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Presentations Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Presentations
A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction (Center for Environmental Structure Series)
Published in Hardcover by Oxford University Press, USA (1977)
Author: Christopher Alexander
List price: $65.00
New price: $36.00
Used price: $29.94

Average review score:

Healing Our Industrial Age
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-04
Time has not eroded the significance of this book's contribution to the world of architecture. Though it reaches back to timeless solutions to architectural problems, it is also a way forward. As we devour our social capital in a half century of indiscriminate urban sprawl, this book offers alternatives that will help us revitalize our urban centers.

Wonderful!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-28
This book is the quintessential book on the subject of creating authentic living spaces.
This book provides a near mystical approach to architecture in a very simplistic form that anyone can understand.

A Pattern Language
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-21
This was an extremely helpful book in using to decide what house or town home to buy, why spaces might work, what needs to be added to them, etc. I am very glad I bought this book.

Not just for architects - good for software engineers too
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-23
This book talks specifically about what works and doesn't work when building cities and towns and how to take the human element into consideration when doing so. However, I found its conclusions and most of its patterns applicable to software engineering. There are good books on software design patterns such as "Head First Design Patterns", and there are some good books on user interface design such as "Designing Interfaces: Patterns for Effective Interaction Design", but this book really helped me merge the idea of software design patterns with the user perspective in a way that other books I have read have not.

If you are a software designer, read the book all the way through, make notes as you go, and see if it doesn't help you write better organized code that is more responsive and coherent to a user who walks up to your user interface completely uninitiated in your method of design. I know it helped me.

surprisingly religious..... interesting, but not believable
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 14 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-26
I bought this book after reading the glowing reviews on amazon. It was also an inspiration for Will Wright to make SimCity and the SIMS..... so I had high expectations.

I was shocked to find how opinionated and philosophical the book is. I expected the book to look at the history of cities, towns, etc. and describe patterns that already exist (much like the GoF's software design patterns book talks about patterns that people actually use). Instead the book presents a series of ideals about how the world should be structured.

If these ideals came from concerns I could identify with, I would take it more seriously. But instead they attack "problems" which I do not perceive to exist. For example, on p. 43 "The homogeneous and undifferentiated character of modern cities kills all variety of life styles and arrest the growth of individual character." This statement is contrary to my experience. I have met many great characters from cities, and seen profound cultural differentiation emerge from cities (e.g. jazz, abstract painting, hippie culture, punk, you name it). But the authors proceed as if cities killing character is axiomatic. I agree that there is a rural character that is not present in cities. But citydwellers have another type of character which is equally valid.

I have only made it through the first 100 pages. In these pages are so many naive ideas about mixing cityspace and vacant space. I live in Los Angeles so I know about sprawl & I also know a lot about cars -- while they are aiming for less sprawl then LA, they also neglect traffic congestion. They claim that making small roads in places make people reluctant to drive there.... the experience worldwide (worst in Malaysia, I hear) is that people use whatever roads are present, and if the roads are small, they then just end up sitting in traffic. The author's are naive in their structuring of space, nowhere do they cite any hard evidence of how these structures function.

I might make it the rest of the way through.... at least it's an easy read, with so many repetitions in how the models work you can kinda skim through it. I like the spirit of the book, it is reminiscent of P.M.'s bolo'bolo.... but where bolo'bolo comes from a purely emotional position, these authors take themselves seriously and believe what they are saying is objectively true. I give the book 3 stars because it is nice to see someone work through the ideas of bolo'bolo (which was actually written ~6yrs after alexander's book). I would give 5 stars to a book that did so by looking more at actual data of how spaces are utilized, and presented designs that didn't have obvious flaws in them.

Presentations
Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts into Sales
Published in Paperback by Mcgraw-Hill (1993-10)
Author: Bob Burg
List price: $14.95
New price: $0.24
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $14.95

Average review score:

Up to date book and very relevant
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-23
With today's marketing ideas changing considerably I found this book a refreshing new approach to a difficult situation of getting referrals. I have already put their ideas into play and find they work very well. Well worth the read.

