PSJ Business Booster

Volume 2, Issue 1

Welcome to this "Business Booster" from the Professional Speakers Journal (PSJ) -- the first Business Booster for 2009.

The issue day for Business Boosters has been moved from Fridays to Sundays.

These notes will be kept short and sweet and only have two objectives:

1. Add value to your business giving you a 'heads up' on simple tips and techniques may not have heard about

2. Keep you informed about what's new in the Professional Speakers Journal

Tip of the week -- Using "Turn Page" technology to smarten up your marketing   

What's the problem?

Two related issues have caused difficulties at the computer/business interface ever since the launch of the personal computer (PC) by IBM in 1981. The fundamental one was how to view pre-printed material (reports, catalogues, brochures) on PC screens. The second was the historical incompatibility between standard paper sizes and computer screens. Both of these issues have been eroded over time with the development of computer technology. PC connected scanners didn't exist in the early 1980's and today's physically larger screens with improved resolution and enhanced graphic rendering capabilities are distant cousins of the early 'green-on-black' character based 'terminals' (as we used to call them in those days). 

Software too has kept pace and Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) has become a de facto standard for the display of documents on computer screens.

While the pace of technological development is without doubt very impressive, the fact remains that computers and printed documents deliver very different experiences to the end user.

Paper versus screen

Paper documents remain an integral part of our everyday lives, whether as newspapers, annual reports, marketing literature or paperback novels. They exist everywhere and their roles have not been taken over by screen readers, as some people predicted. In many ways, paper continues to deliver more than screen based systems -- for example: 

• The ability to "flick through" a book and quickly determine its usefulness

• The ability to quickly scan many stories in a broadsheet newspaper

• The sensation of high quality delivered by the heavyweight paper, rich images and smell of a leather-bound, hardback book

• From a business and marketing perspective, the ability to "leave something" with the client to remind him or her of your company and services

Having said that, there are ways in which on-line documents out-perform paper based ones: 

• The ability to search a document for a specific term

• The ease with which documents can be transmitted across the world

• The creation of links between connected parts of a document -- for example, between the table of contents and the first pages of each chapter, or between words in the body of a document and their descriptions in an associated glossary

• The ability to link to other documents or network-based resources

• The ability to include multiple media (text, image, moving image and audio) within one document

We seem to be living in a world where these two distinct document types -- one old, one new -- will live on for many years to come, on broadly speaking, parallel paths. I say broadly speaking, as there is a relatively new technology that is rapidly gaining ground and helping to draw these two worlds together.

"Turn Page" technology -- the new kid on the block

This technology has developed very rapidly recently and looks like it will develop into a really useful bridge between paper and screen. What turn page technology delivers is a screen-based document laid out like an open book -- with left and right hand pages. Controls give you the ability to turn the pages and each page (generally speaking) has the capabilities you'd associate with a standard HTML web page (in terms of linking, etc).    

Where to go to see it in action

There are a couple of web sites I recommend you check out:

http://www.issuu.com

Issuu is a really exciting service that just keeps getting better and better. They started with a free service and have recently added a chargeable service. The general idea is that you end up with a turn page version of your Word, PDF or PowerPoint material hosted on their servers. The free version includes some advertising, while the "Pro" version (chargeable), does not. Currently Issuu cannot deal with imbedded video and audio, although they claim to be "working on it". If imbedded video or audio is important to you, then check out the follow company's offerings:

http://www.2evolv.co.uk

This company takes turn page technology further and is able to integrate video and audio. The people at 2evolv are really friendly and in fact if you mention the Professional Speakers Journal "Business Booster" you'll find that they have a special offer waiting for you in terms of being able to try out their service.

You can't loose with this one -- I recommend you take a serious look at turn page technology and take advantage of the special offer in this edition of Business Booster.

If you have ideas for material you'd like us to cover in the Journal, then please let me know.

Best wishes and good luck for 2009.

Chris Davidson

Editor@ProfessionalSpeakersJournal.com

The Professional Speakers Journal is published by Active Presence Limited of the United Kingdom.

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