Casey Brown at TEDx Columbus Women

"Know Your Worth and then Ask for It"

In an eight-minute presentation, you need to grab the attention of your audience, establish rapport and deliver your message clearly.

Casey Brown succeeded in meeting those three criteria in this presentation. Watch her presentation and notice these powerful techniques in action.

Grab Attention

Notice how she grabbed attention with the first words of her opening. “No one will ever pay you what you’re worth.” (pause) Then she repeats the phrase. After another pause, “They’ll only pay you what they think you’re worth.”

All of that was delivered with a calm and clear manner with a (I’ve got a secret) smile.

That opening grabbed attention, and piqued the curiosity of the audience to listen for more. That’s the purpose of an effective opening. There were no wasted words in her opening.

Establish Rapport

The best ways to connect with your audience are to demonstrate that you understand them and that you are like them.

She was speaking to a predominantly female audience. She pointed out that women are generally underpaid compared to men. She quoted statistics to back up that statement. She identified herself as a female business owner and single parent of two beautiful daughters. Those statements are likely to connect with the women in the audience and many of the men.

Most importantly she used the one powerful technique to connect with the audience – she confessed that she was flawed and afraid. She was hesitant to take her own advice. Many of us appear wiser when we give advice but we often seem to ignore our own advice.

Deliver the Message Clearly

Her message was “You’ll only be paid what they think you’re worth. That was in her opening statement and repeated in her close.

She illustrated that concept in her personal story and in a story from one of her clients.

Casey Brown delivered on these three presentation criteria. Watch the video below.

Presentation Tips on Twitter Presentation Skills Club on Facebook Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives

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. :)

Presentation Tips on Twitter Presentation Skills Club on Facebook Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives

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.

Presentation Tips on Twitter Presentation Skills Club on Facebook Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives

8 Ways to Deliver a Boring Sales Presentation

A boring sales presentation does not motivate your listeners to buy. They might stop listening. They might be annoyed. They might even leave the room. They won't feel interested to buy. Avoid these sales presentation mistakes as described by Kelley Robertson.

--------------------------

Unfortunately, many sales people bore their prospects. Here are eight ways they do that.

1. Start your pitch by talking about your company

Your marketing department might think it’s important that you tell your prospect about your company’s roots or heritage, the client or organizations you work with or how innovative you are.

I can tell you from first-hand experience that those points aren’t even on their radar. They don’t care about you.

I know…it hurts, right?

But here’s the reality…

All they want to know is how you can help them solve a pressing that they’re struggling with.

Skip the mindless chatter about anything else. Get to the point and show them how you can help them deal with, or eliminate, that problem.

2. Talk endlessly about your product, offering or solution

Next to the above point there is no quicker way to bore a prospect or customer.

Contrary to popular belief people don’t want to know EVERYTHING about your product. They only need to know the aspects or features that are relevant to their specific situation.

Highly analytical or technical people—especially engineers—struggle the most with this because they love detail, data and information.

However, it is critical to understand that most people don’t need this level of detail. It is more effective to present the high-level information and have back-up documentation ready just in case your prospect is also a detail-oriented person.

3. Make the conversation one-way

Remember that presentation I mentioned at the beginning of this post?

The sales guy used all the air-time for the full 30 minutes. Snore…

Telling is not selling.

I have found that it is much more effective to have a two-way dialogue during any type of sales meeting or presentation. Even if you have a pre-planned presentation, you should still get your prospect involved by asking them questions or getting them to comment on a point you have made.

Read the rest of these Eight Ways to Deliver a Boring Sales Presentationhttp://fearless-selling.ca/how-to-bore-your-prospect/ at Kelley Robertson's Fearless Selling Blog.


Presentation Tips on Twitter Presentation Skills Club on Facebook
Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives

Six Words to Summarize Your Presentation

Can you summarize your presentation in six words? If you know your message, you can state it in a few words. If you need 30 minutes to explain it, then you really don’t know it. What would you do if the decision maker said, “You have six words – go.”