A Great Read for anyone Business Minded
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-16
This is not your typical business networking book. I found that although I call what I am doing "Networking" I wasn't getting results. After applying the items I learned in just the first 6 chapters, I have gone from 2-3 referrals to 8-10 in only the past 4 weeks. I am more than doubling my business and packed with ways to continue this momentum. I would recommend this for anyone who sells a product or offers a service. For an $11 investment, you learn more than a $300 Networking Seminar.

One of the best books on how to network correctly
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-09
If you read one book on networking, this is the one to read. Burg's system focuses on how to network correctly, thus enabling you to build a pipeline of qualified, A-list prospects for your business. This book is a must-buy for anyone striving to build business referrals that will continue the gift of giving in the long haul. The questions Burg outlines in Chapter two are a key component of how one should begin to network from this day forward. In addition, he shares the one question that will change your networking process forever. It's a question so few know to ask. And if you use this question at your next networking event, you will immediately establish yourself as an expert who knows how to deliver value to your prospects and your customers -- and to the networking process itself. This book is extremely thorough in outlining a proven system for networking anywhere any time. Most important, Burg shows you how to enjoy the process. This book is a seminal part of my professional library. I use it daily as a reference to build my business.

Absolutely fabulous!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-28
Cannot imagine how I have made it this far in business without this book. Bob Burg's advise is priceless.

Endless Referrals
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-25
If you're looking to sharpen up your sales skills or expanding your contact base, this is a great resource and offers a ton of tips that can be easily implemented. It's more than just a networking book, although that's one of the main components, it's about getting to know people, forming relationships by genuinely caring about people. Everything in life is based on forming and building relationships and the people that have figured out how to get along with people, are usually more successful and just plain happier people. It doesn't matter what you sell or what company you represent, ultimately, you are the product. If you're wondering how to meet more people, get more leads, earn more business ... you'll learn these and more in this book.

Presentations
Windows Presentation Foundation Unleashed (WPF)
Published in Kindle Edition by Sams Publishing (2008-02-14)
Author: Adam Nathan
List price: $39.99
New price: $28.34

Average review score:

Excellent book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-21
All the features of WPF are explained here, with samples and visual codes for your reference. I decided to buy this book and other about Blend 2, but most of my doubts I solved with this edition.
Great book from beginners to experts.

WPF made easy
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-14
Hey, a programming book in full colour!! WPF Unleashed really does introduce the concepts and details of WPF programming in a clear and easy manner, and Adam Nathan is to be commended for his efforts. Anyone wanting to learn (more) about WPF will benefit from this book.

Great For Learning
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-09
This is a well written, well structured book.

Full color with good examples and covers a good range of details.

WPF knowledge = Windows Presentation Foundation Unleashed (WPF) (Unleashed)
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-29
What can I say.. I was looking for a book about WPF. I saw many, and many until I found that one. Then I stopped looking for more :)

Great content to match the great presentation!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-24
On first opening this book you are struck by the beautiful full colour pictures and syntax-highlighted code samples. [Though the experience was slightly marred by the tears and damage to the front cover which occurred during shipping, as was also the case with another book in the order.]

I did a quick flip through and thought... "Beautiful presentation, but the content looks a bit over-simplified. Maybe all the reviewers were seduced by the full colour pages."

Then I started working my way through the book. I was blown away. The writing style is simple and to the point. But it doesn't lack depth. There are indications of the little things that are likely to catch you out, as well as discussions of some pretty advanced topics too.

So, Yay! The content of the book was just as good as the way it was presented, if not better. My only criticism is that in some cases there could have been more code examples.

On the other hand this would probably have made the book very bloated and not as useful as a reference book. There's enough information to point you in the right direction, and from there google will get you to all the code samples you need.

