|
Many of our clients come to us because they’ve designed a presentation that they think is good, but discover it’s not working as expected: audience enthusiasm is low, sales aren’t closing and/or investors aren’t buying. Why? The number one reason is that it’s not compelling.
Imagine an RFP – Request for Proposals – is issued. Several companies respond with proposals, and the best 5 are selected to make a final pitch in person. In most cases, all are qualified, with the similarities between the firms and their solutions being greater than the differences. Yet only one will win. Who? The one whose total presentation is most compelling.
Investors, both individual and institutional, will be looking to put cash to work in 2009 when the market (hopefully) rebounds. Each rally is led by new companies. With thousands of stock opportunities available, who will be the new leaders? Those who communicate a compelling story of current and future success early so investors put the stock symbol on their radar screen.
So, what makes a message compelling? One which flawlessly weaves both the logical and emotional arguments together in a succinct and powerful manner structured to bring the person to the desired end state, often buying. As psychologists have shown (and Judge Frank once admitted), we make our decisions based on emotions, and then find rational reasons to justify them.
Compelling presentations aren’t created with detailed lists of features that define the product/service and or the credentials of the presenter and company. Instead, the answer the audience’s key question: What’s In It For Me (WIIFM). And they go beyond the company message to include the presenter and his/her company.
Here are six attributes of effective presentations:
- Rewards – Doing what is recommended will lead to greater benefits than other opportunities.
- Safety – The risks of the action are minimized when compared to the potential rewards.
- Persuasive – The argument is structured to guide the audience through the typical decision process.
- Succinct – Attention spans are shorter today than ever before so it needs to focus on the message and skip distractive details.
- Engaging – Audiences are engrossed by action words and relevant graphics so they want to hear and see more.
- Trustworthy – The presenter is perceived as being authentic, honest and dependable.
So the next time you want to sell a product or service, or persuade your team, make sure your presentation is compelling! Remember, you have only one chance to make a good first impression.
Geoff Colvin just published Talent is Overrated, a book in which he argues that great performances come down to one thing more than any other: deliberate practice. It requires a disciplined focus on weakness and a relentless effort to improve. It’s not about practice, it’s about “perfect” practice – practicing doing something the right way. Such practice is highly demanding, not always fun, but is necessary, especially in the world of business.
Presentation Excellence agrees wholeheartedly. Sure, some people are born with natural gifts that can make them better presenters; but the best presenters – who close the deals, move to the top of the organization and inspire others, are the ones who do the work of conceptualizing and producing a great presentation and then practicing to deliver it to an audience with all their passion and enthusiasm. That’s why we offer one-on-one coaching, custom corporate training and public workshops to help you develop and practice the skills and habits which will enable you to present your way to the top!
Digital Risk, the leading forensic verification solutions provider for the mortgage industry, again was interviewed by FOX Business News to explain the 40+% re-default rate. See http://www.digitalrisk.com/dr5.wmv
|
During
this program we'll practice by delivering your own presentation, and getting
feedback from video & group. To promote your company, service or product -
and your career, don't miss this workshop. To register for the Early Bird Special, 