Enjoy these six word presentation summaries:

Buy low, sell high, discover how

Stop wasting money on expensive advertising

Join us for weekly breakfast networking

Think about it before you speak

Never, never give up. Call us

Don’t drink and drive. Arrive alive

Find the right mate for you

You can fight cancer. Donate today

Success is simple but not easy

Problems are opportunities but often overlooked

Love your customers. Attract them back

Buying insurance sucks. Being without devastates

Seatbelts saves lives, maybe yours

Help those who can’t help themselves.

Relax. Enjoy. You are getting older.

Don’t stop questioning. We need you.

Imagine, say it in six words

Add your six word message below.

Presentation Tips on Twitter Presentation Skills Club on Facebook
Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives

What the &*+#@*

Is it okay to use or imply curse words when you present?

The person asking this question, suggested using slides with these words:

B#tch

B@st&rd

Sh*t

His purpose was to generate a laugh.

My answer to this question is “no, it’s not okay”.

The cost of the laugh is too high. For the sake of a possible few-second laugh you risk:

• Offending at least one or more of your audience
• Being permanently labelled as insensitive and obscene by your audience
• Alienating some of your former listeners
• Losing the respect of key decision makers
• Losing the sale
• Missing out on future opportunities
• Tarnishing your expertise
• Being remembered for the wrong things
• Attracting people who think and speak in those terms
• Being quoted for the wrong reasons

Just imagine that the media stepped into the room to witness your offensive message then left. What would they remember and report?

Presentation Tips on TwitterPresentation Skills Club on Facebook Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives

Seven steps to more compelling presentations

Investment Executive

Ensure your that audience is engaged and understands the ideas you are putting forward
Tuesday, February 15, 2011, By Fiona Collie

An engaging seminar presentation can be a powerful tool for building relationships with clients and prospects.

A successful presentation needs more than just great information, says Lisa Braithwaite, a public-speaking coach in Santa Barbara, Calif. “People want to relate to you,” she says. “They want to be able to trust you and they want to be able to have a relationship with you.”

To gain that trust and build relationships, follow these public-speaking tips:

1. Speak upMake sure you’re speaking at the right volume.

Most people speak too softly when they’re presenting, says George Torok, owner of speechcoachforexecutives.com in Burlington, Ont. Project your voice so you can be heard by the entire group. Just be careful not to yell.

2. Take your time

Slow down and give the audience time to hear your words.

Remember, the audience doesn’t know your speech the way you do. Give them time to absorb the information and follow your presentation.

Says Torok: “Your listeners have to hear the words, digest the words and think about them.”

3. Take breaks

Pause occasionally to emphasize important points. Pausing before and after you say something significant can serve to underline that point’s importance, Torok says. “The effect is like putting air quotes around [the phrase].”

Pausing also makes you appear confident. Stand quiet in front of the audience before you start, Torok says. Pausing for eight seconds before you begin will compel audience members to focus their attention on you.

Read the rest of Seven Steps to More Compelling Presentations

George Torok

Speech Coach For Executives

Presentation Skills Training


Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.

What are active listening skills?

Active listening is a powerful communication skill.

I think that you might be looking for some techniques that enhance that skill. If we were talking I would clarify that with you. That's one example of a active listening technique.

Here are a few more techniques to active listening:

• Look directly at the person who is talking.
• Smile.
• Appear relaxed - not impatient.
• Nod your head occasionaly - to show understanding - not necessarily agreement.
• Repeat some key words.
• Ask a question about a point.

This is a question that I received.

Do you have more questions about presentation and communication skills? Ask me.


George Torok

The Speech Coach for Executives

Presentation Skills Training

Next Public Seminar




Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.