So let O'Reilly do the cookbook style books with lots of code snippets. They do that so well. This book takes a novel approach, and it works brilliantly!

Presentations
Programming Windows Presentation Foundation (Programming)
Published in Paperback by O'Reilly Media, Inc. (2005-09-12)
Authors: Chris Sells and Ian Griffiths
List price: $39.95
New price: $8.87
Used price: $3.19

Average review score:

Even better than the 1st edition
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-13
I bought the first edition of this book called Programming Windows Presentation Foundation (AKA Avalon) at the PDC in 2005 and read it completely on the plane home.

When I heard the second edition was released I didn't think much would have changed, but this is even better than the first edition. It's twice as big and covers all major (and not so major) topics in WPF (inc. an introduction to 3D and Silverlight).

I think this book will proof to be for WPF what Programming Windows, Fifth Edition is for WIN32 programming.

This Book is a Valuable Resource
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-02
This book is the most in depth resource into WPF i have seen. And not just that, it gets to the good stuff that you'll actually use in your code and not just filler or lists of properties that you can get from intelisense. The examples are extremely useful.

The other benefit of this book is that it doesn't just tell you how to do things, but why. This is incredibly helpful in finding the best solution to your specific problem.

Thanks guys! great book!
Ralph

Ignore the 2 and 3 star reviews
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-25
I say to ignore those reviews because they do not refer to this book. This is the second edition published August 28, 2007 with 863 pages. Those reviews are based off of the first edition published nearly two years before (September 12, 2005) and with only 447 pages.

Using Amazon's 'Search inside this book' takes you to the 2005 edition also. That shows only 10 chapters while this edition has 17. Most of the negative comments from the 2 and 3 star reviewers seem to have been resolved.

Not Just XAML, Great on 3D
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-26
The biggest strength of this book is that it focus on using WPF programatically, not just laying out XAML. This is extremely useful if you are writing an application for 3D data visualization or a database driven application. You get to learn to create event handlers, generate meshes... all programmatically. I also believe that this book is great, not just as a learning tool, but as a reference guide. It is the most comprehensive book on the subject and a must for the aspiring WPF developer.

If you just want to focus on XAML, however, I will have to recommend "Windows Presentation Foundation Unleashed" by Adam Nathan.

Not worth of buying
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-15
As a software developer I've written tons of production-level code for many companies including Rockwell Automation, Compuware, MS.
And I found this book to be too shallow for a technical person like me.

[One can save money by simply downloading WPF SDK samples and learning them]

Can one design and implement a better than WPF framework after reading this book? Obviously not!

No wonder, the authors never developed significant portions of any known product/framework!

Also, my e-mail exchange with C. Sells indicates that he himself doesn't really understand WPF in depth.
(BTW, as a MS employee he has luxury of having access to WPF source code and symbols - he obviously didn't bother to do so)

Just a few examples:
-- Managed/Unmanaged transition, e.g. the MIL stuff
-- Lack of understanding the WPF control model
-- Lack of understanding the WPF text model
-- Just like in any other *shallow WPF book* [are there deep WPF books out there?] authors make no effort to scrutinize the existing framework (WPF). [Which is definitely far from being clean and nice]
-- WPF "GDI-free" claims are nonsense since WPF uses User32 and User32 and Gdi32 libs are tightly coupled.

Presentations
The Gregg Reference Manual
Published in Spiral-bound by Career Education (2004-06-14)
Author: William A. Sabin
List price:
New price: $41.79
Used price: $34.00
Collectible price: $89.88

Average review score:

Essential reference work for anyone who writes
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-26
Have a question about colons, semicolons or commas? It's all here. Whether writing a term paper or business document, the Gregg Manual is a must-have. I had not heard of it until I was hired to edit reports and it has proved invaluable. Everything is covered, from how to write numbers to proper phraseology. Worth the money.

Great Reference
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-03
I started a new job in which I reference this book frequently. I would recommend it to anyone who is in need of a quick reference.

