Choosing Presentation Music for Maximum Effect

There is more to a presentation than words, and the nonverbal content needs as much consideration as the verbal. The right presentation music can create an atmosphere for your piece that helps convey your message. Deciding which music to use is one of the most important decisions facing a presentation producer. Some production designers choose their music in an almost offhand manner. This is usually a mistake. The same designer would never choose presentation graphics at random; the visual elements of a project as carefully selected to enhance and elaborate on the message of each slide and of the work as a whole. Slapping a random track onto the result of weeks of design is risky and unprofessional at best and self-defeating at worst. Music, like every other part of the endeavour, should be chosen as part of the overall effect.

One important consideration in presentation music selection is the sensibilities of your target audience. You never want people to think your project is in poor taste. Work aimed at certain religious or educational venues should not be accompanied by anything that alludes to rap or rock music. Just as image files should be selected so as not to offend, so should music be carefully screened. People react to different music in different ways. Make sure the music chosen will have the effect desired. If the idea is to entice viewers to a trade show booth, the style will be bright and happy. It should not, however, make listeners want to move, or they may move right on past the booth and defeat the whole purpose. Similarly, an educational video on conflict resolution probably should not feature music with overtones of aggression. The loops have to be part of the total package.

Music search must be begun early immaterial of the loops that you choose. Finding the right track can take quite a long time, and it may even take more time to acquire the rights to the music. There are times when you can use music specially recorded for the presentation if you are making the video for use in a school or church setting where musicians can be hired for a reasonable cost. Never use copyrighted material when you are selecting presentation music. Copyright does not confine itself to the use of a record and quite often even the tune and lyrics have a copyright for which a fee may require to be paid, unless the circumstances are unusual. So whenever you are looking at such music as a designer make sure that the copyright on the tune has expired or specifically ask for original music. There are original performances that are pre-recorded and meant to be sold specifically as presentation music and this avoids the issue of copyright.

If the piece is not composed by the person selling it then they will supply the purchaser with the required documentation required for the usage. This is one of the safest legal ways of getting the music. If you want to use presentation tracks which are pre-recorded, you should know where they can be found. Music which is available commercially could prove to be quite expensive, whereas work which is amateurish will not get you the effect which is required. Appropriate music is available for download at affordable rates from certain websites which specialize in such music. Some of the free stuff may not be so great, but there are composers who have created great music from single loops to entire music CDs which can fit ideally to your requirements. Each presentation should have an appropriate soundtrack which brings out the emphasis on the topic and sets the mood that the designers intended. Presentation music available online is great to create an impact and will be well within your budget. For great music loop go to: http://www.musicalvibe.net.

There is an excessive amount of traffic coming from your Region.

#EANF#

How to Negotiate to Win in 14 Steps

The word NEGOTIATION is defined as follows:

A mutual discussion and arrangement of terms of a transaction or agreement;
a discussion intended to produce an agreement;
the activity or business of negotiating an agreement;
coming to terms (Oxford Dictionary)

Today’s definition of Negotiation is:
(BEST) A mutual discussion, transaction, or agreement, garnering you with as much of what you want(ed) while leaving the other person(s) feeling they got as much of what they wanted as well! That is why this is called The Art of Negotiation!

(2nd Best) A mutual discussion, transaction, or agreement, garnering you with as much of what you wanted, while leaving the other person(s) feeling they’ve lost a considerable amount, but to a better person/entity/player

Hint: they feel bad, but not bad enough not to have a cocktail with you at a later date, and discuss how you got the better of them.

(Not Good at ALL) A mutual discussion, transaction, or agreement, which may garner you all, some, or none of what you wanted, while creating an enemy of the other person(s), and a 99% chance of retribution in the future, and making it impossible for you to do business with them in the present!

So, how do you position yourself to achieve the Best results of your negotiation efforts?

1. If at all possible, negotiate on your own turf!

2. If the above is not possible, try to manipulate the negotiation to take place on neutral ground (especially a place that serves food)
Why? Because food makes everyone happy! (Don’t eat until you’ve gotten what you wanted)!
Why? Because food will make YOU happy too, and cause you to lose your edge!

3. If you have to meet on their territory be as prepared as possible because you are already at a disadvantage.

4. Don’t appear anxious! Even if your innards are screaming, appear calm and collected at all costs. Smile when and where appropriate.

5. Know your prey!!!
I cannot express enough the importance of knowing who you will be negotiating with. You need to study them like a test. Know their likes and dislikes, how they’ve done business in the past, what their goals are, and their agenda; their weak points and strong points, their vices and virtues, their soft spots (there’s always at least one), and where their heart is (if they have one). If they care about themselves, or others, and who is their god (ie: power, notoriety, publicity, accolades, money).

How can you do this? Among other things, you may cultivate a relationship with their underlings like their secretary or administrative assistant. Don’t ask personal questions that will make them uncomfortable. Tell them who you are, what your goal is (if possible), and ask their opinion on what you’re trying to achieve, and what they think is the best method of achieving it. Does it fit into their boss’s agenda/vision/goals?

Ask them what they think might be the best way to approach your objective? You’d be surprised how many people are willing to help you if you simply ask! Most people overlook the secretary/administrative assistant, or treat them rudely, or as a non-person. How stupid. You will never get to the boss without going through the secretary. (Oh yeah, if the secretary/administrative assistant hates you, you don’t stand a chance). Don’t be placating, or phony, people will pick up on that as well. Be sincere, honest, and genuine.

6. Resist the urge to engage your prey one on one until you are ready to negotiate. If it’s someone you know already, just say “hi” and keep going! Why? Your prey will be sizing you up as prey, the same way you are sizing them up! The bigger the predator they are, the more dangerous position you put yourself in by trying to be cocky and show your hand too quickly.

7. Also, your prey may be “big game” which provides you with the advantage of being the underdog, meaning they have no expectation of you, or someone like you ever getting the advantage over them. This is considerably in your favor if you have patience. The secret to catching the prey without too much of a struggle on your part (if you watch the nature shows), is TIMING!

8. Consider all the angles
Take the time to project yourself into the situation from their prospective. Play Devil’s Advocate. Ask all the questions you think they would ask you if the situation were reversed. Ask the hard questions that you don’t have an answer for, and then get one! Consider the positives, and “what’s in it for them” – there has to always be something in it for the other guy if you want your negotiation tactics to be considered art!

Replay the situation over and over (and over and over) in your head until you think you’ve covered every conceivable scenario, both good and bad, because there will always be something you’ve overlooked.

9. ASK them WHAT THEY WANT! The direct frontal approach can be extremely unnerving, and very effective.

10. Never lose your cool; you’ll lose everything!

11. Never let how you really feel show on your face.

12. Once you’ve made your point(s), STOP TALKING! And no matter how long the silence is, don’t be the first one to speak. The first one who speaks has already lost! (If there’s food around, now is the time to put something in your mouth!)

13. Be gracious whether you win or lose! This is so important. How you do either will speak volumes of you as a person, a competitor, and as someone people may want to do business with in the future. It will establish a reputation for you that will be either positive or negative. And even if you don’t land the big game this time, according to how you played the game, the big game with have respect for you, and they will remember you believe it or not- which will come in handy in the future.

14. Winning what you want out of a negotiation should be a legitimate “best practice” to improve something somewhere, whether it’s a good or service; working conditions, or method of delivery. You should keep in mind that “what goes around, comes around”, so even though you may win today, you may be tomorrow’s loser.