Get AI support with your presentation

 

Unless you’ve been living under a stone, you must have heard about AI.  ChatGPT is the AI that most people are talking about and I am frequently asked if it will make our commercial copywriting redundant. (No, it won’t!)  However, it’s not the only AI out there.

If you have to create any kind of presentation, a sales pitch or a slide presentation, it can take time – a lot of it!  Then there is the issue of getting the design right, making it look professional, deciding what to put into the presentation and much more.  Bye bye at least half a day of your time.

But now there is a clever app - Gamma – which allows you to put a short overview of your presentation in and, in a matter of seconds, it creates a slick, professional presentation that you can download in both slide or pdf formats.

You don’t need to be a designer, you just need to tell it what your subject is and add any information you want included.  It’s completely magic!

You can edit, add, change and amend the presentation, but it saved all that toiling over a hot keyboard when you get a three-quarters (or more) finished version done for you.

There is a free (but watermarked) version and very affordable paid options too.

Transform your video material

If you’re anything like me, videos are a pain.  I know how powerful they are, but I’m not great at doing short videos for social media or to demonstrate one specific point in a presentation.  However, there’s an app for that!

If you have existing video – especially a long one, like a webinar you’ve recorded at some time – you can convert it into a whole host of short, TikTok and Instagram-ready, clips using either GetMunch or Opus.

This is a great way to transform your long form videos into fresh new content for social media or for using in your presentations to bring ideas to life.

ChatGPT isn’t the only AI out there, be brave and explore!

The secret of successful marketing

Once upon a time I was the director of a management training and consultancy practice.  Actually, I was one of three directors and we all came from different backgrounds.  I was from FMCG – retail, my colleagues were from banking and finance training and from further education.

We all had ideas about how to make our business successful, but couldn’t agree on a single focus.  There were a number of conversations in our management meetings about who we could help – and every suggestion was followed by someone else chipping in ‘Yes, but we could also help this type of company …’ 

We all had our pet projects and none of them really gained traction, because there wasn’t a single focus and a combined effort. 

The company stumbled along for a few years and eventually I resigned as it wasn’t paying me enough to live on.  It went into voluntary liquidation the following year.

This is why I bang on about ideal client profiles so much.  However, that’s only the first step.

Who and where and what and how

Knowing who you can help – in detail - is your initial focus.  Think of it as an archer who is facing the target and can see it clearly.

Then you must know where these people are to be found.  What business groups do they attend, which social media are they active on, which forums are they involved in?  This is your archer pointing the arrow at the target.

Now you need to understand your potential client.  What are the things that give them headaches, what keeps them awake at night and stresses them out?  Your archer is now taking account of the surrounding conditions, wind, light, noisy activities nearby, etc.

Finally you need to know how you can help them, which of their problems you can solve and what they will experience with that problem fixed.  Your archer is now drawing the string back and sighting at the target, and using their expertise to send the arrow flying accurately to the bullseye.

One at a time

If your business offers a wide range of products or services you may be thinking ‘but we have more than one ideal client profile’.  There’s no reason you can’t have more than one, but it’s best to focus on one at a time and create a process to reach, educate and engage with just one audience.

When you have got that ‘pipeline’ up and running successfully, you can move on to the next profile.

This worksheet might be useful in creating your ideal client profiles.

How to get noticed

Getting press coverage is Nirvana for most businesses, it’s a way to get your name in front of a whole audience who don’t yet know you – but it needs dedicated persistence, luck or investment of a substantial amount of money.

However, there are many ways to expose your business to new audiences, that are more accessible than the national dailies or big glossies.

Industry journals

If you know the publications – whether print or digital – that your target audience reads, you may find it much easier to get published in those.  Most industry publications are always looking for good content to engage their readers.

You’ll need to have a plan of action to contact the publications you’ve chosen and, ideally, email your proposal.  You’ll need to give them a title and a short summary of your proposed article – not the whole article until they’ve agreed.

Two tips – never submit the same article to more than one publication.  You can rewrite and retitle it, but duplication won’t do your reputation any good at all.

Find out their deadline and word count and stick to them.  If they ask for 600 words, they don’t mean 750.  If they want it by a specific date, deliver it on time, or before.

Local radio/TV

Local radio stations are often open to having guests to talk about specialist subjects.  Listen to your local stations and find out what kind of content they feature, ideally when your audience are likely to be listening.

Most broadcast media list ways to get in touch with them on their websites.  Contact either the show presenter or the producer and outline what you offer and how it will appeal to their audience.

Podcasts

Do a little research into the podcasters who are focused on the kind of people you can help and who interview experts.  They’re the ones that may be interested in your unique view on your specialist subject.  Most podcasts have contact information in the blurb.  Again you’ll need to outline what you offer and why their audience will find it interesting.

Speaking

Unless you are an accomplished keynote speaker, standing up and speaking in front of an audience can seem daunting.  However, it’s a great way to expose your expertise to a relevant audience. 

The best place to start is with your local networking group (or groups).  Most business networks offer members the opportunity to make a short presentation – typically 10-15 minutes.  This is an excellent place to show off your knowledge and expertise by sharing some useful tips and advice with your audience.

If you want to take it a step further, then take a look at the local business organisations (FSB, Chamber of Commerce, local branches of professional bodies, etc) and contact them with an overview of your presentation, your bio and an offer to come and educate their group.

Author a book

A book is a powerful business card.  It says you’re an expert and sets you apart from your competitors.  Most business owners have a wealth of information in their heads, gathered from years of experience and a book is an excellent means of promoting yourself (and your business).

If you’d like to know more about any of these subjects, please contact us for additional information.