Just how bad are business presentations today?

The presentation world is buzzing with anticipation as we prepare to release the findings of our 2010 Business Presentation Survey.

250 corporate presenters contributed to the survey, spilling the beans on their use of PowerPoint and other presentation technologies.
 
“We’ve seen a lot of positive changes since our initial survey back in 2007.  The phenomenon of Death by PowerPoint is recognised by businesses globally and some are making concerted efforts to address it head on,” commented Eyeful’s Managing Director Simon Morton. “That said, it would seem that there is still a lot work to be done in some areas.  This year’s survey gives us a clear indication of progress in the last three years along with the impact of new presentation technologies such as Google Presentations and Prezi.”

The findings will be presented in two upcoming webinars in the UK and North America on the 3rd August. Spaces are limited for the two events and interest levels following the survey are very high so the events are expected to be fully booked.

Another Record Quarter Done & Dusted
A brace of new clients found their way to Eyeful’s door in their quest for PowerPoint and presentation salvation…and we were only too happy to oblige. 

All of this frenetic activity means the Eyeful team is celebrating it’s most successful quarter to date.

“It’s been an extremely busy 3 months for everyone in the business”, explained Head of Sales Sally Bailey. “Companies are increasingly recognising the importance of getting their presentations right, especially in tougher economic conditions.  We’re excited to be working with an amazing client base on ensuring that when they stand up to present, they are armed with the most compelling and engaging presentation decks possible”.

To learn more about the impact Eyeful has on it’s clients’ presentations, check out recent project samples here or listen to them speaking about their experiences here. [hide]

Your Vote Counts! Eyeful launches The Business Presentations Survey 2010
Some time ago, Eyeful conducted an online survey to understand just how companies were using PowerPoint.  Many of the findings were a surprise.  Some were downright astonishing. Time and technology wait for no one, especially in the world of presentations.  With this in mind, we decided that it’s now time to survey again and see quite how things have changed. more>

The Business Presentation Survey 2010 has been designed to report on the latest trends in presentations and quite how business people are reacting to the multitude of new technologies and thinking that they are bombarded by on a daily basis.

We’d really appreciate your time (3 minutes maximum) to answer a few short questions on when, why and how you use presentation software.  As an extra incentive to ensure we get as many people involved as possible, we’re giving out 25 PowerPoint Amnesty Action Packs to a randomly picked sample of respondents.  So what’s stopping you?!

We’ll be running the survey through until the 18th July so please don’t delay – your response and feedback is important!

April 2010
Eyeful highlights the link between Politics & Presentations
The build up to the UK General Election has highlighted once and for all just how important quality presentations are in getting a message across.more>

Now we’re not highlighting our political bent here at Eyeful but watching Nick Clegg move from a nobody to a genuine contender has showcased just how important a good presentation can be. And what the first TV debate demonstrated really well was just how this works in reality.

April 2010
Eyeful releases “Gossip with a Guru” Podcasts
We’ve recorded a number of Podcasts with recognised experts in the field of PowerPoint, presentations and presenting. 

We’ll be peppering the Blog and our iTunes channel with these Podcasts over the next few months. more>

First up is Jonty Pearce, Editor and Founder of Presentation Magazine. 
Presentation Magazine (formerly Presentation Helper) is simply the most popular presentation resource site on the web.  So once you have an audience with someone like Jonty, what do you ask?  The answer was obvious – Death by PowerPoint.  Click here to learn more. [hide]

April 2010
Eyeful partners with security experts InDorse Technologies

We’re delighted to have partnered with security experts InDorse Technologies to offer a service to ensure the integrity of your PowerPoint presentation files. more>

Here at Eyeful we like to be able to offer our clients what they need so we’ve partnered with a cutting edge company in data security, InDorse Technologies www.indorse-tech.com.

By using their technology we can now provide our clients with the ability to not only prevent presentation creep but also to know whenever a presentation has been opened, changed or forwarded.

Some organisations have to compliance with regulations or show due diligence with certain information and data.  It is vital that they can demonstrate a knowledge of when data is tampered with.  By using this new offering through the partnership of Eyeful and InDorse, they can now rest easy. [hide]

April 2010
Farewell Brainstorm Barn, Hello Eyeful Towers

Against the general flow of things in our market, here at Eyeful we’ve continued to grow in terms of customers, people and geography.  One of the drawbacks of growth is that fact that we keep running out of space. 

