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November
2007
Monthly Challenge: Start using dialogue when
you tell your stories.
USE DIALOGUE
TO ENHANCE YOUR STORY
I
have been attempting to get my clients to use examples or stories.
They frequently just describe what happened in a given situation.
This does not have the same power as creating a dialogue.
For
example, Sarah is trying to convince department managers to stop
using roaming plans. To give her discussion of cell phone charges
more impact, here is what she can say:
You've
said to me about these roaming charges, "But I'm traveling.
It's just a business cost." That's true, but you can change
your phone plan so you don't have to pay a roaming fee. Then some
of you responded, "Listen, you may be right, but I don't
have time to figure out another plan." I agree with you.
I have put together a small chart. All you have to do is look
at the chart and tell me the plan you want, and I'll do the rest.
Another
comment I hear a lot is, "I'm not going to carry two phones
when I go overseas. That is ridiculous and too much trouble."
Well, I am here to tell you that you don't have to. I have made
a deal with our phone company so all you need is one phone for
all your business, at home and overseas.
I
will be coming by your office to take five minutes of your time
to figure out what works best for you. I guarantee in two months
you will be saying to me, "Hey, you were right. This is not
a big deal. And I see we are saving money."
The
dialogue makes a boring topic more interesting and fun to give
and also hits home with your audience.
COME
TO THE POINT, THEN STOP
The
new edition of my book, Point, Click & Wow! Your Presentation
Coach in a Book, has a chapter on Demonstrating Executive
Presence. I asked many executives what behaviors they considered
executive in nature. Over and over again they made comments like,
"I wish people would just make their points and stop. They
go on and on. I don't have time for all this." Or, "I
wish people who speak at our management meetings were prepared
for questions, organized, and succinct." I've also been coaching
people who have been told they need to get to the point sooner.
Coming to the point is one skill that gives everyone the impression
that you are executive material.
You
must, when speaking to upper management, give an executive summary
of your talk. This is a one-slide summary of the key points in
your presentation. You should do the executive summary slide before
the rest of the presentation. It's not easy as it sounds to put
together because it demands that you actually know the key points
of your talk before you create your slides.
Imagine
the most difficult questions you audience might ask and make an
executive summary of your answer. For example, if someone were
to ask, "Why are sales down 10%?" you could summarize
this issue like this:
- There are
two reasons sales are down…
- Here are
the two actions we are now taking to turn sales around…
- We expect
to see results in x amount of time.
This
is a response that shows the audience you are in charge of the
situation. If all you do is discuss the problem, they will not
be impressed. Instead, they'll think you don't have a plan - and
you should.
Remember,
you are not paid to provide data to executives. You are paid to
look at the data and offer solutions and suggestions. Executives
don't have to know all you know. All they want, and need, to know
is the right information to agree or disagree with your recommendations.
When you get to the point, they will listen to you and take you
seriously.
"Gain
five extra hours each week with this training."
Not
"I am happy to be here and teach you about our new system.
It is easy to learn once you take this training."
In
the first opener, you are giving your audience something they
would all like to have - more time. In the second, you make your
topic sound boring. It won't capture anyone's imagination or willingness
to learn.
Which
audience do you want listening to you all day?
GET
THE WHOLE MENU TO COME UP EVERY TIME YOU
OPEN POWERPOINT
Here's
how to have all your menu come up every time:
Go
to Toolbar options>add or remove buttons>customize>options>always
show full menus.
101
TIPS EVERY POWERPOINT USER SHOULD KNOW: E-BOOK
BY ELLEN FINKELSTEIN
I
got some great tips from this excellent e-book. The author says:
"I wrote this book because I saw that people used PowerPoint
inefficiently. They didn't know any shortcuts or techniques for
getting the job done easily, so they struggled needlessly."
Ellen is giving my subscribers a discount. You can purchase it
for $12.75 instead of $15.
Go
to http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/estore/101tips2003d.html
Use
discount code WILDER15OFF101
This offer expires December 15, 2007.
Winning
Presentations Public Seminar
January 15 and 16, 2008
Boston, MA
This seminar is open to those who both create and deliver presentations.
- Increase
your presence in front of a group.
- Use opening,
closings, and transitions focused on your audience's "need
to know."
- Redo a
presentation, including, if necessary, a new background and
many slide design ideas.
- Learn how
to create PowerPoint slides that enhance your presentation's
objective.
- Leave with
a personalized action plan and a video of the six presentations
you gave during the seminar.
Corporate
Consulting:
Presentation Performance Process for Your Company or Division
Save days of time creating a presentation. Put my process in place
and save at least one-third of the time you used to spend putting
together a talk. Guaranteed!
My clients
include: The Gillette Company, Genzyme Corporation, CVS, Harvard
Medical International, State Street Global Advisors, Mercury Computer
Systems, Harvard Medical School, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Avid
Technology.
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