3 powerful and novel presentation tips

presentation…that will transform how you present

Pay-off: learn 3 actionable tips that most ‘good’ presenters don’t even know

Investment: 3 minutes

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Presenting was once my biggest weakness and fear. But it didn’t take long to turn it into a strength that forms a major part of how I’ve earned a living over the last 15 years.

I learned a lot along the way (and still do) and you’ll no doubt be aware of the more common presentation tips written in most articles. But I want to offer you…

3 new and powerful presentation tips

…that you probably haven’t come across, which I genuinely believe to be more powerful than most presentation tips you hear.

Here they are:

1. Individuals

You aren’t speaking to a group.

You’re talking to an individual. And another individual. And more individuals who collectively could be referred to as a ‘group’.

So don’t just broadcast blindly to the masses. They are not a ‘group’ and definitely not an ‘audience’ unless you really want to screw this up.

They are individuals. So look at the individuals, and talk not at, or even to, but WITH them, one to one. Then another, one to one.

Repeat.

2. Care/Connect

Each individual cares about something.

There’s almost certainly an angle or aspect of what you’re talking about that they do care most about. Find it.

Connect them to what they care most about. And show that you care about them enough to do that. Steer their mind towards it. Ask them an early “what if?” style question and get them tapping into what they, as an individual, care most about.

3. Understand

Your priority is to understand them so that you can then help them understand themselves.

It’s likely that their number one ‘hope’ right now is that you understand them.  They want to feel understood.

So one option is to do whatever you can to understand them before they even enter the room. (Could Linkedin help? Or a few phone calls? I do both, often calling 1:1 those who attend my workshops to understand them better. I realise with a larger group you can’t do this, but you can probably still understand more about them than you think. Find out!)

Understand them

Then, in your opening moments, show them that you understand them. (If you don’t, work hard to understand them in your opening moves and throughout.)

Help them feel understood

Then help them to feel even more understood by having them talk briefly to each other in pairs. Even if it’s a quick Q&A between themselves. People switch on when they are feeling listened to and understood.

So switch them on.

Help them understand themselves

Then help them understand themselves better. And their challenges in relation to what they care about. Share some relevant insights or information.

Help them understand your message

And finally help them to understand your message, your ideas or solution, and most of all how it helps them in relation to what they care most about (point 2) as an individual (point 1). Because groups don’t tend to act – individuals do. And groups follow.

Do that, and you’ll be making some serious impact.

Want more help?

If you want me to help your team present better, persuade better, sell better, and help people to learn better, get in touch. We can agree on what ‘value’ to you looks like and how we’ll collaborate to get your team to the right standard.

Or just ask me a question in the comments below and share your own presentation tips. I’d love to hear what you think works well.

Want to embed my 3 points so you can recall them?

Do this:

1. Notice the keywords in the titles form the (corny but at least natural) acronym ‘I C U’ or ‘I see you’. Test yourself now on what the words mean.

Individuals. Care/Connect. Understand. (Get the understand bit right – first you must understand them, and they must understand themselves. Then they can understand you.)

2. Teach someone else this framework. (And please share this post if you think your network may benefit – just use the social buttons on the edge of the screen. Thanks!)

3. Test yourself on recalling ICU (and what it means) later today, tomorrow, next week and next month. Set reminders if you’re serious about retaining it. (And 3-month month reminder too). That will shift it into your long term memory.

4. Think about it and use it as often as you can.

That should do it.

Cheers,

Mark

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