It’s 11:00p at night and my hometown basketball team has just won a second championship in three years. I should be partying, celebrating, or at least watching Sports Center.
But no. Instead, I’m at my keyboard, writing to you about the Presentation Summit, our annual conference. Why am I being so pathetic??
Indeed, this Warriors fan has already turned his gaze to Sep 24-27 and Clearwater Beach FL, the time and the place you’re going to want to be this fall. But I can’t quite pivot that fast — I’m still drunk with glee. So here is my official thesis on how the Presentation Summit is just like the Golden State Warriors…
Raining Threes
How do Steph and Klay make all those incredible shots from three-point distance? The Summit does not settle for layups, either — it takes on the kinds of questions that really matter to presentation professionals. How much do people truly remember about a presentation and how can you make sure they remember the right things? How can you build powerful graphics to strengthen your stories? How can you use features of PowerPoint that even experts don’t know about? Can you learn to speak with authenticity when you are so nervous? And how can you make sure that your typefaces always look good and never get substituted on other machines?
Incredible Versatility
How does Draymond Green play all five positions? How does Kevin Durant drive to the basket as if he is six feet tall and not seven feet tall? Our team of experts will show off that same range, taking on any problem or challenge you bring to them. Whether it’s in the seminars or in our famous Help Center, the Summit team will not rest until it knows that your problem is solved. You will not find better support for PowerPoint anywhere on the planet.
Fast-Paced Offense
The Dubs (short for Ws, as in Warr-, okay, I don’t really have to spell it out for you, do I??) make their opponents dizzy by the speed with which they run the court. We tend to have that same effect on our patrons, by going non-stop from 8:30a until well into the night. Sure, you could turn in after the seminars are over at 4:30p or after dinner…but nobody seems to want to. They stay for the wacky PowerPoint Trivia Contest, they go to dinner with their new friends, they come back afterward for our after-hours programming. You can sleep next week.
Unselfish
The Warriors pass the ball more than any other team in history — they average nearly 30 assists each game. The Summit is famous for that same environment of giving. You don’t just learn from the team at the Presentation Summit; you learn from your fellow patrons. We go to inordinate lengths to ensure that you will meet like-minded professionals, befriend your peers, find those who do what you do. The atmosphere of sharing at the Summit is unlike anything you will experience at other business conferences.
Superstars
Steph, Klay, KD, Draymond…enough said. We bring together the luminaries of our industry year upon year. Noted neuroscientist Carmen Simon, master communicator Sam Horn, stellar speaking coach Nick Morgan, brilliant designer Julie Terberg. And the Warriors aren’t the only ones with MVPs on their team; a gaggle of Microsoft MVPs will be on hand to show you everything you could possibly want to know about PowerPoint.
And Amazing Rookies
This year, the conference welcomes Lia Barnakova, who will make your head spin with feats of software magic, and Caleb Maddix, an entrepreneur and inspirational speaker to millions…at the ripe old age of 15.
Fantastic Location
There is nothing quite like going to the Oracle Arena in Oakland, but the Sheraton Sand Key Resort might be a close second. Both small and expansive at the same time, we will take over this gorgeous beachside property — ballrooms by day and restaurants and outdoor spaces by evening.
Lots of Perks
The Warriors are famous for their swag — free t-shirts, prizes, samples from sponsors, etc. We’re going to do them one better with a special promotion this year, partnering with the Presentation Guild, the new advocacy and support group for the presentation industry. The first 100 people who register for the Summit will get a one-year membership with the Guild, a $99 value, absolutely free. Details here.
This all adds up to one of the finest learning experiences you might ever have and the most significant boost you could possibly give to your professional arc. Spend four days with us at the Presentation Summit and never look at a presentation the same way again. Take four days and distinguish yourself from 99% of the people giving presentations today.
The 15th Annual Presentation Summit
Sep 24-27, Clearwater Beach FL
www.PresentationSummit.com