The acclaimed author of Presentation Zen
to make his debut in 2020
The Summit. In the Summer. In Seattle.
August 9-12, 2020
Our Unique Value
No other conference on the planet shines a spotlight this bright and this strong on the presentation experience.
Breadth
Creating successful presentations is about more than just software. It is about crafting sharp messages, creating intelligent presentation design, employing smart PowerPoint techniques, and developing comfort before an audience. The Presentation Summit offers all of this at levels you won’t find anywhere else.
Depth
We deliver insight, inspiration, and community to create a conference experience that you will remember forever. Our breadth of coverage, depth of expertise, willingness to help, and passion for creating engagement all add up to a business conference that is completely unlike any other you will attend.
Scope
Spend three days with us and never look at a presentation project the same way again. Three days and immediately distinguish yourself from 99% of the people creating or delivering presentations today.
How we design our seminars
At the Presentation Summit, you will get to choose among three concurrent seminars or workshops taking place at any given time.
Looks at questions of design and aesthetics, story and message, and audience connection. This track explores the qualities that make up excellent presentation content and is where we showcase the work of prominent presentation designers and communication specialists.
Build
Dedicated to the nuts-and-bolts techniques and strategies that comprise effective use of PowerPoint and related software. It caters to those in the trenches—the ones who pump out slides by the truckload and need to learn how to be as efficient and as productive as possible. It is a haven for all of the nitty-gritty tips and tricks on myriad topics.
Deliver
Explores all the various ways, conventional and unconventional, in which presentations can be delivered to audiences. There are more than ever these days, with so many cloud-based technologies, but we will never lose sight of the personal dynamic of presenter meeting audience.
Presenters and Experts
Here is our lineup of presenters and experts. Keep watching for more keynote speakers being added. Click or touch any photo to see that person’s bio.
We will announce our full schedule in early 2020. For reference, here is how we covered the presentation industry and community in 2019.
Entire schedule
Register here
Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu
Sat
9:00am – 4:00pm | Special Event Certification Prep Workshop To help you pass with flying colors!
An all-day workshop to help you prepare to take the Presentation Guild’s Certification Presentation Specialist Test
[Bios filename=”eswinford” name=”Echo Swinford”]
6:00pm – 7:30pm Saturday Night Happy Hour
At Charlie’s Longbar
Sun
10:00am – 12:00pm | Crash Course Present with Presence How do elite speakers succeed? Learn the secrets
Presenting is a blend of the artistic and the technical. This two-hour interactive workshop explores how elite speakers deliver messages with power and impact.
[Bios filename=”ibergelson” name=”Ilene Bergelson”]
12:30pm – 2:30pm | Crash Course Farewell to Death by PowerPoint Everything you need to know to start creating wonderful presentations
This two-hour crash course is the perfect jumpstart to the conference, guaranteed to get you off on the right foot by helping you craft, design, and strategize through the process of creating first-rate presentations.
[Bios filename=”raltman” name=”Rick Altman”]
3:00pm – 5:00pm | Crash Course From Story to Slides A killer start-to-finish approach to making amazing presentations
Create clear, compelling, and powerful presentations in less time and with higher success.
[Bios filename=”mparkinson” name=”Mike Parkinson”]
5:00pm – 6:30pm Welcome Reception, Hosted by Microsoft
6:30pm – 7:45pm | Evening Session Presentation Guild Annual Meeting For devotees and tire kickers
The fourth annual meeting of the Presentation Guild
9:00pm – 11:00pm | Late Night at the Summit Entrepreneurs’ Round Table Ready to hang out a shingle or connect with like-minded entrepreneurs?
Being an entrepreneur is exciting and it can be a challenge when you don’t have an opportunity to gather with others and share best practices. Here is your opportunity.
[Bios filename=”nhaims” name=”Nolan Haims”]
Mon
8:30am – 9:30am | Keynote Address The Real Value of Visual Storytelling Tapping into this undervalued skill
Often undervalued, visual storytelling’s true value is how it can help your career
[Bios filename=”catkinson” name=”Cliff Atkinson”]
9:45am – 10:45am | Design Collaborating in Design You need more than talent
If you want to collaborate successfully, you must work with and win over your fellow collaborators.
