While reading the newspaper this morning I noticed a funny cartoon, Real Life Adventures, by Wise and Aldrich. Two businessmen are talking to each other and the one says, ?It's a presentation karaoke machine. You can play an earlier successful presentation and lip-sync to it. And since most meetings are about the same old thing every time, nobody even knows the difference.?
It got me thinking about how many pathetic presentations I've attended that did sound like they were coming from a presentation karaoke machine. The presenter didn't care whether the audience was ?getting it? or not, he just rambled on with his agenda. It was a waste of time for both the presenter and the audience.
Make Presentations Two-Way Communication
Presentations can be described as a one-way communication activity. The participants sit and listen while the expert ?presents.? However, it's this type of thinking that creates a karaoke presentation.
I prefer to think of presentations as an opportunity to engage my audience in my topic. Presentations can be a two-way communication activity if you take the time to make each presentation unique for the group you are presenting to. No matter what your topic, it can be tweaked to meet the needs of a specific audience.
For instance, if I am giving a talk on effective business writing techniques to a group of realtors, I would make sure the examples I use refer specifically to the writing of realtors. I would find out ahead of time what realtors consider their main problems when putting together a business message. From there I would incorporate solutions to these specific issues in my presentation.
A presentation isn't effective unless the audience can relate to what you are saying. They have to bring the information into their world before it will make sense to them. That's why it's so effective to use examples common to them.
Adults Learn By Doing
Remember, adults learn by doing. Try to include some small, fun activity, in your presentation to involve your audience. Rather than telling them, let them experience the excitement of discovery. Arrange one of your main points to become an exercise for the audience.
The activity doesn't have to be complicated or take a long time. I often use a handout where participants fill in the blanks. I encourage participants to work with the person sitting next to them to try to get the right answer. Everyone laughs when I read off the answers and we all have a good time.
Doing this accomplishes two things: you give the audience a break from your lecturing and you give yourself a break from lecturing. Now you can put yourself in the role of a facilitator and get some one-on-one interaction with audience members. It will also cause your evaluations to skyrocket. Adults get such few opportunities to have fun at work that these activities are greatly appreciated.
So you've decided to take the plunge and get your own karaoke machine? Whether you are getting one to perfect your own skills, or looking to find great entertainment for your family and friends, having your own karaoke machine is a fine choice. But how do you choose from the many styles and accessories available on the market today?
The perfect karaoke machine for you depends on YOU! What do you want it for? Is it for you or the kids? Do you want to be able to pick it up and take it with you? Do you want to be able to keep it hooked up all the time for convenience, but unobtrusive? Do you need to be able to hear the vocals when you're learning new songs? Will you be using it for duets? The answers to these types of questions will help you to determine your own perfect karaoke machine. Let's examine some of these choices.
If you are getting a karaoke machine just for your small children, then buying a professional quality model with all the bells and whistles is overdoing it. What you want to look for in this case is one of the types specially made for children. They come in bright colors, have large buttons, and are very easy for children to operate. There are not a lot of choices or accessories.
Now, back to the adults. Are you going to be using your karaoke machine only at home? Or do you want to be able to take it with you at a moment's notice?
If you want to take it with you, then there are stand-alone models with a karaoke monitor included right on the machine itself. With these models, you also need to build up your collection of karaoke CDs to use in it, so that you will have a selection of karaoke songs to sing. Plus, you need to have a way to organize all these CDs, and keep an updated list for your friends to be able to choose their songs. Plus you need to take these with you, too.
So if you choose one of these models, also take into account in your pricing the costs of whichever type of disks your karaoke machine uses. Being portable also lets you put the machine away when you are not using it, and then bring it out when you are ready to party or practice.
If your main purpose is to use your karaoke machine at home, then you also have some great choices. You can choose a style that hooks up to your own entertainment system, and you can read the lyrics right on your TV.
Do you want the capability to sing duets? If so, make sure your karaoke machine has inputs for two microphones. Also, some machines make it possible to alter the pitch, key, and volume separately for each microphone to better complement each singer's voice and range. But some machines only have a single control for both microphones.
Do you want to host your own karaoke contests? Some karaoke machines have the capability to score the contestants based on certain criteria.
If you would like to use your karaoke machine to learn the songs and improve your performance, then be sure to purchase one that allows you to hear the songs with the vocals turned on or off. That way you can turn the vocals on to learn the words, then turn them off to practice your own karaoke show.
Answer these questions, and you will be able to find a karaoke machine that is perfect for you, and will fit into your own lifestyle. Once you find your perfect machine, look at the accessories and package deals available to you, along with the warranty.
There is one karaoke machine which is versatile enough to fit any occasion -- The SongStation Karaoke Machine. It's the size of a slim, stylish DVD player, yet has 53,000 inbuilt kareoke songs. It hooks up to your TV in 5 minutes, so it is portable to anywhere that has a TV. There is no muss, fuss, or clutter, and you can have an instant party at any time with the push of a button!
It has the dual microphone controls, the automatic scoring, the vocals on/off switch, and a 12 month warranty. Perfect for most people, it is also a great value on the price. All in all, it saves you time and money. And the quality is unbeatable. Be sure to check it out in your search for YOUR perfect karaoke machine!
Both Michelle Howe & Christine D are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Michelle Howe has sinced written about articles on various topics from Karaoke Music, Email Marketing and Web Development. Michelle Howe, MBA, is an expertin online copywriting. Visit her Web site at for a FREE audio download of ?Pay-Per-Click Success: A. Michelle Howe's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.
Christine D has sinced written about articles on various topics from Karaoke Music, Mortgage and Entertainment Guide. Christine D. is the founder of The SongStation Studios. The SongStation is the only on earth with 53,000 songs. It is not just a. Christine D's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.