Showing posts with label Business presentations Conference presentations Presentation skills training Sales presentations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Business presentations Conference presentations Presentation skills training Sales presentations. Show all posts
Friday, August 19, 2016
IDEAS EVERY SALES PERSON SHOULD KNOW
Having trained tens of thousands of people in business during the past fifteen years across different nations and cultures, our goal at EffectiveCommunication.com.au (EC) is to help accelerate people's sales traction from where they are, to where they want to be!
Too many people learn sales lessons the hard way therefore, EC helps people circumnavigate the “hard way” learning curve.
The following offers some ideas that every sales professional should know, understand and apply:
1. You can learn sales
Primarily many people learn sales by observing what the best performers in their office do. Yet, typically positive sales performers constantly learn by reading books, going to training seminars and investing in their professional education.
Agreed, the best sales people have a natural pre-disposition (including the enthusiasm to learn) but any person can learn to better inform, influence and persuade others.
2. People make decisions for their reasons not yours
If you think people buy because of your sales presentation, you are on another planet
People buy because of their own selfish, personal reasons and motivations not yours. The day you work this out, you become a much better sales person immediately.
3. Talking someone into doing something that they don’t want to do is a bad idea
People that say, “I can talk anyone into buying anything” are fooling themselves and doing the world a disservice.
The main reason for this is there are some clients that you simply don’t want. Knowing when to back off and say no to clients will save your sanity and save you much frustration and grief with clients that didn't want to be there in the first place.
4. You need to natural and relaxed
You need to be cool
Having worked across dozens of industries, it's clear that those who are natural, relaxed and non-intimidating seem to sell more. When a sales person is too over the top or pushy or un-cool, clients simply will typically not buy from them.
No one talks about the "cool factor" in selling and they need to because it’s important. If you are cool and you treat people well, they will buy more from you and more often.
5. Humans have a highly tuned detector therefore, hyped up sales tactics just don't work
If you try to use hyper, cliche’d, verbatim, swag type sales tactics and language with potential clients, they will not think highly of you. And, will rarely buy from you - full stop!
In fact, If you are using a sales framework that does not sound like you because you sound and act more like the another hyper sales personality clone, people will see straight through it. You need to be congruent, genuine and sincere with what ever approach you use or you are going to struggle.
Potential clients will always detect the fake verses genuine you!
6. Momentum begets momentum
The more correct sales skills you apply, the more you will want to do so. And, the more you sell, the more you will be more likely to sell.
The secret is to get going on the correct path and do not stop
7. How to get yourself out of a rut
Call five past clients who think the sun shines out of your butt. Don't try to sell anything, simply call to catch up and ask about their worlds.
After the 5th call you will be ready for action again
8. There is a massive dichotomy when it comes to “closing"
Businesses often think their sales teams have a problem with closing. The dichotomy with closing is that it is important, but it won’t happen if you aren’t good at 'Opening'.
'Opening' means you qualified by uncovering opportunity to begin with. This starts from the very microsecond you meet a prospective client.
9. Some people don’t make decisions
They just won’t. Don’t let it drive you insane because it’s not about you it’s about them
10. People won’t move from where they are until they are uncomfortable to do so
Doesn’t matter what you sell, unless you can create a conversational environment where you expose the commercial discomfort or pain of what they already have, they simply won’t move towards buying from you, or anyone else.
11. Never think you know it all
Sales realities are constantly changing. Yesterday’s "super script" is today’s cliche - people are learning sales both buyer and seller.
You need to stay unique to survive. Get caught using the "Benjamin Franklin” close in today’s sales world and you can kiss that sale and that customer goodbye.
12. Mindset is everything
However you get mindset nailed, you can’t ignore it. It leeks out of you in everything you say, everything you write and in every neutron of your energy. You need certainty about what you sell, your company and most importantly you!
13. Technology is great but don’t become too reliant on it
As soon as you hang your hat entirely on one lead generation source you become vulnerable to it’s possible demise. Using a diverse rage of lead generation will make you and your sales efforts way less vulnerable to the bell curve of popular media.
All the best when selling!
Posted in
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Conference presentations Presentation skills training Sales presentations
by effectivecommunication.com.au
Sunday, January 31, 2016
7 STEPS TO PREPARE WINNING SALES PRESENTATIONS
The following shares 7 foundational steps used to create winning presentations that have resulted in millions of dollars worth of sales to date!
