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Don't Use PR...
…lose the confidence of your key target audiences… discourage them from taking actions that lead to your success…fail to achieve your department, division or subsidiary objectives.
A sad scenario that should not occur. In fact, as a manager...
How to Boost Staff Confidence and Performace with Public Speaking
Public speaking builds confidence. When you experience the
thrill of holding an audience in the palm of your hand and
receive their appreciative applause your confidence soars.
Public speaking boosts your self esteem. When you see...
Insurance Regulators Focus on Abusive Sales Practices
State insurance regulators are focusing their efforts on a short list of five consumer problems areas related to the improper sale of variable annuities and life insurance. The problem areas include: 1) 1035 exchanges, 2) variable annuities inside...
More Than Just a Logo: Creating Your Company's Corporate Identity
A client of mine once called after I had given a presentation to
him about his company's brand. He was calling to say we needed
to change the shade of taupe we had all agreed upon for the
firm's logo.
I was surprised to hear this busy man...
Why Good PR Warrants Your Attention
Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net. Word count is 1120 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly ©...
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ALL Presenting is Persuasive
All Presenting is Persuasive
After stumbling a bit, most presenters are able to name the
purpose of any presentation they might give. However, most
really stumble when asked if their presentations are meant to
persuade anyone of anything.
The answer, 99% of the time, is YES. And yet most presenters
don't realize it. As a result, the world is full of
"information-only" presentations that do NOT achieve the
presenters' or the audience's expectations or needs. Information
in itself does not lead people to understand, believe, or act.
Information alone is a "data-dump," not a presentation.
Think about it. Why give a presentation at all if you are not
attempting to change the audience's behaviors or attitudes?
Persuasion versus Coercion
"Thaw with her gentle persuasion is more powerful than Thor with
his hammer. The one melts, the other breaks into pieces." Henry
David Thoreau
The term "persuasion" can turn presenters off. Many
subconsciously equate it with coercion. And in fact both do
share the same continuum of strategies that seek compliance from
the listener. Yet persuasion, when done well, answers the
audience's questions, address its concerns, and fulfills its
needs...while achieving the presenter's goals.
Persuasion is nonadversarial in nature. Because it does not
command, negotiate, or coerce, those who are persuaded almost
always feel comfortable and satisfied with the outcomes. Why do
they feel satisfied? Because the speaker has done her homework.
She KNOWS what the audience needs and cares about. The
presentation moves out of being a data dump and into the realm
of dialogue, even if no formal "Q & A" takes place.
Credibility as Persuasion
"Character may almost be called the most effective means of
persuasion." Aristotle
Persuasion is more than strategy or technique. Your credibility
factor underlies all persuasion. All the charisma in the world
falls flat if the audience doesn't perceive you as being
credible.
Empirical research (McCroskey, Holdrige & Toomb, 1974) describes
five dimensions that must be evident in order for a speaker to
be credible:
* Competence: the degree to which you are perceived to be an
expert.
* Character: the degree to which you are perceived as a
reliable, essentially trustworthy message source.
* Composure: the degree to which you are perceived as being able
to maintain emotional control.
* Extroversion: the degree to which you are perceived as bold,
outgoing, and dynamic.
* Sociability: the degree to which the audience perceives you as
someone with whom they could be friends.
Remember that the effectiveness of your presentation is really
about building a relationship with the audience. These five
dimensions of credibility are far more effective tools than
PowerPoint or any other technology. People are "buying" (or
not
buying) you.
What's in it for Them?
Jerry Weissman, in his book "Presenting to Win: The Art of
Telling Your Story" calls persuasion audience advocacy. By that,
he means the ability to view yourself, your company, your story,
and your presentation through your audience's eyes. You must be
able to answer the question "What's in it for them?" at every
juncture of your presentation.
If you want to move the uninformed, dubious, or resistant
audience to understand, believe, and act, (and what speaker
doesn't?) you must:
1. Know your audience. Do your homework. Find out what your
audience cares about, what it wants to know, what its concerns
are.
2. Link every piece of information to your audience's needs.
Here's a helpful test.
1. First, determine your next presentation's purpose. Write it
down. Reflect on it. Change it if necessary.
2. Then, compose the first draft of your presentation. Focus on
the purpose as you write.
3. Go through your presentation. Every time you provide a piece
of data, STOP. Then ask and answer these questions:
"This is important to them because..." (answer it!)
"So what?" (explain how it benefits the audience.)
4. When you discover information for which you cannot answer
these questions, ask yourself: Does this data help the audience
understand, believe, or act? Remove the data if it does not.
You're On!
Once you've gotten through the test and integrated the answers
into your presentation, be ready to put on your Audience
Advocacy hat once again. Select at least three of the phrases
below and insert them into your presentation at the appropriate
times:
"This is important to you because..."
"What does this mean to you?"
"Why am I telling you this?"
"Who cares? ("You should care, because...")
"So what?" ("Here's what!")
You are Credible; You Meet Your Audience's Needs
Develop and practice the five dimensions of credibility. They
are an innate and natural part of you. A higher awareness of
them will increase your effectiveness as a speaker. Remember to
"see, taste, and hear" your presentation as if you are a member
of your own audience. And always ask yourself: What's in it for
them?
Far from being coercive, you are proving yourself to be
powerfully aligned with your audience. Your message will
benefit, motivate and move them!
Sign up for Guila's free e-newsletter, full of valuable
techniques for effective public speaking, at www.guilamuir.com.
About the author:
Guila Muir pumps up your presentation skills! Helping people to
present dynamically since 1989, Guila provides tools, tips, and
techniques to master any speaking situation. Sign up for her
free e-newsletter, full of strategies to improve your
presentation skills, at www.guilamuir.com.
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