So we’ve upped sticks and moved to a fancy new office just down the road. more>

Not only has this move given us room to grow and further spread our wings, we’ve been able to make our client workshop area even better!
If you’re after an environment to spark the imagination and fire up the presentation creativity, this is it (oh, and the coffee and biscuits are very nice too).  Pictures of our lovely new abode here

So clients and interested parties alike – don’t be a stranger!  Give us a call and book some time to meet up with us at our lovely new offices (affectionately named Eyeful Towers). [hide]

March 2010
February?   Phew, What A Scorcher!

According to the traditional weather reports, February was one of the coldest on record. 

Not so for Eyeful with a host of wonderful new companies choosing to work with us on their PowerPoint presentations.  Amongst those choosing us for Presentation Optimisation and PowerPoint Design in February were eBay, Visa and Coca-Cola. more>

The gang at Eyeful are proud as punch to add these A-list companies to our ever growing roster of happy customers. “February was a great month for Eyeful with just the right mix of new business and repeat projects from our loyal customer base.” Explained Head of European Sales, Sally Bailey. “We’re particularly pleased with the fact that the majority of our new business wins have come from recommendations and word of mouth. We certainly seem to be leading the way in the world of PowerPoint optimisation and design. Exciting times” [hide]

February 2010
Making PowerPoint work harder

Eyeful has put out a heartfelt plea to companies across the land to do more with their PowerPoint presentations.  We’re not talking presentation design here…we’re talking about “repurposing” your sales presentation into an impactful web presentation, Podcast, YouTube video or interactive PDF document.

February 2010
A Visual Experience - Anark signs Eyeful’s praises

We’re delighted with the feedback we received recently from Anark and Adobe on their recent PowerPoint presentation.  Our cunning combination of PowerPoint design, storyboarding and presentation know-how led to a sales deck of the highest order!

February 2010
Eyeful returns to RIBA (again)

Our very own Simon Morton has yet again been asked to present at the forthcoming CPD Providers Forum held by RIBA.  Simon’s presentations have become somewhat of a tradition at RIBA events over the last few years with topics ranging from how to get more out of your PowerPoint presentation through to the vagaries of presentation design. more>

“I’m delighted to be returning to the stage at RIBA – it’s always a great event with some wonderful speakers”, said Simon. “This year will be particularly fun as we’re going to explode the myth of Death by PowerPoint.  As always, we plan to raise a few eyebrows as well as provide the audience with a long list of things to do on their return to the office…”

January 2010
Bid & Large Pitch Support Services Now Available

We’re pleased as punch to announce that we’ve teamed up with our friends at Sales Engine to offer bid support services to our clients. The full press release can be accessed here. more>

Long story short, this blessed union was prompted by clients coming to us in a bit of a flap over large pitch presentations.  We spotted that some clients would have benefited from more support earlier on in the process so approached bid support experts Sales Engine for help.

January 2010
New month, new customers

January proved to be another joyfully busy month for all at Eyeful with us welcoming the likes of eBay, Hamptons International and NCP into our ranks. more>

“After such a successful 2009, it’s great to see the formula continuing to work in 2010”, explained Sally Bailey, Head of European Sales.  “We’re excited to be working with some amazing new customers whilst ensuring we continue to provide the very best service, advice and presentation design to our existing client base”  [hide]

December 2009
Eyeful highlight flaws in Pharmaceutical presentations

Our recent review presentations in the Pharmaceutical industry highlighted just how  widespread “Death by PowerPoint” is in this sector. more>

"Over the last 5 years we’ve started to see a real shift in how PowerPoint is perceived and a realisation of how powerful a tool it can be. Unfortunately our survey of online presentations shows that the Pharmaceutical industry is lagging a long way behind most industries in the way they present themselves.”  Commented Eyeful’s MD Simon Morton.

November 2009
Winning US presentations with the Eyeful touch

We’ve formed a partnership with leading US training provider WinningStance to strengthen our US customer offering. more>

Currently offering a marketing leading solution to enable sales success, WinningStance have added Eyeful’s expertise to complete the picture…and to make sure their customers do not fall over at the last hurdle!