[Bios filename=”lchollar” name=”Lori Chollar”]
9:45am – 10:45am | Build Template Talk, Part 1 Common template traps and how to avoid them
A comprehensive template can be a huge timesaver for those who must create presentations to reflect a brand.
[Bios filename=”eswinford” name=”Echo Swinford”]
[Bios filename=”jterberg” name=”Julie Terberg”]
9:45am – 10:45am | Deliver Dollars and Slides The business of PowerPoint
Producing and designing PowerPoint slides is big business.
[Bios filename=”mmakstein” name=”Marshall Makstein”]
11:00am – 12:00pm | Design The Makeover Mentor Before-and-after examples of real work
Makeovers inspire us by giving us a glimpse of the possibilities.
[Bios filename=”jterberg” name=”Julie Terberg”]
11:00am – 12:00pm | Build No Text Allowed! Can you move an audience with just visuals?
A step-by-step guide to eliminating text and bullet points.
[Bios filename=”rgoring” name=”Richard Goring”]
11:00am – 12:00pm | Deliver If I Only Knew Questions for designers and presenters who team up
How can designers and presenters facilitate a productive creation process that leads to a successful presentation?
[Bios filename=”ibergelson” name=”Ilene Bergelson”]
[Bios filename=”nhaims” name=”Nolan Haims”]
1:30pm – 2:30pm | General Session San Antonio Success Stories from the TEDx trenches
Three TEDx alumni share their experiences.
[Bios filename=”hjimenez” name=”Harry Jimenez”]
[Bios filename=”mjuckett” name=”Miriam Juckett”]
2:45pm – 3:30pm | Design Super-Simple Slide Design For the minimalist in all of us
These techniques will take you from busy and complex to clean and clear in no time.
[Bios filename=”mparkinson” name=”Mike Parkinson”]
2:45pm – 3:30pm | Build All About Video Rules of the road for better creation
You don’t have to be a master cinematographer to make a video that sets you apart.
[Bios filename=”mpierce” name=”Matt Pierce”]
2:45pm – 3:30pm | Deliver Agents of Change How can you be a force for good within PowerPoint culture?
Many organizations still demand that slides be brochures filled with text and data.
[Bios filename=”catkinson” name=”Cliff Atkinson”]
3:45pm – 4:15pm | Design I Don’t Like It! Giving good feedback on horrible slides
How to identify and fix design mistakes and not shatter someone’s confidence.
[Bios filename=”shogan” name=”Stephy Hogan”]
3:45pm – 4:15pm | Build Plug In and Rock Out Behind the scenes with a PowerPoint add-in
Add-ins can transform PowerPoint with extra capabilities.
[Bios filename=”jgarroch” name=”Jamie Garroch”]
3:45pm – 4:15pm | Deliver Becoming a Virtual Virtuoso Engaging in absentia
Virtual presentations require different skills than do in-person presentations.
[Bios filename=”jrahmlow” name=”John Rahmlow”]
4:30pm – 5:00pm | Design Moodboards And other esoteric things
Learn all about this often-overlooked tool, essential for clarity of design and unity of collaboration.
[Bios filename=”thowell” name=”Tom Howell”]
4:30pm – 5:00pm | Build Report Collaboration Online tools help with group efforts
How to use SharePoint or OneDrive to efficiently maintain documents and presentations that require teamwork.
[Bios filename=”gshaw” name=”Glenna Shaw”]
4:30pm – 5:00pm | Deliver Buzzword Bingo Best practices for surviving today’s lingo
Let’s have some fun while we make fun of our culture and its lexicon.
[Bios filename=”jrahmlow” name=”John Rahmlow”]
5:00pm – 6:00pm | Special Event The PowerPoint Trivia Contest The intersection of creativity, ingenuity, and foolishness
You haven’t lived until you have watched, or played in, our PowerPoint Trivia Contest, conducted exclusively within PowerPoint, explicitly about presentations, and entirely with an open bar.