How to Open Your Presentation with Attention Grabbing Pizzazz and Close with Memorable Oomph

Free Audio Class - Feb. 24 - Registration Closed

If you listened to this free audio class - please complete the survey

Click here to take survey


ATTENTION: Imagine your audience snapping to attention during the opening of your presentation. And watch their heads nodding in approval while you deliver your close.

Do you want to electrify your listeners with a magnetic opening?

Would you like to feel the confidence of delivering a more effective close?

Get this right and you will notice immediate results in the reactions of your audience to your presentations.



Many presenters give little thought or preparation to these important parts of their presentation – the opening and the closing. Here’s how you can elevate your presentations above the competition with these simple techniques.

In this program you will discover

• Why your opening and close are so critical to the success of your presentation
• The stealth technique to start your presentation on the right foot every time
• The surprisingly common and thoughtless two words to leave out of your close
• 8 effective techniques to open your presentation more effectively
• 8 techniques to close your presentation much stronger
• The most damaging myth about how to open your presentation
• Self-sabotaging words to avoid when opening your presentation
• How to manage your body language during these critical moments
• Why and how to end strong even when it don’t go so well
• How to avoid the common limp close
• And much more…
  

Live Audio Class
When: Thursday February 24, 2011 – 2:00pm to 3:00pm EST (New York Time)

Call in to listen to this live telephone broadcast from the convenience of your home or office.

It’s okay if you have a speaker phone and want others to listen in. No extra charge.

Here’s an easy way for you to continue to improve your presentation skills. Listen to these audio classes and get ongoing support for your skills development.

If you miss the call you can still download the recording for free – but don’t wait too long because it will be taken down after a few days.

Listen to the live class or listen to the replay on the computer at your convenience. You can listen to the replay as many times as you want because you automatically receive a free copy of the MP3 file to download. Listen as many times as you want.

If you want to receive the free recording you must register before the live audio class.



Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.

Just Because it's on the Internet Doesn't Mean you can Steal it

Don’t violate copyrights in your presentations — Gihan Perera

Playing YouTube videos during your presentations is completely against YouTube’s terms of use. We should *assume* intellectual property is protected, unless the owner explicitly says otherwise. Unfortunately, I’ve found that many speakers take the opposite approach, and assume it’s permissible to copy material until somebody points out they are violating somebody else’s intellectual property rights. I’ve seen plenty of examples of people embedding YouTube into PowerPoint, pl aying TED.com videos in a paid presentation, inserting Dilbert cartoons into their handouts, etc. — all of which are violations of the owners’ terms of use.



Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.

Too much information - not enough time

How to deliver your management report clearly by saying less

You have been asked to present a report to management. You have two hours worth of information but only 20 minutes to speak. What a dilemma! How do you get your message across? How will you decide what to leave out? And will management punish you for leaving something out?

5 to 10 Times Rule
What should you do? If you only have two hours of information then you should only speak for about 12 to 24 minutes. Why? Because if you have two hours of material - then most of it will be irrelevant or boring or both. Follow this rule - you should always have at least 5 to 10 times more information than you present.

If you worked on the project and researched the information, you might easily fall into the trap that everything is important and interesting. After all, you sweated over all the details. And more important to you - you want management to see you as doing a thorough job. You don't want to leave something out because that might make you look as if you don't know everything - or that you didn't do your homework.

Show Your Stuff Without Telling All
How do you appear to know all your 'stuff' without telling all your 'stuff'? How do you make the right impression on management? You might feel that the only way to appear open and honest is to tell everything you know. The reality is that if you tell everything you know - you are wasting their time and you are demonstrating that you can't judge what is important and what isn't. The message that you will convey is that you can't be trusted to think.

Like it or not you must leave some information out. You must decide on what is most relevant to management for this presentation. Learn to do that effectively and you will have more success with your management reports. You will get more support from management and you will be better perceived as management material.