November 2009
Eyeful named Business of the Year 2009

We’re pleased as punch to announce that Eyeful was named Business of the Year 2009 at the PA Enterprises Awards Dinner. more>

“We’re overjoyed to have received the award from PA Enterprises.” Commented Eyeful MD Simon Morton “It’s been an incredibly busy year for Eyeful with, amongst other things, new offices opening in the US along with some huge wins in the UK. 

November 2009
Capita capitalise on great presentation

Eyeful jumped into action to assist outsourcing experts Capita on an important sales presentation.  Capita were overjoyed with the end result as their quote shows… more>

"From taking my emergency brief, providing a storyboard, production slides to final tweaks, all happened completely as promised in my completely unreasonable timescale! 

October 2009
One year ends, another year begins

Whilst we run a slightly strange financial year from October to September, that hasn’t stopped the last 12 months from being our very best yet! more>

The business world has seen serious turmoil over the last year and presentation companies have been particularly affected with a number of our competitors unfortunately not surviving. Despite this – our core values at Eyeful of a dedicated work ethic focused on our clients success coupled with a desire to produce the very highest quality of work – have enabled us to move through this time successfully.

Managing Director Simon Morton commented: “The entire team here at Eyeful is very proud of our continued success and growth despite tough economic times.  With continued support from a great client base coupled with the excitement of our expansion into the US, the company is buzzing!  2010 looks to be a good year for us, but more importantly, for our clients.”. [hide]

October 2009
New month, new clients

October saw more growth in our ever expanding customer list with the likes of American Express, Dassault and the British Museum (presenting to Royalty no less!). more>

Coupled with some really strong repeat business from the likes of Alliance & Leicester and Edexel, our continued growth has demonstrated the value of a strong and trusted partnership.

October 2009
PowerPoint Live – Atlanta Anoraks!

We were very excited to be attending PowerPoint Live 09 which was held in Atlanta this year and even more excited to be in the winning team during the infamous PowerPoint trivia quiz. Now we really are an official PowerPoint geek! more>

This event brings together the world’s most dedicated PowerPoint people and it was a fantastic event showcasing some of the best in PowerPoint today and what the exciting prospects the future holds. [hide]

September 2009
A helping hand to our financial friends

Eyeful were very pleased to be helping an increased number of organisations as they prepared for the main event in the Financial Industry’s calendar, Sibos 2009.more>

Following our involvement in last year’s event this year saw us working with 3 new customers based on the strength of our work the previous year.” [hide]

September 2009
New to the Eyeful fold

September saw a large number of new customers come in from the cold. The list of new clients includes some serious big hitters such as Cap Gemini, Colgate Palmolive and Haymarket. We’re now in the process of delivering and designing top end PowerPoint presentations for these fine institutions. more>

Eyeful Presentations’ Simon Morton was delighted to welcome these new clients on board – “We are always striving to work with the biggest and brightest companies to help them deliver world class presentations and whilst these 3 big names have previously used similar organisations to ourselves – it is comforting to see that we can offer then a level above what they have previously experienced.” [hide]

September 2009
The wait is over – Eyeful officially launch in the US

We’re pleased as punch here at Eyeful Presentations as we’ve launched our US website – www.powerpointpresentations.com.  This is a massive step in making our presence felt in the US market and starting to show US organisations just what the Eyeful magic can do. more>

An incredible amount of time, sweat and effort has gone into making sure that this website truly showcases Eyeful and we’re pretty darn please with the result. Should you see us in the near future we will probably still be glowing with pride! !” [hide]

August 2009
Eyeful survey highlights the extent of Presentation Paradox

The world’s press have understandably grabbed hold of the results from Eyeful’s PowerPoint usage survey. Sadly it confirmed our biggest fears – the presentation paradox has firmly taken a hold of companies up and down the land.  To learn more, click here. more>

In the survey, Eyeful found that the majority of businesses were guilty of a lack of investment in their presentation collateral, particularly their sales presentation. With over 30 million presentations estimated to be given every day across the globe, the survey revealed 46% of companies considered PowerPoint as their most important sales tools yet a staggering 72% of all businesses did not regularly review their presentations.

“In short, businesses are leaving their most valuable sales tool unchecked and open to abuse” added Morton, “This laissez faire approach would not be allowed to happen with other sales collateral so we’re appalled that business critical presentations are suffering such a fate!”
Link to full story. [hide]

July 2009
Adobe and Anark opt for Eyeful in the US

We’re pleased as punch to announce that Adobe and their partner Anark have chosen to work with Eyeful for the development of a new sales PowerPoint presentation.  Following a comprehensive review of the market, the teams at Adobe and Anark opted for Eyeful’s “presentation optimisation” approach. more>

This important win comes off the back of a number of successes for the Eyeful US team, including a series of presentations for global pharma business Bristol Myers Squibb.

