Tag Archives: presentation

Sales , 4 Comments

C-Suite Presentations

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Your diarist will present the workshop  “Become Your Own Boss:  Effective Business Plan Writing”  on Wednesdays October 10, 17 & 24 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM at Boston Center for Adult Education.  Perhaps you’d like to become a part-time entrepreneur,  maybe cater parties on the weekend while you keep your day job?  Find out how to launch your mini-business  http://bit.ly/RnyIBP .

The one thing you have to remember about the C-suite is that those who abide there are under pressure.  They must produce results,  hit a home run every time they come up to bat.  In order to produce results they must delegate responsibility,  delegate to those who have talent and can be trusted. They like people who meet deadlines.  People who don’t make major errors.

Therefore,  if you happen to meet a C-level executive,  you must appear both talented and trustworthy,  as he/she defines it.  In general,  you must demonstrate that you know your stuff.  Demonstrate that you are able to produce results.  To do anything less is to disappoint,  to waste the exec’s precious time.  One must make a very good impression.

If you’re lucky enough to be invited to make a sales presentation to a C-level executive,  whether he/she is alone or with a team,  take the time to do things right.  Arrive early.  If you are there to demonstrate a product,  do a few test runs at home and do one also at the office.  In advance of your appointment,  ask the  executive assistant if there is a room you can duck into to do one more dry run product demo.

If you will present your service and will use Power Point,  do several rehearsals.  Again,  ask the assistant for early access to the conference room in advance of the meeting, so that you can set up the equipment and make sure it works and make sure that you can run it smoothly.  You do not want any A/V glitches and arrive one hour early if A/V equipment will be used.

When you do start talking,  cut to the chase.  It is politic to ask the C-level what he/she would like to hear first.  Plan to go off-script,  so know your material very well.  Expect lots of questions.  Anticipate what those questions might be and role-play answers.

C-level execs have many plates in the air,  opportunities to identify and evaluate,  stubborn problems to resolve and fires to put out.  They are thinking about seeds to plant today that will bear fruit three years down the road.  Make your presentation about how your product or service can beat the competition,  how to hang on to current customers,  how to win new ones and how to increase net profit.  In your presentation,  do address the problems they will have achieving those objectives and how your product or service will help them reach the goal faster,  more easily,  less expensively.

Bruce Gabrielle,  teacher of Power Point and presentation techniques and author of  “Speaking PowerPoint: The New Language of Business”,  says you should focus on painting a vision of a better future.  Once your exec is nodding at the your description of the vision—and ONLY after—should you address product or service details.  Cost will be less of a concern at this point,  he claims.

Gabrielle also notes that while most execs like Big Data and like the idea of making data-driven decisions,  they trust their gut and experience more than they trust numbers.  They like customer success stories. They gain confidence in you if their colleagues have used your product or service.  Have two or three  success stories that make you  shine ready to roll.  Introduce the stories first and then follow it up with any quantitative data that you have.

Be advised that your C-level exec will judge you by the quality of your presentation.  Consider it a test.  He/she will see whether you are authoritative and know your business;  will know how you handle pressure by your response to tough and unexpected questions being thrown at you;  will gauge whether you are trustworthy and credible.  In short,  your C-level will quickly figure out whether you are someone to do business with,  whether you are worthy of his/her time and money.  if you pass the test,  you will win his/her confidence and will be able to count on the exec’s full support.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Professional Development , Leave a comment

Charisma and the Way You Say What You Say

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Is it my imagination,  or are people called upon to do much more public speaking now as compared to 20 years ago? I had a 15+ year career in sales and that kept me talking all day.   In addition to sales calls,  there were company meetings and I was frequently called upon to give presentations and participate in the whole give and take.   But  there was no need to be  “on”  and repping a brand 24/7.   In fact,  human beings didn’t consider themselves a  “brand”—we had reputations.   We had off hours, during which time we could relax without feeling anxious about it.   That was then.

Now I’ve got the Freelance consulting thing going on and demands to stand and deliver have about doubled.   Networking plays a major role in business development for the self-employed and business owners.   I do some teaching and occasionally speak to a local business group,  to demonstrate my credibility and promote visibility.

These days,  we’re all out there self-promoting and doing all that we can to attract new customers,  retain current clients,  obtain venture capital,  get a job or a promotion,  get our child into the  “right”  school and generally look like we are a valuable asset to those who are holding the goodies we desire.   For obvious reasons,  the ability to communicate well has never been more essential.  We need to learn how to inject some charisma into our presentations.

Charisma means a special gift in Greek and charismatic speakers have the unique and valuable gift of connecting with their audience and persuading them to grant the speaker their trust and loyalty.   Charismatic speakers are able to make their audience understand,  buy in to,  identify with,  get excited about and remember the cause and message that they addresses.   Charismatic speakers are adept at painting vivid word pictures by judiciously weaving stories and anecdotes,  humor and metaphors into their presentation in a way that causes the audience to align with them and their goals and opinions.

