Let’s go over the basics of a good presentation. Whether it’s an important conversation or a formal presentation, you need: Scintillating content Strong speech structure You need to: Start on a high Close with the impact And you need:
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When you have to give a speech or presentation, how do you decide what to wear? Maybe you haven’t considered how your appearance can influence your audience’s response to you? In this short video, I share a few tips, for both men and women, on how to dress in a manner that will support your […]
Read More...How to Find The Opening of Your Speech – Expert Advice
Sometimes the ideal opening line is already right in front of you. Pay attention to your conversations. Great content, including the perfect phrase to open your presentation, can pop up in the middle of a conversation. I spend a lot of time with my professional speaker friends and often in the middle of a conversation […]
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In an era of tough competition, presentations that persuade, educate, motivate, and inspire give you a competitive edge. Good presentation skills are no longer simply nice to have; they can mean career life or death. Imagine yourself in the front row of a ballroom at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Sitting with you are […]
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When you know you’ll you have a few minutes to present to a true decision maker, what do you say? Don’t panic. This is a great opportunity. Be prepared and get to the point. Remember, with a senior-level executive you must be clear, concise, credible, and able to articulate your bottom line. Always start with structure. […]
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You’ve probably heard, “A confused mind always says, ‘No.’” Well, it’s true. In my work with sales professionals, I remind them that unnecessary industry jargon can overwhelm prospects. David Hoffeld, author of The Science of Selling would add that too many options can also overwhelm. David was my guest at a recent FrippVT Sales Series web […]
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I teamed up with leading sales strategist, Jim Pancero for an event on advanced sales skills. We discussed how individual selling style and philosophy can dramatically impact a sales professional’s success and how to gain an advantage. In this article, Jim shows us that you cannot assume that an experienced sales professional is a competent […]
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How To Increase Your Sales Results Patricia Fripp in Conversation with Tom Redmond In our constant search for the easy way to sell (There is no easy way but we continue to look!), one consistent factor is that the most successful sales organizations are aware of their numbers and make course corrections by them. Organizational […]
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Tom Redmond is the author of Selling From the Inside Out and a go-to expert on the generation of and management of sales. We recently teamed up to bring you, Selling From the Inside Out: Advanced Sales Overview, part of the FrippVT Sales Series. Watch a replay of our web event and enjoy this great […]
Read More...Want to Be An Effective Speaker? Say No More . . . Pause!
Second, a pause provides dramatic interest for your audience. Of course, if you’re really nervous you have your own drama taking place, whether your audience knows it or not. But, a moment unspoken provides the silent drumroll to announce your next important point.
Third, a pause helps your audience to follow you better—they become better listeners. And, as they become more attentive, you relax and so do they. Your audience does not want to be nervous on your behalf.
I recently delivered a workshop at the American Payroll Association’s Annual Congress (May 2011) titled, “Effective Business Communications: On Paper, Online, and On Your Feet.” While at the conference, I also enjoyed a presentation called “Advanced Career-Building Speaking Skills”conducted by professional presentation skills trainer and speech coach, Patricia Fripp. Fripp’s delivery and timing served as an excellent model. She made exceptional use of the pause. As an energetic presenter it helped to slow her down, and the audience could absorb what she was saying. In effect, it’s a “listening cue,” providing you, the audience, a signal to take note of what’s about to be said.
To demonstrate the power of the pause, Fripp asked one of the audience members to come forward. Within five minutes, the volunteer had added pauses between the three major points and just before the conclusion of the persuasive argument she was preparing for senior management. The presentation did something else to improve her delivery: Fripp counseled her to make eye contact with a different member of the audience—near, middle, and far—to accompany each of the pauses. The results were dramatic.
According to Fripp, “Few sales presentations have enough pauses. Good music and good communication both contain changes of pace, pauses, and full rests. This is when listeners think about important points you’ve just made. If you rush on at full speed to crowd in as much information as possible, chances are you’ve left your prospects back at the station. Give them enough time to ask a question or even time to think over what has been said. Pauses allow pondering and understanding.”
To help prepare for your public speaking opportunity, you can write a narrative to help you rehearse. It helps to identify the places in your presentation where a pause will come naturally, just as you might accent a word or phrase for other additional emphasis.
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