Presentation Skills: The Art of Passionate Persuasion

Excellent Post from Seth Godin

2010-07-01T08:58:00.001-07:00

Do you read Seth Godin's blog?

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/07/the-200-slide-solution.html

Today he wrote:

The 200 slide solution

The next time you find yourself on the hook for a 40 minute presentation (with slides!) consider, at least for a moment, a radical idea:

A slide every 12 seconds. 200 slides in all.

You're used to putting three or four bullet points on a slide. That's at least four distinct ideas, but more often, each of those ideas has three or four sub ideas to it. In other words, you're cramming 32 ideas on a slide, and you're sitting on that slide as you drone on and on. Perhaps you spice it up with some reveals or animated bullets, but it's still 32 ideas going stale before our eyes.

What if you blew it up? Just one word on a slide. Or, perhaps just one image (no cheesy stock please). Maybe you write, "Cheaper" on one slide and, "More durable" on the next...

Slides create action. When did you decide that the appropriate amount of action was six or twelve times every half hour?

How would your pace change if you had 200 slides? How much better would the integration of slides and talk be?

I don't honestly expect you to do your presentation with 200 slides. I'm hoping this exercise will help you realize that you might not need any slides. Or that 50 or 100 slides will pick up your energy and make your argument more coherent.

But please, don't do that presentation you did last time.

Coolest presentation ever?

2010-06-06T20:55:00.000-07:00

Ode to Joy on Water Glasses

10 No-Brainers for a Successful Presentation!

2010-04-07T09:39:00.000-07:00

10 No-Brainers for a Successful Presentation!

Too many presenters fall flat on their faces. Follow my formula, and you’ll have flocks of fans fawning over you. (Not that audience adoration is your aim, but it’s a starting point.)

1. Write out loud.

Writing and speaking are two distinct forms or communication. What sounds great on paper may fall flat as a speech or presentation.

When speaking to an audience, you have only one shot at making your point. If they misunderstand you or get lost, there’s no opportunity for them go back and “re-read.”

In spoken language, there is power in simplicity.

Tip: Say your presentation out loud as you’re writing it.

2. If they’re snoozing, you’re losing.

Most audiences can be segmented into four groups of listeners.

(1) hanging on every word; would follow you anywhere
(2) engaged, but not enraptured
(3) present, but listening passively
(4) present, but mind is somewhere else

Your job is to connect with the 2s, 3s, and 4s. If your speech is too complex, or unfocused, or boring, you risk losing ¾ of your audience.

Tip: Your family and friends will tell you your talk is over-the-moon fabulous. Take that as a warning.

3. Why should they care?

Know your audience.
-- Are they friendly, hostile, or neutral?
-- Are they knowledgeable or are they newbies?
-- Why should they care about what you care about?

Ask yourself, what can I give them that’s worth something to them?

Tip: It’s about them, not about you.

4. And your point is…?

-- What is your central message? Write it down.
-- What do you want your audience to think and do
as a result what you say?

Tip: Write your call to action before you write your speech.

5. If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.

Creata a simple outline that focuses your topic. Here’s a proven formula:
-- Opening story or icebreaker
-- State your thesis (central message)
-- Create three bullets to support your thesis.
-- Finish with your call to action.
-- Script and memorize your closing sentence. Don’t just stop
talking.

Tip: Print a hard copy of the outline. Place it beside your screen while you write.

6. Keep it simple, Simon. (KISS)

In writing the script:
-- Use active voice and active verbs
-- Write with ESP -- economy, simplicity, precision
-- Avoid complexity -- stay focused on central message.
-- Use short, simple stories, quotes and anecdotes to support
your points.
-- Resist the temptation to show how much smarter you are
than your audience.

Tip: Nobody brought a dictionary. So don’t use words they have to look up.

7. Don’t commit death by PowerPoint.

If using visuals, rely on pictures and one-word text slides.

Tip: Think of visuals as wallpaper – not as content support.

8. Shine privately, and you’ll shine publicly.

-- Practice out loud, with someone present (or a mirror).
-- Use a Time Timer (timetimer.com).

Tip: Don’t fall victim to: “I’m not good in rehearsal, but I’ll be great with an audience to inspire me.” Most often, poor rehearsal means poor presentation.

9. Stop talking and start communicating.

Connect with your audience
-- Feel what you’re saying
-- Transmit that feeling to the audience
-- 93% of audience buy-in is based on delivery
-- Yes, your content is entirely valid, BUT you still
must convince your audience.

Tip: Rod Stewart once sang: “I look to find a Reason to Believe.”
Give your audience that reason.

10. Be you – not a talking head.

-- You’re not a presenter. You’re a person who’s presenting.
-- Loosen up.
-- Lighten up.
-- Activate your adrenalin.
-- And enjoy the moment.

