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Making a winning presentation or
how to think like a listener
by John Graham
The difference between closing a sale and losing it rests with the way the
presentation is made. Whether it’s selling a product or an idea, the
ability to present effectively can make the difference between acceptance
and rejection.
Yet, most Americans would rather die than give a speech. At least this is
the popular view. Whatever the facts, the idea of standing in front of an
audience ranks far below going to the dentist for most people.
Even though the fear of public speaking runs deep, the ability to get an
audience’s attention, hold it for a period of time, persuade the listeners
to your viewpoint, and then move them to action is a skill that can be learned
by just about anyone who is willing to develop it.
Speaking––like writing––is valuable in business
because it points to an ability to think, analyze ideas, make judgments,
develop arguments that command attention, and organize information in a
way that moves people to action. Just as good writers are in demand, the
ability to speak can open doors of opportunity.
If speaking is so rewarding and highly regarded, then why will we do almost
anything to avoid doing it? While it’s relatively easy to cover up
most mistakes, giving a presentation to two or 200 people is an opportunity
for out-in-the-open personal failure and embarrassment. How many times
a day do we hear co-workers make excuses when they are asked to explain
why something did or did not happen: “I didn’t know about it.”
“I didn’t have time to get it done” “I didn’t
realize you needed it.” “I thought someone else was taking care
of that.” The list is endless. However, when making a presentation,
there’s no room for excuses because the exposure is total. You’re
there by yourself; you’re the one being put to the test. The emperor
has no clothes.
Because the fear of failing is so strong, we run for cover. We hide when
it’s time to get on our feet. Anyone who has taken a class in public
speaking knows the feeling. When the moment comes for the next presentation,
everyone slides down in their chairs, hoping not to be called on. The key
to becoming an effective speaker depends on overcoming the paralyzing fear
of failure.
Making successful presentations is the direct result of focusing attention
on the audience rather than the speaker. We overcome fear by learning
to think like a listener. By following these suggestions, speaking
can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience for you and your audience.
1. Get yourself prepared for the critics. Even experienced,
professional speakers have critics. Because speaking means exposure, there
are those who delight in challenging what has been said. They enjoy poking
holes in arguments and bringing up exceptions in an effort to diminish the
speaker. No matter how excellent a presentation, there will be those who
want to disparage what has been said and dismiss the person who said it.
It’s easier to maintain your mental equilibrium if you know what can
happen.
2. Recognize that stress minimizes mental agility. “I
knew exactly what I wanted to say and the minute I got on my feet, I forgot
everything.” Of course. It’s to be expected. Because speaking
is always stressful, we all forget what we planned to say. Walter
Cronkite, the retired dean of TV news anchors, reports that he never ended
an interview with a world leader without forgetting to ask a question.
The key to overcoming stress is thorough speech preparation. This doesn’t
mean that a speech should be memorized. The task is to either write it out
word-for-word or prepare a detailed outline. If speakers are haunted
by worry about what they are going to say next, there’s no energy
left for relating to the audience.
3. Set the stage for success. The overall setting includes
the room and the way it’s arranged, the introduction of the speaker,
and how the speaker begins. It’s the speaker’s responsibility
to control all these elements because they determine how the audience receives
the presentation.
There are few ideal rooms or room arrangements. Hotels are generally known
for long narrow rooms with center aisles and poor lighting. This creates
a “no win” situation for a speaker. The distance between the
speaker and the last row creates a gulf that is difficult to bridge. Many
times the back half of an audience is so far away, it’s impossible
for a speaker to establish rapport.
Because the setting plays such an important role in the effect of a presentation,
experienced speakers expect proper seating arrangements, lighting, and sound.
Every speaker deserves a proper introduction because this establishes an
atmosphere in which a speaker can be successful. More often than not, the
introducer is so nervous (or unprepared) that the introduction fizzles.
There are two solutions to this problem: First, provide a written introduction.
Second, assume the introduction will be inadequate. Be prepared to introduce
yourself. This isn’t self-serving. A speaker has a right to be viewed
by the audience as a competent individual with a message worth communicating.
The final element in setting the stage is never apologizing. “I only
wish I would have had more time to prepare.” “I’m not
a public speaker.” Many speakers seem compelled to begin their comments
with self-deprecation. Apologizing only serves one useful purpose: destroying
the speaker’s credibility with the audience. To paraphrase Sir Winston
Churchill, never, never, never, never, never, never, never apologize.
4. Build the presentation on a solid structure. One outline
works well for most presentations because it gives a sense of completion.
It has three elements: problem, analysis, and solution.
• Problem. This is the issue that brings you to your
feet. It may be the reason why a new product should be introduced, a customer
should buy your product or service, a branch office should be closed, or
a new vision statement should be adopted. In this part of the presentation
the audience must come to feel that the problem is real and deserves attention.
• Analysis. The analysis showcases your reasons why
the problem exists. To impact the audience, actual experiences are helpful,
particularly when they are supported with facts, expert opinion, and statistics.
A simple guide is to tell stories and document them with objective information.
• Solution. Once the problem is analyzed, it is time
to spring the trap by presenting your solution.
Although there are emotional elements in any effective speech, the audience
will be with you to the degree that you present a reasonable case.
