Barack Obama: getting across a message.

How do the world’s best speakers get across their message? Jacki Rose offers her own tips on creating and delivering an engaging sales presentation.
 
People are always telling me how they sat through a boring presentation or even that they gave a boring presentation – you know it’s bad when you are the speaker and you are bored by your own presentation!

We are in the middle of an epidemic and it’s called PowerPoint. Most businesses think they have to use it because it’s ‘professional’.

However, I have found that the best presenters are the ones who do not rely so much on a ‘visual aid’. Instead of spending time developing slides, they invest their time in honing their actual presentation skills.

Imagine if you spent your time developing your public speaking skills so much so that you understand how to create an engaging presentation and deliver it with confidence and charisma.

Here are three skills you can learn that will get you on your way to being among some of the greatest presenters in the world.

1 Prepare effectively

This doesn’t mean spending lots of time developing your slides with tons of text.

There are several steps to take in the preparation process. Unfortunately, most people do not know them because they do not take the time to learn how to prepare effectively. Instead they tend to copy what others do.

My suggestion to you is to never copy anyone unless you think they are outstanding.

The first step in the preparation process is to determine what you want to happen as a result of the presentation. Ask yourself why you are giving the presentation and what desired outcome you are looking for as a result of your presentation.

Do you want your audience to do business with you, learn something new, or take certain actions? Be very clear on what you want your presentation to accomplish and write it down.

The next step is to make a list of items that your audience must know in order for your presentation to produce your desired outcome.

Think in terms of benefits to your audience rather than your company credentials. Time and time again I see sales presentations where they talk a lot about how great their company is in order to gain credibility. But, no one cares how great the company is.

All they care about is what you are selling and how they will benefit from that. The best way to sell them on the idea is to use real life examples and testimonials on how it has benefited others. Especially you! If you have any personal experience with whatever it is you are selling, you must share that experience if you want buy-in from your audience.

After you are clear on your desired outcome and have written down the key points to discuss in your presentation (along with real life examples), then it’s time to write out your entire presentation word for word. Most people don’t do this and so are unable to connect with their audience as well as the best presenters.

When you write out your entire presentation word for word and then rehearse it, you will know your information so well that you are now free to engage with your audience and have a conversation with them rather than present straight material to them.

2 Deliver with confidence

You will be able to deliver with confidence and charisma if you have done the preparation process.

When you deliver your presentation you must appear confident if you want your audience to have confidence in what you are talking about.

Even if you do not feel confident, you can still appear confident. Act as if you do have total confidence.

Do it for your audience. Take the focus off yourself and put it onto the audience. Recognise the true benefits your presentation has for the audience. Your job is to make them aware of this and convince them they need it.

Why do they need your product or service? It will benefit their lives somehow and, the more confidently you can present that message, the more beneficial you are being to your audience.

To appear confident, present from the centre stage in front of the room, stand up straight, feet shoulder width apart, hands by your side. Become aware of any nervous fidgeting or movement (ie swaying, pacing, crossing legs or arms, shaking)… and stop it.

3 Let out your true personality

If you have gone through the preparation process, you will be confident and excited about your presentation. You will know how to take command of the room, and consequently you will be able to be yourself and let your true personality shine.

In order to get buy-in or to get people to do business with you they must like and trust you. The best way to get them to like and trust you is to get them to know you.

Here’s where your true personality comes in. Let loose, have fun with your presentation, and don’t hold back. This will also make you much more engaging to listen to.

Note about PowerPoint

If you can throw away your PowerPoint slides, do it. If your company says you must use them or if you feel your presentation calls for them, then go ahead and use them, but keep in mind that you do not need slides with text.

When you have slides with text it can be confusing to your audience. They do not know what to do. They are reading the slides, looking at you, listening to you, and maybe even looking at their handouts : it’s too much to focus on.

Slides cannot convey the true message. They do not have vocal inflection, passion, emotion. But guess what? You do.

Your audience would much rather watch and listen to you so that they can really understand your message. Picture slides can be very effective, however. A picture is worth a 1,000 words and gets the message across with much greater impact.

The greatest speakers in the world prepare their presentations effectively, deliver with total confidence, and allow their audience to see their true personality. And… they have fun with their presentations no matter what they are talking about.

When you have fun, your audience will have fun. When your audience has fun, they will want more of you! Prepare effectively, deliver with confidence, and let your true personality out so that you can become more successful in your sales role.