Step #1: WHO IS YOUR SLAM DUNK CLIENT?
The goal here is to nail down as closely as possible what we call “an Avatar” for your perfect client… the person who is the absolute “slam dunk” prospect for your offer – someone you can identify, someone you can reach either through your own list or one you buy, someone with whom you have a natural affinity – through age, occupation, hobby, lifestyle, condition, whatever.
Step #2: DESCRIBE YOUR POWER AND PROVE IT
What is your SINGLE greatest power as it relates to the problems/pains facing your IDEAL client? It’s important to pick a power that’s USEFUL to your prospect. If you can play guitar like a fiend, but they aren’t interested in that, you and your guitar don't matter.
So let’s say their biggest pain is hitting a drive down the fairway straight and long but they can’t and because of this, they are extremely frustrated.
In this case, your power could be that you can knock the ball 275 yards down any fairway regardless of wind, rain, or course conditions setting you up perfectly for your next shot…
AND you know how to transfer this skill to ANYONE with four easy steps!
That’s the important part… not only do you have the proven power to solve their deepest heartfelt need, you can literally transfer that power to THEM!
So… What do you do that your prospects would find amazing and walk across broken glass to learn the secret to?
Step #3 DESCRIBE YOUR OFFER IN DETAIL
Important: Remember that all the components of your offer provide the gasoline that powers the transformation you enable in your prospects’ lives – whether it’s hitting that ball down the fairway straight, long and true… enabling them to retire at 55 with a boatload of cash that’s safe and secure… or whatever.
Bottom line on offers… look at it and make sure that it’s as powerful and as good as you can possibly make it. It should be so good … and so perfectly targeted to fit the needs and wants and heal the pains of your prospects that they would be out of their minds to let it slip from their fingers.
Step #4 DESCRIBE THE PROSPECT’S TRANSFORMATION
Based on finally being able to accomplish the Proven Power that you were able to bestow, what is the ultimate outcome/transformation someone is going to experience after going through your product, program or service?
Make sure to include not only the transformation that has occurred, but also go into the difference the change has made to other clients.
For instance, “if I was suddenly able to consistently drive the golf ball long and straight down the fairway, I could lower my handicap dramatically…enter tournaments with the expectation of success…and best of all, totally STICK IT to my golfing buddies who’ve been ribbing me for years about driving the ball into the weeds on every tee shot. Now THAT’s a result I can’t wait to experience!”
Step #5 – DESCRIBE YOUR TEACHING POINTS
The “teaching” part of the presentation is where you give out some “how-to” information – all tied directly to the offer you will make them at end of your presentation.
If you had to come up with 3 to 4 steps for helping your prospect achieve the outcome they desire most, what would those four steps be?
Step #6 – TELL YOUR STORY
In your winning presentation, you will tell your story of struggle, pain and frustration… which led eventually to success, joy, and fulfilment.
Your story should contain the following elements:
- When you get started doing what you’re doing.
- Describe why you started doing what you’re doing.
- Use emotional language. Show your passion.
- Identify problems that you had when you got started
- Then talk about the solutions you looked for to solve these problems… talk about failures you had.
Talk about the breakthrough you had that enabled you to turn the corner and help you finally succeed.
Summarise your story in two to three sentences and tie it into the end result your product provides.
Step #7 – WHY WOULDN’T THEY BUY?
You’ve nailed down all the great elements of your offer – it’s features, benefits, transformational attributes, pricing, guarantee, etc. Now…
To make sure you can clinch the sale, you need to get inside their heads one last time and figure out all the reasons why they would NOT buy your product, program or service?
You want to answer all of your prospects objections during your presentation. Just write down every objection your prospect could have and then figure out how you are going to answer that objection in advance.
So there you have it, the 7 foundational steps for creating a winning sales presentation!
Yes, it is a lot of work but doing the work gives you all the ammunition you need to create an asset that can win more sales revenue!
All the best with your business communications!
Posted in
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Business presentations Presentation skills training Sales presentations
by effectivecommunication.com.au
COMMUNICATE EMOTION – YOUR FAST LANE TO MOTIVATE BUSINESS ACTION
Can you remember a time when you attended a meeting, only to be lulled into an occasional listening mode because of one dull fact after another?
Just like you, your audience during a presentation will tune out quickly if you don't capture and hold their attention. After all, most business professionals have a lot on their minds.
Presenters who want their ideas remembered must electrify their audience by moving them emotionally throughout their presentation. It is the fast lane to motivation and action. So how do we accomplish this?