Tip: It’s OK to let the real you come through.

And if there’s a Q&A…

11. Q&A -- Shut up and listen.

-- Listen actively.
-- Let questioner know you’re listening.
-- Let questioner finish before you start.
-- Repeat the question to entire audience.
-- Be BRIEF so more audience members can participate.

Tip: Long responses are a Q&A killer.

Top 11 Keys to Effective Email

2010-02-18T11:16:00.000-08:00

Top Eleven Keys to Effective Email.

You’ve seen Email Top Tens before. But you’ve never seen anything like my Email Top Eleven.

Here we go:

1. Don’t make me nervous – I’ll delete you.

Avoid ominous subject lines. They scare readers away.

NO: Quarterly report is troubling.

Lure readers inside with a positive or provocative subject line.

YES: Quarterly report reveals opportunities.

YES: Need your counsel on the quarterly report.

2. “Please get to the point sometime before my scheduled retirement date.” Don’t bore your reader with long buildups to the issue.

NO: I’m writing to address an important marketing issue that we have been struggling with since the staff meeting that was held at the beginning of last quarter. Clearly, we have wide differences of opinion as to which of the ad agencies interviewed at that time would be the best fit for the direction we have chosen for the future of our marketing plan. Accordingly, we should…

Place your key message in the first line.

YES: It’s time to decide which ad agency we will hire.

3. Using passive voice can confuse the reader.

NO: I was struck by your clenched fist.

Use Active Voice -- SVO – Subject/Verb/Object.

YES: Your clenched fist underscored the point. I’m sold.

4. Pretend Jack is listening. (He may be.)

NO: Jack is being a jerk about this issue.

YES: Jack doesn’t agree with me on this issue.

OH NO: Hey Jim…Jack, here. Got a copy of your email to Jan. Meet me in the parking lot after work.

5. Brevity rocks! Avoid the sentence that never ends.

NO: It has come to my attention that the most critical issue confronting our business is not that product users don’t like our products but that our marketing of these products is creating an expectation we can’t deliver on within our existing strategy.

Employ ESP: economy, simplicity, precision.

YES: The issues we face are:

-- Product sales are well short of forecast.

-- Our marketing strategy may need an overhaul.

6. No comprende?

Avoid idioms, slang, and terms that may not translate to other cultures and nationalities.

NO: We have to think outside box, get on the same page, and sing from the same hymnal.

NO: Dudes, either we’ve all gotta be down with this idea or else eighty-six it ASAP.

YES: We all have to agree on this and work together.

7. Texting in email is unprofessional.

NO: R U abbrev. 2 much?

YES: Let’s agree to use standard business English in our emails.

8. Use “you” frequently. Use “I” sparingly.

This email is about the recipient. It’s not about you.

NO: I believe the team should follow the course I outlined. I spent weeks developing it and I need you to support me.

YES: What are your thoughts about my proposal? We're all in this together and your ideas are critical to its success.

9. OMG! What was I thinking?

Read your email as if you were the recipient. Will it backfire? If you’re not sure, wait five minutes, then read it again.

NO: Frankly, I feel that you were way out of line at the meeting.

YES: I didn’t understand some of your comments at the meeting. Could we meet for coffee later today?

10. Edit, proof, spell-check – carefully!

Tom Peters says: “To airline passengers, coffee stains on the seats means the engines haven’t been maintained.” Careless mistakes reflect badly on you and your company.

NO: Thank you for your reccomendation. I will try to be more accomodating in the future.

YES: Thank you for your recommendation. I will try to be more accommodating in the future.

11. No, wait!

The second you click SEND, you realize your mistake. Jack was on that list. Time to sign up for Tae Kwon Do.

For more great tips of effective communication, go to my website:

www.i-Cue.com

Seth Godin's "What Matters Now"

2009-12-14T11:33:00.000-08:00

Permission marketer Seth Godin released a free eBook today called "What Matters Now." Over a dozen writers and marketers contributed short slides about marketing challenges for 2010.

Download it and skip to slide 18:

"Speaking" by Mark Hurst of Creative Good shows you how to start crafting a compelling presentation.

Download "What Matters Now" -- and post your own ideas for 2010 on Twitter.

INDEXED

2009-12-13T11:41:00.000-08:00

i love indexed!

http://thisisindexed.com/

World AIDS Day

2009-12-01T08:14:00.001-08:00

It's World AIDS Day. I'm sending my love to Broadway Cares: Equity Fights AIDS and their director, Tom Viola.

Thank you for all you do!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T08:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee!

