Sunday, January 31, 2016
PRESENTING VIA CAMERA - Don't Be Camera Shy
Video is undoubtedly a powerful way to engage with your target audience, especially online!
It is also true that not everyone jumps out of bed eager to get in front of a camera. In fact some people are just plain scared witless about it. They’d rather play in traffic blindfolded.
In business during 2015 and beyond, you also need to be in the media creation business. It might be blogs, podcasts, videos and or, other types of visual media.
So what if you are determined that video is for you?
Here are 5 Tips:
1. Practice
Most things we are afraid of we haven’t done or have rarely done. We are not talking about jumping off a cliff while wearing a flying suit – that’s scary stuff. We are talking about fears that can be overcome simply by being exposed to them in gentle increments.
You could start by using your phone to film yourself privately. Record a sentence – delete it. Don’t even watch it. Do it a few times and then watch a few. Do it more often and maybe show someone who will always say the right thing.
Pretty soon, you’ll start getting better at it. And sooner than that you’ll become comfortable with it. And later you’ll actually start enjoying it.
2. Stilted delivery
It’s not always easy to deliver smooth lines in a confident compelling manner. Some people get halfway through a sentence and forget what they were talking about. If that’s you then don’t try to deliver a long detailed presentation in one go. Do it sentence by sentence.
If you do one recording of you with a wide shot and another close up, then you can edit between the two. You can also use graphics or visuals to hide your face altogether.
3. Need to be seen
What if you’re the CEO and need to represent the company but hate having to present to camera? In that case get someone to interview you. Practice Tip 1 above to get used to have a camera record you. Interviews allow you to have a conversation. For many people who suffer on camera, an interview is a more real experience.
Many times EC has advised clients to apply an interview style when it's obvious the presenter just isn’t convincing when talking straight to camera.
4. Use a tele-prompt
A tele-prompt allows you to read the script as it scrolls in front of the lens. You’ve probably seen them being used in TV newsroom style shows. They are easily accessible these days. They allow the presenter to focus on how they deliver their lines and less on what they need to say next.
Most people are able to master reading a tele-prompt after a couple of goes. It enables them to look and sound a lot more confident with their delivery.
5. Record a live presentation
If you are presenting on behalf of your industry or your business then have the event recorded. Chances are, you’ll be so focused on the audience you won’t have time to worry about the video camera. This can then be used to help promote your expertise and provide shareable content.
Don't be camera shy because your business promotion these days requires you master or at least improve this skill.
All the best with your future business communications!
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THE ART OF INFLUENCING OTHERS
The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority - Ken Blanchard
Regardless of your role in an organisation, you need to persuade others to your point of view.
Being able to win people's cooperation is a critical skill for any business professional. In fact, some say leadership means the ability to influence. The good news is that influence is a skill that can be learned.
Influence requires paying attention to following seven (7) all important principles:
1. View your idea from your listener's perspective
Before you open your mouth, consider the impact of what you propose on your listeners. Will this inconvenience them? Frighten them? Cause an increase in work load?
When you see things from others perspectives you become more sensitive.
2. Look for common ground
People are less resistant when you can show them that your idea considers their way of thinking. Your idea can help them gain what is important to them.
3. Thoughtfully and logically outline what you want your listener to do
Your job is to order, clarify and intensify for your listeners.
Illustrate your message so people can see it and hear it. Resist saying too much. Follow the Rule of three (3) main ideas, not ten.
Avoid acronyms and buzz words that blur meaning. Steve Jobs said, "When ideas are simply explained, decisions are easy."
4. Demonstrate value
Show listeners why an idea is appropriate, necessary and in their best interests. What proof can you offer to show your idea is worth it?
Define and quantify benefits, not just for the organisation, but for the individual.
5. Be yourself
Be genuine, sincere, and approachable. Demonstrate openness through your body language. Pay attention to crossed arms, clenched fists, and intense facial expressions. Watch the tone of your voice. Little things matter and will be noticed.
6. Invite questions
Carefully listen. Show you really want to understand any concerns.
Listen without interrupting or talking over
Avoid patronising statements
Validate or acknowledge the other person's way of thinking. Then, find the best way to answer without being arrogant.
Be brief.
7. Inspire
Help people to believe
Passion is everything in the influence game. You can't inspire unless you are inspiring.
Feel your idea. Taste it. Passion causes a tidal wave!
Think Steve Jobs... Project a commanding presence. Look, act and sound confident.
Influencing others doesn't happen by accident. It takes carefully paying attention to what you say and how you say it.
All the best with your future business communications!
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STAND OUT WHEN COMMUNICATING WITH EXECUTIVE LEADERS
Connecting with Executives doesn't happen automatically.
Understanding what is important to them and learning how they think is of the upmost importance.
For more than twelve (12) years that EffectiveCommunication.com.au has served multinational organisations and their leadership. Here are some of the comments Executives have shared as to how you can stand out and make a difference.