1. Verbal Images
Create enough detailed images for your audience to assemble a mental picture of what is being described. For example, if you want to change a policy or procedure, help people to see the dire consequences for not making the change or conversely, the positive responses customers will have to a new process.
Draw word pictures, but remember that the word pictures you have created must be powerful enough for your audience to see the same thing you envision in their mind's eye.
2. Strong Language
Create enough detailed images for your audience to assemble a mental picture of what is being described. For example, if you want to change a policy or procedure, help people to see the dire consequences for not making the change or conversely, the positive responses customers will have to a new process.
Draw word pictures, but remember that the word pictures you have created must be powerful enough for your audience to see the same thing you envision in their mind's eye.
3. Tell Stories Tied to Business Point(s)
People get very involved with stories, particularly personal stories. Sharing your emergency room experience of the ER doctor's inability to access your recent x-rays, would really highlight the need for new technology. Your wild travel story or your child's soccer goal will be remembered long after the fact as long as it is tied to a business point.
Although not personal, client or customer stories or examples are also winning. They explain a lot more than just the numbers. They put a face on the client or customer and motivate people to correct issues affecting people's lives and businesses.
4. Visual Aids & Demonstration
Not to be overlooked are Visual Aids and Demonstrations. Nobody dreams about bullet point lists, but pictures speak louder than words. Easy access to the web means that all of us have the ability to insert powerful images into our presentations.
In terms of demonstrations, imagine the power of holding up a stapler to make a point about the pain associated with testing for diabetes or a large ball of rubber bands to indicate how a client's network is in dire need of an update.
Most people would say they make decisions based on facts, but the reality is emotion is proven to be a stronger and hidden motivator. Vivid images stir the soul to action.
As you plan and review your content for your next meeting or presentation, ask yourself, "Have I moved people emotionally?" “Have I created what I want them to imagine?
All the best with your future business communications!!!
Thursday, November 6, 2014
SALES - TEN BEST TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE SELLING
These quick tips are based on decades of collective sales experience plus working with to train thousands of salespeople.
1. Be Consistent.
Nothing will create more success than consistently taking one step forward each day. Schedule time on a regular basis to prospect. Don’t prospect only when you have time or business is bad. Keeping the pipeline full requires daily attention.
2. Follow-Up Quickly
More sales are lost due to salespeople failing to follow up than probably any another single thing. Fast follow-up is essential at every phase of the selling process from prospecting to completing the sale.
3. Uncover the Outcomes the Client Wants
It’s not about your product features. It’s about what the client needs to succeed. The sooner you can get the client to share with you what outcomes they desire, the sooner you can make that the focus of how you can help them.
4. Use Voicemail Prudently
This means messages that are focused and concise. Be confident, and most of all, make the message about the recipient, not you or your business.
5. Believe in Yourself
If you don’t believe in yourself, how do you expect anyone else to believe in you. The rule still applies — people buy you first before your product/service.
6. State Your Price with Confidence
More discounts are given away because the salesperson doesn’t believe in their own price than due to the demands of the client. When giving your price, make sure you have solid body language, a strong voice and good eye contact, and you then must remain silent.
7. Know How to Use Your Own Time
The most valuable asset you have as a salesperson is not what you sell; it’s your own time. Far too much time is wasted preparing to sell, thinking about selling, getting ready to sell, etc. You have one objective — spend as much of your time in direct contact with prospects and clients as possible.
8. Don’t Spend Time with People Who Are Not
Motivated Buyers
It might be a prospect who is nothing more than a suspect or someone who is merely easy to talk to, but the issue is the same — wasted effort. The sooner you qualify the person you’re talking with, the better off both you and other person will be.
9. Accept Full Responsibility. Never Make Excuses
Only unsuccessful salespeople make excuses. Yet, whilst they are doing so and looking for another excuse, someone else in their industry is making a sale.
10. Be Goal Driven & Personally Motivated
Don’t wait for others to motivate you. They can’t. Only you can motivate yourself, and one of the easiest ways is by setting goals you know you can achieve and allowing your success to propel you to more success.
Choose TODAY to strengthen your selling skills and outcomes with these tips.
All the best with your sales!
Posted in
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Business presentations Presentation skills training Sales presentations
by effectivecommunication.com.au
Friday, October 3, 2014
PRESENTATION SKILLS - GRAVE DIGGERS SHIFT
Is your presentation scheduled for mid to late afternoon or even later? If so, you're in the Grave Digger's Shift.
