Leadership, Communication, Presentation & Sales Development Blog

WOW YOUR AUDIENCES WHEN PRESENTING DURING 2014

Before we step across from 2013 to 2014, here are some simple tips for you that great presenters use when communicating to any audience… The power of a strong opening and close!

If you do both these well, you will be a success because people typically remember the first words out of your mouth and the last. However, while presenters know the importance of a strong opening and close, often they fizzle at the end. Some run out of time and simply say "I am out of time. Thanks for coming and contact me with your questions." Others fail to let their listeners know they are about to end and therefore, when they say their final words the audience does not offer much response.

Many times following presentations, audiences leave uninspired or disinterested. Invest more time into writing and practicing your opening and close as you might other parts of your presentation.

WAYS TO CLOSE PRESENTATIONS EEEFECTIVELY:

Recap the main ideas you have discussed

Restate your agenda headings + the key sentences / points of each

If you have presented for more than 20 minutes, it is important to summarise what has been discussed since your audience may have forgotten or drifted. By re-stating your positions or points for each agenda of your presentation, you can better influence audience members who don't have the breadth of knowledge you do about your subject.

Call your audience to action

Never let your audiences walk away from your presentations unsure about what they should do.

Directly state what you want them to do. It may seem obvious to you, but unless you ask for what you want, you risk being disappointed. For example… "What we need from you is immediate approval for our team to proceed with the design phase. We believe if we work full time, the project can be completed in three weeks." 

A strong call to action commands attention.

Challenge your audience to do something different

For example… "If you want to become better, you have to put in the work. Tomorrow, when you go back on the job, I challenge you to change one thing about the way you communicate with others. Keep working on that skill until it is part of your DNA."

Conclude with an inspirational or dramatic focused message

A strong focused message when concluding your presentations should be what your audience remembers more than anything else during your presentation.

When possible, leave your audience on a high note.

Go back to your opening

If you started your presentation with a great ‘Dynamic Opening’ (a great story / quote / statistic / example etc.), go full circle and link back to it, which will greatly bring your presentation to a close. For example… "My hope for you is the same success as ‘person x’ I shared at the start of my presentation, who succeeded by thinking big!"


Your opening is your best chance to gain audience interest, attention and engagement, plus your close is the last thing your audience will remember. Therefore, plan and practice to wow your audiences during every presentation you will deliver during 2014.

 
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND THANKS FOR YOUR READERSHIP & SUPPORT DURING 2013!!!

Posted in , , , by effectivecommunication.com.au

What Are You Really Selling?

You might have encountered many sales people who focus mainly on the functions of what their product or service does. Beware of this trap! 
What your product or service may do is very interesting, and it may even convince the prospect that you know your business and understand the functions of your product. However, functions probably won’t cause a prospect to give you their money. That will happen when and only when you persuade them to take action by clearly articulating and painting a picture in their minds of What’s In It For Them (WIIFT). 
When you show an interested prospect the overriding advantages and outcomes they will gain and experience from your product or service, you are truly selling.
The successful sales professional talks about and demonstrates features and benefits leading to advantages and outcomes.
Personalise the advantages and outcomes for the prospect. You can only do so by asking enough relevant questions of the audience to understand their interest level + if and how your product / service suits + tier level of urgency. Then wisely paint the prospect into the picture driving that luxury car, receiving compliments on the beautifully designed dress or suit, looking at the sunset on the lake where the new home has been constructed, or sitting in the comfortable retirement environment provided by the investment being made. 
Paint the picture so your prospect sees themselves personally gaining are turn on their investment by purchasing the advantages and outcomes your product or service offers.
You might not think of award-winning actor, writer, director, and producer Alan Alda as being a salesman, but in a speech he made to a medical school, Alan gave doctors And salespeople some good advice. He said, “The head bone is connected to the heart bone. Don’t let them come apart.” 
From a sales perspective, Alan is telling professional salespeople that when we demonstrate or explain the advantages and outcomes of our product / service in a clear and logical manner, we must also involve the prospect emotionally. We must let the prospective client know how it will FEEL to experience, enjoy and own the product or service.
We need to add the bridge. The bridge is a phrase preparing the prospect to hear the advantage and outcome. The phrase shouts, “Look out, here comes the reason for you to invest!!!.” Sample bridges might include:
“The advantage to you, Mr. Prospect, is...”
“You will enjoy this because...”
The benefit to you, Ms. Prospect, is...”
Try this advice to see prospect confusion decrease and sales go up.

All the best with your ongoing sales!
 


