Miguel Lanz and Justin Foster

What would happen if you put a group of naturally buzzed entrepreneurs together with drinks and a start-up competition in a bar in downtown Boise? A perfect cocktail mix of fun, frenzy and friendly rivalry!

This year’s Startup Speed Dating competition and subsequent Tech Cocktail’s Mixer & Startup Showcase took place at Fatty’s Pub and Grille, a local hot spot in Boise. During the competition, nine startups were given 5 minutes to pitch their business to a panel of investors and business leaders. Three finalists were chosen: Trillboard, Performance Demand Marketing and Klowd.com. The final vote then rested in the hands of this group of nearly 100 supercharged audience members.

Amongst bright lights and the inevitable smell of alcohol, Justin Foster, Klowd.com’s tenacious CMO, pitched the audience on SlideKlowd - Klowd.com’s audience engagement platform. He talked about the problem we are solving (lack of audience engagement), how we are solving it (interacting with an audience via their devices), our market (enterprise, training, marketing and compliance), our business model (software-as-a-service and consulting fees) and our fricken awesome team.

After hearing the pitches of the three finalists, audience members used their mobile devices to vote ‘American Idol’ style on which startup they thought could make it to the big leagues.

And what do you know? We won! We always knew we had a winning idea but it sure was rewarding to be recognized by our peers. Miguel Lanz, the event’s organizer made the announcement and handed Justin a check for $1,000 at the start of the Mixer & Startup Showcase. Miguel shared, “The competition was tough and I think Klowd was able to appeal to the audience’s sense of possibility.  Who hasn’t sat through a boring presentation and fiddled with their smart phone?  Finding a way to improve presentation delivery by redefining the interaction resonated with the audience.  Combining that vision with a sense of credibility in the business model tipped the scale in Klowd’s favor.”

“To win a competition with so many worthy start-ups was very validating”, says Justin Foster. “Tech Cocktail was a blast and we encourage any start-up to participate in the next event”.

If you want to know what all the buzz is about, join us for our next SlideKlowd demo scheduled for Friday, November 9 at 9 a.m. MDT. To find out what time that is at your location go here. Using SlideKlowd remotely typically only requires a phone connection and the audience viewer app/link.  However, our Business Development Manager, David Edwards, will want to show you the presenter screen/admin panel as well, which is why we’ll also use GoToMeeting.  Set up and log-in info for both SlideKlowd and GoToMeeting are below.

1. Go to Android or Apple app store, search for “SlideKlowd” and download the app for your smart phone or tablet which is the recommended way.  If you want to view in a desktop browser, you can just go to http://t.slideklowd.com/
2. When prompted, enter an email address and password of your choosing to create your account, this is so you can save a presentation to view later.
3. When prompted, enter the Event Key:  SK110912 (not case sensitive)
4. When he hits the “broadcast” button in the SlideKlowd Presenter screen on his end, you’ll be able to follow along with my presentation and interact with him.

Thank you to Idaho Technology Council’s Project Manager, Malcolm Hong, for Tech Cocktail’s feature article,  SLIDEKLOWD MAKES PRESENTATIONS MORE INTERACTIVE.

We hope you will join us for this year’s Tech Cocktail’s Boise Mixer & Startup Showcase at Fatty’s Bar on Thursday, November 8 from 5:30-9:00 p.m. We’d love to show you all the awesomeness we’ve been brewing up since our inception in August 2011.

For more details go to: http://tcboise.eventbrite.com/

Share the news! @SlideKlowd #TechCocktailBOI

Solution
Bonilla used multiple choice, likert scales, sliding scales and yes/no interactions to engage the audience, present the results to the audience and then discuss those results. Feedback was real-time and was used to inform Microsoft decision-making on the hot issues facing digital media leaders.

Outcome
“Slideklowd made my presentation immersive, exciting, and engaging for my audience. The audience’s enthusiasm and participation using SlideKlowd exceeded any other tool I have previously used. SlideKlowd made my job as instructor and presenter 100% easier and 200% more effective. I can’t imagine doing any future presentation without it.” Dennis Bonilla

GP Strategies’ E-European Director, Julian Stodd, is planning on using SlideKlowd for his presentation at MobiLearnAsia, a major conference and exposition focused on mobile learning and elearning.

For DreamForce 2012, the SalesForce Investor Relations team wanted to do something different! CFO Graham Smith and David Havlek, SVP of Investment Relations were giving a presentation that was full of complicated charts, graphs and data. The complexity of the presentation and the early morning time slot meant the presentation had to be conducted in an exciting, informative and relevant way. In addition, the Investor Relations team wanted to capture real-time feedback and opinions, as well as measure comprehension levels on the information being presented. Finally, they wanted to be able to manage feedback and questions in an organized manner.

Solution
The presentation was given the final polish the night before the event and uploaded to SlideKlowd. The morning of the event, attendees were given instructions on logging in to SlideKlowd – with over 80% of attendees participating via SlideKlowd both in person and online. Graham and David used SlideKlowd’s “Clicker” app on an iPhone along with the Confidence Monitor app. As the presentation progressed, Graham and David were able to project real-time audience responses to the large screens as well as monitor questions and comments. At the end of the presentation, the “Save Presentation” feature allowed everyone logged in to the presentation to save the presentation to his/her personal device.

Outcome
Using SlideKlowd allowed Graham and David to give an effective, data-driven presentation while transforming the presentation into a lively conversation. The SlideKlowd team had worked with the Investor Relations team to ensure that the presentation was optimized for engagement. This effort was proven in the post-presentation analytics, where SalesForce was pleased to see the high-level of engagement, as well as follow up with questions and comments that were posted. The elimination of printing and binding had the added benefit of saving several thousand dollars and a tremendous amount of time. SlideKlowd has since been used by the Investor Relations team in other events and is being introduced to other teams within SalesForce.