In other words, for the solution to be accepted, the audience must view
it as a sensible approach, one that does not stretch credibility.
5. Understand the audience. Many speakers are so concerned with
what they want to say that they forget that the goal is to have their ideas
accepted by the audience. You must demonstrate to an audience that
you know who they are, why they are there and what issues confront them.
If it’s a hostile audience, let them know that you understand their
viewpoint and why they hold it. Unless a speaker establishes common ground
with an audience, the speech will fail.
6. Speak slowly and move quickly. While a speech should
seem conversational, the actual delivery is quite different. First, the
listener must get the message the first time because there’s no chance
to go back and replay it. Therefore, speaking slowly and distinctly is essential.
“Word point,” or pausing between words, is a useful technique
for maintaining the audience’s attention.
Second, the mind moves faster than the mouth, about four times as fast.
We think at the rate of about 500 words a minute, while we speak at about
125 words a minute. This disparity causes the listeners’ minds to
wander. Therefore, a properly paced speech is essential in order to maintain
listener interest.
7. Let the audience know where you’re going. “The
speech didn’t seem to go anywhere” is the one audience complaint
that must be avoided. It is the killer. A presentation may have excellent
content and address critical issues but all is lost if the audience feels
that the speaker is rambling.
A speaker’s top priority should be to set out guideposts so the listener
can follow easily. One and two sentence summaries along the way are helpful:
this is where we have been, this is where we are and this is where we are
going. Listeners need road signs to know where they are and where they are
headed.
8. Interact with your listeners. Almost everyone agrees
that the worst speakers are those who go to the podium, take out notes or
text, and then deliver their remarks almost as if they are speaking to an
empty room. Asking questions and requesting comments at certain points changes
the dynamics of the situation. Speaker and audience are both participants.
Even though speakers today often interact with audiences, any type of interaction
transfers some control from the speaker to the audience. Although discussion
within a presentation can be an effective method for increasing acceptance
for the speaker’s views, it takes experience to do it successfully.
9. Make the presentation motivating, not motivational.
If a group needs firing up, it will take far more than a speech or seminar
to do it! The problem with so-called “motivational speeches”
is that they don’t do the job. While they may give an audience a temporary
emotional jolt, they don’t change behavior. An effective presentation
should give the audience the ideas, techniques, and tools so they can move
themselves to action.
10. You’re not competing with a celebrity speaker.
Audiences are often disappointed when a so-called celebrity speaker leaves
the podium. Listeners come with high expectations, but what they get is
a “canned talk.” The “big names” don’t take
time to customize a presentation for a particular audience, so the message
fades faster than the applause.
Audiences appreciate speakers who make a genuine effort to understand the
group and prepare a presentation that will be helpful to them. Besides,
“big names” are not always great speakers.
11. Make it visually interesting. Up until 100 years ago,
listening to speeches was our nation’s primary form of entertainment.
This was the age of the orators, speakers who could hold audiences for hours.
The arrival of the motion picture began a change in audience expectations
that television has only enhanced.
Any successful presentation will include compelling visual elements,
either on a screen or with props. For example, one speaker describes changes
in the business environment as “dog bone demographics.” Along
with computer-generated visuals, he brings along a huge dog bone as a prop
that immediately grabs the audience’s attention. When he talks about
the need for long-term marketing strategies, he holds up a six-inch fir
tree and suggests that the lumber industry is an example of businesses that
think long-term.
While visual interest is essential, visuals should not be allowed to dominate
or control a presentation. They should enhance, not overshadow the message.
12. You are your message. While some speakers believe that
what they say is all that counts, it’s not true. Credibility
is based in a creative and thoughtful mind that holds the listener in high
regard. Good speakers are willing to share themselves as well as their ideas.
A presentation is validated when this happens.
In other words, effective speaking isn’t contrived. The words aren’t
copied from a bevy of books and the text isn’t sprinkled with quotations
that are meant to impress but don’t quite fit. When a presentation
springs from experience and a desire to communicate, the audience finds
itself on the side of the speaker.
13. The goal is action. The only reason to speak is action.
Even speeches that are designed to inform rather than persuade are action-oriented.
Information in itself influences how the listener thinks about a subject.
Any presenter asks one question: What do I want the audience to do?
Perhaps it’s just to stay the course, or maybe it’s to change
their minds. It may be to motivate the listeners to some overt act. Unless
action is the goal, there is no presentation.
Whether it’s preparing a one-on-one presentation, a seminar for 100
salespeople, or a speech to an entire convention, those with the skill to
speak to groups play a key role in business.
The key to good speaking is thinking like a listener. These guidelines are
a checklist for evaluating presentations before they are given.
© 2004 Graham Communications
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John R. Graham is president of Graham Communications,
a marketing services and sales consulting firm. Mr. Graham is the
author of four books on marketing and sales, including Break the Rules
Selling: Success Strategies that Beat the Competition (Superior Books).
Mr. Graham writes for a variety of marketing and sales columns for
business and trade publications and he presents his Magnet Power presentations
at company and association meetings. He can be contacted at 40 Oval
Rd., Quincy, MA 02170; by telephone at 617-328-0069; by fax at 617-471-1504;
or by email at j_graham@grahamcomm.com. The web site is grahamcomm.com. |
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