High Touch Equals High ROI

In 2005 I decided to become a woman certified business. Of course, I was dreading the process of dealing with the NYC government. The small business administration offered a free course to help with the application process so I signed up. What did I have to lose? I was expecting to be overwhelmed. To my surprise, the instructor made it a pleasant experience. He walked us through the document and clearly and simply explained the requirements. I was impressed by the ease of the process.
I decided to write a thank you note to the instructor for making the experience simple.
A couple of days later I received a phone call. It was from the instructor. He thanked me profusely. He was so grateful for my handwritten note. The way he was carrying on you would have thought he'd won the lottery. (Obviously, city workers aren't accustomed to praise.) He called to say that there was an event for newly certified businesses. Although I was not certified, he asked his boss if I could attend and she said yes. It was at that event that I met his boss. When she learned that I train speakers she said she needed my help. A short time later, she paid me $5000 for my business. I bypassed the proposal process and was hired directly. If I hadn't written that thank you note I wouldn't have met the decision-maker. That one thank you note resulted in $5000. Not bad ROI for 10 minutes of my time!

I still write thank you notes. But I also discovered an online tool that will allow me to send physical cards with my actual signature to build relationships and market my business anywhere in the world. If you'd like to see for yourself, visit http://www.creativefollowup.com

Lecturing from the Lectern

Most people love to hide behind the lectern.. It makes them feel more secure. The only reason speakers should use a lectern is to hold notes.
Here are a few guidelines to make the lectern work for you.

Don’t lean. Create some space. Step back six to twelve inches from the lectern so that you can’t lean against it.

Stand up straight. Slumping posture will create a sloppy appearance.
Anchor your feet shoulder width apart and stay grounded. If you sway back and forth, you’ll look like a metronome. You don’t want to put people to sleep with hypnotic movement.

Prepare the lectern in advance. Place a glass of water underneath it. Position your notes for maximum readability.
Get familiar with any dials or buttons. Know how to turn on the reading light. Adjust the microphone. You don’t want to fumble with the panel.

Don't staple your notes. Place your manuscript to the left. Slide the top page from the left to the right. This will prevent the noisy flipping of pages.

Gesture high and wide. The lectern is a barrier. If your gestures are waist high, your audience won’t see them. If you don’t use gestures, you’ll appear stiff.

Push your energy. You’re not entirely visible and you’re reading your notes. So increase your vocal variety and enthusiasm. It may seem exaggerated to you, but it will sound just right to the audience.

Step to the side of the lectern. Don’t stay glued behind a wall of wood. Begin your presentation by stepping out in front to make your opening remarks. Then step behind the lectern to begin your speech. Find places where you can come out once again by telling a short story or giving an example. This helps you to connect with the audience.

Adjust the lectern for height. In some cases you may be able to request a special lectern if you’re very tall or very short. If you're shorter than 5 feet three inches, you may want to stand on a platform behind the podium to give you added height. Another option is to use a table podium.

Don’t make the lectern a barrier between you and your audience. Practice these principles for a polished presentation.

The Hierarchy of Presentations

I like this posting by Seth Godin.

A presentation is a precious opportunity. It's a powerful arrangement... one speaker, an attentive audience, all in their seats, all paying attention (at least at first). Don't waste it.

The purpose of a presentation is to change minds. That's the only reason I can think of to spend the time and resources. If your goal isn't to change minds, perhaps you should consider a different approach.

1. The best presentation is no presentation at all. If you can get by with a memo, send a memo. I can read it faster than you can present it and we'll both enjoy it more.
2. The second best presentation is one on one. No slides, no microphone. You look me in the eye and change my mind.
3. Third best? Live and fully interactive.
4. Powerpoint or Keynote, but with no bullets, just emotional pictures and stories.
5. And last best... well, if you really think you can change my mind by using tons of bullets and a droning presentation, I'm skeptical.

A presentation isn't an obligation, it's a privilege.

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/04/the-hierarchy-of-presentations.html

Empowering Women to Breakthrough and Speak Out

I was a guest along with a great work-life expert Kathy Caprino, on a fabulous show: Live with Lisa! Radio – hosted by Lisa Wexler. The engaging discussion focused on the issue of women and reinvention, career transition, and speaking up with power. As a communications consultant and author of Knockout Presentations, I've seen how women sabotage their leadership and success by the way they communicate. Women, more often than men, tend to take fewer risks, wait for perfection before taking action, and speak with less conviction and authority.