In fact, any time you present in the afternoon, you run the risk of digging your own grave unless you are interesting and engaging.
People are tired and typically have a lot to do before they end their day. You absolutely cannot present information the same way as you would in the morning when people are fresh and less distracted.
Here are some key things to remember.
Be Animated
Amplify your energy. Speak up. With a louder voice, you pull people into your world.
With a soft voice, you become background music in an elevator.
Do bigger gestures. They help listeners to visualize your point.
Remember to smile. You will seem more approachable and friendly. Nobody wants a "sour puss."
Move toward your listeners if you have the opportunity. The mistake that many speakers make in an afternoon session is to sit down or to stand right next to the podium. That's deadly. When you move, eyes will follow.
Finally, and this is most important, sustain eye contact. You will appear trust worthy and transparent. Also, there is an obligation with eye contact. When you look at people with intention, they respond by smiling or nodding.
Set Some Context
Before you do a deep dive into the details, people need some background on the issue for discussion.
Remember your listeners have been involved in other things all day long. Even if you have sent them an agenda, be sure to tell them as you start the criticality of what you are about to discuss and the impact on them personally.
A boring opening, particularly in the afternoon, is one that starts with "Today, I am going to talk to you about...." A lot of people will shut down at this point because you have indicated that the message is all about you and what you want to accomplish.
State Your "Ask"
Hold your listeners responsible. Right up front, tell them what you want them to consider doing and why it would be beneficial.
By giving listeners an action step, people listen more attentively, especially if they know you ultimately want a decision.
Tell People Something They Didn't Know
Not many of us can stay riveted on information we already know or accept.
If you are giving an update, tell listeners what's different than last month or last quarter. Don't waste time going over data or numbers that are not problematic.
If you are meeting with a new client, tell your client how your company or product differs from others. At that time of day, that is usually their main concern. A boring diatribe of the history of your company or your extensive client base falls on deaf ears.
Be A Storyteller
People are easily distracted and pre-occupied as the day intensifies.
It is critical to make your points stand out. What better way than to tell you listeners a story?
People love stories because they are entertaining and engaging. They evoke empathy. They help listeners to experience the same feelings for themselves.
Add A Dash Of Humor
If used well, humor can boost creativity, initiate conversation and build a trusting relationship according to research by the Hay Group. It can also reduce hostility, deflect criticism, relieve tension and improve morale.
Can you imagine how welcome playful laughter can be when the day has been hectic?
Be Short
William Strunk, the writer, said a sentence should have no unnecessary words for the same reason that a machine should have no unnecessary parts, or a drawing no unnecessary lines.
Don't overwhelm people at the end of the day. Give your listeners enough data or facts so they can make a decision and be done with it. If you have an hour, try to finish in 40 minutes or less.
Presenting an idea or product to an internal or external customer is always a challenge. It is particularly difficult in the afternoon. To insure that you are successful, make the necessary modifications to your delivery and style.
All the best with your meetings!
Posted in
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by effectivecommunication.com.au
Monday, March 31, 2014
Effective Sales Performance Starts With You
Much
of sales success is about performance
It’s about what you do and what you are able to inspire others to do
The following offers some simple performance principles, which will add to your
success when applied daily. They are also the basis for developing and
maintaining an expectation of success.
The 5 Principles of Effective Sales Performance
1. EXPECTATION
We generally get from ourselves and others what we expect.
It is a huge fact that you will either live up or down to your own
expectations. If you expect to lose, you will. If you expect to be average, you
will be average. If you expect to feel bad, you probably will. If you expect to
feel great, nothing will slow you down. And what is true for you is true for
others. Your expectations for others will become what they deliver and achieve.
As Gandhi said, “BE the change you wish to see in the world.”
2. TRAINING
The difference between good and excellent performers is training.
The only thing worse than training employees and losing them is to not train
them and keep them!
A football team would not be very successful if they did not train, practice,
and prepare for their opponents. When you think of training as practice and
preparation, it makes you wonder how businesses survive that do not make
significant training investments in their people.
Actually, companies that do not train their people and invest in their ability
don’t last. They operate from a competitive disadvantage and are eventually
gobbled up and defeated in the marketplace.
If you want to improve and move from good to excellent, a proven training
strategy will be the key to your success.
3. WHERE ARE YOU LOOKING?
You find what you look for in life.
