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Harder than it looks

Kirsten at work was bouncing up and down the office  on this space hopper:100_2330

Thinking it looked easy, I had a pop and managed to fall off and twist my knee. I pretended it didn’t hurt, but they’ll be no five a side for a week or so.

It reminded me of all sorts of things that people manage to make look really simple, like supermarket checkout people who can work a till that would confuse Mr Spock at first.

That’s a problem with presenting strategy sometimes. If it’s something that’s simply beautiful, being slick and making it look effortless can backfire – it looks like you haven’t tried.

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5 responses to “Harder than it looks”

  1. Marcus Brown Avatar
    Marcus Brown

    I’m totally with you on this. As an ex-client I was always hated the slick presentation – it just came across as rehearsed. When I ran my own agency I always honest and sometimes “wrong” in presentations. It seemed to work. Does that make sense?

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  2. Rob Mortimer Avatar
    Rob Mortimer

    Thats why having passion and enthusiasm can be so much more effective than slickness and (I think im inventing a work here) ‘well rehearsedness’.

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  3. Marcus Brown Avatar
    Marcus Brown

    Apologies for the above. If you have seen the new sausage video you will know why my comment looks like I’ve had a few. Sorry.

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  4. gemma Avatar
    gemma

    The Jon Steels of this world are all for casual presentations, dumping powerpoint etc. – but I think you have to try and match the presentation style to client.
    Some clients I’ve met would be horrified if presented with anything other than a full standing up 100 powerpoint charts extravaganza.
    The only problem is that its a bit difficult to make the call on presentation style when its a pitch and you don’t know the client well.
    Which is why I tend to aim for a happy medium most times.

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  5. Northern Planner Avatar
    Northern Planner

    Damn straight folks, honest and genuine works for me – since always manage to make a mess of setting up the laptop I already look wrong enough before I start.
    I think Gemma’s right about not knowing who you’re presenting to – which is why I try and find any excuse to meet them beforehand.
    Sausage video? Gues where I’m looking next…

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