Let's look at the "5 to 10 times" rule. If you know 5 to 10 times what you actually deliver - you will feel more confident while presenting because you will clearly know your stuff. You will give the group your best stuff. And when you get questions - especially the obscure ones - you will handle them skillfully and confidently. Management will see that there is real substance behind the presentation. That will make them feel more confident about your report and you. It does not matter how much information you present - if they don't believe you or feel confident about you. Senior management must believe in you. That is your real bottom line.

So how do you cut? First, decide on your most important message. What is it that you want your listeners to feel, say or do after your presentation? For example, are you asking management for approval, budget, or other resources? Do you want them to feel confident that you are handling things well - and they can leave you alone? Or are you warning them about a problem that they might need to act upon? Be clear about your key message?

Focus On Key Message
Before you start to prepare your presentation - write your key message on a piece of paper and keep that in front of you while preparing your presentation. If you can't do this, then you really don't understand the purpose of your presentation. And people who do things without understanding their true purpose are doomed to fail. Check every exhibit, phrase, and fact against that purpose. If something doesn't help you get your key message across, delete it.

If you sculpt your presentation well enough you might deliver that 20-minute presentation in 17 minutes. And guess what? No one will be unhappy that you did it in less time. In fact, take note of the approving nods and smiles around the room when you finish early.

Several Versions
Take this method one step further. Because you will deliver similar messages over your career, develop different time versions of each message. Be ready to deliver your key messages in a 20-minute, 5-minute and 90-second format. When you can do that you will deliver the right presentation at the right time and be more successful in getting what you want.

What can you do if you really want management to have all the information? Give them the detailed report. But keep your presentation short. The best thing you can do for your business presentations is to make them shorter. Management will reward you.

SC© George Torok is the Speech Coach for Executives. Register for your free presentation skills tips at www.Torok.com Arrange for presentation skills training for your sales team by calling 905-335-1997 Find more free presentation skills tips at www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com Receive regular presentation tips at http://twitter.com/PresentationsGo



Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.

How to Turn a Service Club Talk into a Marketing Opportunity

As an entrepreneur or sales professional are you tapping into the unlimited opportunities to promote if you are a good presenter?

In an era of tough competition good presentation skills give you a competitive edge.

Speaking before a group about your business is definitely the least expensive and best way to market your product or service and expand your customer base. I know this from first hand experience. I started talking about my hair styling business at local service organizations, such as Rotary, Kiwanis, Optimists. That helped me build my service business and led to a full time speaking and training business.

Check out the Room:

Being prepared is a key to presenting a good talk. It's a comfort knowing that the lights, the microphone, the flip charts, etc. are working and, more importantly, that you know how to work with them.

Go to the room where you will be speaking earlier than everybody else. Imagine yourself a success. Get comfortable on the stage. Test the microphone. Are your notes in order?

You may not be a professional speaker, but struggling with audio/visual equipment just distracts and annoys your audience. You want them on your side.

Presenting your Talk:

Do not read your speech. Write key points in large, bold typeface on your pad you keep on the lectern or table. I urge you not to stand behind the lectern throughout your entire talk. It puts a barrier between you and the audience and they feel it. However, if you feel more secure standing behind the lectern, do not lean on it.

The Introduction:

Write your own introduction. Use your resume as a guide, but customize it to fit the topic on which you're speaking. Do not include your job as a life guard in your intro unless it directly relates to your subject.

Handouts:

Develop a page detailing your key points. Or if you've had an article published, make copies for the audience members. Make sure that the handout includes your name, address and telephone number.

Business Cards:

If your goal is to develop business contacts, always collect business cards from the audience members. You can offer to send additional information, articles or tip sheets to them. Or you can offer a door prize (this can be a product you sell or certificate for service--a free evaluation of financial status, etc.); ask that everyone drop their business cards in a box from which you or the program chair will draw the winner (or winners) at the end of your talk. The business cards give you prospects with whom you can follow up later. If you offer to provide attendees with written material, you might include an order blank for you product or service.