A lack of preparation is always obvious
Executives stress that preparation is critical. Their advice is to do your homework thoroughly. Understand what is going on in their world / business right now.
Tip: Learn all you can by about the Executive leader by talking to mutual contacts, check the Internet, check for press releases or analyst reports etc
If you want to play in my sandbox, you cannot seem nervous
You must look, sound and act confident. The Executive will hesitate or delay if your body language does not back up your message.
Tip: Practice your conversation ahead. Make sure your posture is open and you lean into the table. Be sure to sustain eye contact for a full sentence or thought. Pause for a breath at the end of your thoughts. Envision your success!
Set the context for the meeting. I may have forgotten
The Executive has a lot on his or her mind. They may have forgotten the purpose of the meeting so be sure to define the issue and its impact.
Tip: Executives appreciate knowing what you ultimately want them to consider. State your "ask / outcome" upfront.
Be brief and then be gone
Executives have a lot on their minds. They run from meeting to meeting. Time is very important to them so get to the point quickly. Do not go into unnecessary details. If there is an analytical base that is necessary, email it to them in advance for review.
Tip: Focus on what the Executive needs in order to make a decision. Have any supplemental information, charts, graphs, extra slides etc. at the ready.
More words are not an indication of more thought
Often, it is just the opposite - Keep your points simple. Do not over-talk an issue. Be very concrete and very specific. The simpler your points, the easier it is for them to make a decision.
Tip: Executives always want to know the risks and the scope of the opportunity.
I appreciate just having a conversation. I am not a fan of big slide decks
If slides are not critical, do not use them. Slides that are your speaker notes diminish your impact. The more slides you have, the more things can go horribly wrong.
Remember, anything that is on the slide is open for discussion. Your slides must tell a complete story. Executives hate when they have to dig to find the story.
Tip: Your transition statements from one slide to the next are critical. They provide context for what you are about to say.
Expect push-back
Executives don't want to make a mistake. They typically will have questions or need more information to help them decide. You should not be thrown by questions but rather view them as an opportunity to demonstrate your conviction or commitment to an idea. They are not trying to trap you or derail you.
Tip: Make a list of the questions you think the Executive will have ahead of time and determine how you will answer them.
Try to figure out what is key to the decision. That is where the bulk of the questions will come.
Making an Executive connection takes time and effort. Your Executive level conversations and presentations are a moment of truth. If you do a good job, you advance your cause and the perception of you as a leader. If you do a poor or mediocre job, you fall into the abyss.
All the best with your future business communications!
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WHAT'S YOUR COMMUNICATION INTENTION?
Communication ranges from building a relationship or gaining consensus to controlling an outcome.
According to Susan Campbell, author of 'Saying What's Real', almost 90% of all communication comes from the intent to control. She cautions that the more we aim to control, the more out of control we feel.
When we feel unsure or fearful of the outcome, the need to control gets magnified. As a leader, it is important to recognize that we get things done faster when others feel respected and their opinions valued. As you think about your next meeting or critical conversation, consider your intent. If it is to protect the relationship, pay attention to any telltale signs that you are moving in the wrong direction. Notice the following signals.
Your focus is on the outcome YOU want right from the get-go. You quickly start to dismiss the opinions of others. You react to their point of view with annoyance. You argue, defend or blame when challenged. After all, you just need people to do it! You say things like, "My solution is the one that makes sense for right now. We are wasting our time even talking about anything else."
When you are trying to control, you notice it in your gut. Your whole body tenses. There is tightness in your chest. You hear yourself getting louder, your voice more strident. You may frown or point. Your hands may curl into fists. You may even find yourself sighing out loud or rolling your eyes. You no longer seem able to monitor your body language or what comes out of your mouth.
If you purposefully desire to relate, you do all you can to protect the relationship.
That is first and foremost. Nothing you say or do risks the relationship. You listen very carefully. You do not interrupt or talk over. Then, you summarize their interpretation with unbiased language:
"I think I am hearing that overall you like the idea but you are very concerned with the stress on our people. Did I get that correct?"
Relaters also ask questions to demonstrate they are trying to put together a complete picture. They do not jump to conclusions:
"I know you have said you are very worried about the people this will affect. Can you put more words around why? Is there something I am not aware of?"
When a problem is considered very important, cooperation is highly important. That only comes when all parties feel respected and heard.
To gain cooperation and commitment, leaders must put aside personal issues and focus on relating, rather than controlling.
All the best with your future business communications!!!
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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, August 13, 2015
DOES YOUR PITCH PRESENTATION CONTAIN THIS QUESTION TO GIVE YOU THE WINNING EDGE?
If you’re involved in a competitive
business pitch, in addition to knowing the prospect very well and planning your
pitch presentation, there is a key question you and your pitch team should be
repeatedly asking yourselves, during the understanding, planning and staging
process.