We all come by at least some of this naturally.   We all use metaphors,  rhetorical questions and other turns of phrase on a regular basis.  We can learn to become more conscious of our natural speaking style and ability by practicing speaking techniques when chatting with friends and family.   In time,  you’ll be able to comfortably inject some charisma when called upon to speak to a group.

Metaphors  are an excellent way to explain and illustrate a message and can persuade a skeptical audience to understand and embrace a new concept.   Martin Luther King, Jr.  displayed his mastery of the use of metaphor in his 1963  “I Have a Dream”  speech,  when he likened the US constitution to a  “promissory note”  that guaranteed the inalienable rights of life,  liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

 Contrasts  often combine reason and passion.  They clarify the speaker’s position on the subject by comparing it to its opposite.  In his 1961 inaugural address,   President John F. Kennedy spoke the immortal words,  “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”  Benjamin Franklin noted that  “Content makes poor men rich;  discontent makes rich men poor.”  Similes  also compare and contrast,  as Muhammad Ali did when he famously announced that  “I’ll be  floating like a butterfly and stinging  like a bee.”

Then there is the use of story telling.   Stories can be where to use Analogy,  which points to the similarities between two things and on which a comparison can be based.   For example,  if your purpose is to build confidence and loyalty in a group and rally the members to face a difficult challenge,  the story you present may summarize when yourself or a group of people  (e.g. Londoners during the bombing in World War II)  pulled together,  kept their spirits up and faced the challenge with courage and resolve,  eventually prevailing.

Charismatic speakers are compelling and memorable.  Their skill is formidable,  but not entirely unattainable.   With practice,   we can learn to paint the picture for the audience,  frame the message,  influence priorities,  win confidence and portray ourselves as a leader.

Thanks for reading,

KIm

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Get Power Point Right

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All right,  we’re concluding the  “make the most of summer”  theme by taking a look at Power Point and how we can buff up our expertise.  As we all know,  a vital ongoing business goal for Freelancers is staying visible within our client and referral pool.  That means one of your objectives as we approach September and the fourth quarter is to nail down a speaking gig at a business or professional association that is frequented by potential clients and referral sources.  That could cause you to use Power Point.

The technology has been around for 20 years but most people,  including frequent users,  still get Power Point wrong.  We put too much stuff on our slides.  Someone tells us we should liven things up and recommends that we use Clip Art,  so we throw that in plus some cheesy slide transitions,  too,  to make sure that our audience stays awake.  We use too many slides because we depend on Power Point like a crutch to move our presentation along,  rather than using our words and insights to create the flow.

I understand that when teaching a course there will be perhaps many slides and more text than in a presentation for a meeting or conference.  Nevertheless,  instructors and presenters need to unchain themselves from Power Point tyranny and learn to use the technology to its full advantage.  Here are a few guidelines that will help you to finally get Power Point right:

  • Tell a compelling story that the audience will value and understand.  The story must have a beginning,  middle and end.
  • Frame the big issue that you must address at the beginning; then discuss the major challenges and opportunities that will impact that challenge; state the solution at the end.  Conclude with a summary of key points to wrap things up.
  • Distill the major points: give broad strokes and avoid complex details.
  • Sprinkle in a few relevant charts and graphs that support your story.  They also provide visual interest.
  • Use bullet points.  Communicate in short and powerful statements,  not paragraphs.
  • Do not clutter your slides with text.  Do not use  “busy”  charts or graphs.  Make the slides clear and easy to read.
  • Check your spelling and grammar.
  • Keep the fonts consistent and background colors and designs appropriate to your topic and audience.  Avoid Clip Art and distracting slide transitions.
  • Practice your presentation and ensure that your dialogue and slides work together smoothly.
  • Be enthusiastic,  be confident and engage your audience.  Have fun!

 

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Optimize Online Multimedia

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Because the February-March session sold out,  I have been invited to reprise my three-part workshop  “Become Your Own Boss: Effective Business Plan Writing”  at Boston Center for Adult Education 122 Arlington Street Boston MA on three Mondays,  May 9, 16 & 23 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM.  For more information or to register please visit http://bit.ly/becomeyourown59  or call 617.267.4430.

A picture is worth 1,000 words and a good online multimedia presentation can help prospective clients connect the dots on why it’s smart to bring you in.  To that end,  many Freelancers,  small business owners  and countless other organizations and individuals have added video to their websites or posted online. 

Unfortunately,  many presentations do not achieve the expected objectives.  It’s necessary to think strategically about how online multimedia might draw in prospects and promote business and additionally,  determine what aspect of your talents or services will do the trick.

