Why would your audience do what you propose? How can you tip the scales your way? Does the solution, recommendation, or product you present gives them a set of benefits that they are not currently enjoying or does More… »Convince your audience... with benefits.
Last week, I witnessed somebody skidding off the road! A presenter inadvertently defied a rule that every seasoned speaker has known for a long time. Unfortunately, what was supposed to happen, happened. The presenter froze in front of her team and could not restart. The cause of the accident? She had memorized her presentation word-for-word! Sometimes you just have to experience it for yourself. Here are the symptoms, causes and remedies: More… »Why memorizing your presentation could be perilous... and tips to avoid the worst.
I was attending a professional development virtual meeting of professional and experienced presenters this morning, when the following questions was put forward to the participants: How do you prepare when you are asked to present internally or externally on a topic that you know using visual content that is new to you and given very little time to prepare? Many professionals have had and still must contend with this challenge. Here are 5 ideas which may help you increase your odds of delivering a great presentation. More… »So many slides, so little time. 5 tips to make your preparation more successful.
However tempting it is to start building your next presentation narratively from the beginning of the story, after all, this is what everybody is doing, I would challenge you to try starting with the end in mind. Should you choose to start from the end, you will find it easier to write up your content, save a lot of time and be assured that you will ace the conclusion. Here is how to do this: More… »Start with the end in mind
Why would your audience do what you propose? If the cost of the status quo seems less than the cost of what you propose, it is quite unlikely that they would change their ways. Your listeners will consider a change if the solution, recommendation, or product you present offers benefits that will help them solve a problem or eliminate an irritant. What are these benefits? More… »Convince your audience with benefits
I recently asked a client to describe their role within their organization. The answer struck me as a somewhat confused long exposé to justify the necessity of his position. It seemed to me that he was trying to convince himself. For my part, far from convincing me, the presentation left me with a lingering doubt. Did he really understand his role on his team? Here are the reasons to be more concise as well as a checklist of five strategies for trimming down presentations that are a little too generous. More… »Leaders take to the stage: Conciseness, clarity and efficiency.
Have you ever attended a presentation that didn't have a final conclusion? Either that the presentation ended abruptly due to lack of time: the speaker could not complete his or her speech in the allotted time. It is also possible that a spontaneous and lively question period just erupted before the conclusion: the listeners felt a void and this space quickly filled. In any case, you probably felt like something was missing. More… »The presentation that seems to never end. Tell them that you will conclude.
When you present in front of an audience to sell your products, services, or solutions, it takes much more than asking for the attention and benevolence of your listeners: you have to ask them for their commitment and their money otherwise you have wasted your time and theirs! You need to know how to deliver a pitch that is captivating, convincing and persuasive to reach an agreement on the spot. Here are three key ideas to consider for your next sales presentation or pitch:
Following your virtual or live presentation, hands go up in the room. Most of the questions will be about additional information that you will easily provide; some will have a higher degree of difficulty and others will be even more difficult or even embarrassing to answer. Here are some ideas to consider about your Q&A management strategy, as many of your listeners will see this as a test of your knowledge of the subject, your integrity, and your leadership skills.
You cannot go wrong with this 4-step recipe. It is tried and true. If you want to know why master of ceremonies will sometimes miss the mark, please read Introducing speakers. 3 reasons why this did not go as planned. More… »Introducing a guest or speaker like a pro. The magic recipe.