Hopefully you’ve heard that SlideRocket is the official online presentation partner for the upcoming SXSW Interactive Festival, March 12-16, 2010 in Austin, Texas.

Are you presenting this year? If you are, we are providing you with a free Business Edition account. Sign up to claim yours today, and we’ll be excited to help you get started in SlideRocket!

As the official online presentation partner of the event, we are thrilled with the opportunity to work with those of you presenting at SXSW to maximize the impact, effectiveness and lifetime value of your presentation. And good news for SXSW attendees- SlideRocket now becomes your go-to resource for event content – since our presentations are embeddable, SXSW will be able to share them on their site post-event, and the presenters can also do so on their own blogs or websites.

An incubator of cutting-edge technologies, the SXSW Interactive Festival brings together the world’s most creative web developers, designers, bloggers, wireless innovators, content producers, programmers, widget inventors and new media entrepreneurs. Until SlideRocket, presentations have been limited to flat, static slides built with antiquated technology. SlideRocket’s application changes the way people think about presentations – now, they are completely interactive, engaging and collaborative.

If you are presenting at SXSW this year, we would love the opportunity to work with you on your presentation.

Let’s get started with our top 10 tips for presenting:

1. Engage your audience

Check out our recent seminar, “The Backchannel: Presenter’s Nightmare or Dream Come True?” and learn how to make your presentation a two-way experience for you and your audience using social media tools such as Twitter.

2. Know your audience and interact with them

Take time to gather insight about the people you’ll be presenting to and ensure that your presentation packs a punch. Take polls or surveys, ask questions, or solicit input at various points throughout the presentation.  Here are some things you should know to keep attendees interested.

3. Use color

Evoke emotion and reactions, garner attention and influence the mood of your audience by reading our tips on using color in your presentation here.

4. Consider your angle

Point of view is everything. Stephanie Silverman of SilvermanSpeechConsulting has a great guest post on our blog, outlining 10 things to think about as you create and deliver presentations.

5. Use body language to enhance delivery

While what you say is very important, most often it’s the non-verbal cues you give that will determine how the audience responds to your presentation. Here are some great tips on our blog.

6. Maximize your presentations to achieve success

It can be difficult to promote yourself with a clear message, in a compelling and engaging manner so prospects understand and relate to the value of your product or service. Take a look at our newly updated Customer Page to get an idea of how SlideRocket users are meeting their business goals.

7. Record Audio

Creating pre-recorded content is a perfect way for allowing your presentation to live on after you are done speaking. Here are some best practices for recording audio.

8. Structuring your slides for maximum visual impact

The way you display information on your slides can make or break your presentation. Check out our tips, which include ideas on font selection, image selection and color usage.

9. Know how to use charts and diagrams

As research proves that visuals increase information clarity and retention, charts and diagrams continue to play a prominent role in presentations.  Learn the right way – and a wrong way – to structure and use them.

10. Effectively use presentation handouts

- Handouts are a great way to enhance your presentation, serving as a valuable reference tool.  Avoid rendering your handouts useless with these tips.

Fortunately, the majority of your audience members will kind and respectful during your presentation.  But, every once in a while, you may encounter someone who will go out of their way to disrupt your session and distract you as you’re speaking.  Whether it’s someone acting in a confrontational or argumentative manner, joking during the delivery of serious content, or holding side conversations with other attendees, coming face to face with a heckler is sure to rattle even the most seasoned presenter.

Here are 5 proven ways to effectively deal with a heckler.

1. Prepare in Advance

The best way to combat a heckler is to beat him to the punch.  Review your presentation content, and try to anticipate the kinds of trick questions someone could ask, or the snide comments or jokes a person may have the opportunity to make.  Be sure to have a comeback or response ready – their inability to throw you off your game will hopefully be enough to silence them.

2. Keep Your Temper in Check

While the natural reaction will be to get angry or upset, do your best to stay calm and composed.  Seeing you lose your cool is exactly what the heckler wants, and if you do so, it may encourage him to keep at it.

3. Never Let Them Smell Fear

If a heckler detects even the slightest bit of nervousness, his behavior will certainly continue.  By remaining confident at all times, you’re demonstrating that you can’t be shaken, and letting him know that he’s wasting his time. In fact, some experts have even suggested moving to a position either behind or next to the heckler as you’re speaking, to send a clear message that you will not be intimidated.

4.  Take a Break

If the heckler gets out of control, a short break – 10 or 15 minutes at most – may be in order.  This will give your audience a reprieve from an uncomfortable situation, and allow you to collect your thoughts.  You might even want to speak to the offender privately, and ask him to please be more respectful of both you, and the other audience members.  You can even offer to continue the discussion or debate with him at a later, more appropriate time.

