I was waiting at Singapore for my connecting flight to Christchurch. An Indian in his late twenties was sitting next to me in the Changi airport lounge and was working in an expensive Dell Notebook Computer that could easily cost more than Rs.1,50,000.

I thought that he must be a key manager in a prosperous software company because the title of the Microsoft PowerPoint – a presentation software program – slide that he was working in contained the name of that company. Then I forgot him and lost myself in the book that I was reading. After a few minutes, I looked again at his computer and was surprised to see that he was working on a new slide that had a title containing the name of a different company.

After some general chat with Guna, that was his name, I asked, “What do you do for a living?” He replied, “I am self-employed as a presentation consultant.”

“What do you actually do? Can you please explain it in detail, if you don’t mind?” I requested him. “One of the common tasks of the present day business persons and company executives is to give presentations with slides to partners, investors, colleagues, bankers and many other people to achieve business objectives. Everybody knows that packaging of a product is as important as the quality of the product and that the first impression is the best impression. So, the presenter usually prepares his or her speech with presentation software programs such as Microsoft PowerPoint. Not all the business persons have the time to learn all the features of the software program. Nor they have the patience to create bewitching slide shows. So, they use the standard templates that are used by all others. However, using something that is well known and overused does not make their presentation very effective. First impression does not produce powerful effect. I help them achieve powerful first impression and create effective presentation by supplying them custom-made designer slide shows,” said Guna.

“How do you enrich your client’s presentation and make it powerful?” I asked him. “Before creating a custom slide show, I collect from my client information on the corporate style, audience, purpose of the presentation and other related issues. I have bought thousands of PowerPoint templates from reputed online websites. I use one of these templates as the starting point and customize it to suit the requirements of my client. I add interesting anecdotes, inspiring quotations, attention-pulling sounds and mesmerizing flash animations to the presentation. Then, the client adds his or her key points to the slide show and does rehearsal a few times. Now, the client is ready to achieve his or her goals through a powerful, unique presentation,” he said.

“Do you create all the bits of animation sounds and clip parts? Is it not a consuming work?” I asked him. “I use stock music, stock images and stock animations,” said Guna.

“Do people pay well for such services?” I asked Guna. “All of us wear shirts. While most of us wear standard, template shirts that are low priced, some of us go for designer shirts that cost twice or thrice the average price. A few of us go farther and buy exclusive, unique designer shirts that cost a fortune. Why do people pay such high prices for designer shirts when they can get general shirts for low prices?” asked Guna. “That’s a good question and I understand your point,” I said and asked him, “Have you ever thought of selling your products as stock templates over the Internet?” He replied, “I have thought about it and have decided against it. I prefer to concentrate on custom-made products.”

“What is your turnover?” I asked him. “I started my home based business four years ago with an old Celeron desktop computer. Now I have six employees and all of them have high end desktop computers and notebook systems. I have bought a car and a flat, of course, on hire purchase. I travel only by air. I believe these bits of information will give you an idea about my earnings.” Guna was not willing to tell me the exact figures.

“Do you think there is a market for many players?” I asked. “Yes. It’s an expanding market. If an entrepreneur picks a good niche and gives his heart, soul and sweat only to it, he will certainly succeed. Sense of beauty and an eye for presentation are the most important skills required of this business. Computer skills can easily be acquired in a matter of a few weeks.”

Do you have an eye for presentation and sense of beauty?