This month, I'm challenging my presenters to eliminate unnecessary words, such as:

- Basically

- Essentially

- You know

- Like

- Um

These words distract your readers. They invite people to daydream. And they muddle your thought process, increasing the likelihood that you'll be redundant or repeat yourself.

How do you avoid saying these words?

- Rehearse your entire presentation at least four times.

- Rehearse the TRANSITIONS at least eight times. You'll gain an intuitive understanding of how your thoughts link together and where you're going next, eliminating the need for those words.

- If you catch yourself saying one, review that specific piece of your presentation again until it flows.

Hope you have a beautiful Thanksgiving!

I call this blog to order!

2009-10-03T18:21:00.000-07:00

This week, I presented my Presentation Skills Workshop to the Cincinnati Bar Association's Continuing Legal Education (CLE) series.

The participants (including my niece Heather) were very astute and supportive. I was thrilled to receive a perfect 4.0 evaluation! We covered skills that lawyers can use both in the courtroom and at the firm, such as:
- Posture
- Vocal strength
- Handling hecklers, dissenters and bullies

After the session, the audience gave me excellent feedback. I'll be adding some of their questions to my next CLE seminar in December.

PS> A very happy birthday to my nieces Mari and Sophie.

Tweet Speech

2009-09-17T06:37:00.000-07:00

Join me on twitter! www.twitter.com/smartmouth

BIG NEWS COUNTDOWN

2009-09-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

I'm in Dallas this week coaching my daughter for job interviews! We're doing a couple of "cold readings." I give her a script or poem to present aloud. This teaches her how to interpret and deliver information on the fly.

BIG NEWS coming September 16 – follow me on Twitter for updates. www.twitter.com/smartmouth

Plus, the Time Timer videos are ALMOST COMPLETE! You'll be able to view them SOON at www.timetimer.com.

Shout Out

2009-08-09T17:24:00.000-07:00

This month, I've had the pleasure of working with longtime friends at Connor Communications. Check out their excellent work: http://connorcommunications.com/events.htm

RED LETTER TIP!

2009-08-04T13:29:00.000-07:00

When I directed video shoots in the 1980s and 90s, we always advised our on-camera talent to avoid the color red because it bleeds.

With the rise of HD, I'm now able to use red as both a costume and an accent in the videos I direct. Amazing how technology catches up to creativity!

Tuesday Tip of the Tongue

2009-06-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

Q: What will put your audience to sleep more quickly than anything else?
A: A Monotone voice

Q: What will freak out your audience more than anything else?
A: The opposite - a hyper voice

In my coaching sessions, I help presenters learn to vary their vocal pitch, speed and intensity to maximize the audience's buy-in. Here's a tip to get you started: give your introduction in a higher pitch, quicker speed and stronger intensity. Pause. Now your audience is awake and interested! You're ready to dive in.

Tuesday Tip of the Tongue

2009-06-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

Do you know the most convincing word in the English language?

BECAUSE!

In one study, scientists tested people in line at a supermarket. The control group asked someone in line if they could skip ahead. Usually, the response was no. The next group asked if they could skip ahead BECAUSE they had an urgent situation, like, "My son's waiting in the car." Nearly all respondents said yes.

Finally, a third group asked if they could skip ahead BECAUSE they had a non-urgent need, like "I'm on my way to a haircut." Even without a good reason, the word BECAUSE still generated tremendous audience buy-in!

Shelley is CEO!

2009-06-01T19:18:00.000-07:00

June 1, 2009 -- In breaking news today from Cincinnati OH, i-Cue Head Coach Shelley Bamberger Bailey announced the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer to lead and drive the firm’s expanding business opportunities.

"After an exhaustive executive search, I have named myself as CEO of the company," Shelley announced. "It turns out I fit all the criteria: vision, passion, customer focus, communications skills, and knowledge of the business. Plus, I’m really good at getting my picture on the covers of newspapers and magazines."

Shelley BB believes that too many layers of management can distance top executives from customers. While rejecting her PR firm’s metaphor that customers "can always go straight to the horse’s mouth," she promised to be accessible. "When you call, I answer the phone. You won't get our automated receptionist, because we don't have a receptionist, automated or otherwise. In fact, I considered adding receptionist to my title, along with CEO/Head Coach, but it was too long to fit on my business cards."

By operating in her dual roles, Shelley points out that she streamlines decision-making by rarely disagreeing with herself. "Plus there is no jockeying for the corner office or the parking space closest to the employee entrance."

Most importantly, Shelley assures customers, through this executive and managerial re-alignment, "we will continue to offer personalized attention -- guess who also serves as Director of Customer Service?"

To contact i-Cue for coaching, content development, event hosting, and event production -- or to reach our customer service, sales, and accounting departments – simply call Shelley at 513-616-5049 or email her at sbbailey@i-Cue.com.

