By now, everyone knows the Obamacare roll-out has been a disaster, but what’s interesting from a presenting point of view is not the politics but how many different metaphorical worlds the media sourced to describe the concept of its failure. That diversity of vivid descriptions is instructive for all of us whose success depends on selling, influencing, …
Presenting to one person or to a small group is another form of interpersonal relationship. When personal relationships disintegrate, you frequently hear that the ultimate cause was “He/she didn’t understand me.” And when relationships flourish, you hear, with almost equal frequency, a version of “he/she really ‘gets’ me.” What applies in marriage applies in presenting. When clients feel that you “get” them, they want to “marry” you. That sense of understanding frequently comes into play during the give and take conversation around your material. Here’s a creative way to demonstrate that you are tracking with them.
When I asked a new client why he selected me from among the three he had interviewed for presentation training for his team, his answer surprised me. I thought he would say the quality of the programs, my willingness to customize, my methodology, or any of a number of other standard buying criteria. Instead, he …
Readers of this blog know that it is all about “making what you say pay” in a variety of business/sales situations, but if you need more contacts before whom you can employ that principal, then you will find today’s tip amazingly helpful. It will save you time, accelerate your prospecting activity, and increase the chances …
What if you could be sure your listeners were totally engaged with your information? What would that do for your confidence? What would that mean for your business? Listener’s Brains Love PEP I have created a numeric system called PEP, for Presentation Engagement Power, to measure the likely impact your information will have on listeners. PEP …
I have little use for most pop culture television, but I admit an addiction to the 2013 Emmy award winning show “The Voice.” Its success formula combines talent, positive energy, and appealing personalities, which draws me (and obviously millions of others) back to the show each week–which leads to the point of this week’s blog. After sitting through two days of presentations from senior executives at Microsoft, Google, Yahoo! and others at a digital media conference this week, I would suggest that there is a three part formula for winning presentations as well.
A famous American theatrical producer and director once said, “If you can’t write your idea on the back of my calling card, you don’t have a clear idea.” The complex information you present may not ever lend itself to being written on the back of a calling card, but it does not have to overwhelm your buyers either. I came across a brilliant example of how one firm used what I call “Visual Algebra” to simplify the complexity of what is arguably one of today’s most convoluted industries to understand. See how you can do the same for your business.
Agendas in presentations are usually seen as afterthoughts, useful low-level roadmaps, or necessary evils. Big mistake! An Agenda skillfully used can make or break a presentation. How much thought do you give to this part of your presentations? An Agenda strategy takes into consideration: · Timing · Content · Agreement and Feedback Timing is Everything If you …
They say when everyone is buying, you should sell and when everyone is selling, you should buy. The same holds true in presentations. If everyone is using PowerPoint, then do the opposite: use plain old paper and pencil. You will have greater impact and be more memorable. Grab a pen (or two if you want a second …
Nothing drives listeners crazier and makes them tune out more than someone, who, like, is always, uh, you know, sprinkling their, um, presentations with, you know, non-words, right? These filler words ruin the clarity of your message and reflect badly on you as a professional. Here are five suggestions for getting rid of these presentation …
I once heard a speaker begin his talk with “As that great philosopher (dramatic pause) Peter Pan said, “I don’t wanna grow up” and then he seamlessly linked that surprise opening to his message about the need to get serious about the challenges facing his industry. There are many famous lines from movies and plays that you can …