tations Oscar winner Sir Michael Caine said, “Rehearsal is the work; performance is the relaxation.” That applies equally to delivering a sales presentation.
When delivering a recent sales presentation skills training Dan, the national sales manager, told me, “It takes us a year to have the opportunity to deliver an hour presentation to executives from the company of one of our prospects. At that point, a new relationship is worth
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On the evening of April 18, 1775, Dr. Joseph Warren summoned Paul Revere and gave him the task of riding to Lexington, Massachusetts, with the news that British soldiers stationed in Boston were about to march into the countryside northwest of the town. Paul Revere never shouted the legendary phrase later attributed to him “The British are coming!”
April 18, 1906, the San Francisco Earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, shook my now hometown and ranks as one of the most significant earthquakes of all time.
April 18, 1956, Actress Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier of Monaco. They met filming the Hitchcock movie, To Catch a Thief (1955) in the French Riviera. For her, it was not love at first sight.
April 18 my birthday. I will not tell you what year I was born. Just let it be said that my good friend Steve Gerardi said, “You look like you are in your 40s…
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Even the most hardened prospect can’t resist a good story when it is well told. Keep in mind, when you tell stories of satisfied clients in the same situation they are in, they will not remember everything you say. They will, however, remember what they see and feel while they listen to you. Especially when you select a story that they relate to.
You can be confident this powerful story formula is invaluable.
Whenever you open your mouth, whether your audience is one person or one thousand, you want to get a specific message across. Maybe you want your opinions heard at a meeting, or you will be giving a formal talk. Perhaps you deliver sales presentations. To present, persuade, and propel with the spoken word, be aware of this major pitfall: irritating non-words.
“Ur, um, ah, you know, kinda, well, like…”
Non-words, also known as filler words or vocal crutches, are meaningless sounds or words that speakers use to fill the silence or pause between words or ideas. These non-words can include “um,” “uh,” “like,” “you know,” “so,” “well,” “actually,” and many others. While using non-words may seem like a natural part of speech, they can greatly detract from the effectiveness of a speaker’s message.
Read More...Parallel structure, also known as parallelism, is the repetition of a grammatical structure within a sentence or multiple sentences. This technique can make your speech or writing more memorable and easier to understand.
When you write the copy for a presentation, or have your talking points on a PowerPoint slide, begin with a verb. Verbs inspire action and commitment.
Read More...It’s important to remember that your hand gestures are best when in sync with your words. If your words are powerful and impactful, your gestures should be as well.
They can be used to emphasize key points, make gestures, and create a sense of connection with your audience. However, if not used effectively, they can also be a major distraction and take away from the impact of your message.
Keep in mind that your hands should be natural and relaxed. Avoid any unnatural or forced gestures, as they will come across as inauthentic and distracting. Instead, focus on using natural gestures that help you emphasize key points and connect with your audience.
Read More...Even seasoned executives who should know better, use these weak words and phrases. Often, I believe they are attempting to sound humble. However, it only makes them lose their power in conversations and presentations.
Speech qualifiers are words and phrases that we use to weaken our statements or soften the impact of our message. Some common speech qualifiers include “kind of,” “sort of,” “maybe,” “probably,” “just,” “a little bit,” “try,” and “I think.” While these words and phrases may seem harmless, they can have a negative impact on the effectiveness of our communication. Here is why.
When we use words like “kind of” or “sort of,” we suggest that we are not fully committed to our message or that we lack confidence in what we are saying. This can lead our audience to doubt the validity of our message and question our expertise or knowledge on the topic.
Patricia Fripp (that’s me!) says, “Put your words under the magnifying glass.”
If you have a video of a presentation that you felt went really well, sit down and watch it. However, change your perspective.
Imagine you are a high-priced speech coach. Pretend that ‘this speaker’ is not you. When we focus on ourselves, we have a tendency to get distracted by a wrinkle in our jacket or that strand of hair that is out of place. Then, look at ‘that speaker’ and think, “What is that speaker doing superbly well?” You must find something. Did they have a good grasp of their content? Did they move well on stage? Did they smile at the audience?
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Many excellent presentations sound “conversational.” However, be aware that there is a distinct difference between an ordinary conversation (with run-on sentences, unfinished thoughts, sloppy language) and a presentation delivered in a conversational style.
The best way to improve formal presentations and reports is to clean up your daily language used in informal interactions.
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Do Your Irritate Your Audience?Whenever you open your mouth whether your audience is one person or one thousand, you want to get a specific message across. Maybe you want your opinions heard at a meeting or you will be giving a formal talk. Perhaps you deliver sales presentations. To present, persuade, and propel with the spoken word, be aware of this major pitfall: irritating non-words.
Pay attention to whether you are unconsciously using these common non-words.
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