If you look for the good things in life, you will find them. If you look for
opportunities to grow and prosper, you will find them. If you look for
positive, enthusiastic friends and associates who will support you, you will
find them.
On the other hand, if you look for ways to cheat, you will cheat. If you look
for ways to justify leaving your spouse, you will find them. If you look for
justifiable reasons to hold a grudge against another person, you will find
those, too.
It is a natural tendency of us all to look for things that will justify what we
think we need or want. If you are not living by the foundation stones of
honesty, character, integrity, faith, love, and loyalty, you will be drawn to
seeking selfish gratification, and that leads to misery and unfulfilled dreams.
Whatever you have will never be enough.
Always look for the good and for ways to help others!!!
4. PLANNING
Never make a promise without a plan.
Far too many people make promises they can never keep. They may have the best
intentions in the world to keep their promise, but if they have not made a plan
to keep it, they will not be able to do it.
Business leaders and those practicing the art of selling who make promises to
their employees and clients will not honor them if they do not create a plan on
how the promises will be kept.
If you make a future commitment, you must understand and be willing to do
whatever it takes to complete that commitment. One of the reasons marriage
commitments fail so frequently is because the husband and wife do not
understand what it takes to have a great marriage.
They do not plan for or understand the sacrifices each must make for the other
to enable a long-lasting relationship. It's NO different in business.
5. ATTITUDE
Happiness, joy, and gratitude are universal if we know what to look for.
You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other
people get what they want.
All people want happiness and joy in their life, but you have to know what
produces real happiness and how to do the things that produce it. The moment
you begin to worry about the things you want and the things you don’t have in
life is the moment you will lose your gratitude for what you actually have. If
you are ungrateful, you will never be satisfied or content or joyful about your
life.
The greatest source of happiness is the ability to be grateful at all times.
Obviously, the right attitude to expect the best in your life is a positive
attitude. But let's be very clear... The kind of positive attitude described is
not one that is contrived or falsely manufactured to impress or manipulate
others. The positive attitude required is one that you are filled with, and
when you are jostled, it just spills out!
A genuinely positive attitude is part of who you are at your core.
Enjoy the application and positive results of these 5 principles.
All the best with your future sales!
Posted in
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by effectivecommunication.com.au
Saturday, February 22, 2014
LEADERSHIP - TEAM MOTIVATION
Eliminate the
negative & accentuate the positive!
Unfortunately, according to Aubrey C. Daniels (Ph.D) and Neil Baum (M.D), in too many businesses people are managed in the negative rather than in the positive.
Doctors Aubrey & Neil point out that management often say to their staff, "Don't mention the competitor's product," or "Don't forget to make five cold calls this week."
"That which is recognised and rewarded is repeated," is a truism.
If team members get attention through the use of the negative, unfortunately, they will continue in that behavior. The good doctors point out that if team members receive positive reinforcement for behavior, they're likely to repeat those actions and that, "Team members are not primarily motivated by money. Money will get them to show up, but once they have checked in or reported for duty, they are more influenced by other elements in their environments."
Nearly everyone is motivated by positive attention from their managers and peers.
Some respond to physical reminders, like a note or a bouquet of flowers. Others will thrive on public recognition at a sales meeting. But some may be embarrassed if their name is called out in public and they are asked to come forward and accept their reward or recognition. That's why astute managers are sensitive to each person's personal preferences; and understand that what makes one person tick, may stop another's clock in its tracks.
The best way to show appropriate recognition is to get to know your team personally and reinforce their positive performance with things that are important to them!
Sometimes even a card, a note, an email, recognition for acquiring a new account or simply for maintaining such an upbeat, positive, cheerful attitude, will be the very reinforcement they need.
Motivation, not manipulation!!!
When only the manipulator wins, somebody else loses. In the business world, as well as in our social and family life, if the other person wins, you win too. Give it a try. Put this advice into practice and your leadership effectiveness will improve!
All the best with your leadership!
Unfortunately, according to Aubrey C. Daniels (Ph.D) and Neil Baum (M.D), in too many businesses people are managed in the negative rather than in the positive.
Doctors Aubrey & Neil point out that management often say to their staff, "Don't mention the competitor's product," or "Don't forget to make five cold calls this week."
"That which is recognised and rewarded is repeated," is a truism.
