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How to market your firm with SlideShare SlideShare is an easy and inexpensive way to present information to your target audience in a visually appealing manner.
S lideShare is a web-based service that gives AEC firms the ability to infuse a power- ful visual component into their digital marketing efforts. The thought of yet an- other Internet tool probably doesn’t sound very appealing, but SlideShare is worth considering because it’s virtually free, easy to use, and requires no ongoing time com- mitment. It also allows you to increase the potency of your marketing with your target audience by packaging your message in a reader-friendly format.
Brian Fraley
WHAT IS SLIDESHARE? SlideShare started out as an independently owned Internet-based service but was acquired by LinkedIn in 2012. The basic intent of the platform is to allow users to upload files or design a fresh concept, which it translates into slide decks. It has similarities to PowerPoint but much better functionality. “The main benefit of SlideShare for AEC firms is that it allows you to display marketing materials in an easy-to-read, image-driven format that is more likely to capture and hold the attention of your target audience.” WHY SHOULD I USE IT? The main benefit of SlideShare for AEC firms is that it allows you to display mar- keting materials in an easy-to-read, image-driven format that is more likely to capture and hold the attention of your target audience. It’s harder than ever to attract attention, especially on the Inter- net. The volume of information is incredulous. SlideShare benefits your audience by allowing
them to more quickly receive your content in a reader-friendly format. Your target audience still consumes volumes of information, despite claims to the contrary in our short attention span cul- ture. Some statistics suggest that Americans are actually taking in more information than ever. Imagery currently rules the day in marketing, primarily because it allows busy people to quickly and effectively consume and comprehend informa- tion. This is how SlideShare explains it: “In today’s world of visual communication, design is an im- portant element of your content you can’t ignore: Visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than words, and can increase a viewer’s comprehension by 89 percent.” There you have it. HOW DO I USE IT? SlideShare is easy to use for even the most diehard Luddite. Start by creating a free account at SlideShare.net. You can either upload existing documents or build a slide deck from the ground up. Your end product will be a presenta- tion, infographic, or a basic document. SlideShare accepts a range of file types from PowerPoint to Microsoft Word to Adobe PDF for those that want to convert an existing document into a single slide or slide deck. Your other option is to build a slide deck from the bottom up, which will require some See SLIDESHARE, page 8
THE ZWEIG LETTER January 18, 2016, ISSUE 1135
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