For writers its a must
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-25
Great book and will be used often. It was required for my studies for writning in all classes not just english

The Gregg Reference Manual - Phenomenal
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-23
I purchased the manual to use when I edit other people's documents. I have not had a chance to really go through and use the manual as yet because I've been busy with other things. I have flipped through the pages just to see what it offered and I have seen how terrific this manual is. It has everything a person would need in helping them to decide the best way to use grammar, spelling, editing, punctuation whether in editing or in writing. Use of the manual is great when writing business letters, addressing different dignitaries, and the list goes on. It would be especially helpful to the "Writers" of the world, and also especially if the non-Writers of the world or just anyone who couldn't remember certain things they were taught in English class in High School or College, this manual will definitely help.

I graded The Gregg Reference Manual five stars not because I've gone through the whole book, because I haven't as I mentioned above, but because if you open one or two pages, you can definitely see what this manual has to offer. It is well worth having. In fact, everybody needs a manual like the Gregg Manual. It would behoove any person to purchase this manual.

Now, if I can rate the Gregg Reference Manual with five stars without going through the whole manual yet, you can imagine what you, me, or anybody could accomplish by going through it from beginning to end. A person needs this manual next to them at all times, like you do with a dictionary.

Buy it!! It's well worth the money.

Reference LifeSaver
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-21
This reference manual has saved me many times. Easy to use and current with the latest trends. A must have in every office.

Presentations
Roger Dawson's Secrets of Power Negotiating
Published in Paperback by Career Pr Inc (1996-09)
Author: Roger Dawson
List price: $13.99
New price: $11.95
Used price: $4.70

Average review score:

Superb
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-17
Good and insightful techniques for negotiation and great book for beginners. If you are not aware of these techniques then there are chances that you will fall victim of them by an expert who knows it all

I strongly recommend this book to all who find themselves as a victim in negotiation and power game

$9,000 concession after only reading 45 pages
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-09
I made a $9,000 concession after only reading 45 pages...
I think it is safe to say the book has paid for itself.

OUTSTANDING!!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-07
This is the first book that I've felt strongly enough about to write a review and the real world techniques covered are outstanding. It will pay for itself the first time you negotiate anything. His techniques are simple & straight forward and can be easily put into practice. I recommend the audio version so you can pop it in anytime for a refresher while driving prior to any negotiation.

Confidently Approach your next Negotiation!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-23
Advance your as-yet undeveloped negotiating skills! Easy to read, incredibly well laid out and covers many real-life negotiating situations - you'll catch yourself smiling as you build your gambit toolbox which will allow you to deftly navigate your way through ANY situation requiring a negotiation. If its any testament, this book was critical in providing me the perspective and confidence required to become a commercial real estate broker.

Get it!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-14
I've seen this course make a very positive impact on more than one person. One thing I really like about it is that it's not about steamrolling people. It's about finding common ground and making sure both sides come away from the negotiation with their dignity and feeling good about dealing with you. With that said, this course can help you prevent being manipulated and taken advantage of by those who make a habit of steamrolling others, and do it in a way that isn't overly confrontational.

Presentations
Pop!: Stand Out in Any Crowd
Published in Hardcover by Perigee Trade (2006-09-05)
Author: Sam Horn
List price: $22.95
New price: $10.42
Used price: $8.10

Average review score:

Sam Rocks
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-10
Sam Rocks!

I saw Sam speak at Mark Victor Hansen's Mega Speaking Event and I can tell you, she knows how to captivate an audience. Sam has a genuine style that comes across as sincere, professional, and experienced.

If you've never seen her speak, you're missing out. Sam delivers on content, humor, and info that each of us wants. She helps people re-evaluate their thinking in order to connect in a personal way with your audience by re-creating statements for personal branding.

Sam will teach you how to be creative in away that's practical. Pop is not about hype, it's about bringing your message to your people in a way that is unique and powerful at the same time.

