Every Presentation is a Competition

Every time you present in front of an audience you are in a competition. Treat it seriously because your audience is judging you against the competition.

Sometimes the competition is a competitor selling a similar product or service.

More often the competition to your presentation is the other thoughts, ideas and questions within the minds of your audience.

There are many things competing for their attention. TV, YouTube, Family issues, Work, Health, Friends, Social activities, Money, Career...

How do you compete?

By understanding their needs and demonstrating that - and addressing their needs, fears and concerns.

Stop the poetry - address their pain.

PS: I've completed the Hamilton Around the Bay Race six times. :)

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The Entire Audience Walked Out on Me

What could be worse than losing your entire audience? Imagine no one showing up for your presentation. I experienced the one and almost the other.

While promoting my first book, Secrets of Power Marketing, I arranged short presentations along with a book signing at book stores. They were never a good place in which to present because they were not set up for presentations. Usually the audiences numbered between six and 10.

On one memorable book store visit there was only one person waiting for my presentation. That was ego deflating. I checked the signs and my calendar. We both had the date and time correct so at the scheduled time I started my 20 minute presentation. I was hoping that more spectators would arrive or that my standing and speaking might attract some curious book browsers. Five minutes into the presentation the woman’s cell phone rang. She dug it out and asked me to hold. Naturally I stopped speaking because my entire audience stopped listening.

After a short call she put the phone away, looked at me and announced, “That was my son. I need to pick him up. Bye.”

My entire audience walked out on me. Ha! I can laugh now but I didn’t at the time.

I forced another smile, bade goodbye, packed up my things, signed the books from the shelf, then left.

Since then I don’t mind if people leave part way through my presentation – as long as some remain.

When you present there are few things you can control and some things you can influence. And there is everything else that is beyond your power. Focus on what you can do and accept the randomness of reality.

Learn how to deal with 17 other presentation disasters and come out looking like a hero. Download the free eBook here - Turn Presentation Disasters into Presentation Success.

You don't need to give your name or email - just download the free eBook here.


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Superior Presentations 63: Why Tell Stories?

Superior Presentations 63: Why Tell Stories?

Have you noticed that the best presenters tell stories?

You can improve the power of your presentations by including more stories.

Three reasons to tell more stories when you present.

It's Easier for You

Notice how easy it is for you to tell a story when chatting with a friend. You didn't need to memorize it and you didn't need notes - because you lived it. It's a simple matter of replaying the memory recording within your brain.

Your natural passion will often be revealed when relating a personal story. It's easier to describe your own accomplishments by expressing them within a story. It won't feel like you are bragging.

If you feel nervous about public speaking include more stories in your presentation to feel more confident.

It's Easier for Your Audience

Most of us would rather hear more stories. Just ask kids what they want to hear - a story or a lecture? The entertainment industry is so prosperous because people love stories. Even the news is delivered in story format. The easiest and most powerful way to engage your audience is with stories because that engages their imagination.

Use stories to teach; it helps clarify the lesson and makes it easier to remember.

If you use stories to sell or persuade it won't feel offensive to your listeners. Listeners who bought your product, or were convinced by your message, are likely to repeat your stories to others.

Listeners perceive stories as entertaining and non-threatening.

It's Your Personal Brand

Your personal brand is based on the stories that people tell about you. They might repeat the stories that you told. They might also tell stories about the things that you did.

If you want to build and reinforce your personal brand tell colorful stories and do things that people can talk about.

You know that your message was effective when you hear people re-telling your stories.

George Torok




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Avoid the Scientific Presentation Format - It's still boring

Many of us learned the scientific presentation format in school. It was boring then. It's still boring.

Don't write and deliver your presentation in the scientific presentation style - unless you are a scientist speaking to a group of academics.

This is the scientific format.

1. Problem
2. Theory
3. Process
4. Results
5. Conclusion

Boring - boring - boring!

Instead - tell us the conclusion. If we don't like your conclusion - we don't care about your process. If we like your conclusion - we don't care about your process.

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How to Become a Professional Speaker

I often get asked "How can I do what you do? How can I become a professional speaker?" It's not always in those words but the message is the same.

As you can imagine some are more committed than others. Some have made real investments of their time, effort and money. All three of those elements are critical.

Then there are the dreamers.

They say,

"I love to speak about 'x' and I put together a PowerPoint show. What's next?"

"I've been calling speakers' bureaus and they won't want to talk to me until I'm successful. If I was successful, I wouldn't need them. What's your secret?"

"I want to be a professional speaker and you've got to help me because I bought your book."

"I was let go by my company and I always loved to speak. My friend suggested that I become a professional speaker."

