Secret to Mastering Presentations

Presentation Secret: Tell A Story

by: George Torok

Tell me a story. Do you remember saying that to your parents when you were a child? Perhaps children have pleaded with you to tell them a story. It’s not just children who want to hear stories.

The entertainment industry thrives on telling stories. TV, movies and even sports are about telling stories. Notice the big dollars that the celebrities and stars make. Why? Because we crave stories and we reward our story tellers handsomely. Note the success of Oprah, Steven King and James Cameron.

Story telling has been with us since cave men huddled around a flickering campfire. Imagine the challenge of presenting to a group of hungry, frightened and shivering cave dwellers. Story telling entertained, educated and excited people eons ago and it still enthralls us today.

What does that tell you?

When you tell stories in your presentations you will sell more, persuade more effectively and enjoy greater results from your presentations. You’ll also feel better about speaking because story telling is more comforting than giving a speech.

Most of us would rather tell stories than give a speech. Ask someone to choose between telling a story or giving a speech guess what they will pick. While public speaking gets high rating as a fear, story telling does not. If you are nervous about giving a speech work a few stories into your presentation.

Stories in a presentation help you get your message across better Yes, you can and should tell stories in business and sales presentations. One of my clients included stories in his presentation to close a $10 million deal.

I suggest that you follow this simple formula to make stories work for you.

Three elements to an effective story:

1. Conflict – The conflict grabs our attention. Create the setting. Make it vivid.

2. Resolution – We need closure even if the closure is based on hope.

3. Point – Only tell a story to help clarify a point.

It’s best to tell a personal story because:

1. You lived it so you don’t need to memorize it.

2. It’s your story so no one else is likely to tell it.

3. The audience feels privileged when you share a personal experience.

Rehearse and edit the words in your story to include only the details necessary to make your point. Your most difficult task is leaving out some of the details. Your audience doesn’t need all the details to get the point. The story is for the audience not for you.

The story doesn’t need to be funny. If it is that’s a nice bonus.

Like every story teller you are allowed some creative license. It’s best if the story is 100% true. But it is more important that the story be believable. Some true stories are not believable. Don’t waste your time with those unbelievable tales. Sometimes you might alter some small detail to make the story easier to tell or better illustrate your point.

If the story is so painful that you can’t tell it without crying – don’t use it – unless you are speaking at a funeral.

Tell stories to better illustrate your point.

Tell stories to be more memorable.

Tell stories to sell more.

The best public speakers are master story tellers. If you want more success when you present – tell stories.

About The Author

© George Torok is a masterful story teller and exciting presenter. He helps business leaders deliver million dollar presentations. Claim your free Power Presentation Tips at http://ift.tt/1fAw3v5

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The post Secret to Mastering Presentations appeared first on Robert JR Graham.

8 Powerful Public Speaking Tips

by: George Torok

When it’s your turn to stand up and speak to an audience, whether it is a room of five or an auditorium of hundreds, you can speak confidently and effectively when you use these eight powerful public speaking tips.

Don’t be discouraged by the fear of public speaking or past presentation challenges. Remember that successful public speaking is a skill-set based on learning and practicing the fundamental techniques of public speaking.

Engaging Opening

The opening to your presentation must grab the attention of your audience and establish rapport. You could reveal an amazing statistic; ask a question; state a quotation from a famous person; create a visual image or tell a story. Don’t start your presentation with “Today I’m going to talk about…’ That’s boring.

Direct Eye Contact

Don’t speak at the audience – instead speak directly to each individual in the audience by making eye contact with each one in the audience. Deliver a few words as you look at one person – then move your glance to another. Too long a glance is intrusive – too short can appear shifty-eyed. Talk with everyone in your audience – one person at a time.

Smile More Often

Smile when you start your presentation. Smile when you have stated an important fact. Smile when you want them to laugh. Smile just after you said your name. Smile when asking for the order. Smile when you close. There are many occasions to smile. Use them. Smiling is contagious.

Laugh

Help your audience laugh. Use exaggeration or surprise. Tell a funny story about something silly you once did. Humor is tragedy or embarrassment removed by time. Don’t tell jokes that put anyone else down. Instead make fun of yourself. Humor must be inclusive not exclusive. Everyone wants to laugh.

Look More Confident

Be prepared – but don’t be so slick that your audience disbelieves you. People accept your errors. It makes you look human and imperfect like they are. Don’t fret about small mistakes – just carry on. And don’t apologize about every mistake – it over-emphasizes the mistakes.