5.  Ask Them to Leave

This, of course, should be used as a last resort.  But, when it becomes clear that the heckler won’t stop being disruptive, in spite of your best efforts, he will need to be removed from the audience so the presentation can continue uninterrupted.

Do you have other ideas on how to deal with hecklers or ornery audience members? Share them in the comments below. Want more valuable tips on effective presentation creation and delivery?  Review our archive of presentation tips and check back every week for new posts.

Did you get a chance to check out our hosted webinar this week, “The Backchannel: A Presenter’s Nightmare or Dream Come True” with author Cliff Atkinson?

For those of you who could not join the webinar, Cliff explored how backchannels (platforms for discussion created by users of social media) are being used during presentations. Take Twitter for example – have you ever posted a Tweet during a presentation? Was it positive or negative? Do you think the speaker would have benefited from seeing the Tweet?

Cliff brings up some really interesting points that I definitely agree with as to how presentations are changing and becoming more social with all the new web technologies. As Cliff pointed out, with social media, it’s all about doing everything you can to connect with your audience.

From what I have seen at conferences, the typical audience member is never without a laptop or smartphone, and is no longer sitting quietly while speakers talk – instead they’re using Twitter, Facebook, blogs and other tools to create this backchannel where they chat with one another, make comments about your presentation and broadcast their thoughts to people all over the world. Pretty amazing stuff! Cliff explained if audiences are happy, the backchannel can spread ideas far and wide, create buzz and keep the conversation going long after you’ve left the podium.  But, if audiences are unhappy, the backchannel can criticize your ideas and delivery, disrupt your talk and even derail your presentation completely.

Talk about information on-demand. It’s exciting to see how audiences are actively carving out a space to be engaged in the conversation, making presentations a two-way experience.

What do you think? Are you a frequent conference speaker or attendee? Is the backchannel yet another thing to fear when you give your next presentation or do you think of tools such as Twitter as a great opportunity to really know what people are thinking?

If you missed this seminar, you’ll want to check it out here for some best practices on how to best use Twitter before, during and after your presentation. It’s a great lesson in knowing your audience, doing your research before you make a presentation and using the right technologies to your advantage. Because, the days of one-way presentations are over.

If you like Cliff Atkinson’s web seminar on The Backchannel you may enjoy some of our other live and on demand seminars. Check them out on our SlideRocket Web Seminars page.

Handouts are a great way to enhance your presentation, serving as a valuable reference tool for your audience members.  Yet, most speakers simply print out and distribute copies of their slide set, rendering their handouts somewhat useless.

Here are the five valuable tips for most effectively using presentation handouts:

1. Content is Key

The primary goal of handouts is to provide your audience with additional background materials during the session, and/or valuable reference materials afterward.  In other words, handouts should do more than just repeat what’s already on your slides.  They should expand on that content with additional quotes, examples, tables, and figures, to validate and drive home the points your making.

2. Focus on Readability

While handouts should not be long documents, like the slides they compliment, they do need to be easy to read.  Use a clean font, in at least 12 point size.  And make sure graphics and images are large enough so all details and labels can be easily viewed.  And though you’ll want your handouts to have a sharp, professional look, it is best to avoid colored paper or fancy layouts that may distract from the content.

3.  Leave Room for Notes

Each member of your audience will take interest or find importance in different portions of your presentation content.  Additionally, you may make mention of certain facts, or cover certain topics that aren’t spelled out specifically on your slides.  Therefore, you’ll want to make sure that your handouts give attendees room to jot down key points.

4. Double-Check Your Work

Nothing will hinder your credibility more than a handout full of typos and mistakes.  Proofread carefully to ensure proper spelling and grammar.  And, make sure you have a handful of spare copies, in case your audience is larger that originally expected.

5.  When to Distribute

Should handouts be given to audience members before or after your session?  Well, that depends.  If they will need to refer to it as your speaking, or if they will need to take notes, then it is best to distribute them beforehand.  But, if the handout content mirrors what’s on your slides, and you want to prevent them from reading it as your speaking, or even jumping ahead, then it is best to wait until you’re finished.

Want more valuable tips on effective presentation creation and delivery?  Review our archive of presentation tips and check back every week for new posts.

While what you say is very important, most often it’s the non-verbal cues you give that will determine how the audience responds to your presentation.  Your body language, the subtle movements and gestures you make as you speak, is crucial.  The right body language can help you build a rapport with your audience, and add impact to your content.  But, the wrong body language can make your presentation less effective.

Here are a few important tips to keep in mind whenever you’re giving a presentation:

1. Keep Your Eyes on the Audience

Nothing conveys confidence and authority more than direct eye contact.  Failure to look at the people you’re presenting to may give the impression that you’re insecure, or even worse, dishonest.  What’s the key to maintaining eye contact throughout your presentation?  Preparation!  Know your content well, so you can look at your audience instead of your notes or slides.

