative with the cover but know that your articles are what the editors are interested in.
2. Group your articles by topic. At a glance, editors can see your diversity.
3. Insert your articles in protective sheets. You are a professional, make your articles as attractive as possible. Protective sheets keep your articles crisp and stainless.
4. Don’t talk while editors are reading your articles unless they ask you a question. Give editors an opportunity to experience your expertise. The less you distract them, the more they are able to focus on your articles.
5. If an editor isn’t interested in your articles, thank him or her and walk away. Don’t argue or try to persuade them that you are an excellent writer. Article marketers know that their articles will not meet the needs of everyone who reads them.
6. Keep a record of editors interested in your articles. Get their contact information. If they ask you to send them more information, DO IT! Don’t procrastinate. Your articles have opened a door of opportunity for you. Don’t be afraid to walk through it.

The next time you attend a writer’s conference, be prepared to market your articles. Use every opportunity to get your articles in front of as many eyes as possible in a way that does not offend editors. You will be well pleased with your article marketing results. Your extra bonus will be the personal contacts you make at writer’s conferences.

To learn more about article writing and article marketing, listen to free weekly article writing teleseminars.

It has become a very long standing tradition to give house warming presents to newly arrived people in your neighborhood. This tradition still stands strong today, however, the gifts seem to have faltered, and diminished in any real value over the years. It’s time to put a stop to that, and raise the bar once again.

Traditionally people will give things like:

- food
- cookware; dishes, or pots and pans
- flowers
- and wine

These are gifts that everyone seems to be giving now a days. They are simple, and easy to find, and usually quite cheap.

How do you know you like the same foods?

How do you know if they like that brand of cookware? That type of flower? Or that particular bottle of wine?

You don’t really, they will be polite and say thanks, but they probably will never eat, drink, or use the cookware you just got them. They’ll be thrown out, and even re-gifted if you got them that dish set.

Now, the one gift that you can not go wrong with, is a silver centerpiece. This will go in the center of their table, and can go with just about anything.

They can put fruit in it, place a flowered piece on top, it is not just decorative, it actually has a purpose that they will find very useful.

And since it is going to be in the middle of were they eat all the time, they will always remember that you gave it to them. People are going to comment on it, and even ask where they got it. And your name is going to come up, and they are going to be so proud to call you friend.

So, as you can see, giving them something as great as a silver centerpiece with their house warming presents, will not only benefit you, it will benefit them as well. So really, you have no real excuse why not to get one, put a smile on your new friends face, get them their very own silver centerpiece.

Mother’s Day is approaching and I know you want to get your mom something extra special this year. Lets face it everybody’s mother is special. But yours is more special because she’s your mother. So for your very special mom you probably want to make sure she knows how special she really is to you so you’re going to need some good Mother’s Day present ideas. Will just sit back and relax because I’m going to give you some great ones.

First lets get one thing straight. You know that whatever you give your special mom she will absolutely adore it so it’s not like you have to go way out to please her. You just want her to know that to you she’s not just an ordinary mother she is something much more.

Okay now that that’s out of the way lets look at some gifts. Something handmade is always special. I mean who doesn’t appreciate that you took time out of your busy schedule to make something just for them. A handmade gift gives that personal feeling that can’t be had with buying a gift from the store or online. When you give a handmade gift you’re giving more than just a gift. You’re giving your time, your love and you’re telling that person just how much you care.

Believe or not a gift card is one those great Mother’s Day present ideas. With a gift card your mother can get exactly what she wants. Sure she’s going to love anything you get even if it’s something she can’t really use. With a gift card all the guesswork is taken away. You know she’s going to have something she really likes because she can get it herself. This is really a caring gift.

One gift every mother positively loves is the gift of your time. Spend the day with your mom on her special day. Go to a movie, out to lunch or dinner. Better yet make lunch or dinner for her. Sit around and just talk with her. Make this Mother’s Day truly your mother’s day she will truly appreciate it and remember it for a long time.

That is just some of the Mother’s Day present ideas that can make your mom feel extra special. You already know she is and these gifts will let her know that you know she is. These are also gifts she can keep in her heart and mind for a long, long time.