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September 16, 2008 Leave a Comment

Tracking my WPM Count

For my video blog entry yesterday – “Which Presentation Will You Deliver?” – I used a script. I am actually enjoying the discipline of writing and reading the script for these blog entries. My preferred style is to use an outline to guide me as I deliver my presentations. However, I find the “permanence” of an Internet blog demands a more disciplined approach.

I am not a perfectionist. When recording my video blogs, I do a “straight take” – no pauses and no editing.  Of course, I abandon a recording that contains obvious “flubs” or false starts. But, I am content to publish a video blog entry that is less than perfect. I really don’t have the time to go back an re-record the occasional “vocal blemish.”

How long?

My biggest concern is the length of a video blog post. I do not want to condense my posts to fit some arbitrary time limit. My feeling is that if I have something to say, I should post what I want to say – adapting my delivery to fit the chosen media. If my message is compelling, a viewer will stay engaged. And, hopefully, return for more. If not … well, that is my problem. Only time, tracking and feedback from my viewers will help me to find the correct balance between content and time limit.

Since I have been using a script for my recent videos, I have been able to track my Words-per-minute (WPM) count. For my “Which Presentation Will You Give” entry, the script contains 1,130 words. The video is 7 minutes and 17 seconds. This gives me a wpm count of @ 160. This is my normal speaking rate. This feels like a comfortable rate – to me. How does it feel it you?

“Eye-Opening” Experience

Recording my presentations has been “eye-opening” for me. Yes, I deliberately used the description “eye-opening.” I am paying more attention to the graphics and text that I choose for each slide in the PowerPoint presentation. I want to ensure that each slide serves a specific purpose.  Reinforcing my speech and not replacing it. Guiding my audience and not distracting them from my content.

When I do a “live” presentation I never get to see how my slides interact with my speech. Recording  these short video blog posts allows me to see and analyze the presentation. Of course, there is a missing ingredient – the audience. You.

So please give me your feedback. What do you think? Do I speak too fast or too slow for you to understand? Do I talk too much or for too long? Is the video blog format useful – for you? What topics would you like to see?

You can email me – danny@thecompanyrocks.com – or add your comments below. I welcome your thoughts.

News! My new DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for PowerPoint 2007” is available for purchase. Visit my online store for details.

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September 9, 2008 10 Comments

Did I get My WPM Count Just Right?

As a follow-up to yesterday’s article, I produced a PowerPoint Presentation on the topic of “words-per-minute( WPM) when speaking. Watch – and Listen – this video recording. Am I speaking “too fast”- for you? “Too slow” – for you? Or, is my WPM count “Just right” – for you?

Yesterday’s written article is 515 words in length. At a normal WPM count of 150, that would make it @ 3 minutes and 45 seconds long. That is a good length for broadcast via the Internet in my experience.

As I was creating the PowerPoint slide presentation, I realized that I would have to add a few words to the narration. I wanted to ensure that it would make sense to viewers watching the presentation- even with the added visual aids and the graphics on the slides. And, of course, I did deviate from the script occasionally. As best I can determine, this presentation contains 600 words and the video lasts 5 minutes. So my WPM is 120.

This is much slower than my normal speaking rate (close to 160 WPM.) I wasn’t trying to purposely slow down. After three practice runs, this is the pace that felt natural to me.

What do you think? Is my WPM “Just right” – for you?

Please share your comments with our readers and viewers below.

News! My new DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for PowerPoint 2007” is available for purchase. Visit my online store for details.

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August 28, 2008 Leave a Comment

Speak at a comfortable rate during your presentation

I just recorded a new video PowerPoint Presentation for one of my websites. Since I intended to post this video on the website, I wanted to be sure that the total length did not exceed 4 minutes. In Internet-time, that can seem like an eternity!

I had a story to tell – promoting my services as a trainer. So I wanted to make it interesting. I want viewers to watch the entire video – it comes in at 3 1/2 minutes. And, of course, I wanted to conclude the video with a strong “call to action” – contact me to discuss my training services.

