We go to the doctor for annual health check-ups, so, why not take a few minutes for an annual presentation check-up as well? It is reassuring to hear the doctor confirm that we are okay in most areas, but it is also really important to learn where we may be at risk for future problems. The …
One of the most important and hardest presentations you will ever make is the one you give about yourself to an interviewer. There is a weak way and a winning way to answer the question, “Why should we hire you?” Do you know the difference? It’s Not Your Resume Your resume is just the price …
The vertical crossword clue was “unrelated,” six letters, and the first two letters were “un.” What was the answer? Clearly, I thought, the answer had to be “unlike,” as, for example, apples and tennis rackets are “unrelated to” or “unlike each other” – only my answer didn’t fit with the last four horizontal clues. Something was amiss and I was frustrated. Actually, the whole …
Most people send Christmas greeting emails that get lost among hundreds of others. Far fewer use Thanksgiving as a wonderful opportunity to get in front of clients and share genuine gratitude for their business. And, please, don’t send a mass mailing! When you personalize each one, you will be surprised at how many pleased responses you will …
A recent article in Vanity Fair, about how history will judge Trump’s presidency, struck me as having definite parallels to how clients judge us in the sales and presentation process. In the first of six short essays written by different historians, Jon Meacham, presidential scholar and biographer, wrote, “Without historical context, without humility, without empathy, he’s (Trump) what the author …
When you were a child, you likely enjoyed saying, (or trying to say) “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,” or “She sells seashells by the seashore.” There is something that engages the ear and hooks into our memory about a sequence of words or phrases that begin with the same sound. For business people, what was a game in …
The current flap over Trump’s condolences to the wife of LA David, the young man who was tragically killed in Niger, illustrates again how important word choices and their delivery are whether you are President of the United States or a professional in business. The post below was originally published Nov. 20, 2012 Current events are …
If you see bending your knee on the field at a football game as a peaceful act of protest protected by the First Amendment, then you side with the NFL. If you see that same act as a sign of disrespect to the flag, the country, and to the military men and women overseas, then …
What Does __ Mean to Listeners? A friend who works for a leading NY landmark event venue recently remarked that they had a “buy-out” last week. “Really?” I said, “This famous landmark was sold!? Who bought it?” “Bought it? No one bought it,” she said. “But you had a buy-out,” I said. “Yes,” she replied. “XYZ company bought out the entire venue for its corporate event. …
The best athletes do it. The most accomplished musicians do it. The most famous actors do it. Even Steve Jobs did it. What is “it”? They Practice What a concept. True pros practice—a lot– before performing. That’s how they get to be successful. It is stunning to see so many presenters who think they can …
One of the only things worse than no sale is when, after an agreement, the buyer changes his mind. I had two buying experiences recently, one positive and one negative, that pointed up how to avoid getting into that position. The first happened on our holiday trip to the Montreal Jazz Festival last week. “Are …