I found that POP is for anyone who wants an edge over the competition because it's not about cheesy tactics to woo people, it's more about reaching people with the essence of who you are and transforming it in a punchy way in order to attract people to what you are selling/marketing.

I recommend it because it's valuable for people wanting to cut to the chase and grab the gems.



Jumpstart Your Imagination!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-08
Need something different, something special to kick your business into overdrive? You'll find it in POP. When Sam Horn says you can stand out in any crowd, believe her! Rather than just talking about it, Sam Horn shows you how to make your own business "pop."

Like a cookbook, POP is filled with recipes to inspire your imagination with fresh ideas and fun exercises. Start anywhere. Keep going until you arrive at your own unique inspiration.

Way out of the ordinary . . . step out of the mundane and become extraordinary! Innovate with Sam Horn! This book can help you get there.

Five Stars and then some!

POP! will get you noticed.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-23
This is an amazing book! Sam shares with her readers new ways to grab our audience's interest and attention. She really does know how to help people get noticed in a crowd. This book has shown me how to positively inspire others to read my book, LifeChimes: A Collection of Simple TruthsLifeChimes: A Collection of Simple Truths, when they are looking for simple ways to stop zapping their energy. Because of Sam Horn's book, my work as an author and a motivational speaker has been made so much easier. Thanks Sam!

POP! your way to the TOP!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-11
I'm an advertising copywriter. The one thing I have to do every day is to come up with fresh ideas for myself and my clients. I have to keep learning and growing. And I want my messages to stand out from the crowd. I'm pretty good at that. But, after reading this book, I'm better!

If you love words, you'll love this book. You'll learn how to create slogans and elevator pitches and messages of all kinds. You'll learn how to make them powerful and how to make people remember you, your brand, or business or whatever you want them to remember.

You may already be a good writer. But you'll be a better writer, a writer who sells, if you follow the advice in this book.

Above all, your message will make you stand out from the crowd.

The thing is, not much does stand out from the crowd. Most slogans are the same. Most messages are the same or similar. So, if you're different, you'll be more successful.

This is an excellent book. Get a copy now --- unless you're one of my competitors.

Positively Outstanding Propositions!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-03
An awesome book for jazzing up your writing and speaking. Sam Horn crams so many ideas for creating buzz and imprinting your message and brand in the minds of listeners and readers that I found myself making checklists as I ran through the draft of my last book trying to find places I could use her principles and ideas. It's not all about marketing either. She has great ideas on the use of stories and quotes in your writing, how to create memorable content using lists and alliteration, and plenty of other techniques to make your writing come alive.

It's easy and fun to read as Sam is very clearly one of her own best students. Her writing is tight and wonderfully informative with no filler. The ideas are things nearly anyone that has to communicate (verbally or in writing) can use right away.

I felt a little bit self conscious rating this 5 stars: every other reviewer thus far has given it 5 stars as well. But 5 stars it is! I'd say that's a pretty clear message about the strength of the material.

It's the best marketing lesson you can buy for $15.

Presentations
In the Line of Fire: How to Handle Tough Questions...When It Counts
Published in Hardcover by Prentice Hall (2005-07-01)
Author: Jerry Weissman
List price: $24.95
New price: $11.99
Used price: $9.83

Average review score:

Fascinating Communication Strategy
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-28
The strategy discussed in this book can be helpful in many situations, including those requiring answers to tough questions. The book relies on examples taken from political debates and then loosely ties the lessons to business settings. There is no political slant for the examples (A bad example from George H. Bush and good example from George W. Bush). I would have preferred business examples rather than political ones; however, I realize the non-disclosure agreements and confidentiality may create roadblocks. The examples make the lessons perfectly clear. This is an insightful and well-written book.

Wonderful book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-18
This book is outstanding and is a "must-read" for anyone undergoing tough questioning. Elegantly and simply written, it uses examples from Presidential debates to illustrate a strategy to handle any question. One of the most practical books I have ever read.

