2 Minute Tip: Use a Call To Action
If you’ve ever left a meeting and wondered, “What now?” the speaker probably did not use a Call To Action. The Call To Action tells the audience what the speaker would like it to do. That could include things like:
- Take concrete steps
- Consider some new ideas
- Implement a plan
- Develop a plan
- Change its mind
- …and more.
As a speaker, you want to start with your Call To Action, and then build the rest of your presentation around it. This makes it easier for your audience to know what it should do and to act on your presentation.
Post Tip Discussion: Prepare for Losing a Laptop
In the Spring of 2017, the US began banning laptops and tablets from the passenger cabin of US bound flights on certain Middle Eastern airlines from certain Middle Eastern Airports. According to Bloomberg, this ban could extend to all flights originating in Europe. There’s always the potential the ban could spread further.
All laptops and tablets will need to go into checked baggage. Most airlines, however, do not accept responsibility for electronics in checked bags. If a laptop or tablet is stolen, lost, or damaged in checked luggage, the airline is not responsible. Plus, even if a laptop arrives safe and sound, it’s still possible to have a hardware or software failure before a big presentation. A speaker to have contingency plans in place in the event they can’t use their laptop. One way to organize these contingencies is to split them into Content Solutions and Hardware Solutions.
- Content Solutions:
- Know your slides so well you don’t need them
- Store your deck on a flash drive
- Store your deck in the cloud
- Email your deck to an on-site contact
- Export your deck to JPEG
Content is only half the solution. It needs to be paired with a hardware solution.
- Hardware Solutions:
- Consider a “burner” laptop
- Make a late night retail run
- Borrow a PC
- Use your smart phone
- Ship your gear on ahead
Call To Action:
- Use a Call To Action for all your presentations
- Prepare for losing a laptop — just in case
- Add your favorite laptop loss contingency plans to the comments below
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