Here are the steps that I followed to create and record the PowerPoint video:

  1. I wrote a short story board – Opening slide, Introduce me, What I do, How I do it, etc.
  2. This came out to 8 slides. I then created them in PowerPoint.
  3. I made sure that I followed the “Four-by-Four” rule with my bullet points. Only 3 of the 8 slides contain bullet points.
  4. I wrote my script. This was an easy step since I had been writing my script “in my head” as I created the PowerPoint slides.
  5. The script come in at 570 words. I read it aloud several times and then I timed it.
  6. My first reading – at performance level – came in at 3 1/2 minutes. That is a speaking rate of 163 words-per-minute (wpm). A little fast – but it felt comfortable to me.
  7. I made a test (audio) recording and I was happy with the script. I made a few changes – where I stumbled over a word or two.
  8. Now it was time to record the PowerPoint presentation (video & audio together.) I added “Heading 2” styles to my script at each point where I was to advance the slide.
  9. I had 2 false starts. Because I had written my script and rehearsed prior to the recording, I finished the project in just 2 takes.

Give me your feedback after watching the video. What do you think? Did I speak too fast? Was my story clear? etc.

Add your comments below.

And, yes, you can contact me if you want to engage my services!

danny@thecompanyrocks.com

News! My new DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for PowerPoint 2007” is available for purchase. Visit my online store for details.

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July 13, 2008 3 Comments

Words per minute – How fast do you speak?

Our normal rate of speech – the number of words per minute (wpm) that we use – is between 120 and 150 wpm. When we are nervous or excited, we speak faster and our wpm count increases. The converse applies when we are tired or when we speak more deliberately – we use fewer wpm.

My normal wpm count is between 135 and 160. What is yours? If you don’t know, how can you find out? And why does it matter? Here’s why:

  1. So that your audience will understand what you are saying
  2. So that you can gauge how long or how short your talk will be – before you actually give your talk!

Speaking -live – is much more difficult than writing, in my opinion. In order to be an effective speaker you must be aware of how fast or how slow you speak. It is your responsibility to make sure that your audience understands what you are saying. Your audience must grasp your ideas as you present them – in real time. The first time!

When you write, you can go back and edit your thoughts. Rewrite your sentences before you publish your article. When you speak, you do not have that luxury. You can not re-do your spoken remarks when they are delivered live.

And when you speak, your voice must come alive. You voice must grab and keep your audiences attention. You need good vocal energy. You need to project authority and authenticity if you want your audience to stay tuned-in to your presentation. And this usually increases your wpm count. So you must guard against racing through your presentation.

Recording these video tutorials has been very instructive – to me! I get a chance to hear myself speak. I get a chance to see how long it takes me to present an idea. And… I have asked a few colleagues to critique these early recordings. As a result, I have received some excellent feedback. And I am making some changes.

Ideally, I want to keep the length of these video lessons short. Three minutes is ideal. Five minutes is too long. I want my audience to stay tuned-in. I don’t want them to tune-out before I make my point. When speaking, I must get to the point quickly without speaking too quickly. I must be aware of how many words per minute I use. And not waste time – nitehr my time nor my audience’s.

In preparing for today’s video lesson on my MS Excel blog, I wrote out my script. I read the script aloud several times and revised it. I timed myself as I spoke the script. I did a word count. And at 702 words divided by my 135 wpm speaking rate, this talk was coming in at 5 minutes and 20 seconds.

Too long! Too much content! What could I trim? What should I eliminate? I need to cut out at least 1 minute of talking in order to keep my audience tuned-in.

After several revisions I was ready to “go live” and record this lesson. I did not want to read my script. And I did not have too. I had rehearsed it sufficiently. I felt comfortable and confident.

The result – a 4 minute and 10 second video. I was happy. And I think that my audience will find this video informative and engaging.

Now mind you, I know this topic – in Excel – very well. I have taught it many times in individual and classroom settings. But this was the first time I was recording the lesson.

The lesson for me – I can always improve. So can you. But it requires practice – before you speak!

News! My new DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for PowerPoint 2007” is available for purchase. Visit my online store for details.

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