I created this ad for a story contest I entered. Winning the contest gives an animal charity of your choice a nice sized donation of money and food.

The ad also has a video version. I used ElevenLabs, Pixabay and Audible for the audio version.

This episode features radio station WII-FM's Business Beat program.

Host Walter Winner tells the story of salesman Mike Colgate, who successfully presented to an unexpected audience of 100 people using an innovative technique called the "Selective Narrative."

The technique was developed by Colgate and presentation designer Joe Pops, this "choose your own adventure" style presentation method allows audiences to control the flow and topics, solving the common "parachute problem" where presenters are dropped into unfamiliar situations.

Using advanced PowerPoint features, the technique creates genuine engagement by making audience members active participants rather than passive recipients. The approach not only adapts to different audiences on the fly but also keeps presenters from getting bored with repetitive presentations.

Walter Winner explores how this method could revolutionize corporate communications in an era of short attention spans, though it requires more sophisticated preparation and technical knowledge.

Episode music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠by Anastasia Chubarova from Pixabay

Based on the book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Boring Don't Sell by JoePops

This fictional radio drama is set in the 1960s advertising world. "The Sound of Success" follows Pete Hartley, a junior advertising executive, as he receives mentoring from the sophisticated Mrs. Lawrence about incorporating music into business presentations.

With elements that evoke the Mad Men era. Mrs. Lawrence teaches Pete that music is a powerful psychological tool for creating emotional environments that make clients more receptive to sales pitches. Key lessons include using instrumental music only (to avoid triggering personalmemories), matching music to the audience, using brief musical transitions between presentation topics, and ensuring proper technical setup.

The episode is sponsored by the book Boring Don'tSell and introduces the Boring Don’t Sell theme song as performed by Peggy and the PowerPoints.

The Mrs. Lawrence character in the podcast is an homage to Mary Wells Lawrence (1928-2024), a pioneer in the advertisingworld. Mary Wells Lawrence was an Americanadvertising executive who was the first female CEO of a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. She was also the first woman president of an advertising agency and became a Madison Avenue legend, working her way up froma junior agency copywriter.

She was an inspiration for the Peggy Olson character in the TV series Mad Men.

Mary Wells Lawrence was known for many memorable ad campaigns including the Alka Seltzer "Plop, Plop, Fizz,Fizz" campaign.  

Opening theme: 5 Spot After Dark – Art Farmer, Benny Golson Jazz
Episode music: ⁠⁠⁠by catch22, Ogive music publishing, Alana Jordan, Onoychenko_music,  StudioKolomna from Pixabay

Boring Don’t Sell Theme Song: Peggy and the PowerPoints
(AI generated at Makeasong.com)

Based on the book: ⁠⁠⁠Boring Don't Sell by JoePops

Cracking the Code for Clarity.

This episode is a noir-style detective story that teaches the difference between metaphors and analogies for presentations.

The story follows a detective helping a client named Clarity, who keeps losing her audience during business presentations. Through the detective narrative, it explains that:

• Lady Metaphor transforms ideas by stating "this IS that" without using "like" or "as" - she's poetic and works through imagery and emotion
• Mister Analogy is more methodical, using "like" or "as" to systematically compare unfamiliar concepts to familiar ones for understanding
• 
  

The key takeaway: Use metaphors to evoke emotion, analogies to explain concepts, and both together when selling. The episode emphasizes that presentations need more than just facts - they need imagination and memorable comparisons to stick with audiences.

Clarity leaves with a newfound understanding of how to use a consistent metaphor throughout her presentations while incorporating analogies to make complex ideas accessible.

Theme music: ⁠⁠Vlad Krotov⁠⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠

Episode music: ⁠Francesco Biondi from Pixabay

Based on the book: ⁠⁠Boring Don't Sell by Joe Pops

The Secrets of Duo

Join the Doctor and Clara as they embark on an exhilarating journey to the distant planet of Duo, where the inhabitants possess extraordinary abilities to read and listen simultaneously.

In this episode, the Doctor uncovers the truth behind our struggle to multitask when it comes to absorbing information. Learn about the brain's limits and why dense text on slides can derail understanding.

This episode will transform how you think about communication and presentations.

Theme music: ⁠Vlad Krotov⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠

Episode music: Adapted from Emmraan from Pixabay

Based on the book: ⁠Boring Don't Sell by Joe Pops

The Case of the Neglected Narrative.

In this episode, the scene is set on a foggy autumn evening in Presentatia, London, where a young police constable discovers a chilling scene. bodies sprawled across a boardroom table, lifeless from an unseen killer.

Listeners are guided through the nine essential elements of effective storytelling in business presentations, ensuring that messages resonate long after they are shared.

In a world where storytelling reigns supreme, the episode concludes with a reminder that what we remember best is often what we feel.

Theme music: Vlad Krotov⁠ from ⁠Pixabay⁠

Episode music: Pardeep Patel from Pixabay

Based on the book: Boring Don't Sell by Joe Pops

Introducing - Boring Don't Sell Radio.

Join me for the very first episode...Here we go!

I am pleased to introduce my first episode of Boring Don’t Sell Radio. I'm a keen podcast listener and an audio book “reader”. So, I thought it was time to dive into in the world of audio.

Boring Don’t Sell Radio shows will feature tips, ideas, concepts, and techniques that will help you deliver more impactful presentations. And they are slide free, well except for the title graphic :)

So far, it’s been an adventure in learning software and audio web services. But I finally have enough knowledge/skills to produce something listenable (if that’s a word). I hope.

Please give me feedback on this first episode. I'm unsure of this adventure's direction, so any feedback would be appreciated.

Nothing is ever as simple as it looks. So far I have used: PowerPoint, Audacity, Elevenlabs, and Shotcut. This first episode, which is three minutes long, has taken me two days of screwing around. But the next ones will be, in the words of a former colleague from Montreal, piece of cake. Won't they?

Welcome to my latest adventure in business communication,

Boring Don’t Sell Radio.

Joe Pops - [email protected]

Theme music: ⁠⁠Vlad Krotov⁠⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠

Based on the book: ⁠⁠Boring Don't Sell by Joe Pops⁠

Message Like a Gangster, Boring Don't Sell Radio - Episode 2.

My "business associate" Vinnie tells us about delivering a presentation message like a gangster.

You should listen, it would be shame if something should happen to the nice career you got going. Just sayin.

Theme music: ⁠Vlad Krotov⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠

Episode music: WELC0MEИ0 from Pixabay

Based on the book: ⁠Boring Don't Sell by Joe Pops