Use Words they Understand

Speak in the language of your listeners. Engineers need how to’s and facts – tolerances, specifications & blueprints. Accountants want numbers – balance sheets, debits & ROI. Sales people are interested in – commissions, customer benefits & price. Find out what the organization calls their people – members, staff, associates, investors or true believers.

Use Your Voice

Play with your voice to keep interest and emphasize key points. Lower your voice to make an important point. Speed up when you are describing a process. Ask rhetorical questions which allow you to inflect your voice. Put feeling in words that naturally lend themselves to emotion, e.g. family, Christmas, grandma, home, first prize, baby, vacation…

Powerful Close

Make your close memorable and effective. Conclude with a call to action; end with a quotation; sum up your key points; repeat your opening line; end with a story. Avoid ending with ‘thank you’. That is a very weak close and not memorable. Finish strong and then say ‘thank you’ after they applaud.

If you want to be a more powerful public speaker study and use these eight public speaking tips. You will feel more confident as a speaker and your audience will be amazed by your presentation.

Source

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The post 8 Powerful Public Speaking Tips appeared first on Robert JR Graham.

Secret to Mastering Presentations

Presentation Secret: Tell A Story

by: George Torok

Tell me a story. Do you remember saying that to your parents when you were a child? Perhaps children have pleaded with you to tell them a story. It’s not just children who want to hear stories.

The entertainment industry thrives on telling stories. TV, movies and even sports are about telling stories. Notice the big dollars that the celebrities and stars make. Why? Because we crave stories and we reward our story tellers handsomely. Note the success of Oprah, Steven King and James Cameron.

Story telling has been with us since cave men huddled around a flickering campfire. Imagine the challenge of presenting to a group of hungry, frightened and shivering cave dwellers. Story telling entertained, educated and excited people eons ago and it still enthralls us today.

What does that tell you?

When you tell stories in your presentations you will sell more, persuade more effectively and enjoy greater results from your presentations. You’ll also feel better about speaking because story telling is more comforting than giving a speech.

Most of us would rather tell stories than give a speech. Ask someone to choose between telling a story or giving a speech guess what they will pick. While public speaking gets high rating as a fear, story telling does not. If you are nervous about giving a speech work a few stories into your presentation.

Stories in a presentation help you get your message across better Yes, you can and should tell stories in business and sales presentations. One of my clients included stories in his presentation to close a $10 million deal.

I suggest that you follow this simple formula to make stories work for you.

Three elements to an effective story:

1. Conflict – The conflict grabs our attention. Create the setting. Make it vivid.

2. Resolution – We need closure even if the closure is based on hope.

3. Point – Only tell a story to help clarify a point.

It’s best to tell a personal story because:

1. You lived it so you don’t need to memorize it.

2. It’s your story so no one else is likely to tell it.

3. The audience feels privileged when you share a personal experience.

Rehearse and edit the words in your story to include only the details necessary to make your point. Your most difficult task is leaving out some of the details. Your audience doesn’t need all the details to get the point. The story is for the audience not for you.

The story doesn’t need to be funny. If it is that’s a nice bonus.

Like every story teller you are allowed some creative license. It’s best if the story is 100% true. But it is more important that the story be believable. Some true stories are not believable. Don’t waste your time with those unbelievable tales. Sometimes you might alter some small detail to make the story easier to tell or better illustrate your point.

If the story is so painful that you can’t tell it without crying – don’t use it – unless you are speaking at a funeral.

Tell stories to better illustrate your point.

Tell stories to be more memorable.

Tell stories to sell more.

The best public speakers are master story tellers. If you want more success when you present – tell stories.

About The Author

© George Torok is a masterful story teller and exciting presenter. He helps business leaders deliver million dollar presentations. Claim your free Power Presentation Tips at http://ift.tt/1fAw3v5

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The post Secret to Mastering Presentations appeared first on Robert JR Graham.

8 Powerful Public Speaking Tips

by: George Torok

When it’s your turn to stand up and speak to an audience, whether it is a room of five or an auditorium of hundreds, you can speak confidently and effectively when you use these eight powerful public speaking tips.

Don’t be discouraged by the fear of public speaking or past presentation challenges. Remember that successful public speaking is a skill-set based on learning and practicing the fundamental techniques of public speaking.

Engaging Opening

The opening to your presentation must grab the attention of your audience and establish rapport. You could reveal an amazing statistic; ask a question; state a quotation from a famous person; create a visual image or tell a story. Don’t start your presentation with “Today I’m going to talk about…’ That’s boring.