June 2009
Eyeful Presentations – The Movie

We're proud to say that we've pushed the PowerPoint envelope yet further to produce Eyeful Presentations – The Movie.  Rumour has it that Spielberg wanted in but we can neither confirm or deny…  Click here to view. more>

When not producing ground-breaking presentations for our clients, we like to break open the toybox and have a play with PowerPoint for our own purposes.  This time the brief to the design team was to tell the story of Eyeful…and wow, what a result!

Not only did they perform their regular minor miracles with PowerPoint design and animation but also converted it for use as a movie on our website.  We think this “repurposing” or “recycling” of PowerPoint presentations is a jolly good idea.  Not only does it mean that you get to share your carefully honed story and message with a wider audience, but you also increase the return on investment from the development of your presentation.  

June 2009
The British (PowerPoint) Invasion

After a multitude of flights and late night/early morning conference calls with our clients in the US, we finally took the hint and opened up a dedicated US Eyeful office.  Click here to learn more about our expanded team. more>

Just like their Brit counterparts, the US team have the same fanatical focus on quality and use the same tried & tested Eyeful “Presentation Optimisation” methodology.   The only difference is the accent and their spelling of the word "colour". 

“I’m really excited about this important step in the history of Eyeful Presentations”, said MD Simon Morton.  “We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive feedback we’ve had from clients and contacts since making this decision.  We’ll work tirelessly to ensure that Eyeful gains the recognition and reputation we already enjoy in the UK and parts of Europe”
 
Feel free to get in touch if you'd like to learn more or arrange to link up with one of the US team. [hide]

May 2009
The new Simon Cowell...or Susan Boyle?

Our very own Simon Morton has been chosen as one of the select judges for a Global competition to find 2009’s best presentation. more>

The competition – Slideboom 2009 - aims to find the very best presentation of 2009 and is open to anyone across the globe. Simon’s a little too excited about the prospect of wearing his trousers so high – “Slideboom is a great opportunity for people to demonstrate just how powerful PowerPoint can be when used in an innovative and creative way.  It’s all about delivering a message with clarity and purpose. I’m very excited at the prospect of judging the World’s best presentations.” To see more about the competition click here. [hide]

April 2009
Helping with the Railway Children

Our nominated charity for the year is The Railway Children – a charity that helps street children all across the globe. more>
This charity aims to help children that live on the street by intervening as early as possible and also aims to work with the local community to help change attitudes and alongside that to work with governments to change and influence in the long term. To learn more click here . [hide]

April 2009
Do you tweet?

If you want to keep abreast of all things PowerPoint, Presentations and Eyeful, click here to start following Eyeful.  If you haven’t got a clue what we’re talking about.... more>

Twitter is a free social messaging site which has captured alot of people’s attention as the place to keep up to date with the comings and goings of anyone you like (including Stephen Fry & Barack Obama!). Have a look at our tweets here. [hide]

March 2009
The Beermat Entrepreneur – delivering with Eyeful

One of the UK’s best known and most admired entrepreneurs, Mike Southon unveiled his stunning new keynote presentation, “Something About The Beatles” on the 11th March. more>

Mike is a highly accomplished entrepreneur, business leader and speaker but still felt his PowerPoint slides could do with a boost by working with the team at Eyeful.  His reaction to the final conference presentation was joyfully familiar - “A truly fantastic makeover – I’m stunned”.

Just goes to show even the best presenters in the business can improve by working with Eyeful!  An interview with Mike Southon about the project and his experience of working with Eyeful features in an upcoming Podcast. [hide]

March 2009
Read all about it!  CBI spotlight on The Presentation Paradox!

