Archive for January, 2006

Short for time, loaded with detailed graphs and charts, many technical presenters jump from fact to figure, ignoring those meaningful connectors called transitional phrases. Without them, bits and pieces of data come at listeners like shrapnel – some stick, some don’t. We’ve all sat through endless presentations with the same tired voice repeating, “We have here…” or “You’ll see here…” Such phrases do little more than point to data – they don’t connect or explain.

Every piece of data you present may be relevant in and of itself. However, without logically linking  phrases to show the proper relationship between point A and point B, both points will be lost to your audience. If listeners can’t assimilate your data into a meaningful whole, they will promptly forget it.

First, never rely on your audience to draw their own conclusions from your data. They won’t – or they won’t draw the ones you intended. You must make that transition for them. And let your listeners know that’s what you’re doing by using such phrases as:

• The consequence is…

• For this reason…
• It follows that…

Then put your subject into real time. By using time frames as connectors, you bring dull facts into the arena of live action:

• At the same time…

• Meanwhile…
• At this point…

Finally, as a technical presenter you will often need to compare, balance or add ideas, tying them in with what you’ve already said. Again, you need transitional phrases to explain the relationship:

• Of even greater concern…

• From another viewpoint…
• Equally critical…

Think of yourself as a translator, rather than a technical presenter, and link your key points accordingly.

In avoiding PowerPoint Abuse, you have to get out of data and into images.

One of the best (if not the best) blogs for anything to do with PowerPoint is Garr Reynolds’ blog Presentation Zen.

Here he gives the best sources he has found on getting great still images. See for yourself at his post on both expensive and free image sources.

And more to come on the importance of and growing use of video clips in your presentations!

So what is the connection? American Idol kicked off it’s 5^th season tonight, and I’ve been thinking – why has it become part of the culture?

It’s all about presentation, and there’s much we can apply:

·        Drama

·        Conflict

·        Talent

·        Humor

·        Personality

Why don’t we think of those things when we “present” in business? It might serve us well. Some examples among many …

• Drama – We’re never sure who is going to get picked, even as awful as some of the tryouts are. The last guy got picked when he was gangly, always oddly moving, no voice, barefoot and basically weird. But certainly different. Maybe Paula wanted some variety in Hollywood. Audiences like drama – it is deadly to be boring.

• Conflict – Simon Cowell is Mr. Conflict (and Mr. Rude too.) Yet we always want to know what he’s going to say next. And he conflicts with the other judges too. Think of what Pat Lencioni so aptly says in his “Death By Meeting.” No one likes to sit through a 2 hour meeting because they are so boring, and so often pointless. But we’ll sit through a two hour movie because of the conflict that is always there. It involves us. So add constructive conflict to meetings, says Pat. And it can be added to presentations. Set ‘em up and knock ‘em down. They do it in American Idol.

• Talent – Some really had talent, and you knew it right away. But gosh, I could sing better than some of those contestants (I think.) But to spend all that energy, standing in the rain for three days in Chicago to get a chance to audition – and then they weren’t prepared. Forgot their lines. Look like they never rehearsed in some cases. Too many like to wing it in business – better to be prepared and then be spontaneous. Practice, practice, practice. Then we can allow the muse to come in.

• Humor – we laugh during the show (and it’s two hours!). We laugh with, and at, and in spite of not wanting to – but how often do we laugh in business. Think funny. With a mindset of a light touch, spontaneous humor and smiles will come much more readily. A listener is open to a speaker who is open, not serious and grim. People buy ideas on emotion, and justify with fact – humor and humanization is the way to the heart. And a few contestants who kidded, who had a light touch, and who even teased the judges tended to get a yes vote (even the gangly guy!)

• Personality – it’s really the American Idol experience. The music, Simon Cowell, real talent, real bombs, surprises, suspense, and finally in the voting – involvement. Over one billion votes have been cast in American Idol, can’t we at least find a few ways to involve our audiences? I think so. And we can also look to create our own experience wherever we are – in any presentation, at a meeting, during a meal, in a conversation. Personality is made up of many things, but it is consistent and intentional. Just like American Idol.

There is no substitute for word of mouth communications – not just when you are selling a product, but when you are selling yourself. What do people say about you? Do you leave an afterglow after you are gone – whether from a speech or a meeting or a social interaction? That’s what we mean when we say you create your own communication experience.

And here’s a first hand example of creating a communication experience in the launch of a start-up – which hasn’t even launched yet. But they have already created a buzz, and have begun to build their experience. It’s Bazaarvoice, which is in stealth mode (so they don’t say much about what they do, and I won’t give it away.)

But to give you my dear blog reader a scoop, I will tell you today what they will announce tomorrow – that Sam Decker, famed Dell marketer and ecommerce expert, (and also my son I am biased to say) will be joining Bazaarvoice. He announced that today on his excellent blog, and already I have seen from their communications a good dozen articles and blog connections that predict great success. (I hope so.)

By the way, there is interesting background on the name, in case it struck you as a bit odd, (as it did me at first.) It’s well thought out actually, which is all a  part of creating that unique and impactful communication experience.

And that is precisely the problem. In our communications, it’s often what people see – not hear – that impacts whether or not they believe what we say.

Optical illusions prove this is true. Take a look at the video here – a stationary three-dimensional figure appears to follow you wherever you go. We see something and our brain immediately makes assumptions about what we see- in this case, the structure of the dragon’s head. We believe it’s a dynamic, animated figure, when it’s really just a motionless piece of origami.

And with the classic illusion of the young/old woman, once we’ve made that initial assumption, it  becomes even more difficult to “see” the other version and believe that it’s true. That’s why it’s so critical to have a consistent message – both in the verbal (content), as well as the visual (behavior).

If seeing is believing, then it’s pretty darn important. If it’s important, then we should prepare. But do we?

Nope. We go straight to PowerPoint, spend hours creating complex slides with minutia, and spend very little (if any) time rehearsing the actual presentation. The result? We use PowerPoint as a crutch – focusing on the slides instead of the audience – compromising our confidence and credibility in the process. The audience sees and believes that we are uncertain, and become hesitant of our message. 

Treat your audience as a bunch of Doubting Thomases – make sure they see what you want them to believe. Here’s how:

• Crystallize your point of view, and the key action steps and benefits for the listener
• Build SIMPLE visuals (slides, props, film clips, etc.) that support your message
• Practice, practice, practice! Rehearse your presentation three to six times – both to nail down the content, and insure that your behavior is consistent (think: posture, movement, energy)!

Remember…You’ve Got To Be Believed To Be Heard!