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Textbook Suggestions--presentations
Posted By: jwagner* on 12/29/2004 9:30 AM (CST) 250 Points
Hello,

I am in search of a good textbook for a marketing presentations class that I am teaching in the coming semester. I would like software to be included with the textbook. Any suggestions are highly welcome!

Posted by: mgoodman Member Response
12/29/2004 6:44 PM (CST)
I may have been ill (or otherwise skipping class) when they taught "marketing presentations," so I don't know what that means. Is a "marketing presentation" something brand managers make to senior management to justify their budgets, or is it essentially what you deliver when you make a sales call on an important customer? Or is it something else altogether?

What are the prerequisites for the course? It's hard to make a "marketing presentation" without some substance. What is the essence of a "marketing presentation?" And who are the students for this course? Are they undergrads, grad students, MBAs, general managers, other?

What country? What school (or what kind of institution)?

Answers could be different based on this information.
 
Posted by: jwagner* Author Response
12/30/2004 9:25 AM (CST)
I apologize for the limited information. The course is taught in conjunction with a Market Research class. The two work together to research a product and present on the product.
The presentations class is more or less a speech, or business communication type class. It focuses on proper presentation skills, outlets for presenting ideas, including the Web and certain computer software programs.
This course is taught to associate degree level students. It is a required course for the Marketing Associate Degree within Moraine Park Technical College--a member of the 16-district Wisconsin Technical College System.
The class is very similiar to an Oral Communication or Speech class. That is where my issue lies--I need to gear it more at marketing and stay away from the broader scope of communication.
Again--help is appreciated by any member who may know of a good text or software program to teach.

Thanks!
 
Posted by: SRyan ;] Accepted Answer
12/31/2004 12:35 PM (CST)
Check this out in our Resource library:
http://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/res_detail.asp?resID=56

It's not a textbook, but it might have a good impact on your class.

I'm afraid that the world can't avoid PowerPoint as a presentation tool, but we don't have to blame the software for the typically lousy, boring content!

- Shelley ;]
 
Posted by: mgoodman Accepted Answer
1/2/2005 8:42 PM (CST)
I don't know of any textbooks that apply directly. Of course, there are materials that deal with presentation skills (not specific to marketing), and materials that help you use PowerPoint more effectively ... but those are not what you want, if I understand you correctly.

The kinds of things you need are best generated from a "best practices" survey. You'll get things like "tell a story," and "summarize each chart by saying '... this chart shows ... and that means ...'"

I doubt that there's a textbook that will be a bull's-eye for your needs. You may have to write it yourself. Perhaps you can get a few of the experts here on KHE to collaborate ... or at least volunteer a few of their personal favorite tips. You can collect them and publish the compendium.

If I thought there was a big enough market for it, I'd write the book myself! What a neat topic.

Good luck.

P.S. I have a publishing company in place, and I would be interested in talking about this if you decide to become an author.
 
Posted by: jwagner* Author Response
1/3/2005 8:46 PM (CST)
Thank you all for any advice you have provided. I may look more into a specific "presentations" text. I actually have an old text, but it is from 1994. It focuses on communication and presenting; much of which has not really changed. When it comes to software, the other instructor and I are combining on introducing students to different software programs. And, hopefully, if the students have made it this far, they are familiar with the various types of presentation software.

Thank you again, and if you have additional resources, I would love to have them!
 
Posted by: rob Accepted Answer
1/5/2005 10:56 AM (CST)
I don't think there's much difference in communicating a marketing idea versus anything else. The goals are same in that you are attemtping to persuade or inform your audience about something. I have found this basic outline (from Focus Communications International) to be simple but extremely helpful:

The Three Keys to a Successful Presetation
1. Verbal
-Central message
-Use of visuals
-Time for Q&A

2. Vocal
-Volume
-Pace
-Inflection
-and use of pause

3. Visual
-Eye contact
-Energy
-Gestures
-Expressions
-Attire

As far as software, the truth is the PowerPoint exists and there's not much else. That being said, besides the excellent article already mentioned you should check out Edward Tufte's writings on PowerPoint as well.

Another issue you could address is when to give a copy of the presentation and when not to. We hold a conference every year fofr our biggest clients and history had been that every client got hard copy of each presentation when they arrived. Two years ago, I proposed that we put the presentations on CD rather than hand out hard copies. Their were two primary reasons;

1) cost

2) Clients would be put in the position of engaging the speaker more
rather than trying to follow him/her through each page of the
presentation.

Best of luck and I hope some of this info was/is helpful.



 
Posted by: thinkmor Accepted Answer
1/27/2005 6:34 AM (CST)
Hi Jwagner

If you are limited to Powerpoint, then I recommend you buy Seth Godin's - Really Bad Powerpoint to help you with your presentations. The best $1.99 you'll ever spend!

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005R2F7/ref%3Dnosim/permissionmar...


Hope this helps.


Zahid Adil
 
Posted by: coughter* Member Response
1/29/2005 4:28 PM (CST)
My name is Peter Coughter and I'm a professor at the VCU Adcenter, which is a graduate school of advertsing in Richmond, VA. I'm currently working on a book that would answer your questions, but in the meantime, I conduct two day workshops on this very subject.

Rob's response to your request enumerated some of the content that is critical to effective presentations. It was actually an excellent answer in such a brief form.

I'd like to help you, but the book isn't finished yet.
 
Posted by: telemoxie Member Response
2/1/2005 11:29 PM (CST)
It isn't a book - but you might want to check out http://www.soniacoleman.com/templates.htm
 
Posted by: Val (Moderator)* Moderator Response
2/2/2005 8:45 PM (CST)
Hello all. I am closing this question, since its more than two weeks old. We do this to make sure members' contributions are rewarded in a timely manner and to improve the visibility of newer questions.

Thanks, so much, for participating!
Val (Moderator)
 


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