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The Extras That Make a Difference
Some little things make a big difference.
Find Your File. Frequently within a company the employees present in a conference room using the presentation file on the network drive. This can be embarrassing if you can't find it. Try to go to the conference room early and be sure you can access and open your file.
Have a Backup Plan Ready to Go. If you plan to use another laptop, then have it booted up with the presentation opened. Try your backup laptop with the projector just to be sure it will work.
Keep Liquids Away from Laptop. Keep your coffee or water at a safe distance. Don't let anyone else put a drink by your laptop either.
Don't Share Your Laptop. If you let another presenter use your laptop, there is a possibility that someone may inadvertently delete your presentation files or move them around so that you can't find them. If you must share, you control the keyboard. Don't let anyone else touch it. Also, sometimes the equipment person will change resolution or something else on your laptop so that it works well with the projector. Watch what is done so you can change it back.
Use the Laser Pointer Only if Necessary. Most people do not use laser pointers effectively. With the ability to animate certain diagrams on the slide, you don't need the laser pointer to explain them. If you do use it, hold it still on the slide's images, move it slowly on the screen, then turn it off so you don't shine it in someone's eyes. Also, don't use one for pointing to text. You ought to be able to explain the text without a laser pointer. Only use it to highlight a key number on a chart or a specific box in a flow chart.
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This is a fairly comprehensive list. We hope most of you do all these things already. But what happens if things still go wrong? First, don't bad mouth the technology. Just keep going graciously. You picked the technology and if the equipment belongs to the client, do not complain about their system. Tell yourself that in a few weeks your experience will make a funny or instructive story for someone.
Keeping Track of Your Laptop and Its Contents
Safeware is a pioneer in insurance coverage for computers. Here's what they have to say about computers: "An analysis of personal computer damage claims filed in 2000 showed that 56 percent resulted in accidental damage, up from 49 percent in 1999. Thefts -- the next largest source of claims -- accounted for 27 percent, down from 28 percent in 1999. Approximately 831,000 PCs incurred accidental damage in 2000 that could have resulted in insurance claims. Over 95 percent were notebook PCs. 1.4 million computers were stolen, damaged, or otherwise destroyed during 2000. An estimated $2.1 billion in computer equipment was lost, stolen, or damaged by accidents, power surges, natural disasters, and other mishaps during 2000."
What does this mean for you? It means you need to be careful not to damage your laptop. Also, take precautions so that it is not stolen.
Perhaps you think you are careful. But just one incident and it's gone. A professional trainer and presenter relayed to us that she was tired one morning. She went to a meeting and left her laptop in plain view in her car. Whenshe came out, the laptop was gone. You could be in a hotel and leave yourlaptop on the table while you go to the bathroom. You come back and it's gone.
There are many precautions to take in order not to have your laptop stolen. Everyone has his or her own system. Some people never carry a laptop in a bag that looks like a laptop carrying case. Once on the plane, put your laptop near you; don't store it in an overhead compartment far from where you are sitting. Some people always carry it into the taxi and don't put it in the trunk. This also protects it from being bounced around. To lock down your laptop, see Kensington's laptop locks.
Do not put your PC on the security conveyor belt at an airport until the person in front of you has cleared through the metal detector. If they don't clear and you have to wait, your PC may not be on the other side when you finally get there.
Almost never put your laptop down in the airport, or anywhere for that matter. A spill on you may not be a mistake. Joe told us that as he was walking to a plane someone bumped into him and spilled mustard all over his suit. He put his case down to clean up. His case was stolen. Some people make it a practice never to put down a briefcase or laptop carrying case except between their legs, with their feet holding the bag in place.
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