Posted in , , , by effectivecommunication.com.au

Leadership - Strategies for Keeping Your Key Team Members

When a key team member bolts for another job, many leaders assume that the reason behind their departure rests mainly on making more money.

There is logic behind this assumption, since most competent workers who choose to leave an organization earn a higher salary at their new job. Research, however, tells us that under normal circumstances key team members view salary as the fourth most important feature of their job.

This is wonderful news because often times leaders do not have total control over the salaries of their team members. On the other hand, leaders do have lots of control over a bevy of other items that can help to retain key employees.

As long as key employees feel that their compensation is fair, the following 3 areas tend to be valued higher than salary.


1. Training & Development 

The best means for leaders to build a retention wall around key team members is to grow and develop them.

This is especially true for team members who are part of the Millennial Generation (born between 1980 and 1995). For added success, leaders should consider creating a training roadmap that helps to fully develop selected team members skills.


2. Communication

People want to know what is going on in an organization. Moreover, they want to hear it first-hand, from their leader or from C-Level decision-makers.

Frequent communication contains the added benefit of crushing the grapevine, which can drain energy from an organization as it propagates misinformation.


3. Effective Feedback

A recent study examined the effects of feedback on three groups of employees. The first group received only positive feedback. The second group received only negative feedback. The third group received no feedback whatsoever.

When asked which feedback silo was most effective, most leaders say "the positive feedback alternative," and they are correct.

The answer chosen for second most effective is typically "no feedback." The No Feedback method, however, was not more effective than the Negative Feedback method.


All the best with your leadership!

Posted in , , by effectivecommunication.com.au

7 Signs You Need A Strategic Sales Plan

Let's face it, strategic sales planning doesn't sound fun...

It is the kind of thing most salespeople go into kicking and screaming, at least mentally.

Often, sales planning is one of those "I know I should do this but really don't want to" items on a to do list.

Not every salesperson needs a strategic sales plan. Here's a quick checklist to see if you do:


1. EXPENSES vs. OUTCOMES

If you look at your expense report and you cannot trace each expense to a desired outcome, you need a plan.

Having a strategic sales plan ensures that you determine ahead of time what you'll be spending money on and that all expenses are aligned with a specific purpose for your sales. With a plan you will stop wasting money in the wrong places.


2. YES vs. NO

If you look at your calendar and to do list then feel overwhelmed, you need a sales plan.

Sales planning is really just a process of deciding what you most want and laying out specific steps to achievement.

A good plan will tell you what to say "no" to as well as what to say "yes" to. Having a strategic sales plan will eliminate wasted time on low-value tasks and focus you on the things that drive real sales and value.


3. CONFIDENT DECISIONS

If you ever wonder if you're making the "right" decisions on a day-to-day basis, you need a sales plan.

A strategic sales plan will allow you to prioritise each action in your day to ensure you know right decisions from poor decisions not just in the short-term but in the long-term as well.

With a good sales plan, "wondering" is replaced with "knowing" what to do.


4. BLUEPRINT

If you've wanted to hire someone to help you do the small things so you can focus on the big things, you need a sales plan.

Imagine you are a general contractor and you have a team of subcontractors building a house for you. Could they do it without a blueprint and a punch list? Of course not! If you want to hire someone, they need to know exactly what to do to grow your business.

A strategic sales plan is the blueprint for your future career and a good strategic sales plan leads to a punch list of tasks that your team accomplishes to turn the concept into reality.


5. DIRECTION

If you consistently miss the goals you set for yourself, you need a sales plan.

A good strategic sales plan will align all of your time, money and other resources towards your goals. It will focus all of your energy in one direction, all but guaranteeing you will achieve the goals you set at the beginning of each year.

A great strategic sales plan will also ensure you hit your mid to long term goals as well!


6. ENERGY

If you find yourself feeling worn out and worn down, you need a sales plan.

A strategic sales plan will inspire and re-energise you each and every day. It will rekindle the spark you had when you first started and it will spread beyond you to each person you interact with.

Even your clients will notice the change!


7. BALANCE

If you feel like you can never get it all done, you need a sales plan.

With a strategic sales plan, you know exactly what it takes to reach your goals. You have a step-by-step guide to tell you what to do and when. Each day you will have a short, focused task list that drives the results you want in the short- and long-term.

When the list is done, so are you. You can go home each day relaxed. You can engage with your family and not think incessantly about work.


In conclusion… If you see yourself in one or more of the above, you need a strategic sales plan.


All the best with your future business growth!

Posted in , , , , by effectivecommunication.com.au

EC ON TV - GEOMETRIC BUSINESS GROWTH

Simple ideas & connections to help your business growth plans during 2014...
Recently John Rayner the Founder of EffectiveCommunication.com.au (EC) was invited to be interviewed by another Americas television program to talk about business growth.
 