6x6x6

2009-05-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

Tuesday Tip of the Tongue --

Power Points give your audiences a visual guide to your presentation. To create memorable slides, you need active verbs and picture nouns that build lasting impressions in your audience's minds.

I teach the 6x6x6 PowerPoint slide rule:

6 text lines per slide, maximum
6 words per line, maximum
Print out your slide – from 6 feet away, you should be able to read it easily.

Sometimes, 3 is enough:

3 text slides in a row, maximum. Break up the text with graphs, photos and Q&A slides.

7-Second Countdown

2009-05-12T08:43:00.000-07:00

Tuesday Tip of the Tongue --

One of the best ways to engage your audience is to ask an open-ended question.

Many presenters like to keep things moving by cold-calling (choosing someone at random from the audience and then posing the question to them). If you cold-call, how long should you wait for an answer before choosing another respondent?

Research shows that in a presentation environment, audiences need seven seconds to process a question before they can answer.

To fill those seconds, you can:

address the rest of the audience
change your Power Point slide
pose the question with different wording

Giving your respondent a full seven seconds to form his/her response shows that you truly value their opinion, which builds credibility for you as a presenter.

Ruth Lyons: The Woman Who Created Talk TV

2009-04-27T06:31:00.000-07:00

From: The Cincinnati Enquirer

by John Kiesewetter

Shelley Bamberger Bailey never met Ruth Lyons, but she feels she knows her.

"You can't live in Cincinnati for over 30 years and not know about Ruth Lyons, or her Christmas fund legacy," Bailey says.

The former radio traffic and weather reporter will portray the Cincinnati TV icon at book signings for "Before Oprah: Ruth Lyons, The Woman Who Created Talk TV" by Michael A. Banks."

She debuts 7 p.m. Wednesday at Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 2692 Madison Road, Norwood, clutching a microphone in a bouqet (Ruth's trademark).

It's the first of her five appearances channeling Lyons, host of Channel 5's top-rated live weekday "50-50 Club" (1948-67). Lyons died in 1988.

As a University of Cincinnati student in the 1970s, Bailey appeared several times on Bob Braun's TV show, which he inherited from Lyons.

"I've read Michael's book on Ruth cover to cover. And I've watched vintage footage of the '50-50 Club' to prepare for the role," says Bailey, who left radio-TV in 1985 when her daughter was born. She does marketing and presentation coaching with her husband, Dick, for their I-Cue Communications.

Bailey will host the book signings in the "50-50 Club" format. She'll open by singing "Let Me Entertain You," chat with the audience and interview author Banks.

"We'll give people an opportunity to reminisce about Ruth and the '50-50 Club.' We're hoping adult children bring their mothers to this, as sort of a pre-Mother's Day holiday," Bailey says.

Sarah Hawley, Orange Frazer Press marketing director, says Bailey was chosen for the role because of her energy. "You don't know what she's going to do next, like Ruth," Banks says.

Or like during Bailey's 1979-82 stint as WKRC-AM airborne traffic reporter.

"I have such sweet memories of the banter with Jerry Thomas and Rich King. The audience loved that," she says. "I'm certain that Ruth's audience members are equally passionate about how they felt about her."

If You Go:

Shelley Bamberger Bailey acts as Ruth Lyons at signings of "Before Oprah: Ruth Lyons, The Woman Who Created Talk TV":

Wednesday: Joseth-Beth Booksellers, 2692 Madison Road, Norwood, 7 p.m.

Friday: Barnes & Noble, Newport on the Levee, 7 p.m.

May 6: Books & Co., 4453 Walnut St., Beavercreek, 7 p.m.

May 7: Books & More, 28 W. Main St., Wilmington, 7 p.m.

May 10: Barnes & Noble, 2619 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Centerville, 1 p.m.

20%

2009-04-21T15:40:00.000-07:00

Tuesday Tip of the Tongue --

Long locks? Braids? Or nearly bald? However you choose to style your hair, leave it there during the presentation. Studies show that when women play with their hair, their credibility drops by 20%!

Into the Blue

2009-04-14T18:31:00.000-07:00

Tuesday Tip of the Tongue:

I teach my clients to engage, educate and excite audiences with a variety of tools:
- Power Points and Visuals
- Humor
- Vocal Dynamics
- Body Language

But did you know it can be as easy as wearing blue?

Blue is the color most positively associated with adult learning. Wear a blue suit, azure shirt or navy tie when you give your presentation -- your audience will retain more facts and buy in to your pitch more quickly.

Rock and Roll

2009-04-13T13:43:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Shelley Presents!

I'm a Presentation Skills Coach – specializing in live corporate presentations, virtual meetings and acting. Follow my blog to grab presentation tips and hilarious stories from real presentations!