If you are a presenter, have you noticed a new competitor in the room? The competitor is not another presenter. It is your audience’s smart phones and tablets!

Even though they are tapping away during your presentation, Gen Yers do care what you are saying. To be completely accurate, they care about what they think about what you are saying and how it reflects their own values. Exciting those values in your presentation is your ticket to getting your Gen Yers to act.

Embrace BYOD

Not only does Gen Y embrace technology; they expect you to allow them to use it. And, they will probably use them despite you telling them not to! Because SlideKlowd allows you to create real-time interaction with your Gen Yers via their smart phones, tablets and laptops, invite them to BYOD (bring-your-own-device)! If you are worried that they are distracted while you are talking, you will know within 30 seconds if they have left the SlideKlowd app.

Show them that you care

Gen Yers tend to feel more connected to your content when they are convinced that you care about how they feel about that content. They want questions answered directly and need to understand the big picture even though it may feel like they are arguing your every point. Engaging with them appeals to their need for instant gratification. Integrating multiple choice, sliding scales and yes/no interactions and the questions and comments features into your presentation allows you to gather instantaneous feedback and respond real-time to their concerns. Sharing those results immediately with your audience gives them confidence that they have been heard.

Influence Decision Making

It is not enough to ask a Gen Yer what they are thinking. Gen Yers need to know that the feedback they give you may influence the strategic direction of your organization or cause. Make your interactions with Gen Yers authentic and make sure to document their responses. Tell them how their responses could affect your business. SlideKlowd’s robust analytics platform captures all Q&A responses, survey outcomes and comments from your presentation and allows you to take that data and make evidence based decision-making.

Ultimately, you cannot expect to capture the attention of your GenY audience without appealing to what it important to them‑which is themselves. By capitalizing on technology, such as SlideKlowd, giving them a voice and letting them know they are making a difference; you will gain their attention and respect.

Edudemic: http://edudemic.com/2012/10/slideklowd-presentation/

Online Colleges: http://www.onlinecolleges.net/2012/10/09/slideklowd-puts-cloud-presentations-in-the-hands-of-students/

EdTechTimes: http://edtechtimes.com/2012/10/05/klowd-launches-social-teacher-app/

If you would like to see how SlideKlowd works in an education environment (either in K-12 or higher education), please participate in one of our public education-focused demo webinars hosted by our CMO, Justin Foster. Below is the sign in information for both two demos next week.

Using SlideKlowd remotely typically only requires a phone connection and the free audience viewer app/link. However, Justin will want to show you the presenter screen/admin panel as well, which is why we’ll also use GoToMeeting. Set up and log-in info for both SlideKlowd and GoToMeeting (for both times) are below.

Tuesday, October 16 at 6 p.m. MDT

SlideKlowd Viewer App Instructions (please make sure you download app before entering the webinar)

1. Go to Android or Apple app store, search for “SlideKlowd” and download the app for your smart phone or tablet.  If you want to view in a desktop browser, you can just go to http://t.slideklowd.com/
2. When prompted, enter an email address and password of your choosing.
3. When prompted, enter the Event Key: EVENT KEY: KLOWD116

GoTo Meeting Instructions

1. Please join my meeting, Oct 16, 2012 at 6:00 PM MDT.

https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/469644861

1. Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) – a headset is recommended. Or, call in using your telephone.

Dial  1 (213) 493-0614

Access Code: 469-644-861

Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting

Meeting ID: 469-644-861

 Wednesday, October 17, at 9 a.m. MDT

SlideKlowd Viewer App Instructions (please make sure you download app before entering the webinar)

1. Go to Android or Apple app store, search for “SlideKlowd” and download the app for your smart phone or tablet.  If you want to view in a desktop browser, you can just go to http://t.slideklowd.com/
2. When prompted, enter an email address and password of your choosing.
3. When prompted, enter the Event KEY: KLOWD117

GoToMeeting Instructions

1. Please join my meeting, Oct 17, 2012 at 9:00 AM MDT.
   https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/950522989
2. Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) – a headset is recommended. Or, call in using your telephone.

Dial  1 (213) 493-0014

Access Code: 950-522-989

Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting

Meeting ID: 950-522-989

The Idaho Statesman shares the details on how SlideKlowd was used: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/10/05/2299087/idaho-ceos-provide-feedback-via.html

Still, work needs to be done. Justin plans on taking a break from the wild scene Friday, September 21 to present his special du jour: a SlideKlowd demo. Hope you can make it!

Here are the details:

The demo will take place at 8:00 AM PDT next Friday, September 21. Below you will find instructions for the demonstration, including login and download info for the SlideKlowd app.

Using SlideKlowd remotely typically only requires a phone connection and the free audience viewer app/link. However, Justin will want to show you the presenter screen/admin panel as well, which is why we’ll also use GoToMeeting. Set up and log-in info for both SlideKlowd and GoToMeeting are below.

SlideKlowd Viewer App Instructions (please make sure you download app before entering the webinar)

1. Go to Android or Apple app store, search for “SlideKlowd” and download the app for your smart phone or tablet.  If you want to view in a desktop browser, you can just go to http://t.slideklowd.com/
2. When prompted, enter an email address and password of your choosing.
3. When prompted, enter the Event Key:  KLOWD921

GoToMeeting Instructions

1. Please join my meeting, Sep 21, 2012 at 8:00 AM PDT. https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/441411285
2. Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) – a headset is recommended. Or, call in using your telephone.
   Dial  1 (213) 493-0614
   Access Code: 441-411-285
   Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting

Meeting ID: 441-411-285