"I'm passionate about my message. I want to change the world. You've got to help me."


Dreaming is a good place to start. And you've got to move past that stage to planning, investing and doing.

All three actions need to be there to succeed.

When I only had the dream to become a professional speaker, I asked a friend who was a speaker what to do. His advice was:

• Don't quit your day job yet
• Join Toastmasters to get good at the craft
• Volunteer to speak as often as you can to any group - for the practice
• Focus on a specific area of expertise
• Become an aggressive marketer of your service

It took at least a few years to get from birth of the dream to full-time professional speaker. I did all the things my friend told me and more.

I appreciate my friend's help and others that I learned from along the way. Naturally I'm willing to assist others but I don't wish to waste my time with every dreamer that crosses my path.

One piece of advice from my mentor, Peter Urs Bender, was "Be nice to people, but be rude with your time."

So I wrote my advice to future professional speakers and published it on my website. Those who are serious will read it and benefit from the open and practical insights. Those who are dreamers won't read it - because they want a pill.

Here's the link to How to Become a Professional Speaker.

As you can see if you visit the link, there's lots of good information there. I invested my time and effort to write this information and publish it as a free resource. It doesn't answer every question you might have but it does cover much more than the basics. Also there are links to other useful resources and books.

It's curious that after sharing this link I have received angry messages from people who seem to believe that I owe them more - for free. As you can probably guess, those people will not make it in the professional speaking business.

If you want to become a professional speaker check this link.


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Collect & Organize Your Presentation Ideas

Call it old school, but a simple yet effective way to capture and organize your presentation ideas is to write them on index cards.

Write your ideas on separate index cards. Go ahead and simply write as many ideas and questions on index cards while preparing for your next presentation.

Don't judge the ideas as you write them.

After you've run dry on generating ideas for your presentation start to sort them. Lay the index cards out on your desk or the floor if necessary and look for commonalities. Start grouping them.

After you group them look for how you might sequence the groups.

Look for contrasts.

You might start colour coding the index cards by categories.

Move the ideas that don't fit to the side - but keep them for later consideration.

Then start writing your presentation.

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Assume and You Lose

Have you noticed that when people assume they know what you meant – often they misunderstood?

Can you recall a recent conversation where you assumed you understood the other person and you messed up because you assumed wrong?

One piece of the puzzle seldom shows you the whole picture.

Assumption seems to be the biggest cause of failed communication.

That’s curious because it happens often yet we keep repeating our mistakes.

The first step to overcome assumption is to listen without judging or jumping to conclusions. The next step is to ask for clarification and listen carefully. The next step might be to check your understanding one more time.

When you what to clarify your understanding first ask an open question and listen. Then ask a closed question or state your understanding and listen.

Why might people assume?

They believe they can read your mind.

They want to demonstrate eagerness by getting started.

They want to impress you.

They didn’t listen and don’t want you to know.

They believe that they are saving time by not asking you to explain.

They are insecure about your relationship.

They don’t want to spend any more time in your presence.

They are intimidated by you.

They are overeager to please you.

They don’t know how to ask good questions.

They believe that they should know and are afraid to ask questions.

They believe that motion is action.

They see themselves as a victim.

They think that you might be testing their knowledge.

Of course those are only my assumptions.

The next time you have a conversation or listen to a speaker ask yourself, "What assumptions have you made before or while listening to that person?"

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How to Close Your Presentation

The close to your presentation is the last thing that your audience hears. It is the last impression, therefore it could be memorable if you make it powerful.

The close to your presentation should direct people in the direction that you have been nudging them throughout your presentation.

Make it clear in your close what you want them to do next.

When writing the closing to your presentation consider that someone wakes up or arrives late and only hears your close. Will they know what to do next?

For those reasons it's good to include a summary or call to action in your closing statement.


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Open Your Presentation Like Restaurant Greeters

How to open your speech?

The opening to a speech is often overlooked - yet it is so important because it is the first impression that the audience has of you and your presentation.

The two fellows on my right were the greeters at a middle eastern restaurant. They served as perfect examples of what the opening of your presentation should do.

Think of your presentation opening as the store-front or lobby of a retail shop.

The opening of your presentation should do these three things:

• Grab Attention
• Build Rapport
• Set Direction

When we entered this restaurant these two greeters grabbed our attention with their colourful costumes and contrasting size.

They built rapport with their smiles, bowing and gestures of welcome.

They set the direction for the experience that we could expect from this restaurant with their welcoming presentation. We knew that we were in for an exotic experience that would go beyond good food.

That's what the opening to your presentation needs to do - every time you speak.

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