Author: Ray Anthony, Barbara Boyd
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Reviewer: Gavin Wheeler, CEO, WDMP
With a conference speech looming, I thought that this book might give my presentation that lift you sometimes need to keep your audience engaged and get the necessary scores to get invited back.
My first reaction when this weighty tome landed on my desk was ‘Oh My God where do I start’ and starting at the beginning was definitely the wrong place.
It starts with comparing 35 mil slides to PowerPoint. A quick flick through made my impression of the book even worse: badly posed pictures of awkward presenters in hard hats clutching construction toys or recommending you use a bull horn to make sure your key points get across. I thought: ‘Oh My God my Dad has written this book in the 70’s’.
Now this book is entitled Innovative Presentations, so I thought it would be packed with modern relevant ways to achieve my objective. The problem is it is clearly aimed at literal ‘presentation dummies’, a sort of GCSE guide to presenting, or a presentation guide for people devoid of personality. It is trying to do everything and not just the innovative part.
If I hadn’t been writing a review I would have consigned this book to propping up the projector leg at my next conference (it’s just about the right thickness). However, I persevered.
Aside from the cheesy slide ideas there is some reasonable advice on utilising technology, recommending apps for iPads, putting together a webex etc. (although was it entirely necessary to state you need a computer and an internet connection). There is also some good audience insight for presenting to board level.
What this book needs is some better navigation, allowing you to dip in at the level you think you are at and could do with clearer sign posting to the key points. So the authors clearly need to read themselves, Writing Innovative Guides for Dummies, whenever someone gets around to writing it.
Star Rating:
1/5
