I was coaching a gentleman who needed to inspire action and commitment. Ed worked with The Gap, and I said, “Okay, Ed, tell me about yourself.” He said, “I am a newly promoted vice president of a certain division, and this is my first speech to the company since I’ve been promoted.” “Who is your audience?” He replied, “All of the Gap executives and 500 Gap managers.” I asked, “Well, what does a Gap manager look like?” He said, “24 to 28 years old.” I said, “Ed, remember, you are a 45-year old, prematurely silver-haired executive. How long are you going to speak?” He said, “Eight minutes.” I said, “No pressure, but you do realize that in that eight minutes all the executives and 500 Gap managers are going to think either, ‘Now I know why he got promoted,’ or, ‘In a company our size, couldn’t we have done better than that?’ That’s the power of a presentation. I asked, “What is your subject?” He said, “I have to talk about the program in which our employees give us ideas that will either make or save the company money.”
Dan Hersh interviews sales presentation skills expert Patricia Fripp for the Engaged Prospect podcast. Companies hire Patricia to help them increase sales by improving their important conversations and presentations. Dan is an expert on inside sales. In this interview, you will hear how to phrase your questions, comments, and presentations in a way to engage your prospects and make an emotional connection.
Companies hire Patricia Fripp when they want to gain a competitive edge by mastering their important conversations and presentations.
With hundreds of millions now working from home and communicating through Zoom, you have an advantage when you understand how to make Zoom work for you. Patricia Fripp and Director of Client Experience for FrippVT, Paul Griffin team up to share their best practices and technical expertise to help you get the most from Zoom:
Do you know how to be a leader who inspires action and commitment from your team? Laura Stack of Leadership USA and I recently met to talk about how leaders can inspire action and commitment. I share this recording and transcript of our webinar. Enjoy!
Patricia Fripp was coaching a CEO from a major corporation who had eight minutes to outline a money-saving program to his employees. Instead of leading off with money talk, she suggested he walk on stage and say, “We are here to talk about heroes,” then pause… and continue pausing… for a long… long… time. The effect was not lost on the audience.
What’s the secret to mesmerizing any audience of any size at any time? There’s a simple and profound answer. How often have you sat in an audience and been mesmerized by a speaker? Did they reach out and grab you in such a way that you thought, “Wow, the speaker’s talking just to me”? Was it the compelling content of a scintillating story?
I share this segment from FrippVT, my fast, easy, convenient way for you to become a powerful, persuasive presenter. It’s a highly-interactive, learn-at-your-own speed, online learning program. Enjoy!
Good customer service is more than good PR. It is the best way to increase sales from the same customers and also earn recommendations.
Beat Your Competitors
At a time when every customer counts we must never forget how our customers see us. One single negative contact can ruin your reputation in the eyes of not only that one customer – but everyone he or she knows as well. After all, word of mouth works both for or against you.
John Amatt is a mountain climber, explorer, and popular motivational speaker. I had the pleasure of meeting him and learned from our meeting. Enjoy this story he told me.
When John Amatt led the 1982 Canadian team on a successful Mount Everest expedition, only three people reached the summit. Many climbers who were part of the team, whose lifetime ambition was to stand on top of Everest, made the conscious choice to stay in the base camp. Why?
3 Great Techniques for You to Captivate Your Audience
Be a Super Hero when you speak.
When your message is memorable, your communication clear, and your presentation powerful, you will position yourself for greater success.
If you are a leader, manager, executive, sales professional, or keynote speaker, you are more effective when you tell great stories and use good examples.
These three techniques will help you turn simple stories into examples that will be remembered and repeated:
Think chronologically
Use shorter sentences or phrases.
Consider each visual scene
One January, Mark, a district sales manager from a biotech company, was preparing to moderate a panel at the Las Vegas National Sales Meeting.
He was nervous about his new role in front of a 100-person audience.
In our pre-coaching communications, I noticed his email signature line included a quote about “moving fast.” He explained that he had a new role and was “moving fast” to understand new products, clients, and products.
His panel’s task was to encourage the audience to embrace new jobs in different areas and to realize that they would have to move fast to get up to speed in different roles in new territories.
Mark did not have any idea how to set the tone for the meeting. I asked, “What experience do you have with Las Vegas?” Mark said, “After last year’s sales meeting, my wife Tammy came in for the weekend. We went to see David Copperfield, and he made her disappear.”
Incorporating these three techniques made the script easy for Mark to remember.
Notice: I recommend that you write your script with one short sentence or phrase going down the page, not across as in a paragraph. In your rehearsal, this makes it easier for you to internalize.
“After last year’s sales meeting,
my wife Tammy came in for the weekend.
We went to see David Copperfield’s magic show.
Three-quarters of the way through his performance,
Copperfield threw two dozen balls into the audience.
Tammy caught one.
David said, “If you touched a ball, please come on the stage.”
He seated twenty-four people on bleachers and covered them with a tarp.
Whoosh! Five seconds later, they were gone!
Suddenly, they appeared at the back of the room.
On the way out I asked Tammy, “How did he do it?”
She said, “We are sworn to secrecy. However, we did have to move really fast!”
Remember, the sales meeting was in Las Vegas, and Mark’s theme incorporated the importance of moving fast. He said, “The panel was a wild success, and everyone raved about my opening story!”
Your speeches are more effective when you include great personal stories.
Whether you’re delivering a sales presentation, a keynote speech, or a report to the board, choose your words carefully to build credibility, sound intelligent, and make your message understood. When you choose and use precise language you will sound intelligent. You will have the power to make your message stick and be quoted from the boardroom to the convention hall.
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How to Present and Teach in the Virtual World…and More
Receive free, on-going Fripp webinar invitations, sales and presentation skills information, and special discounts from Executive Speech Coach, Sales Presentation Trainer, and Professional Keynote Speaker, Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE. As an added bonus, sign up now and receive a free copy of Patricia Fripp’s How to Present and Teach in the Virtual World.
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