9:00pm – 10:30pm | Late Night at the Summit The Summit Goose Chase A modern-day scavenger hunt
Come be part of an hour of madness, as you and your team strive to complete several, um, missions. A winner will be crowned. We think. Maybe not. We’ll get back to you on that…
[Bios filename=”raltman” name=”Rick Altman”]
9:00pm – 9:45pm | Late Night at the Summit The Future of Presentations Stay on the cutting edge
How do you stay relevant in changing times?
[Bios filename=”lbarnakova” name=”Lia Barnakova”]
9:45pm – 12:00am | Late Night at the Summit The Guru Session Drop in and chat with your tribe
Late Night Group Session, part customer service, part therapy, part drum circle.
[Bios filename=”rbretschneider” name=”Ric Bretschneider”]
Tue
8:30am – 9:30am | Keynote Address From Ballet to Bullets Reaching new heights of success as individuals and teams This unique presentation highlights the skills needed for individuals to become successful leaders with integrity and to be the change that we all want to see in the world. [Bios filename=”cfairbank” name=”Christopher Fairbank”]
9:45am – 10:45am | Design Inclusiveness by Design Keeping up with ever-changing times Audiences are changing and to keep up, we need to communicate across lines of age, gender, ethnicity, and much more. [Bios filename=”nhaims” name=”Nolan Haims”]
9:45am – 10:45am | Build Template Talk, Part 2 Advanced techniques to ensure success Once you understand the basics of template construction, you realize that there’s so much more to learn! [Bios filename=”eswinford” name=”Echo Swinford”] [Bios filename=”jterberg” name=”Julie Terberg”]
9:45am – 10:45am | Deliver U.N.I.Q.U.E Finding your true self Uncover the six essential steps to increase self-esteem and achieve success in every aspect of life. [Bios filename=”cfairbank” name=”Christopher Fairbank”]
11:00am – 12:00pm | Design Real-World Makeovers For the busy pro for whom everything is due yesterday The makeovers during this hour, taken from patron submissions, carry with them the hope that you will look at them and say, “Hey, I can do that.” [Bios filename=”raltman” name=”Rick Altman”]
11:00am – 12:00pm | Deliver PowerPoint Karaoke: No Joking Matter Expect the unexpected You can literally expect the unexpected, you just have to practice [Bios filename=”rbretschneider” name=”Ric Bretschneider”]
1:30pm – 2:30pm | General Session Ask Microsoft A chat with the folks who develop PowerPoint Sit down with the leaders of the software development team. You get to ask them anything. [Bios filename=”svillaron” name=”Shawn Villaron”]
2:45pm – 3:30pm | Design Taking Stock of Stock Photos The ultimate resource guide A roundup of visual sources, prices, plugins, and legal considerations for using better imagery [Bios filename=”nhaims” name=”Nolan Haims”]
2:45pm – 3:30pm | Build All About Animation Because you can never get enough… The latest ideas about the power of motion [Bios filename=”thowell” name=”Tom Howell”]
2:45pm – 3:30pm | Deliver Teamwork, Act 1, Scene 1 A short drama Watch two collaborators collaborate on the subject of collaboration [Bios filename=”raltman” name=”Rick Altman”] [Bios filename=”mparkinson” name=”Mike Parkinson”]
3:45pm – 4:15pm | Design Designing with Morph Creating beautiful visuals to impress Morph is a powerful tool for geeks. It’s also a wonderful design tool. [Bios filename=”rgoring” name=”Richard Goring”]
3:45pm – 4:15pm | Build The Magic of Tunes Our intriguing relationship with music You can learn a lot from music’s ability to elicit an emotional response. [Bios filename=”bjensen” name=”Brent Jensen”]
3:45pm – 4:15pm | Deliver “Don’t Be Nervous” Worst possible advice? [Bios filename=”raltman” name=”Rick Altman”]
4:30pm – 5:00pm | Design Hacking Morph Advanced uses for advanced storytellers Think Morph is just a fancy transition? This session will make you think again. [Bios filename=”rgoring” name=”Richard Goring”]
4:30pm – 5:00pm | Build Theming Around When all of Office needs to play nice Why stop at good branding within PowerPoint? Do it right and you can brand across all of Office [Bios filename=”vsokol evans” name=”Vickie Sokol Evans”]
4:30pm – 5:00pm | Deliver Presenter View on Steroids Learn how the pros use it How to leverage PowerPoint’s or Keynote’s Presenter View to help you present flawlessly [Bios filename=”tchollar” name=”Troy Chollar”]
6:30pm – 10:00pm | Special Event Tuesday Night Celebration At Henry’s Hollow
Wed
8:30am – 9:30am | Keynote Address The Accidental Storyteller How one person touched 35 million others
Imagine how it was for this “socially awkward” scientist when her YouTube video got 35 million views.