Just Do It!

Speaking before a group of strangers can be intimidating, but keep focused on the positive impact the presentation will have on your business reputation and your bottom line. Don't expect to be a magnificent speaker the first time out. Your goal is to present the most valuable information possible to the members of the audience. Think of it as the beginning of many long-term relationships.

Go on--step up on the podium and profit from the experience.

Click here for information about our upcoming Speaking Camps.

Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAESales Presentation Trainer, Keynote Speaker, Executive Speech Coach - Patricia coaches clients on the three essential aspects of presentation: simplifying organization, mastering content, and perfecting delivery. Learn More



Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.

300 Seconds and 7 Steps to Writing Your Speech

The wrong thing for you to do is to immediately start writing the speech. Yet that is the strongest impulse you will feel. Fight that urge and instead think about what you want to accomplish. Ask yourself the following important questions and then start sketching out your speech. You’ll be surprised at how quickly it goes when you follow this process.

1. Be Prepared
The Scout motto applies to speech making. Always be prepared to deliver a speech by having stories, examples and anecdotes ready to use. When you experience things that might help you relate your message think about how you might use that story in a future presentation. Read the news, listen to customers and observe life and you will always have available material.

2. What is Your Key Message?
Decide on the message that you want to present to this group. Do you what to congratulate them on their accomplishments? Do you want to guide them on the road ahead? Do you want to simply reminisce? Pick one message.
Write your key message in one sentence and in plain language. That will help you be clear on what you want to say and keep you on track as you write the rest of your presentation. That sentence might even be a key part of your speech.

3. Write Your Closing Statement
This step might surprise you. After you write your key message decide how you want to close your speech. Your close could be more important than your opening so write it first. What’s the line that you want to end on that will hammer home your message?

If your message is an inspirational one you might end your speech with a quotation: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" If you are soliciting volunteers try, "Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee."If you do not remember who said it or you get the words wrong - just say you are paraphrasing.

4. Build the Body of Your Presentation
After you have your close, develop the supporting points that form the body. List five points that support your message. After you have five, examine them and pick the best three. That way you will have three strong points for your speech. Use statistics or an anecdote to illustrate each point. Make the anecdote funny or reach the audience in a personal way. Your audience needs this to absorb, understand and remember each of your points.

5. Create Your Speech Opening
Finally, develop your opening. Use the fewest sentences to grab their attention with a challenge, question, bold fact, analogy or quotation. One technique, which ties everything together, is to open and close with the same statement. Let people know where you stand on this issue and what your message is.

6. Review and Tweak
Review your draft speech and make adjustments. You might want to change the order of your points. Rewrite your notes on an index card but just write the key words - in large print so it’s easy for you to read.

7. Ready, Set, Go
Ready? While you are being introduced, take a deep breath, look confident, smile and walk to centre stage. Wait for everyone's attention, pause a moment to survey the audience - acknowledge their presence, collect your thoughts and speak.

When you know your topic it’s only a matter of being focused on your message. Do that and you will write your speech faster, be more focused and deliver it stronger.


© George Torok is the Speech Coach for Executives. He helps business leaders deliver million dollar presentations. Presentation skills training and presentation skills coaching
For free presentation skills tips visit http://www.Torok.com For presentation coaching and training visit http://www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com
--------------------

Presentation Skills Articles
Executive Speech Coach Articles

Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives
.

8 Presentation Flaws that Steal Your Money

Why should you care about your presentation skills? Because poor presentations cost you money. Do you want to close more deals and make more money? Improve your presentation skills!

There are no perfect presentations and no perfect presenters, which means that every presenter could be better – if they want to be.

There are three types of presenters:

• Bad and don’t know it
• Bad and don’t care
• Concerned and taking steps to improve
  

Effective presentations are the result of good presentation skills in action. Skills are improved by understanding the principles, practicing the techniques and getting constructive feedback from a skilled coach. Champions in any field follow this simple formula.