Direct Eye Contact

Don’t speak at the audience – instead speak directly to each individual in the audience by making eye contact with each one in the audience. Deliver a few words as you look at one person – then move your glance to another. Too long a glance is intrusive – too short can appear shifty-eyed. Talk with everyone in your audience – one person at a time.

Smile More Often

Smile when you start your presentation. Smile when you have stated an important fact. Smile when you want them to laugh. Smile just after you said your name. Smile when asking for the order. Smile when you close. There are many occasions to smile. Use them. Smiling is contagious.

Laugh

Help your audience laugh. Use exaggeration or surprise. Tell a funny story about something silly you once did. Humor is tragedy or embarrassment removed by time. Don’t tell jokes that put anyone else down. Instead make fun of yourself. Humor must be inclusive not exclusive. Everyone wants to laugh.

Look More Confident

Be prepared – but don’t be so slick that your audience disbelieves you. People accept your errors. It makes you look human and imperfect like they are. Don’t fret about small mistakes – just carry on. And don’t apologize about every mistake – it over-emphasizes the mistakes.

Use Words they Understand

Speak in the language of your listeners. Engineers need how to’s and facts – tolerances, specifications & blueprints. Accountants want numbers – balance sheets, debits & ROI. Sales people are interested in – commissions, customer benefits & price. Find out what the organization calls their people – members, staff, associates, investors or true believers.

Use Your Voice

Play with your voice to keep interest and emphasize key points. Lower your voice to make an important point. Speed up when you are describing a process. Ask rhetorical questions which allow you to inflect your voice. Put feeling in words that naturally lend themselves to emotion, e.g. family, Christmas, grandma, home, first prize, baby, vacation…

Powerful Close

Make your close memorable and effective. Conclude with a call to action; end with a quotation; sum up your key points; repeat your opening line; end with a story. Avoid ending with ‘thank you’. That is a very weak close and not memorable. Finish strong and then say ‘thank you’ after they applaud.

If you want to be a more powerful public speaker study and use these eight public speaking tips. You will feel more confident as a speaker and your audience will be amazed by your presentation.

Source

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Secret to Mastering Presentations

Presentation Secret: Tell A Story

by: George Torok

Tell me a story. Do you remember saying that to your parents when you were a child? Perhaps children have pleaded with you to tell them a story. It’s not just children who want to hear stories.

The entertainment industry thrives on telling stories. TV, movies and even sports are about telling stories. Notice the big dollars that the celebrities and stars make. Why? Because we crave stories and we reward our story tellers handsomely. Note the success of Oprah, Steven King and James Cameron.

Story telling has been with us since cave men huddled around a flickering campfire. Imagine the challenge of presenting to a group of hungry, frightened and shivering cave dwellers. Story telling entertained, educated and excited people eons ago and it still enthralls us today.

What does that tell you?

When you tell stories in your presentations you will sell more, persuade more effectively and enjoy greater results from your presentations. You’ll also feel better about speaking because story telling is more comforting than giving a speech.

Most of us would rather tell stories than give a speech. Ask someone to choose between telling a story or giving a speech guess what they will pick. While public speaking gets high rating as a fear, story telling does not. If you are nervous about giving a speech work a few stories into your presentation.

Stories in a presentation help you get your message across better Yes, you can and should tell stories in business and sales presentations. One of my clients included stories in his presentation to close a $10 million deal.

I suggest that you follow this simple formula to make stories work for you.

Three elements to an effective story:

1. Conflict – The conflict grabs our attention. Create the setting. Make it vivid.

2. Resolution – We need closure even if the closure is based on hope.

3. Point – Only tell a story to help clarify a point.

It’s best to tell a personal story because:

1. You lived it so you don’t need to memorize it.

2. It’s your story so no one else is likely to tell it.

3. The audience feels privileged when you share a personal experience.

Rehearse and edit the words in your story to include only the details necessary to make your point. Your most difficult task is leaving out some of the details. Your audience doesn’t need all the details to get the point. The story is for the audience not for you.

The story doesn’t need to be funny. If it is that’s a nice bonus.

Like every story teller you are allowed some creative license. It’s best if the story is 100% true. But it is more important that the story be believable. Some true stories are not believable. Don’t waste your time with those unbelievable tales. Sometimes you might alter some small detail to make the story easier to tell or better illustrate your point.

If the story is so painful that you can’t tell it without crying – don’t use it – unless you are speaking at a funeral.

Tell stories to better illustrate your point.

Tell stories to be more memorable.

Tell stories to sell more.