John shared some simple ideas and connections which have helped many companies to date
 
This television program was recorded in South America and reaches 21 Spanish speaking countries via 800 networks. And for your convenience the entire interview was conducted with a professional interpreter in both Spanish & English.
 
To view this short 20 minute interview you are welcome to click on this link

To view John's profile you are welcome to visit this link
 
All the best with your future business growth!

Posted in , , , , by effectivecommunication.com.au

Become an Extraordinary Business Communicator

People who are extraordinary communicators and presenters don't start out that way!!!

These people work at getting better. They take communicating effectively seriously. They practice. They learn the When, Where, How & Why to improving the way they communicate.

WHEN

People who are fabulous communicators and presenters do what Tiger Woods does with golf - they work at perfecting their core communication game on a daily basis. They are always practicing or modifying some skill. They never say "I am good enough."

WHERE

Great communicators and presenters use every opportunity to practice their communication skills. They practice first in low stakes situations, like in emails, reports, round table meetings, trade shows, ‘lunch & learns,’ or conversations with one's peers.

They also practice off the job- in restaurants, at parties, at weddings or around the kitchen table. They don't wait for formal presentations. By the time a high stakes presentation comes up, they feel ready because they have been practicing all along.

HOW

First, serious learners get feedback, either from a communication's coach, their manager, or their peers.

Some join organisations, like Toastmasters or take a communication / presentation skills course with the express purpose of understanding what they do well and what needs improvement. Once they understand their strengths and weaknesses, they set realistic goals. Then, they tackle one skill at a time until it becomes second nature for them. They do not try to correct everything at once.

Maxwell Maltz says it takes “21 days to change a habit”. A lot of what we do when communicating is based on habit. Since some habits negatively affect people's perception of a speaker's credibility, it is important to change those things that undercut one's impact and to work on improvement on a daily, even hourly basis, for 21 days or longer.

To be perceived as a powerful business communicator and presenter a speaker must demonstrate both composure and energy. The skills for composure are:
  • Posture
  • Eye Contact
  • Pausing
The skills for energy are:
  • Movement
  • Gestures
  • Vocal Variety
  • Facial Animation
To practice the composure skill of posture, notice your posture whenever you see yourself in a mirror. If one shoulder is higher than another, you are not balancing your weight. Also, notice your arms when at rest. Do they rest at your sides, in your pockets or on your hips? Are they crossed on your chest? The goal with posture is to look confident, but also approachable.

Each time you walk in front of a mirror or see your reflection in a window, correct your posture until you feel people will see you in a positive light. This is the first way you communicate with your audience.

Eye contact is easy to practice since you can do it anywhere. The thing to remember is that you want the eye contact to be sustained, not fleeting. You want people to feel you are talking just to them so practice by looking at an individual for a full sentence or thought. Do not try to include everyone at once by giving people a quick glance.

You can keep tabs on how you are pausing through your own voice mail system. Play back messages before you send them. Listen for non-words, speed and diction. Pay attention to how clearly and concisely you stated your message.

When you present an idea to people, their expectation is that you truly believe in it and are excited to share what you know.

To convey enthusiasm, it is important that a speaker gesture to emphasize ideas and help listeners to "see" it. If the speaker has the opportunity to stand up, movement sends an additional message as to how important the idea is.

When a speaker is moving and gesturing, he becomes real and demonstrates conviction. Moreover, when the speaker is gesturing and moving, the face lights up and the voice has a certain sparkle.

The best way for speakers to get feedback on the energy skills is by periodically videotaping themselves and noticing what they observe when reviewing the tape. Are the gestures repetitive, overdone, or too controlled? Does the movement seem purposeful and tied to a pair of eyes? Is the voice interesting or flat?

WHY

The answer to why one should get better at communicating is simple. It is the number one skill for business people today. It is essential for anyone who wants to move up the corporate ladder.

To be considered a good leader, one must be able to communicate effectively with senior level managers, one's peers and one's direct reports. Without clearly communicating the message, projects get scuttled, opportunities are overlooked and wrong decisions are made, costing the company market shares and profits. With "ordinary" communication skills, one's career stagnates.

Bottom line... To join the ranks of extraordinary communicators and presenters, be a continuous learner. Dedicate yourself to perfection. Pay attention to the many opportunities you have for growth.
 

All the best with your future business communications

Posted in , , , , , by effectivecommunication.com.au

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.


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.


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.”


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.


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,


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.


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.


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.

Posted in , , , , , by effectivecommunication.com.au
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