What can you say and do in three minutes or less that will persuade prospects to follow up?  Should you demonstrate a product or discuss a service,  show yourself in action as you conduct a workshop or give 3-4 pieces of advice that will validate your understanding of client needs?

Whatever you decide,  deliver a simple,  uncomplicated experience for viewers to ensure that your message is understood.  Produce a presentation that focuses on what’s in it for the customer and you’ll have their attention.  Be aware that a little multimedia goes a long way.  In other words,  use audio,  visual and animation effects judiciously and always in service of your business strategy and customer priorities.  Make sure your content delivers what prospects want to know.

Hire a professional videographer to ensure presentation quality.  Expect to pay $500.00 – $1500.00,  depending on what you do and who you work with.  Get references and see examples of their work before signing a contract.  You want expert production,  lighting that flatters and flawless editing.  Remember to confirm that your website has the bandwidth necessary to support video.

Location,  location  Place the video link on your website home page at eye level,  so those with smaller screens will not need to scroll down to find the link.

Control  Give website visitors the choice to opt in to your multimedia.  Avoid presentations that play automatically.  Indicate the length of the video and include play,  pause and stop buttons.  Make the viewing experience interactive and easy.

Context  Let potential viewers know what they’ll learn from your video clip before they click “play”.  Do not leave it to your audience to figure out its purpose and how they will benefit from taking the time to have a look and listen.

Short & sweet  Produce a video that runs no longer than three minutes.  The clip is an hors d’oeuvre and not a banquet.  Your objective is to whet the appetite for more of what you know and do.  Keep your message clear and easy to absorb as you demonstrate a core capability or service and spell out what’s in it for the viewer when they work with you.

Call to action  Tell viewers to take the action that you want them to take.  As you close the presentation,  advise viewers to contact you for more information.  Tell them how to leave a comment,   order your book or sign up for your newsletter.

Distribution deals  Upload your video at Tube Mogul http://tubemogul.com , a free site that will not only send your link to a wide range of social media and other hosting sites,  but will also allow you to track the number of views,  clicks and comments received.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Professional Development , , , , Leave a comment

Present With Pizzazz

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In this column I have often urged those who want to establish themselves as experts in their chosen field to find speaking and teaching opportunities.  Getting out in front of an audience is a time-tested way to identify and impress potential clients and referral sources,  a good way to drum up business.  So maybe it’s time to review a few useful presentation techniques that will make you feel more confident and therefore more likely to pursue this strategy.

Keep it simple and tell a story

The best speakers know that the more complex the topic,  the more important to make it easy for the audience to understand.  Distill a complicated message into fewer words.  Include a personal anecdote or story that illustrates a key point you’re trying to make.  A story makes your presentation more compelling by placing the message into a context that is relevant to the audience.  A story paints a picture and helps the audience make sense of the topic.

You are the star

You are the speaker and the stage belongs to you.  Do not allow slides to upstage your talk.  How do you do that?  By not using your slides as a crutch.  By not posting your entire talk onto slides.  Avoid presenting a boat load of text-heavy slides that you read from,  instead of speaking to and connecting with those who came out for you.  

On your slides include important charts and graphs,  key statistics,  major talking points and relevant visuals that support and advance your message.  Practice your presentation often and get to know your material,  so you won’t be overly dependent on slides.

Engage and involve your audience

Most of all,  give the right talk.  Know what the audience expects you to address.  The person who schedules your talk can help you choose a topic and give you the heads-up re: big questions that audience members may want answered.  To keep your audience engaged,  pose a question or two at some point in your presentation.  Also,  be willing to answer questions as you go along and make your presentation more of a conversation with the audience.

We deliver

While good content is essential,  that alone will not win over an audience.  Body language and delivery also matter.  Audiences size up and judge a speaker within the first three minutes of a presentation.  Be sure to project confidence,  expertise,  good humor and approachability.  Smile,  make eye contact and use a pleasant,  yet authoritative,  tone of voice.  Show appropriate enthusiasm and passion for your subject matter.  Let the audience know that you like being up there speaking.  

How to get to Carnegie Hall

Practice and practice some more.  It takes a lot of work to make a presentation look effortless.  Skilled presenters give the impression that their clever ad libs and convincing responses to questions are all ex tempore,  but nothing could be further from the truth.  The fact is,  successful presentations are built on lots of preparation and rehearsal time: wordsmithing what may sound too complex or unclear,  deciding what text and visuals to include on slides,  how to integrate the slides with the talk,  anticipating questions and formulating good answers.  Read your talk out loud and record your voice,  to make sure that you pace your delivery appropriately.

An effective presentation should inform, educate and entertain.  Make that happen when you simplify your message and de-clutter your slides,  interact with the audience by asking and answering questions throughout your talk and practice a lot.  Hit your mark and the audience will regard you as an expert.  Mission accomplished.

Thanks for reading,

Kim