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Ron Stein
Sales and Marketing Advice for Florida business
Five secrets to your next great presentation
Chances are you are like most business people and not a silver tonged orator. Yet, you’re not terrified of stepping in front of crowd and manage to give "fairly good" presentations.
But, when was the last time you remember saying to yourself; “I’m nailing this presentation!”
Standing with confidence in front of a crowd and communicating your ideas is literally worth big bucks. This is how fifteen percent of businesses get eighty-five percent of the sales.
It’s a great feeling. Having everyone in the room smiling and nodding with approval is exhilarating. When it’s over and a deal is closed for your new product or service, you’re on top of the world.
Whether you’re presenting your product to a room full of prospects or giving a workshop teaching how to use social media, connecting with your audience and getting your points across is critical.
In today’s impersonal climate of texting and social media, a great presentation will set you and your company apart from competitors. Being a terrific communicator is a leadership trait that others gravitate to. People will listen and buy what you are offering.
Let’s be honest here -- even if you aren’t uncomfortable speaking to more than three people at a time, you can do a much better job of captivating your audience.
Your next presentation could change your life, land a major new customer, get your company the funding it needs -- or the loss of a contract. There’s a lot at stake so why wing it. Keep these five tips in mind the next time you deliver a presentation.
Open strong. Find creative ways to get people to focus on you and your message right from the start. Overcome whatever thoughts they are preoccupied with by opening with a relevant story or asking an intriguing question. The first words out of your mouth need to catch their attention, amaze, and generate thoughts like, “I understand, I’ve been there” or “ this can impact our business.” A variation of asking a question is to energize your audience with a survey of the room by saying something like, "Which is a better way to motivate a buyer; _____ or _____? If you feel the answer is _____, please raise your hand.” You now have their attention from the beginning of your talk.
Where you stand matters. Hiding behind a lectern or standing off to the side is a subtle signal to your audience that you’re either insecure or concealing something. If you have PowerPoint slides to refer to, stand "center stage" and deliver your opening without any slides showing -- even if the screen is directly behind you -- make sure no slide is visible. Whenever you need to show a slide on the screen, move just slightly out of the way, to the left of the screen from the audience’s perspective because most of us read from left to right. Now, have the screen go blank before the next slide so that you can move back to the most powerful position -- the center. Taking and holding the center will allow your entire audience to make eye contact with you and for you to display confidence. Not to mention, help keep their attention.
Smooth sailing with effective transitions. It’s annoying when a presenter takes you from one topic to the next abruptly. Never assume that everyone is keeping up with you and following along, particular as you shift gears during your talk. Provide a roadmap that’s obvious. Divide your topics into digestible chunks to help your audiences move with you from one idea to the next. For instance, “Now that we’ve mastered _____, let's turn our attention to the next challenge _____." Also, before moving on to the next point, you can add to your transition phrase a brief summary that reinforces the most important things to remember that were just covered.
Don’t lose your audience along the way. Great transitions will keep your audience from being confused, but you’ll have to up your game to maintain their attention span. Research has shown that we pay more attention to the beginning and end of a presentation and forget most everything in the middle, retaining as little as ten percent. Help your audience get their eyes away from texting and follow along so that they retain the important facts they need to remember. Push the attention reset button about every eight to ten minutes. Show an unexpected image, tell a very short and compelling story, or ask an attention-getting question. Whatever you do, don’t try to be funny if you’re not!
Close with impact. Getting you audience’s attention and remembering what you said is one thing, having them to take action is another matter. A simple “Thank you" at the end of your talk will not sway anyone. Have a compelling offer or a challenge that moves your audience and moves them forward. Give a firm recommendation to implement what you presented and how to start. Urge each person -- or the group -- to take specific action. Or, challenge them with a big message: "If you remember just one thing from today’s presentation, by this time next quarter . . .” Close with a bang, not a whimper.
Dale Carnegie, writer and the developer of famous courses in public speaking and interpersonal skills, said, “A talk is a voyage. It must be charted. The speaker who starts nowhere, usually gets there.”
Have all information prepared and practiced. Know what’s important to your audience and know how and when to drive your key points home. Remain focused on providing value to your audience and you’ll find yourself giving successful presentations every time.
Ron Stein is President of FastPath Marketing (www.marketing-strategies-guide.com) and the author of the Rapid Impact Marketing & Selling Playbook. As a speaker, coach, and consultant he works with small business owners helping them to accelerate the path between their vision and the actions needed to reach, win, and keep customers. Ron is the creator of the FastPath to More Customers Now! 7-step marketing system based on more than twenty years as a successful business owner, corporate CEO, business development executive, and salesman. He is also a mentor at two nationally recognized business accelerators. Ron offers one-on-one and small group mentoring, conducts seminars, and consults. He can be reached at 727-398-1855 or Ron@FastPathMarketing.com.
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