Wow!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-07
Wow! In short, that's how I felt reading thru the book. Very well written and a must for someone who is into presentations. Talks about how to view the presentation from a listener perspective. Would certainly recommend.

Excellent price/knowledge ration
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-30
Excellent book about dynamics of debating, Q&A sessions and challanging questions.
I'm sure, even a mommy would benefit of knowledge gained by this book... but if you are in a leader position, or contact with audience.. you must simply read and understand this book.

I'm a project manager, and ocassionally the behaviour of my co-workers made me angry. I had at least the wisdom, to not confront, just ingore them (but then, I was unhappy, 'swallowing' their verbal attacks).
Now I have at least have the idea, how to respond: '...those who render others' armies helpless without fighting are the best of all'.

So main point: you have to overcome your instinct and learn the new skills.
Excellent book. Get it.

Delivers as advertised...
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-29
Far too often I have picked up a self-help book and either set it down unread because it was pure drudgery - - or I read it to conclusion to learn that it failed to deliver the self-help mechanics that I was looking for. This book delivered. It was a quick and entertaining read and provided straightforward techniques for dealing with tough questions in a debate, a business presentation or public Q&A. Author uses many political debate anecdotes yet they are all powerful in illustrating his concepts. I was left with an excellent understanding of his recommended mechanics in dealing with tough questions. I felt that the book delivered. The chapters included:

1) The Critical Dynamics of Q&A
2) Effective Management Implemented
3) You're Not Listening
4) Active Listening (Concentration)
5) Re-Take the Floor (Self-Defense)
6) Provide the Answer (Balance)
7) Topspin in Action (Agility)
8) Preparation (Discipline)
9) The Art of War (Self-Control; Agility vs. Force)

Presentations
Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story (Financial Times Prentice Hall Books)
Published in Hardcover by FT Press (2003-03-13)
Author: Jerry Weissman
List price: $28.99
New price: $8.24
Used price: $7.45
Collectible price: $28.99

Average review score:

Homerun after homerun after homerun ...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-24
This book is about making CONSCIOUS decisions for balancing the story board itself for hard facts, visual, ethical and psychological aspects, politicily correctness etc. but of course doesnt stop there.

The book shows and discusses which elements you need to convey your story and why you use certain presentation technics over others to achieve your goals.

The book is devided in 14 chapters. Each chapter is focused on either

a) How to create or develop your basic story or on
b) How to enhance it

(by using the described technics and its implications and reactons it will provoke).

What makes this book standing out is the careful analyzation of the aspects that came into play when giving an presentation.

That obviously includes the analytical skills itself but also the time and effort to explicitely mention and discuss (dis)advantages of each element.


The carefully chosen presentation samples will be disassembled throughout the book and taken apart into its peaces, analyzed, explained and put back together.

Where required, the example will be (dis)assembled several times to bring the points across.

Its the analysation of those presentations and its aspects to a granular level and putting the gained knowledge into a conscious presentation creation process that make the book so valuable.

Most books tell you just how to use software to make graphics etc. but this book tells you what you have to present to your adience to actually win them over.

The fact that the many aspects are explicitely explained helps you visualize the options you have at your disposal and the reason why you chose one presentation form over another.

While this book focuses on presentations that show off your assets and the art of persuasion. There is also a companion book "In the line of Fire" which focuses more on the defense to hardball questions.

I do also want to recommend a third book - "Dan Roams: Back of the Napkin" which focuses more on the technical aspects of how to find your story, and a strong focus on visualizing it fool prove and providing rock solid hard facts that wont be beaten.

What Jerry*s books does express very well is the fact that giving a presentation is like being an athlet.
You will have to exercise "verbalize" regularly to be in top form when it counts.

Good luck to you !!

