It Is Not Only What You Say; It Is Also How You Say It

When you have created your presentation you are only halfway there.

You need to internalize your new way of presenting and make it second nature. When you deliver your presentation, you want to be able to focus on the audience, not your performance.

Build rehearsal into your everyday life.

You will never be able to schedule as much rehearsal as much as you need, so make it a part of your routine:

• Practice your presentation as you walk around your office.
• Record your presentation and listen to it. How does it sound?
• Rehearse on a treadmill, which engages your left and right brain and can help you see your presentation structurally and creatively.
• Ask friends and supportive colleagues to be your test audience. These are people who are on your side and have your best interests at heart.

Decide your movement strategy.

Some presenters like to move, while others stand still. There is a big difference, however, between movement and nervous energy. Have you noticed that some presenters do what looks like a little dance in the front of the room? Or put their weight on one leg and then the other? Do not distract from your own message with unnecessary movement.

In the beginning, it is best to stand still, and I also recommend standing still when you are telling a story or delivering your key benefits as a way to emphasize your points. How you stand represents the stability of your ideas and your company, which builds your authority and makes you feel comfortable. If you have an accent, remaining stationary helps your audience get used to the sound of your voice. (This may not make sense, but it is true!) If you are moving around when they are getting accustomed to the sound of your voice, your listeners often believe they can’t hear.

The three ways to move.

If you study exceptional speakers, you will notice that they employ three types of movement:

• On purpose. When you are moving and it is very obvious to the audience that you intended to move.
• On transition. You move between one thought and the next. One of my clients’ transitional lines was “Fast forward seven years.” That was when he would move from one talking point to the other. If you have three or four talking points, feel free to move between each one. While you are moving, you can use the phrase “And the second strategy is . . .” and “And the third strategy is . . .”, etc.
• On a movement-specific line. You move to act out your words, such as, “As I walked into your corporate office . . .”

The eyes have it.

When you look around the table, use “piece-of-the-pie” eye contact. Deliver your opening line to one person. Most likely it will be one of the most important people in the room. Then look at each person for a thought, an idea, or a phrase. Don’t scan. Communicate your interest and confidence by looking at each of them for at least a few seconds.

The Oscar-winning actor Michael Caine said, “Rehearsal is the work; performance is the relaxation.”

Anytime you see a natural salesperson or a great speaker, chances are that they are so well-rehearsed that they look natural. Follow these suggestions and you’ll get there as well!

“I wanted a super bowl quality coach. Patricia Fripp’s help in coaching and scripting was world-class. With Fripp on your team, you can go places.” Don Yaeger, Long-Time Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated magazine, New York Times Best-Selling Author

“As the author of a best-selling sales book the best investment in my speaking career was to hire speech coach Patricia Fripp. She is the master at helping you structure and script your presentation.” – Andy Paul, Author, Zero Time Selling