Don't Aim to be a Star Presenter...Be This Instead
(Sssshhhhh) Here’s the secret to a great presentation
(You get the idea.)
You don’t have to be perfect as a presenter to be viewed as a good communicator in front of a room or, well, a screen. This is something that is especially NOT easy to convey to people in business who feel that prospects are “wowed” by confidence and all the other factors mentioned above. Sure, to some extent that’s true. And, true, you do want to have a decent impact when speaking to others. And, yes, a good personality does do that. But presentation stardom — which is usually judged by personality — isn’t the key to getting that contract signed, lifting your team’s spirits, or gaining buy-in.
Lemme explain…
I’m not this. I’m that
I once worked with a speaking coach who was terrific at everything he did. Not only was he a terrific businessman and coach, he happened to have been a former world champion of public speaking and a Certified Speaking Professional. He’s got a great sense of humor, an energetic personality, and all his content in order.
Well played, sir!
He’s on my website, in fact. (Check it out: Meet Robert) or check him out on his own website: https://edtate.com
When I see him present, I wonder, will I be able to reach that level of presentational talent at my ripe age of !?*#@?
Ed knows how important content is. In fact, one of his testimonials reads:
“The measure of a speech is not in the awards of praise a speaker receives. [It’s in] in the ability to change behavior. Ed’s speech challenged me to re-think some of my responses…”
The testimonial writer understands how content, more than anything else, delivers results.
What I know is how to help professionals transform their fears and deliver presentations with daredevil freedom needed to win business and move audiences to action.
Yeah, but…
I’ll probably get a lot of push back on this matter so let me address them beforehand.
“Yeah, but, I’m an introvert. Public speaking ain’t my thing.”
You’ve got a personality trait that so many others are missing. You are a great listener. And while you might not enjoy giving a large group of people the information they need, you just need to boil that presentational factor down to the one-on-one conversational level. (Learn more about how to do that)
“Yeah, but giving presentations terrifies me.”
To say that you fear presentations isn’t the issue. I ask you this:
What is it about giving presentations you fear? What is your real fear? Dig deeper until you figure that out. That’s just a 20-minute conversation to have with say, the guy who wrote this blog.
Be This Instead
Be content focused!
People are mesmerized by you when your message resonates with them. And regardless of how well you can deliver it, a well strategized message will always trump the quality of your presentation delivery, which can be hollow with no clear message.
That’s why the focus of your presentation is best placed on your content, not you and not fully on your audience. The audience is there for that information, not on how well you can take care of them.
When people feel like you hear them and can speak their lingo and enter their worlds, they want to talk to you more and even sign a contract. That’s because your content revealed to them that you get them, their concerns and their world.
The key to presenting effectively and moving your audience to act on your call to action is to focus on your content and to do so with conviction.
Nothing says it better than the History’s Channel’s It Was Said podcast:
Words move humankind for good and for ill, and…our most important public speeches have been both mirrors and makers of the nation’s manners and morals…
In sum,
1. Be content focused
2. Click