If team members get attention through the use of the negative, unfortunately, they will continue in that behavior. The good doctors point out that if team members receive positive reinforcement for behavior, they're likely to repeat those actions and that, "Team members are not primarily motivated by money. Money will get them to show up, but once they have checked in or reported for duty, they are more influenced by other elements in their environments."
Nearly everyone is motivated by positive attention from their managers and peers.
Some respond to physical reminders, like a note or a bouquet of flowers. Others will thrive on public recognition at a sales meeting. But some may be embarrassed if their name is called out in public and they are asked to come forward and accept their reward or recognition. That's why astute managers are sensitive to each person's personal preferences; and understand that what makes one person tick, may stop another's clock in its tracks.
The best way to show appropriate recognition is to get to know your team personally and reinforce their positive performance with things that are important to them!
Sometimes even a card, a note, an email, recognition for acquiring a new account or simply for maintaining such an upbeat, positive, cheerful attitude, will be the very reinforcement they need.
Motivation, not manipulation!!!
When only the manipulator wins, somebody else loses. In the business world, as well as in our social and family life, if the other person wins, you win too. Give it a try. Put this advice into practice and your leadership effectiveness will improve!
All the best with your leadership!
If you would like to discuss how to improve your organisations capability in the areas of Leadership, Communication, Presentation & Sales then simply contact us for a complimentary, no obligation conversation.
Posted in
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by effectivecommunication.com.au
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Experience Better Business Success with Better Presentations
Your
presentations help you get business done!
They may help you close a deal, persuade leaders to make a decision, teach something new, or gain alignment.
To get business done as efficiently and effectively as possible requires thinking about the outcome of your presentations on two levels. This article explains what those two levels are.
Your success as a business presenter always exists on two levels. On one level it is determined by whether the stated goal of the presentation is reached. Did the buyer agree to buy or did your team see the need for the new procedure you’re asking them to follow?
This type of success is fairly easy to measure. The other level of success is more difficult. It is a measure of how effectively you managed the process of presenting. Or, did you manage the conversation in an appropriately orderly fashion?
The second level of success often determines the first. Many times poorly managed presentations leave the audience frustrated, indifferent and a waste of time. Such presentations can hardly be considered a success.
The thing to remember is that presentations are part of everyone’s day-to-day work. So when presenters fail to manage the process well, they’re making it difficult for audiences to do their jobs. When that happens, audiences are stuck. After all, many times audience members are captive! They don’t have the option of walking out or flipping to a new channel. So what they often do is silently disengage. They might feel a sudden need to check their email / social media or think about dinner, doing whatever they can to cope with a bad situation.
Most of the time this reaction has little to do with the goal of the presentation and everything to do with whether the presenter is managing the conversation effectively.
For example, if you’re delivering market research to a group of sales people, your audience wants to understand the research, but they also want you to make understanding it easy. That level of success goes beyond the information itself. It involves:
- Emphasising context and relevance
- Providing perspective
- Leaving out information that isn’t useful to your audience (whether you want to or not)
- Caring about their understanding and buy in
- Being responsive to the in-the-moment needs of the audience
Business presentations are a collaborative process. Pulling your slides together and having a specific goal is only the first step, and that step alone will never guarantee success.
A successful presentation is one in which the audience and the presenter work together in a fruitful, efficient and effective process.
All the best with your future presentations!!!
Posted in
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by effectivecommunication.com.au
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
LEADERSHIP - 7 KEYS TO SUPPORT YOUR BUSINESS DURING 2014
The New Year
is an exciting time because it is typically brimming with potential and
fabulous intentions.
Whilst we are not a fan of casual resolutions, We do recommend that leaders create and commit to goals. And track results that are achieved along the way. With this in mind, We offer you the following seven reasons why your leadership this year will drive great outcomes.
Whilst we are not a fan of casual resolutions, We do recommend that leaders create and commit to goals. And track results that are achieved along the way. With this in mind, We offer you the following seven reasons why your leadership this year will drive great outcomes.
1. CLEARLY COMMUNICATE THE VALUES OF YOUR ORGANISATION
Whether your organisation has created formal core values or not, you will make certain that team members know the common thread of values you expect to see running through everything they do.
In fact, you are so committed to this goal, that you have marked your calendar once per week to remind yourself to reinforce your organisation’s values.
Finally, you have committed to linking the behaviors you observe in the workplace to the feedback you will share with team members every day. In the process, you realise that your consistent feedback will help your team to gain a visual image of the values that serve as the bedrock of your organisation’s actions.
