Speech is Power
Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel. It is to bring another out of his bad sense and into your good sense.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Have you ever sat through a corporate or business presentation, only to find yourself counting the minutes until this nightmare was over…so you can go back to being productive? Well guess what? If you don’t look at your own presentations as “show time,” your audience and team members often feel the same way!
So if YOU had the choice between jumping off a cliff or presenting a topic to a large group of people, which one would YOU choose? Fact is, every time you get an OPPORTUNITY to get up in front of a group, you are also given the opportunity to impact people in a meaningful way. And here are some quick tips to getting it done:
• If you use PowerPoint, use as few slides as possible to get your point across. (Has anybody ever said, “That presentation was lousy because there weren’t enough slides!” ANSWER: NO)
• Practice at least the first four minutes of any presentation OUT LOUD several times so it rolls of your tongue as if you were Ronald Reagan Obama.
• Survey or ask the audience members BEFOREHAND what THEY want to hear. Then craft your presentation with a “what’s in it for them” message.
• Smile, have fun, add stories, YouTube Video, etc
By focusing on these small but key areas, you will leave your audience smarter, more motivated and better prepared to put your recommendations into action. And as you add more value to them, your own value to your people, your company and your industry will increase. And as you get your audiences out of their bad sense and into your good sense, don’t be surprised if you have a few more CENTS in your pocket at the end of the year.
This week, Brian interviewed author Kevin O’Conner on his weekly radio show. Kevin wrote the book “Present Like a Pro.” To get specific tips on making YOU a better presenter, go to www.preciseselling.com/Radioaccess.htm to listen to the interview. To find out more about Brian’s sales and leadership programs, visit him at www.preciseselling.com or email Brian at bsullivan@preciseselling.com.
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