Giving a Great Presentation
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Do you have an upcoming talk? How about a sales call? Maybe you just need to convince your spouse to buy that car you have been wanting. No matter what kind of presentation you are giving, your audience responds to similar things. If you learn to incorporate these into your presentation, you have all kinds of success.
Authority: we all want to believe that experts agree with us. I can’t exactly explain why, maybe we just want our own beliefs to be reinforced. Voices of authority go a long way in making the sale.
There are a couple of levels of “authority”. The first level is your own authority. Are you an expert in the subject matter? Your own confidence and knowledge is one of the first things people pick up on. If you keep saying “ummmm” throughout your presentation your authority is going to take a hit.
The second kind of authority is outside, independent authorities. Even if you truly are an expert, even the tops in your field, you will be viewed as biased. And lets face it…you are. People are going to be skeptical about what you tell them. This is where introducing independent voices of authority comes in.
Liking: we are more likely to listen to people we like. It’s human nature. It is important to build rapport with your audience. Often times, small talk and chit chat are used for this purpose. But smaller things really make the difference here. Dress like the people you are talking to (at most one step above); speak like them (not in a mocking fashion…but using a similar vocabulary). Looking people in the eye also does wonders.
Reciprocation: if someone feels they received something from you, they usually feel an urge to reciprocate. This can be a key in negotiations. We often here about offering a price higher than what you actually want, so that when you “give” the customer a lower price they feel a need to also concede something.
Social Proof: voices of authority are powerful tools, but sometimes we just want to here about people just like us. We are often more swayed buy what our neighbors buy than what experts tell us to buy. Offer examples of people in similar situations…the closer to home the better.
Consistency: consistency is really, really important to us. It is built into our systems to value consistency in other and to be perceived as consistent. So you want to be consistent in your presentation you don’t want to waffle or be perceived as hesitant and unsure of yourself or your product.
At the same time, it is just as important to appeal to the customer’s sense of consistency. Help him to see why your product fits his values, ideals, and previous actions. People will often do something they don’t want to do just because they feel such a strong urge to be perceived as consistent. One way to do this is through small agreements through out the presentation. If he keeps agreeing to small questions, the force of consistency will pull him in the right direction when it comes time for the big questions.
Scarcity: we value what we believe to be rare. We are always seeking the “deal”. Allow your customer to believe that whatever you are offering may go away soon. That is why we see “limited time only” and “supplies are limited” in commercials. Other times, the threat of having something taken away is just as powerful (bonus offers, for example).
Not every presentation can incorporate all of these elements…but the more you are able to add and master the more successful you will be. It may seem like a lot to remember, but as you practice using these elements you will find they flow naturally in your presentations…and the success you will experience will make it easier and easier!
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