The
question is... ‘What
Else Could We Do?’
(WECWD). This simply means, what else could we do, that our competitors won’t do, to win this piece of business.
Small
behaviours, little things that you could do, can be the difference that
separates you from others on the short list. Many times the client is
unsure about whom to give the business to. Many times there is no obvious
choice.
Through
repeatedly asking WECWD you’ll come up with ideas that can tip the business your way.
Some of the ideas won’t be useful – but through the repetitive WECWD process, your mind and
the minds of your pitch team will unearth a stream of ideas.
The
repetitive process is the key. Don’t ask the question just once or twice – keep asking it over and over.
Persist, even when you think you’ve exhausted all possibilities.
A story
from the 1990’s
illustrates the power of a small idea, identified through the WECWD process, that
helped win a large piece of business.
In 1995,
a competitive pitch was won by a firm. The firm’s director asked the client
why his firm won the business. The customer said something along the following
lines.
“There
wasn’t any
real difference between you and your competitors. You each seemed equally
capable of delivering the work. However, when you emailed us your PowerPoint
slides before your pitch-day presentation, we were impressed with your
technical expertise. That was the deciding factor.”
Through
the WECWD questioning process, this small action emerged, and was the reason
the firm won the business. At that point in time emailing PowerPoint slides was viewed
as novel and technologically savvy.
An
important point to
note about the story is this. The other firms on the short list could have
easily sent their PowerPoint slides to the prospect. But they didn’t think of doing it. Perhaps
they didn’t
persist in asking the WECWD.
Your call
to action towards applying this advice is... In the next seven days try out
this WECWD questioning process prior to a meeting with a potential prospect.
Ask yourself, "What else could we do to make this presentation have more
impact / be more relevant / be more positively memorable etc. Notice the numerous ideas your
mind generates for you.
All the best with your next pitch presentation!
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Monday, June 8, 2015
PRESENTATION - IS YOUR AUDIENCE REALLY LISTENING TO YOU?
How many
times have you wondered if your audience was really listening or cared about
what you were saying when giving a presentation?
Obviously,
the goal is to be heard by your listeners, yet, are there ways you can be sure?
Yes and
here is how and what seasoned and expert presenters do!
ASK
It's so
simple, but very few presenters take the time to check in with their audience.
Periodically pause and ask your listeners rhetorical or open-ended questions
such as, "Do you agree?" "Have you seen this also?"
"What issues do you see?" A variety of open-ended and rhetorical
questions take people from being passive to being more attentive.
LOOK THEM
IN THE EYE
Sustained
eye contact cannot be ignored. Avoid scanning. Look at one person at a time for
a full sentence or thought. When you do, you will get some sort of reaction
from the listener. The individual will smile, nod or demonstrate through their
body language that they are listening.
MOVE
CLOSER
If you
come into the audience, people feel you have something important to say. You
connect with them. You have nothing to hide. Your proximity makes them set
aside their phones, laptops or tablets and listen up!
TURN UP
THE VOLUME
Louder
voices are taken more seriously. Softer voices lull people to sleep, and a
monotone really annoys them. An interesting voice with lots of highs and lows
commands attention.
AMPLIFY
YOUR ENERGY
Go bigger
with your gestures than seems comfortable to you. Let energy flow from your
face and hands. If you have a big point, let your audience see it. They will
respond to your enthusiasm for your topic.
TELL THEM
A GOOD STORY
A
personal story with a business point always draws people in. They envision what
you say and maybe even connect it to their own lives. As you think of the story
you want to tell, decide on what details to include or exclude to make the
story poignant or powerful.
SITE
RELEVANT EXAMPLES
If the
example is compelling, you win people over. You influence them and make them
see your point.
PUT
NUMBERS INTO CONTEXT
Statistics
come alive when you show what they mean to the whole scheme of things. "We
will save 4% in the next year or 5.4 million dollars. Steve Jobs once talked
about the capacity of an iPod by saying, "Imagine a thousand songs in your
pocket."
SPEAK IN
SHORT STATEMENTS
Do not
drone on. Say what you need to say in the fewest words possible. Use strong
descriptive adjectives and adverbs. Show criticality.
USE
ANALOGIES
When a
subject is over people's heads, attention drifts. However, with the use of
simple analogies, you can get people on the same page very quickly.
USE
HUMOROUS ASIDES
Season
your topic with humorous asides. Everyone responds to humor, but most speakers
think it is too risky. Listeners love humor when it is appropriate. It
re-invigorates the dreariest of topics.
Presenting
would not be so difficult if we could be assured our audiences were paying
attention. Do not make the mistake of thinking your words alone will make people
listen. About every four or five minutes, we need to change things. Do
something different. The best presenters incorporate all of the above
suggestions as often as they can in every presentation.
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