How to take your listeners where you need them to go.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-25
We've all sat through presentations that dragged on forever, but led nowhere. What's worse, we've probably even given a few. As the author puts it, "The problem is that no one knows how to tell a story...and no one knows that they don't know how to tell a story."
Author Jerry Weissman boils it down to telling a compelling story. That's easy to say, but hard to do. With this book's guidance, you can become an effective communicator--whether convincing employees of the need to change, persuading prospects that you have the best solution or leading skeptical community groups to support your cause.

Presenting to Win overflows with practical advice on how to engage an audience by telling your story with a focus on what's important to them. You become an `audience advocate' whose concern for your listeners' needs puts them at the heart of your presentation. As Weissman describes it:
"Persuasion is the art of moving your audience from Point A, a place of ignorance, indifference, or even hostility toward your goal...navigating them through an unbroken series of Aha!s...to Point B, a place where they will act as your investors, customers, partners, or advocates, ready to march to your drum."

By following Weissman's detailed roadmap, we can learn how to tell stories that move and motivate our listeners by keeping them engaged from a compelling start to a big finish.

Silicon Valley Presentation Guru

Weissmann's first career was as a Hollywood producer and screenwriter. His friendship with venture capitalist, Ben Rosen, led him to his second career as a presentation guru. In 1988, he launched a business that taught high tech executives to move from feature-laden, techno-speak dissertations to engaging, listener-centric presentations. Yahoo, Intuit, Cisco, Microsoft, and Intel all benefited from his teachings.

The Opening Gambit is Just the Beginning
Weissman offers plenty of real world anecdotes, how-tos, and helpful graphics that convey how to grab and keep your audience. His opening gambit concept typifies his approach. He first offers the rationale, supports it with multiple success stories, and describes a broad range of opening gambits.
To engage an audience, an opening gambit pulls them out of a state of disinterest or suspicion about you and your presentation. Asking questions is one of seven such gambits discussed. In 1993, Scott Cook founder of Intuit (maker of Quicken and QuickBooks) faced a jaded audience of investment bankers. Rather than launch into a feature packed discussion of his new product, he asked two questions:
* How many of you balance your own checkbooks?
* How many enjoy doing it?
After a round of chuckles, he continued, "You're not alone. Millions of people around the world hate balancing their checkbooks. We at Intuit have developed an easy-to-use, inexpensive home finance tool named, Quicken." With this `Aha' moment, Cook was off and running.
Beyond the Opening Gambit--Components of Successful Presentations
Equally insightful chapters on presentation essentials provide a level of detail and clarity that leaves nothing to chance. They include:
* Story development
* Graphic design
* Delivery skills
* Tools
* Q & A techniques
In each case, Weissman

Presenting to Win: A Blueprint Worth Following

Weissman demonstrates that even those of us who aren't naturals can present to win. Learning what he teaches requires significant effort because his approach contains such a broad range of interrelated elements--and includes variations that differ depending on purpose, topic, and audience. Making it easy for our audience is hard for us. But, as Microsoft, Intel, Cisco, Intuit, and Yahoo learned, the effort is well worth it.

A winner!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-28
Presenting to Win is a terrific book. I got a clear, structured, sensible system to create presentations that will skyrocket the level of mine. I will keep this handy every time. Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Jerry.

Precise, accurate and inspiring
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-11
I have read through numerous books with similar titles on the topic and this one was by far and away the best. He does a great job at organizing his arguments into a logical and intuitive flow. The result is an easy to read and motivational book that will definitely help you tell a story.

You will never present the same way again...and your audiece will thank you
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-25
Jerry Weissman is one of those rare people who has written an authoritative sounding book about how to present and has the real experience and background to justify every claim he makes.

The book starts with the premise that the presenter must focus on the audience and that he must make them focus on him. He must understand the mental point they are at (Point A) and moves them to Point B. He must understand what is in it for them (WIIFY) and constantly use it as he constructs every slide to walk them to Point B. He must also understand the setting of the audience, and his main points of argument. Finally, he must tie those points together with a flow structure that fits his argument.

That's the first half of the book and as someone who has through some awful presentations, I can only wish reading this book were the equivalent of a driver's license for public speakers.