[Bios filename=”cfiggener” name=”Christine Figgener”]
9:45am – 10:45am | Design Creative Imagery Tools and techniques for designing with image effects
How to make your effects look professional, even if you’re not
[Bios filename=”jterberg” name=”Julie Terberg”]
9:45am – 10:45am | Build Beyond Hyperlinks Go wild with interactivity
Can you be so interactive that audience members feel as if they are co-presenting with you?
[Bios filename=”rgoring” name=”Richard Goring”]
9:45am – 10:45am | Deliver From Huddle to Boardroom Exploring intuitive meeting collaboration
[Bios filename=”dfitzgerald” name=”David Fitzgerald”]
11:00am – 12:00pm | Design Bringing Emotion to Data Without sacrificing truthiness
Designing memorable data can be tricky; here’s how you do it
[Bios filename=”shogan” name=”Stephy Hogan”]
11:00am – 12:00pm | Build Really Big! Designing slides for gigantic screens
Spend an hour getting tips, tricks, and step-by-step instructions on creating slides to fit any custom display configuration.
[Bios filename=”tchollar” name=”Troy Chollar”]
11:00am – 12:00pm | Deliver Catching up with Pecha Kucha Embracing constraint creates amazing presentations
Twenty slides, 20 seconds each. The Pecha Kucha presentation style entertains, informs, and is the antithesis of Death by PowerPoint.
[Bios filename=”rbretschneider” name=”Ric Bretschneider”]
1:30pm – 2:30pm | Special Event Encore Performances Reruns…by request
Sadists at heart, we love torturing you with too many choices. Here is an opportunity to attend one of the sessions you missed the first time around.
2:45pm – 3:45pm | Special Event Five Minutes or Fewer Tips to match your attention span
By Wednesday afternoon, we’re all fried. So here is a friendly procession of short tips, pieces of advice, and anecdotes, as told by the conference team and patrons alike.
5:00pm – 6:30pm | Special Event One Final Happy Hour At Windmill Plaza
6:30pm – 10:00pm | Special Event Road Trip to the Riverwalk A night to unwind and stroll
Thu
10:00am – 10:00pm | Something Fun For those who just can’t get enough of us
Several dozen choose to stay on an extra day and usually we plan a great group outing. We’ll all figure it out together and then have a killer dinner somewhere. Stay tuned…
New for 2019:
Certification Prep!
As our industry evolves and matures, so does the need to demonstrate proficiency and value to organizations that seek to employ or hire you. The Presentation Guild is taking a leadership position in this growing opportunity and is introducing Professional Certifications, a set of tests to enable you to demonstrate your knowledge and acumen and earn a credential for them.
The Presentation Summit is partnering with the Guild to offer this unique opportunity to prepare for and help you pass the Certified Presentation Specialist Test. Our Certification Prep Workshop will take place the day before the conference begins, Sat, Oct 5, at our conference venue. Those who want to earn their stripes in the presentation profession need only come in one day early and sign up. For complete details on the workshop, visit our Cert Prep page.
The Summit FAQ
(All links open in separate windows.)
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Sights and Sounds from the Summit
Photo Gallery
Reunions start early
Conference host Rick Altman (right) with veteran patron Tom Hutchins, reconnecting Saturday evening.
Happy hour
Many dozens of people show up for Saturday evening happy hour, a day before the conference begins.
Go Time
Sunday evening's hosted reception is where conference friendships first form.
