You can establish a personal connection

Patricia Fripp speaking about how to improve your public speaking
Patricia Fripp speaking about how to improve your public speaking
Power Pitching — Get the Personal Edge
By Patricia FrippWhenever and whatever you are pitching, dozens of factors will figure in the final decision of your prospects. All else being equal you have the edge if you can establish a personal connection.

You can establish a personal connection when you take this advice.

Connect emotionally and intellectually so that they like you and trust you more than your competitors. Try these personal edge tips:

•Focus and be sincere. If you appear nervous or unsure you may seem devious or incompetent.
•Divide and conquer. For a group sales presentations shake hands with everyone as they enter the room. Connect with them so you see them as individuals.
•Use technology to enhance your sales presentation not drown it. PowerPoint can keep you on track but it can’t establish trust.
•Keep it simple and memorable. When your prospects have a debriefing afterwards you want them to remember what you said.
•Reinforce your talking points into snappy sound bites. Make them interesting and repeatable.
•Steer clear of technical language and jargon.
•Rehearse your presentation in advance.
•Tell great stories. Prospects are trained to resist a sales pitch but no one can resist a good story well told.

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Patricia Fripp is THE executive speech coach.