The back half of the book draws on his background in television and employs standard cinematic techniques to improve the appearance of PowerPoint. It's easy to overlook this part, but it makes a huge difference as well.

I've now had a chance to see people who have used these techniques for years present, and it makes a huge difference. I have also seen someone present in a tough situation using these techniques for the first time. This person is level-headed and not given to fads. His comment? "I wish I had run to Jerry's book ten years earlier."

If you speak in public, this is the one book you have to read, and re-read. It is common sensical, based in fact, and surprisingly intuitive.

Presentations
Money Talks: How to Make a Million As a Speaker
Published in Hardcover by McGraw-Hill Companies (1997-11)
Author: Alan Weiss
List price: $29.95
New price: $19.95
Used price: $16.83

Average review score:

Best information on 'speaking career strategy' I have read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-18
First of all, the production quality of this book is crap. The thing was falling apart the first time I opened it. I dont like having to be careful with a book like this, particularly one I want to mark up, highlight, go back to time and time again.

Now then, we are getting to the point of the book in the first place. I wouldn't care if this thing was in cuneiform pressed into wet clay tablets. There is more practical and useful information in this book on how to strategically set up your speaking career than I have seen in any of the dozen or so other books that I have read. You could literally take the advice in this book - and virtually nothing else - and plan out your speaking career for the next ten years.

The author's practical trashing on some of the 'rules of thumb' of the game (e.g., raising fees) are not mere opinions: this guy has lived this and has the income history to back up his claims.

Some of the references are outdated (the book is nearly 10 years old as of my writing) so you have to get passed that. The info on how to establish yourself as an expert through writing books and creating other income streams through developing info products is sound but has been superseded by far more complete and recent writings (Stephanie Chandler's book "From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur" is a great reference for that).

The exercises on 2 PAGES (35 and 46) alone made reading this worthwhile.

The focus on offering value is the key. This is what I focus on in my own coaching and speaking and, for that matter, what I spend a lot of time teaching to my clients.

VERY highly recommended.

Not Your typical Presentation Book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-01

When I found this book, I got it from Library and after checking it out numerous times, Alan Weiss book has found a permanent place in my Library.
First of all, his writing style is frank and to the point. This book is all substance and no fluff. He focuses on speaking as a profession that provides a service. All of his advice is real world relevant. He gives straight advice regarding speakers bureaus, marketing material and his insight on how to get booked for speaking events. Out of all of the hundreds of books written on making money speaking-This is the definitive guide.

Concepts As Good Now as Then
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-17
Alan Weiss knows his stuff, and delivers it in an accessible and straightforward package. Never one to sugarcoat, his advice to speakers centers on marketing more than delivery. If you are looking into the business of speaking, this book is for you. If you want to become a better speaker, this book is only 'sort of' good for you. But its definitely good for your audiences.

This Advice Worked For Me
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-30
Thanks to the ideas in the book Money Talks and the training from Alan Weiss I have added an extra $100,000 to my income this year. But understand, Alan Weiss is a contrarian and if you are afraid of trying bold strategies that will separate you from the pack, then don't bother. If you want to make real money as a speaker, author, and consultant, then you need to apply his teachings today. I recommend him to all my students and workshop attendees. I am not a newbie at this. I am the author of the books Self-Marketing Secrets and Client Seduction and I teach marketing at UC San Diego and the New Client Marketing Institute. I read Money Talks over and over again to get new ideas.--Henry DeVries

The truth about the speaking business
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-21
A friend of mine loaned me this book and I started reading it. By the time I got to the 3rd chapter, I went ahead and ordered it of off Amazon!

No B.S., no sugar-coating it. Just the facts about how to make serious money in the speaking business. What you should do and what you should NOT do (sometime even more important).

The yin and yang of the speaking world would be Speak & Grow Rich by Dottie Walters and Money Talks by Alan Weiss. Both coming from different directions, but both equally as important.

Get it!


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