Have you ever wondered why some presentations are so painful to sit through and others can be delightful? Here are some of the presentation flaws that I’ve witnessed at recent industry conferences. Perhaps you can relate to them.

Presentation Flaws

1. Clumsy start

How many seconds do you have to make a good first impression? The start of your presentation is the first impression. Yet many presenters don’t have a prepared opening line. And there is something ironically wrong when the IT industry presenter has technical problems with his computer at the start of the presentation.

2. Limp close

The next most important impression is the last one because that is how your audience will remember you. You need a prepared and well-rehearsed closing line that reinforces your message.

3. Nervous ticks

It’s perfectly normal to feel nervous while presenting. But if your audience sees it they will question your veracity. Stop the shuffling feet, fretting with your hair and playing with paper or pens.

4. Lack of eye contact

If you won’t look at me, why should I listen or believe you?

5. Annoying slides

“You probably can’t read this.” Yet the presenter showed the PowerPoint slide anyway. Why are so many presenters so inconsiderate when it comes to designing their slides? Your slides either enhance or annoy. Are you clear on the difference? Technology is only valuable if it enhances the human experience.

6. Presenter reading the slides

The presenter reads the slides, word for word as if we are too stupid to read them ourselves. This is just plain rude and insulting. It’s also very boring.

7. Inappropriate language

The words you use convey a lot about you, your values and how you see your audience. “You guys” is a valley girl frame of reference. Even if we shared a beer with you at the networking event last night we expect to be shown more respect during your presentation.

8. Lecturing instead of conversing

When was the last time you bought something from a professor lecturing at you? Conversations sell – lectures don’t. Make your presentations more conversational and you will sell more.

Ponder this

How much did you invest to get the opportunity to deliver your presentation either at an industry conference or directly to your prospects? Why not improve your odds of success? Learn the best techniques, practice your skills to improve them and work with a presentation skills coach. How much are you willing to invest on your presentation skills to improve your success rate?


©George Torok is the Speech Coach for Executives. He helps business presenters deliver million-dollar presentations. George Torok offers practical presentation skills coaching for individuals and presentation training for groups that produces superior results and helps you close more deals. More free presentation skills tips at http://www.torok.com/presentation/free.html To arrange presentation coaching and training call 905-335-1997

Read more presentation skills articles from George Torok

Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.

Power Presentations Tip 31: Build Better Rapport

Why build rapport?

Building stronger rapport with your listeners reinforces trust. When your audience trusts you, they will listen better, believe you more, follow your advice and buy your message, product or service. In the absence of trust none of this will happen.

The better the rapport that you create the more they will like you. In selling there is an old piece of wisdom that says, "People buy from those they know and like." Every time you speak you are selling something even if you think that you are not in sales.

How can you build rapport?

Demonstrate that you are like them.

People like those who appear to be like them. Dress like them but no less then the best dressed person in the room. Speak the language that they understand. Don't use words that are intended to impress. Instead always use words that everyone in the audience understands. You can impress with the way you string those words together and know your topic. Learn and use some of the key phrases and terms that they use. For example, do they have customers, clients, patients, members, associates or worshippers?

Show that you understand them.

Don't pretend to be an expert on their world or industry if you are not from that world. But with a little research - online and through conversations - you can collect some knowledge and perspective about their circumstances. Recognize their issues, challenges and triumphs.

Include them in your presentation.

Meet at least some of them before your presentation. Gather some anecdotes and stories that you might use. Mention some of their names in your presentation. Include at least one story that highlights one of their heroes - (which could be one of them).

Be real.

Speak in a conversational manner. Tell a story that makes fun of yourself. This might make them laugh and more importantly they will see you as imperfect - like themselves. Don't portray yourself as perfect because they will hate you for thinking that you are better than them. No one's perfect.

George Torok

Sign up for presentation skills tips

Follow me on Twitter


Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.