2. SHARE THE EXPECTATIONS YOUR TEAM MEMBERS WILL COLLABORATE WITH
Highlight that collaboration across departmental and functional lines is not only expected, but that it is essential to the success of your organisation.
Commit to sharing feedback with team members and individuals in order to ensure that they grasp the intense level of workplace collaboration you expect.
3. SET & MAINTAIN THE PRIORITIES OF YOUR ORGANISATION
The work environment is ever-changing, and the pace of change is increasing each year.
As such, you can help your team to be fluid and agile, while not losing sight of the big picture. In order to help team members cut through the swirl of priority distractions, you can utilise communication techniques to help your team keep their eyes on the real drivers of your organisation.
4. ATTRACT & PLACE THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT POSITIONS
This will also require you get the wrong people ‘off the bus’.
As a result, you will assist your top (and average) performers to do what they do best every day! This will help productivity to escalate.
Also, you can help some team members realise that the work bus left the station years ago and they did not get on it. In other words, you will help your poorest performers realise that their skills and abilities have not kept pace with the changing needs of your work marketplace. Nice people? “Yes.” Perhaps more productive in a different work environment? “Yes.” Enough said.
5. MANAGE THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW PROCESS EVERY DAY
You can share feedback so that team members have a clear gauge as to the quality of their work performance.
In addition, you can catalog and document your feedback in an organised fashion. You may use an electronic feedback capture system, or you may use old-fashioned paper that is placed in a file folder.
No matter the system, you will be organised in cataloging your feedback. Your efforts will pay off in a big way because performance evaluations at the end of 2014 will simply be an affirmation of the great coaching you have delivered during the year. In other words, no one will be surprised by their review results.
6. FOCUS ON SELF-DEVELOPMENT
You can grow your leadership skills.
In addition, you can seek to elevate your level of physical fitness and mental toughness. Who knows, you might actually get adequate sleep, eat right, and grow your spiritual self along the way. In other words, raise your personal bar this year more than any year prior. Raise it high. And do it with less effort than you think by enabling a trident that includes self-discipline and a coach.
7. HAVE MORE FUN & LAUGH MORE THIS YEAR
Ensure that you and your team better enjoy the rocket-ride that most people call work.
Seek and plan to enjoy more fun with your team this year. Plus, try to laugh every day.
Research shows us that the average four-year-old laughs 300 times a day, while the average 40-year-old laughs merely four. Granted, not many four-year-olds are paying a mortgage, a car payment, and who knows what else, but they are a happy lot. Plus, research also shows us that laughter reduces stress, increases endorphins, and even helps blood flow more freely.
Despite all of our responsibilities, there is a lot of room to enjoy and laugh more, so this year seek and plan to enjoy and laugh more than you have in the last 10 years combined. Please do this!
BOTTOM LINE
This year you and your team can soar. But, only if you choose to lead in a manner that enables everyone to fly.
Highlight your favorite advice from the above list and track your progress throughout the year. If you consistently succeed at all seven points above we guarantee that you and your team will have a great year.
All the best with your leadership!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Seven Secrets Of Powerful Storytelling
Having worked with thousands of people to better communicate in business plus witnessed even more business presentations to date, we at EffectiveCommunication.com.au firmly believe that presentation effectiveness is achieved by doing more than just sharing intellectual statistics, data, facts, figures etc.
Effective presentations include the ability to masterfully convey a story in order to draw audiences into the fray by capturing the essence of characters and the situations they face.
Here are 7 powerful storytelling secrets to further support your business communication and presentation success.
Effective presentations include the ability to masterfully convey a story in order to draw audiences into the fray by capturing the essence of characters and the situations they face.
Here are 7 powerful storytelling secrets to further support your business communication and presentation success.
1. NEVER COMPETE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when presenting in front of a busy audience is getting louder in an effort to match the crowd. Rather than elevating one’s volume and level of excitement, we recommend turning it down and relaxing the delivery.
Instead of calming oneself, many presenters get faster and faster. Typically this will only feed the audience [and] not in a good way. It makes them more antic.
It is entirely possible to tell tales very quietly and to effectively draw people in by doing so.
Instead of calming oneself, many presenters get faster and faster. Typically this will only feed the audience [and] not in a good way. It makes them more antic.
It is entirely possible to tell tales very quietly and to effectively draw people in by doing so.