Birds of a Feather
Before the seminars begin, people are already gathering and networking, like this group of presentation entrepreneurs.
Meaning of life
The simplicity of life, according to Carmen Simon.
The kid
Youngest speaker in conference history: 15-year-old Caleb Maddix.
Meaty Seminars
Tom Howell, performing a deep dive into his design process.
Lights, Camera...
Altman interviewing a patron, producing the video, and uploading it, all in one 60-min seminar.
Presentation Rap
Sally Zimney, Nolan Haims, and Carmen Simon, dishing on the presentation experience.
The bunny
Mike Parkinson, the conference's most passionate presenter and "energizer bunny."
Secret to success
Our mantra for choosing seminar topics.
The Expo
Kristina Dolan of EcosPrez, all ready for the Expo.
Lots of Demo Time
Julian Kornmaier and Victor Rodriquez from Made in Office take advantage of easy one-on-one time during the Expo.
The Expo
Tue is Expo day at the conference, with over a dozen vendors showing off their wares.
Altered states
Johanna Kneifel from Inscale, showing how to look cool while wearing VR goggles.
The PowerPoint Trivia Contest
Conference insanity at its finest.
PowerPoint Charades
Could you get your teammates to say this phrase?
Colleague encounter
One of our favorite stories: Four colleagues with GhostRanch Communications, each working remotely, met for the first time at the conference.
Conference virgins
A few of the 60% that make up first-time patrons each year.
Dancing fools
A recent poolside reception featured non-stop dancing.
Tuesday Evening Reception
Everyone comes out for our hosted party.
All Together Now
Just a few who now consider themselves permanent members of the Summit community.
Video footage from our seminars
Nancy Duarte: The Power of Story
Better Storytelling through Animation
Julie Terberg: Avoiding Color Anarchy
Nolan Haims and the One-Second Chart
Carmen Simon: The Right Kind of Unforgettable
Mike Parkinson: Do it Yourself!
Echo Swinford Gets Geeky
My name is Rick, and I'm a dog: 20 slides, 20 seconds each
Snippets from our patrons
An Atmosphere of Sharing
Best Conference I Attend. By Far.
I Love it. I Absolutely Love it.
Wonderful People, Great Connections
The Best Feedback We Could Possibly Get
A Generosity of Spirit
From the host
"Best Technical Support on the Planet"
The Summit Never Sleeps
We Want Presenters who Bleed all over the Place
They Come for the Learning, They Come Back for the Friends
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Our 2019 partners
Join us in 2020. Click here for information on partnering with us.
Platinum
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Affordable, Accessible, Invaluable
Continuing a tradition of being one of the best values in end-user education, the Presentation Summit has maintained small business-friendly pricing since its inception in 2003. While comparably-sized conferences have fees that run in the several thousands, we maintain a perfectly-tuned infrastructure specifically designed for events of 200-225 patrons. We promise to keep our prices below the $2,000 mark for several years to come as long as you promise not to equate low prices with low quality.
All conference registrants receive access to our robust conference app and companion printed guidebook, providing comprehensive information on all of the presentations offered, as well as valuable supplemental notes, useful applications, and other resources and literature.
You can hold your seat with a signed company purchase order or a credit card used as a guarantee. In either case, you would then get net+30 to pay for your registration.
This negotiated Conference rate is guaranteed for those who book by September 6. After then, the room rate is likely to rise to its typical October rate of over $275/night. We have negotiated the normal $35 daily resort fee down to $10/night, which will be added to your reservation.
Included in the resort fee: Use of tennis courts • Health club access • Bicycle rental • Outdoor games • Access to Windflower spa facilities • Access to golf practice facility, chipping green • Complimentary golf club storage • Preferred golf tee times • Self-parking.
CANCELLATIONS: 80% refund given if cancellation is received in writing more than 21 days before event; 40% refund if between 14 and 21 days before event; no refund within 14 days of event.
!["Best Technical Support on the Planet"](https://betterpresenting.com/wp-content/uploads/cache/198279340/2187850000.jpg ""Best Technical Support on the Planet"")
