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To prepare for the worst, there are all kinds of sophisticated systems coming out on the market every day. For example, there's a new tracking and retrieval laptop system. If your computer is stolen, you contact Compu Trace and their recovery service monitors that computer for its next incoming call. The software agent stealthily calls in with its location as soon as its plugged into a phone line. Go to www.computersecurity.com on the Web. A company called zTrace also tries to improve your chance of getting a computer back. If your computer is stolen, zTrace will monitor your PC through an Internet connection by tracing its unique identification code. If your laptop is stolen and the thief accesses the Internet, an SOS function reports the laptop's location to the zTrace command center. zTrace also has a feature that remotely backs up your files onto an offsite secure server. Then, if it is stolen, you can keep on working with your backup data. See www.ztrace.com.
Plan for a laptop crash. If you work in a company, then there are policies and procedures to follow if your computer crashes. Check out what they are so you know the right numbers to phone. If you work on your own, then you need to know those laptop service numbers to call from wherever you are. Try to call and see whether you can get through. Now! Before it breaks, find out what type of service you have. Can you get the laptop back in twenty-four or thirty-six hours? What will that cost?
This brings up the issue of backing up the laptop. Do you back it up? Imagine now that your laptop is gone forever. How long would it take you to get going again?
Here's one more story about a laptop crash: "I live in Venezuela. I had just arrived in Miami on Friday to teach a seminar on Monday. I was checking my email and my laptop froze and DIDN'T COME BACK TO LIFE. I called the laptop maker's hotline and tried to reboot. The hard drive was fried. I had to run around and buy a new laptop. Luckily and thank God, I had made backup files of everything. BUT, the backup files were in Caracas! I called the Caracas office and had them email me the files and key documents I would need for the Monday seminar—presentation files and some key documents. By 8:30 on Friday night, I had my new laptop up and running. I learned some valuable lessons. First, during an emergency like this I had to relax. My brain was running at a thousand miles per hour and didn't let me find good solutions. Anger would not resolve the situation. Second, I turned the negative into a positive. I went shopping for a brand new machine and I found this excellent deal at a distributor. And third, I continue to back up my files frequently."
Placing Yourself
Stand by the Screen. When you stand by the screen, then you are forced to gesture and speak about the points and images on the screen. The advantage is that everyone's eyes are looking at the same thing. The disadvantage is that you may speak to the screen rather than to the audience. Presenters tend to end their sentences looking at the screen, rather than looking at someone in the audience. This is one behavior that separates an effective presenter from a novice. An effective presenter always ends a sentence looking at someone, never at the screen.
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An effective presenter also mentions the points and images on the screen so the audience can easily follow along. Don't pretend the image isn't up on the screen. Actively look at the image with the audience, then discuss what it means. Your audience is looking at the image, so look with them. However, it may be impossible to stand by the screen if you will be too far from the audience. Presenters rarely stand by the screen when presenting to hundreds of people, as their gesturing toward a gigantic screen just doesn't work.
Stand by the Laptop. Some presenters position the laptop in front of them so they can use the screen as a prompt. Then they are able to watch the eyes of the audience more easily. It is an advantage to be close to the audience. The disadvantage is that presenters tend to speak to the laptop screen, ending every sentence looking at the screen rather than at someone in the audience. Do not stare at the laptop while speaking.
Many professional presenters have a reference monitor facing them at the back of the room. This monitor has exactly the same image as the projector. This way they never have to turn around or never have to take their eyes away from the audience, as they are looking at the back of the room to see what's on the projector. Usually, a twenty-inch monitor will allow a presenter to see the title and the bullets just fine.
Sit to the Side of the Laptop. Limit the number of viewers to no more than three if they are going to look at your laptop screen. Use a remote so you don't have to be sitting next to the laptop. Don't sit in front of the screen. Put your audience in front of the screen. When you are sitting, you will probably arrive in the office and boot up with the prospect sitting there watching the screen. Make sure you have nothing offensive or proprietary on your desktop. Files named, "inside information on Company X" or "inappropriate pictures" aren't the best images for a prospect to see.
Use a Remote Mouse. In our opinion all presenters need a remote mouse. Why? Because (1) you are not confined to the area by your laptop; (2) you are not distracted by having to press the forward key to move to the next slide; (3) you are not distracting others who watch you continually walking back to your computer to forward the next slide manually; (4) you never want to have someone else manage the mouse and you keep saying, "next please," which is totally distracting and breaks the flow of the speech; (5) you can't effectively use certain animations if you have to operate them from your laptop keys; and (6) not using a remote takes away from the impact and professionalism of a presenter.
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