It's clear that once women learn what confidence looks like, sounds like, and how to speak the language of confidence they gain greater respect, get promoted, and increase their salaries.

Click here to listen to the interview:

http://www.livewithlisaradio.com/

The show will be rebroadcast on Saturday,August 29th at 10:30 EST.

Create a Knockout Opening

Your opening and closing are extremely important. You have 30 seconds or less to grab attention. Here are a few ways to begin your speech:

* Startling Statement - This could be a statistic or statement that immediately gets them to sit up and focus on the topic. Shock appeal is more effective in persuading the audience to understand the seriousness of your position.

* Surprising Action - Do something unexpected. Act clumsy when using technology. Then regain composure and ask the audience for their reaction. Drive home the point that your platform is easy to use and you will avoid looking foolish when you use technology that works.

* Humor - People love a good laugh. It relaxes them, makes them feel good, and breaks the ice. Don't tell jokes unless you are a really good joke teller but do use humorous statements and anecdotes.

* Purpose Statement - This is a direct way of letting them know your point. This opening technique is a good choice when there are time constraints or when your audience has a short attention span. For example, "In today's presentation, I am going to explain the four styles of leadership and why you must think of yourselves not as managers but as leaders."

* Begin with the End - Occasionally, you may start with your conclusion and then build your case taking them from beginning to end. By starting with the end result or bottom line you capture attention and can lead them to your way of thinking.

* Ask a Question - The speaker begins with a rhetorical question that makes the audience think. When posing a question make sure it is meaningful to the audience. Otherwise it will have little effect.

* Quote - A well-known quote can colorfully introduce the point you want to make. This is especially effective for business presentations when you want to acknowledge an industry leader or in house expert. You will need to skillfully weave the quote into your topic.

* Visual aid - Visual aids can be very effective in focusing attention. Cartoon strips work well as do thought-provoking pictures or props.

* Personal Experience - This technique builds good will and creates a connection with the audience. It helps you relate on a personal level. Many comedians take every day personal experiences and exaggerate them. The audience can relate because they have experienced it.

* Anecdote - A short story is a powerful way to open or close a presentation. An anecdote or story can help to lower the listeners' defenses. Stories draw the audience into the content. But the story must lead into the presentation topic quickly or the point will be lost.

How to Present at Tradeshows

Tradeshows are show business according to Susan Friedmann,the tradeshow coach and author of Meeting Planning for Dummies and Riches in Niches. "People need to prepare. They think miracles are going to happen just because they are there. You need a specific purpose." Friedmann poses these questions: Do you want to get new customers? Are you looking for new leads? Are you there to educate your target market? In addition to having a clear purpose you must have a quantifiable measure of your goals.

"Beware of trick-or-treaters" warns Friedmann."These are people looking for freebee items." She provides the perfect remedy for avoiding visitors who are not serious prospects. "Offer items that are related to your business such as a white paper or tip sheet. Only the people who are really interested in what you have to offer will take them,"she explains.
The biggest mistake in tradeshow presentations is that people don't know why they are there. Companies send their employees to the exhibit without any training. This is why you'll find exhibitors on cell phones, reading, or eating in the booth.
Friedmann says,"You are on display! When you're in the booth you're an actor on the stage. You have a role to play. She trains companies to be successful exhibitors but will also do phone coaching for small businesses.

Another issue is getting traffic to the booth. Friedmann reiterates that this is due to lack of planning. "To attract people you need a pre-show campaign. Send postcards prior to the event. Give customers and prospects an incentive. Show or tell them something new. Target quality visitors. When it comes to tradeshows, it's quantity not quality." You can qualify prospects using a letter system. On the back of the business card write a letter A for a hot lead (ready to buy), a B for an interested lead, etc.
Friedmann's number one tip for tradeshow success is Know clearly what you want!

Get Set to Podcast

Setting the stage is not limited to conferences and theaters. If you plan to start podcasting your message,you don't need to visit an expensive recording studio. But you'll need to set up a studio from your home or office. Matthew Ebel, a musician and podcaster, presented tips at Boston podcamp.

First, consider the room shape. Ideally, you'll want to start with an empty room. He recommends rooms with high ceilings to reduce echos. Wall-to-wall carpeting will prevent the sound from bouncing. A walk in closet is an ideal venue for your studio.
Keep in mind that windows and doors will allow sound to seep in. Add curtains to windows, install bookshelves and add tapestries to the wall. This will absorb sound.
To reach Matthew visit matthewebel.com/