The CBI’s InBusiness journal features an article written by Eyeful’s Simon Morton highlighting “The Presentation Paradox”. more>

Following on from the publication of The Presentation Paradox White Paper, the article takes a look at just how undervalued and underfunded most sales presentations are. The resulting paradox facing many businesses is that a lack of investment in this most important of sales tools is costing them new customers, reputation and opportunity. Click here to read this timely article. [hide]

March 2009
We’re at it again at RIBA

Eyeful’s Simon Morton was once again invited to present to an esteemed audience at a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) conference.  Simon took the opportunity to talk about how to fight against the current economic downturn through the medium of presenting. more>

His presentation “Bucking the Trend” was so well received that we’ve decided to share it with everyone! Simply click on this link for an online version of the PowerPoint (includes audio) and learn more about the key choice facing businesses like yours in today’s economic environment. [hide]

February 2009
Will your business buck the trend?

Eyeful’s new presentation looking at how to present successfully in a recession is now available to view online.  more>

Take the chance to see just what your business should be focussing on to ensure that your sales presentation is delivered with clarity and precision. Faced with an unprecedented downturn in the economy, now is the time to sharpen up and deliver when it really counts. Click to view. [hide]

January 2009
Make your presentation work harder

Now more than ever is the time to make your corporate presentations as effective as possible. To aid you in this quest, request a copy of our latest CD sampler, “Making your presentation work harder” more>

This sampler gives some valuable insights into how to maximise the impact and results you have when presenting. It also includes some recent case studies that demonstrate just how much far you can push PowerPoint. Requesting this free CD could be your first step on the road to the new standard of business presentations. [hide]

January 2009
The Presentation Paradox – how is it impacting your business?

There’s no logic to it...  Companies across the globe are falling into the same trap time and time again.  Investment and energy to create a strong pipeline for their sales team which is then wasted by equipping them with an insipid sales presentation  We call it the Presentation Paradox.

This white paper focusses on how companies undervalue their key closing tool, the sales presentation.  It also highlights some of the simple steps that can be taken to deal with this frustratingly common issue.  
There’s never been a more crucial time to optimise the way you present your message.  You never know - the Presentation Paradox White Paper could be the most important document you read this year… 

To download your free copy, simply visit our minisite http://www.presentationparadox.com

October 2008
New Podcast available - an inteview with a Sales Master.

Steve Robinson, MD of Sales Engine and all round sales fanatic, puts forward his views on PowerPoint and it’s role in selling. His interesting take on the way presentations are positioned, coupled with years of experience working a variety of business, from Global corporates through to SMEs, make this a compelling listen. Click here to download the file (3.6Mb zip) or access it via iTunes.

October 2008
Online Eyeful showcase takes the web by storm.

The new sizzling showcase for presentations Revolution or Evolution is now having its trumpet blown by PresenterNet,  acclaimed online interactive presentation market leaders. Take a look how at their homepage to see what all the fuss is about.

September 2008
Revolution or Evolution? The new Eyeful overview presentation hits the screen.

Eyeful has thown down a challenge – does your corporate presentation deserve Revolution or Evolution? This presentation showcase, created entirely in PowerPoint, is now available to view online or as a downloadable .ppt file (4.5Mb). If you think you know PowerPoint, look again.

July 2008
Eyeful’s strategic direction continues to focus

Eyeful is proud to announce the appointment of its first Non-Executive Director, Paul Fannon. more>

Paul brings with him over 10 years strategic experience at Board level for a NASDAQ quoted technology company.  His appointment ensures that the Eyeful “fervent belief” in putting our customers first is maintained and hopefully even improved upon over the coming months and years.

 “Having Paul join the team is great news.”, says Eyeful’s Simon Morton.  “We’ve worked hard to gain our enviable position in the presentation consultancy market and are immensely proud of our great reputation and wonderful customer base.  Having worked with Paul in the past, I know he will be invaluable in continuing the development of the business, pushing forward new customer initiatives and introducing exciting new products and services.” [hide]

May 2008
Bringing the Eyeful ethos into the Sales Engine

Eyeful Presentations is pleased to announce investment in Sales Engine Ltd, an exciting business helping organisations develop, support and coach their sales teams. more>

Ultimately all companies are trying to deliver growth and this usually comes from the direct sales they deliver.  Despite this the sales area often suffers from poor investment and “act now, think later” strategies. 

Sales Engine [www.salesengine.co.uk] enables Sales Directors to get the most out of their teams and drive their business forward. The unique “Sales Healthcheck” process reviews the entire sales process, identifying areas for improvement, where best practice can be replicated and ultimately ensuring that sales teams are focused, efficient and in an unequivocal position to deliver.  No excuses permitted!