Customer Reviews

Presentation S.O.S.: From Perspiration to Persuasion in 9 Easy Steps

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4 star:		(2)
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In addition to the positives mentioned in the other reviews, I have to highlight a great chapter on the often misused PowerPoint ("PowerPoint Doesn't Bore Audiences, Lousy Speakers Do") By emphasizing the importance of a good presentation and clear, simple and direct PowerPoint slides, Wiskup shows how to get the most from this tool without getting bogged down by the its technicalities. As a former training director I've seen lots of bad PowerPoint and this book provides a simple antidote.

Any one chapter of Mark Wiskup's book is worth the price of the whole thing. The novice will appreciate the first chapter on stage fright; I've been a professional speaker for more than a decade, and I found something useful in every chapter. Wiskup's chatty style, clear prose, and story-telling ability even make this an enjoyable read.
My favorite discovery was the Power Sound Bite, which Wiskup calls the PSB. This is the clear, concise and engaging message we all wish we had at our fingertips when someone asks, "What can you do for me and my business?" Wiskup shows you how to build a PSB and provides examples of good, mediocre and bad ones. He also tackles story-telling, which is almost a lost art in some places( even though we all freely admit that we'd much rather listen to a compelling story than a recitation of numbers or business-speak clichés).
If you've ever used the phrase "integrated solutions" and seen people's eyes glaze over, but this book.
If you've ever said that anything was "(fill-in-the-blank)-centric," buy this book.
If you've ever used the clichés "at the end of the day" or the filler word "basically," buy this book and read it before your next presentation, whether it's in front of a large audience or a single decision-maker.

Fear of speaking in front of a group is the third greatest fear of Americans, according to the book of lists -- preceded only by death by fire and death by drowning! Yet in business we are often judged, albeit unfairly, by our ability to present.

Wiskup knows this and does a fine job of helping the reader understand where this fear originates. By understanding the particular hot button that causes your fear to rise up within you and choke your ability to present in a powerful and persuasive way, you begin to understand how to eliminate that fear.

He helps the reader understand the importance of the PSB (Power Sound Bite) to make each presentation memorable. He illustrates the power of these using both classical ("to be and not to be? That is the question!" and "Let them eat cake!") And contemporary ("You like me, you really like me!," "The tribe has spoken," and "You're fired!") examples.

Wiskup also correctly identifies a longtime trend in speaking that needs to be in every presenter's tool kit -- the art of storytelling. It is the key to moving a good presentation to a great presentation. Stories can bring out facts and figures, that presented alone, will never move an audience to life in a way that compels action.

Wiskup also identifies six deadly ways to open a presentation -- that are probably used in 90% of all your presentations -- but you'll have to buy the book to learn what they are and how to avoid them!

I found this to be a practical useful book that will stay on my bookshelf. Armchair Interviews agrees.

The downside of this book is that it has no visuals, no pictures, no fancy color printing inside, and it is printed in expensively; no bells & whistles - just meat & potatos.

Recently, wanting to move my presentation skills to the next level, I spent $1,500 on books & audio. Without a doubt THIS BOOK IS THE BEST resource for advanced presenters. Of all the trainings in my career I've had in presentaiton, negotiation, media & crisis communication, I recommend this as 'the golden little book' to connect with an audience.

I applied the ideas now 3 times to big presentations and each time with "knock-out" success & unsolicited feedback from the audience afterwards. Practice makes perfect !

I loved the book. I had to give my "State of the Foundation" speech recently at our Annual Dinner, and got great feedback. I credit a lot of that to what I have learned from this book - most importantly I included some stories and didn't spout off a lot of statistics.

Does the thought of standing up in front of a crowd leave you with cold chills running down your spine? The ability to deliver a speech is crucial to upward career mobility. Millions lack this necessary skill because they allow their fears to hold them prisoner.

In Presentation S.O.S.: From Perspiration to Persuasion in 9 Easy Steps, communication expert Mark Wiskup offers nine quick and easy steps that will have you quickly making unforgettable presentations. His helpful advice shows you how you are able to capture your audience from the beginning and hold it until the end.

Being a trainer, I felt I had a good grasp on the techniques that were involved in giving an effective speech. This book showed me my skills were sadly lacking and there was much I could do to improve. I enjoyed the straightforward advice that helped me open my eyes to my own faults. Very highly recommended.

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I've read a large number of books on presentation and communications. Most books read painfully like text books and others labor over the subject - and often use manipulative techniques in attempt to win over the audience. Presentation S.O.S. is an enjoyable read. But don't be fooled by the cute title or the fact that the book is < 200 pages. This book is powerful in that it nails the key factors in connecting with your audience. You won't be disappointed.

Great, quick read for those who desparately need help on presentations. Ever sit through those 87 slide PowerPoints? This book helps you get to your point right away, helps your audience relate and empathize with you. Stories are the best way to get the audience to connect to your audience and Mark helps you be a good "story teller". Helpful hints such as not saying, "honestly, or to tell you the truth" make sense when you think about it. If you have to tell someone that you are telling them the truth during one part of your presentation, are you lying during the other parts of the presentation? I am going to purchase 30 books for our marketing people and have a review of the story telling portion before every presentation.

As a successful business person - and one that really doesn't like to present to large audiences - I have read many books on how to develop a memorable presentation. Mark Wiskup's S.O.S. is the best by far. He clearly outlines unique steps to grab an audience - whether it be a one-on-one sales presentation or a PowerPoint presentation to a large audience. A must read if you want to clearly differentiate yourself from all the boring speakers out there.

This book has given me a new perspective on making presentations. I was particularly impressed with the concept of Power Sound Bites and story telling. It has opened up a whole new approach to my speaking. It should be read by every speaker!