The best public speakers are master story tellers. If you want more success when you present – tell stories.

About The Author

© George Torok is a masterful story teller and exciting presenter. He helps business leaders deliver million dollar presentations. Claim your free Power Presentation Tips at http://ift.tt/1fAw3v5

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Secret to Mastering Presentations

Presentation Secret: Tell A Story

by: George Torok

Tell me a story. Do you remember saying that to your parents when you were a child? Perhaps children have pleaded with you to tell them a story. It’s not just children who want to hear stories.

The entertainment industry thrives on telling stories. TV, movies and even sports are about telling stories. Notice the big dollars that the celebrities and stars make. Why? Because we crave stories and we reward our story tellers handsomely. Note the success of Oprah, Steven King and James Cameron.

Story telling has been with us since cave men huddled around a flickering campfire. Imagine the challenge of presenting to a group of hungry, frightened and shivering cave dwellers. Story telling entertained, educated and excited people eons ago and it still enthralls us today.

What does that tell you?

When you tell stories in your presentations you will sell more, persuade more effectively and enjoy greater results from your presentations. You’ll also feel better about speaking because story telling is more comforting than giving a speech.

Most of us would rather tell stories than give a speech. Ask someone to choose between telling a story or giving a speech guess what they will pick. While public speaking gets high rating as a fear, story telling does not. If you are nervous about giving a speech work a few stories into your presentation.

Stories in a presentation help you get your message across better Yes, you can and should tell stories in business and sales presentations. One of my clients included stories in his presentation to close a $10 million deal.

I suggest that you follow this simple formula to make stories work for you.

Three elements to an effective story:

1. Conflict – The conflict grabs our attention. Create the setting. Make it vivid.

2. Resolution – We need closure even if the closure is based on hope.

3. Point – Only tell a story to help clarify a point.

It’s best to tell a personal story because:

1. You lived it so you don’t need to memorize it.

2. It’s your story so no one else is likely to tell it.

3. The audience feels privileged when you share a personal experience.

Rehearse and edit the words in your story to include only the details necessary to make your point. Your most difficult task is leaving out some of the details. Your audience doesn’t need all the details to get the point. The story is for the audience not for you.

The story doesn’t need to be funny. If it is that’s a nice bonus.

Like every story teller you are allowed some creative license. It’s best if the story is 100% true. But it is more important that the story be believable. Some true stories are not believable. Don’t waste your time with those unbelievable tales. Sometimes you might alter some small detail to make the story easier to tell or better illustrate your point.

If the story is so painful that you can’t tell it without crying – don’t use it – unless you are speaking at a funeral.

Tell stories to better illustrate your point.

Tell stories to be more memorable.

Tell stories to sell more.

The best public speakers are master story tellers. If you want more success when you present – tell stories.

About The Author

© George Torok is a masterful story teller and exciting presenter. He helps business leaders deliver million dollar presentations. Claim your free Power Presentation Tips at http://ift.tt/1fAw3v5

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The post Secret to Mastering Presentations appeared first on Robert JR Graham.

8 Powerful Public Speaking Tips

by: George Torok

When it’s your turn to stand up and speak to an audience, whether it is a room of five or an auditorium of hundreds, you can speak confidently and effectively when you use these eight powerful public speaking tips.

Don’t be discouraged by the fear of public speaking or past presentation challenges. Remember that successful public speaking is a skill-set based on learning and practicing the fundamental techniques of public speaking.

Engaging Opening

The opening to your presentation must grab the attention of your audience and establish rapport. You could reveal an amazing statistic; ask a question; state a quotation from a famous person; create a visual image or tell a story. Don’t start your presentation with “Today I’m going to talk about…’ That’s boring.

Direct Eye Contact

Don’t speak at the audience – instead speak directly to each individual in the audience by making eye contact with each one in the audience. Deliver a few words as you look at one person – then move your glance to another. Too long a glance is intrusive – too short can appear shifty-eyed. Talk with everyone in your audience – one person at a time.

Smile More Often

Smile when you start your presentation. Smile when you have stated an important fact. Smile when you want them to laugh. Smile just after you said your name. Smile when asking for the order. Smile when you close. There are many occasions to smile. Use them. Smiling is contagious.

Laugh

Help your audience laugh. Use exaggeration or surprise. Tell a funny story about something silly you once did. Humor is tragedy or embarrassment removed by time. Don’t tell jokes that put anyone else down. Instead make fun of yourself. Humor must be inclusive not exclusive. Everyone wants to laugh.

