Nick Fitzherbert: Now that's magic!
Published: May 4, 2006, 18:10

Nick: "If possible, try to visit the venue beforehand."

Capturing the imagination of your audience, making them like you and receive your messages in a positive way – now that’s magic…!!

A once famous magician called James Randi claimed, perhaps not surprisingly, “magicians are the world’s greatest communicators – because everything they tell you is wrong.”

And using the basic rules of magic to augment traditional training skills, Nick Fitzherbert focuses the mind on creating dynamic and winning presentations.

Nick, who has more than 20 years of experience in PR, is also a member of The Magic Circle and told a spellbound master class that applying the rules of magic when creating your presentation will add a new dimension.

For instance, just like those practitioners of close up magic, try to create a single point of focus. Keep slide content relevant and compact, with few distractions. And always survey the venue and your point of presentation to ensure there are no obvious distractions behind or around you.

To avoid pre-presentation nerves, make the unfamiliar become familiar. If possible, try to visit the venue beforehand and always know your material.

Magicians know that audiences have pre-set perceptions and expectations – and to communicate effectively, build on what they already know. By using familiar reference points to help retain the attention span of the audience, your message will be delivered more effectively.

Nick used the example of motoring broadcaster and journalist Jeremy Clarkson, who gets his point across by using similes – comparing cars and motoring experiences to everyday things.

Other magic tricks Nick recommends – keep as small a distance as possible between you and your presentation – retaining the audience’s vision at all times.

Audiences will look where you look, where you point or where you tell them to – use that knowledge to your advantage and engage them at every opportunity.

On a practical point, Nick said that when using PowerPoint, one of the most important buttons on the keyboard is the B button. He said: “Pressing B will clear the screen – once again focusing attention back on you. Press B again and the presentation comes back. Keep things moving, do something different.

“Always looking forward at the audience, keeping eye contact and coming out from behind the lecturn will all help to make the audience like you.”

 ial">Five cities competed for the greatest honour in the sporting world – and in London they left no stone unturned and nothing to chance in the bid for ultimate success.

They had to communicate not just to Britain and its public, but also to the world – selling the ideas, the romance, the promises, the beliefs and the glory. This will happen. Believe in us.

It’s no easy task, but a team of dedicated professionals set about it with the aim of reaching that ultimate goal and bringing the Olympics and Paralympics to London in seven years’ time.

Strategy

Their main, far-reaching, worldwide strategy – just like their competitors – was based on the internet. A website tells it all, painting a picture of how London will surpass all others in presenting the show of shows in 2012.