Out With the Old and in With the New
October 26, 2009
Just a few short weeks ago, Andrew Davis of TippingPoint Labs introduced me to the presentation tool Prezi, while he and other experts shared content marketing strategy tips at OpenView Venture Partners’ Content Marketing Workshop. After using PowerPoint for several years, this innovative tool opened my eyes to the recent advances in presentation technology. When creating your content management marketing strategy, think about tools like Prezi, which can often add that extra pizzazz.
Prezi was founded in Budapest, Hungary in May 2008 and is described as a flash based zooming visualization and storytelling tool. Prezi allows you to create non-linear presentations that are said to encourage dialog with the audience.
Inspired by this tool, I accessed the website in search of a demo. It was at that point that I realized that a public version of the tool was available for free. I quickly signed up, required to include only my name and email, and in moments I was enjoying my free account.
Short voice over demos guide you through the navigation of Prezi. It appears that an initial time investment is needed in order to get up to speed; though the tool is incredibly user friendly, simple, and fun to use.
Once Prezi made its first impression on me, which was a good one, I set in search of reviews from other users – interested in what people had to say.After some preliminary digging, it appears that the general consensus is that Prezi is a bit confusing for the average user, while it may not be far enough advanced for designers and other expert users.
I plan on checking out Prezi in a bit more detail for my next project that requires a presentation. I recommend that you try it out, as cool tools like this can be useful in creating competitive advantage. Do however; note that when you sign up for the free account, Prezi has a right to all of the content that you create.