2. KEEP IT SIMPLE
The preferred model of presenting a story is a simple one. Don’t rely too heavily on props. Instead, ensure plenty of heart and soul poured into a story in an effort to bring it life.
You can draw people in and create an entire world. The audience becomes your set, becomes everything around you.”
You can draw people in and create an entire world. The audience becomes your set, becomes everything around you.”
3. HAVE ENTHUSIASM
So, how can one be effective without any props or related stage items? One secret to storytelling success is enthusiasm. Despite what some might think, everyone in the world has the capability to be a good storyteller.
In fact, we all convey tales about absurd or comical happenings to our friends and family all of the time. It’s a matter of taking this sentiment and translating it into more professional forms of storytelling and speaking.
The key to any form of narration in front of an audience is to have a vested interest and enthusiasm for what you’re talking about.
If you really enjoy the story the audience will automatically like what you’re saying.
In fact, we all convey tales about absurd or comical happenings to our friends and family all of the time. It’s a matter of taking this sentiment and translating it into more professional forms of storytelling and speaking.
The key to any form of narration in front of an audience is to have a vested interest and enthusiasm for what you’re talking about.
If you really enjoy the story the audience will automatically like what you’re saying.
4. BE RELATABLE
Another secret to success is relating to the audience. Whether its public speaking or a simple business presentation, creating a relationship with those you’re addressing is important. While mastering this might sound complicated, it’s actually quite simple.
As a storyteller it’s your job to let people know that you’ve been in a situation just like them. One example is David and Goliath - a small man standing next to a nine-foot giant. While the audience hasn’t likely been in this exact predicament, everyone can relate to being a child and standing next to taller adults (or of even facing difficult odds, like David, that they must overcome).
If you can describe what that’s like, your audience will imagine themselves in that situation,
As a storyteller it’s your job to let people know that you’ve been in a situation just like them. One example is David and Goliath - a small man standing next to a nine-foot giant. While the audience hasn’t likely been in this exact predicament, everyone can relate to being a child and standing next to taller adults (or of even facing difficult odds, like David, that they must overcome).
If you can describe what that’s like, your audience will imagine themselves in that situation,
5. KNOW YOUR STORY
One of the most common pitfalls for anyone looking to deliver a business presentation or speech is a failure to properly prepare. Not only should you know the details of your tale, but one of the secrets to success is practice.
Know the basic outline of your story and just think on the key points. Find the thing that catches that will capture your audiences’ attention. Find a place in the story that will make their heads tilt a little bit.
Practice to draw out important elements, while also ensuring your delivery is fine-tuned.
Know the basic outline of your story and just think on the key points. Find the thing that catches that will capture your audiences’ attention. Find a place in the story that will make their heads tilt a little bit.
Practice to draw out important elements, while also ensuring your delivery is fine-tuned.
6. USE DETAILS
One of the biggest secrets of telling a good story is showing and not just telling. By this, we mean bringing the readers into the story rather than simply glossing over some of the finer details.
It’s important to show how the characters feel and even to describe how they look. Additional details like the smell or taste of something in the story are also warranted and beneficial.
It’s important to show how the characters feel and even to describe how they look. Additional details like the smell or taste of something in the story are also warranted and beneficial.
7. HAVE NO INHIBITIONS
Nerves are natural, but purposefully put them to the side and own the tales you tell. It’s important to have no inhibitions. Don’t be afraid of your own storytelling.
One old proverb says, “The fear of other people is like a snare or trap”, which is why it is every presenter’s personal responsibility to overcome this reality for so many people.
If a character is loud, then being loud while describing or imitating that person helps add something special to the story. Rather than worrying about looking silly or stupid, you should communicate without inhibitions.
Bottom line… Don’t be afraid to reach out of your presentation comfort zone whilst seeking to ensure that positive messages enter into your work.
All the best with your future business communications.
One old proverb says, “The fear of other people is like a snare or trap”, which is why it is every presenter’s personal responsibility to overcome this reality for so many people.
If a character is loud, then being loud while describing or imitating that person helps add something special to the story. Rather than worrying about looking silly or stupid, you should communicate without inhibitions.
Bottom line… Don’t be afraid to reach out of your presentation comfort zone whilst seeking to ensure that positive messages enter into your work.
All the best with your future business communications.
Posted in
Business presentations Conference presentations Presentation skills training Sales presentations,
Communication,
communication coaching,
Communication Training,
Conference presentations,
Leadership
by effectivecommunication.com.au