Look More Confident

Be prepared – but don’t be so slick that your audience disbelieves you. People accept your errors. It makes you look human and imperfect like they are. Don’t fret about small mistakes – just carry on. And don’t apologize about every mistake – it over-emphasizes the mistakes.

Use Words they Understand

Speak in the language of your listeners. Engineers need how to’s and facts – tolerances, specifications & blueprints. Accountants want numbers – balance sheets, debits & ROI. Sales people are interested in – commissions, customer benefits & price. Find out what the organization calls their people – members, staff, associates, investors or true believers.

Use Your Voice

Play with your voice to keep interest and emphasize key points. Lower your voice to make an important point. Speed up when you are describing a process. Ask rhetorical questions which allow you to inflect your voice. Put feeling in words that naturally lend themselves to emotion, e.g. family, Christmas, grandma, home, first prize, baby, vacation…

Powerful Close

Make your close memorable and effective. Conclude with a call to action; end with a quotation; sum up your key points; repeat your opening line; end with a story. Avoid ending with ‘thank you’. That is a very weak close and not memorable. Finish strong and then say ‘thank you’ after they applaud.

If you want to be a more powerful public speaker study and use these eight public speaking tips. You will feel more confident as a speaker and your audience will be amazed by your presentation.

Source

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The post 8 Powerful Public Speaking Tips appeared first on Robert JR Graham.

10 Disaster Presentation Starters

How Not to Start Your Presentation: 10 Roads to Disaster

by: George Torok

Preparing a speech can be like sculpting. You keep removing the excess clay until you have your work of art. If you want to start your presentation with a bang instead of a bust avoid these ten mistakes. These tips will show you how not to start your speech.

1. You like me, you really like me

Sally Fields did this when she accepted her academy award. Her gushing outburst was mocked because it seemed unprofessional. We all want to be liked but Sally pushed our puke button with her act. If they are giving you the award don’t insult them by pretending that you don’t deserve it.

2. Tell a joke

If you have an ancient book on public speaking that tells you to start with a joke – burn it and purge anything you read from your memory. That is a terrible way to start your speech. It’s difficult to tell a joke well in front of an audience. It usually fails – a bad way to start your speech. Don’t tell jokes.

3. How is everybody today?

You have probably seen the “motivational speaker” wannabe start his presentation with this question. Then he repeats the question only louder as if that means your first response was too weak. It looks, sounds and feels phony and it ticks people off – a very bad way to start your presentation.

4. I don’t know why I have been asked to speak

Imagine the thoughts that go through the minds of your audience when you start with this phrase. If you don’t know – why are you speaking? This is going to be a dreadful presentation. Why did I attend? How do I escape?

5. I’m really nervous

It’s okay to admit imperfection. But don’t tell your audience that you are a lousy presenter, this is your first time or that you are very nervous. That conveys lack of confidence. Often they can’t tell the state of your nerves so keep it to yourself. If you are a lousy presenter they will decide on their own soon enough. Don’t foretell your own presentation disaster.

6. I’m really not prepared

How would you feel when the speaker says this at the beginning of his speech? You might think about leaving the room, checking your email or tuning out at the least. As the presenter you want to build interest and anticipation when you start your presentation. You want your audience to perk up and think, “This could be good.”

7. I’m sorry

Don’t start your presentation with an apology. I’m sorry for starting late. I’m sorry that the coffee was cold. I’m sorry that the real speaker couldn’t be here. What a depressing way to start a speech.

8. I’m perfect you’re not

Your introduction said flattering things about you to build your credibility with the audience. But you must not start your presentation appearing to be perfect. You need to build rapport and one way to do that is by revealing a human flaw, admitting an embarrassing mistake or voicing your own dilemma.

9. Criticize

English: A member of the audience holds a “Thank You” sign during President Barack Obama’s speech on medicare fraud and health care insurance reform at St. Charles High School in St. Charles, Mo., March 10, 2010. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Maybe the introducer messed up your introduction. Perhaps the conference appeared badly organized. Maybe the venue screwed up the registration and the meal. The speaker before you might have chewed into your presentation time. Don’t criticize. If you do that, the audience will tune you out. If any of those things happened you must capture their attention by taking the higher road. Offer them hope. Show them your insights to a better way.

10. Kissing up

You are the most beautiful audience to which I have ever spoken to. Yuk! You can compliment your audience but make it appropriate, sincere and factual. False flattery stinks of snake oil.

Improve the start of your presentation by removing these 10 errors so you can start your speech in the right direction. You and your audience will be amazed at the difference.

Source

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