2. Avoid “Blocking”

Certain gestures – like crossing your arms, putting your hands in your pockets, or standing behind a podium or laptop – can make you appear standoffish or unfriendly, and hinder your ability to connect with your audience.   This type of body language is known as “blocking”, and should be avoided at all costs. Instead, walk around the room and try to use deliberate hand gestures to emphasize what you’re saying.

3.  Smiles and Other Facial Expressions

While all types of facial expressions can help you stress key points, and should be used for emphasis wherever possible, the most powerful one in your arsenal is your smile.  Nothing relaxes an audience and builds rapport faster.  Unless the content of your presentation is somber in nature, which would make smiling inappropriate, smile as often as possible.  This is particularly important when presenting over the Web – believe it or not, those listening really will hear it in your voice.

4. Be Aware of Your Posture

Presenters need to be commanding, and demonstrate an air of authority in order to gain credibility with their audience.  Therefore, slouching, leaning, and shifting your weight from one leg to another is not the ideal way to stand as you speak.  Keeping your back straight and your shoulders up will convey your confidence to attendees.

5.  Your Attire Really Does Matter

Whether it is more appropriate to dress in formal wear, or business casual attire is debatable, and depends greatly on who your audience is.  But, whatever outfit you choose, make sure your clothing is not distracting.  Avoid bright colors, busy patterns, noisy jewelry, and other items that may draw the eye, or make it difficult for the audience to hear you as you’re speaking.

Want more valuable tips on effective presentation creation and delivery?  Check out our archive of presentation tips and check back every week for new posts.

Color is a very powerful presentation tool.  In fact, some studies show that effective use of color can enhance learning and retention by as much as 75 percent, and promote up to 80 percent more interaction and participation.  And, according to the Board Report of Graphic Artists, color, when used properly, can garner attention and influence moods. But, colors can be overused, or used incorrectly, which can serve to distract more than enhance.

Color can enhance learning and retention.

What are some of the best ways to use color in your presentations?

1. Color Versions

You may choose to have two versions of your presentation, one with a light background and one with a dark background. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first and most important one is readability. If you’re presenting in a dark room then a dark background like navy blue or black with lighter colored foreground elements like white or yellow will be easier for your audience to view with the lighter colored elements “popping” off the slide. In an environment with plenty of light, the reverse is true and you’ll probably want to choose a white background with darker type and slide elements. Another reason for having two background versions is printing. Darker backgrounds will use a lot more printer toner while white backgrounds will use less.

2. Choose Your Colors Wisely

Studies show that certain colors will generate different reactions from audience members.  For example, black promotes authority and strength, while blue conveys reliability and trustworthiness (which is why so many companies use it in their corporate logos).  Red excites people, prompting them to be more innovative and take more risks.  Orange demonstrates a combination of confidence and playfulness.  So, you’ll want to select colors carefully, based on the emotions you are seeking to evoke, or the perceptions you are trying to create.

3. Use Certain Colors Sparingly

While colors like red or purple can be rather effective in certain scenarios, when used too liberally, the presenter – and his or her delivery – can be viewed as overly aggressive.  The opposite is true for colors like white, gray, or pastels, which create a perception of passivity or weakness.  These colors should be used as highlight or accent colors only – as opposed to key colors within the presentation’s design.

4. Be Wary of Color Combinations

While certain colors may work well alone, when used in combination with other hues, they can fall flat. Of course, the most obvious color combination to avoid is red and green – you never know how many color blind people may be sitting in your audience.  Studies show that orange and blue together can actually agitate or distress attendees, because of the “vibrations” the eye picks up when they are placed next to each other.  And, red and blue don’t provide enough of a contrast, making it difficult to distinguish between slide elements.

5.  Busy Patterns are Always a No-No

While you want your presentation to be eye-popping, you don’t want it to be distracting.  Busy patterns and designs really won’t enhance the content of your slides.  Sounds obvious, right?  But, you’d be surprised how many presenters fill in their charts with stripes, or use a polka dotted backdrop.  These will only create a sense of confusion, and prevent your audience members from fully grasping what you’re saying.

Understanding color can be a great way to create reactions or solicit emotions from your audience. Here are some other resources for you to draw from when broadening your presentation palette.

• Color in Motion – an interactive tutorial by Claudia Cortes (very fun)
• Color Theory Presentation by The Owl at Purdue
• Learning to Use Color a CreativePro article
• Color Matters a web site all about color
• ColorLovers a community of artists and designers who share color inspiration

Want more valuable tips on effective presentation creation and delivery?  Check out our archive of presentation tips and check back every week for new posts.