Author: Gail Zack Anderson

Think back to that U is for Unique the advice you received before you delivered your very first presentation. Your supervisor probably said; “There is nothing to it. Just get up there and be yourself.” That was actually pretty good advice, but you might have discounted it because it sounded so obvious, and because it seemed so difficult to be yourself when you were probably shaking and wondering “Who am I, and what makes me think I can deliver a presentation?”

Since then you have learned a lot about presenting. You know how to create eye-catching slides. You know how to take a breath when you feel nervous, and how to speak even when your heart is racing. But did you ever learn how to be your own, special, u is for unique self when you speak?

Each of us wants to be amazing, motivating, and inspiring to our audiences. But when we are unsure of our content, or when we lack confidence, we chicken out. Yes, we do. Our messages get lost, our voices get softer and more hesitant, and we lock up our hands and refuse to gesture. We play it safe. We hide behind a mask. We make ourselves small and weak exactly when we need to speak up and shine.

If you want to be your own unique self, you will need to move beyond “playing it safe” and enter the world of “being authentic-no-matter-if-it-isn’t-perfect.” It is a scary place, but the rewards are so worthwhile when you get there. There is no road map or GPS to get you there safely; you have to find your own way. After all, you are unique! But here are some guidelines to help you stay on the path to being your own wonderful self when you speak.

Start strong. Take a breath. Think about your audience and what they need from you. Remember your planned lines; they speak from your heart and welcome your listener into your presentation. They are sincere. They are real. You are in the moment.

Turn your fear to power. You feel adrenaline coursing through your body. Is it fear…or is it really power? If you say it is fear or nerves, it is. And if you tell yourself it is power, it really is. Enjoy that feeling not of weakness and fear, but of anticipation and power. Put a smile on your face. Take another breath and release it. Game on!

Turn your passion on. You do care about your subject matter….don’t you? Why wear a mask and try to be perfect, or correct? Instead, share with your audience why this is so important, and how it will impact them, or us. Yes, you have many facts and figures to share. But your audience is far more likely to remember the stories you tell and the images you leave with them. Don’t be afraid to use your feelings to sell your ideas.

Turn your topic into a compelling message. Topics are boring, messages are far more interesting. What is the significance of this content? Why are we talking about this today? Why should I listen? Why should I care? What do I need to do? Where are we going? Now, take the answers to these questions and craft them into a compelling message that takes you less than a minute to say. And say it with conviction.

Turn data into story. Oh, those spreadsheets. How fascinating—not! Break away from the data for a minute, and tell a story. Provide an example. Use a metaphor. Create a chalk talk right on the slide, or on a flip chart. Start a discussion. Bring someone up front to help you with a demonstration. All these will make the data more memorable, and set you apart from all those who speak to spreadsheets and bullet points. Well played!

Signal your humanity with humor. OK, I know it is risky. So, don’t tell a joke. (Really, don’t tell a joke; save it for lunch or after work.) Show a pertinent cartoon, or play with your words, or laugh at yourself, or exaggerate until it is funny. Remember, good humor is clean and doesn’t hurt or embarrass anyone. It is also done with a light touch. When it works it is magic. If you don’t know what kind of humor you are good at, take a class, or ask someone you trust to help you find it. And ask them to tell you when you miss the mark, so you can correct and use humor well and appropriately.

Share the road with others. You may be standing up front, but the presentation isn’t really all about you. It is all about the audience. Without them, there wouldn’t be a presentation. So play nicely. Ask them questions, invite their questions, answer them patiently, listen to them when they share their thoughts, learn from them and with them. Presentations can be democratic affairs where everyone takes a turn, and they are so much more interesting that way.

Arrive at the end with power and clarity. As you come to the close of your talk, you may be short on time. You may be relieved that the end is near. Take a few questions. Then sum up one final time. Instead of saying, “well, that is about all the time we have,” remind people of the key message or theme that you started with, creating a kind of bookend close. We tend to remember what we hear first and last, so make that last line a shining one. Smile. See, you are unique and you delivered a powerful presentation.

Are you beginning to see what your adviser meant by “be yourself?” You had what it takes to succeed all along. You just had to find it and believe in it. Now, go out there and “just be yourself.” You will be great!

In comedy, timing is everything, right? The same thing is true for speaking. In order to express confidence, calm and control, check your timing in the following ways:

1. Extend your eye contact. We often sweep the audience with our eyes, never landing on a person, but always moving past them. Or we lock eyes with the audience member who smiles or nods, or the person we think is about to challenge us. If your eye contact is too rapid, you can look nervous, and you will fail to make a connection. If it is too long, you can easily turn a warm connection into a staring contest. To make the most of your timing, practice moving your eye contact smoothly and slowly from one person to the next, in about two to five second intervals. (If the audience looks away before you do, chances are your eye contact is a little too intense. But most of the time, this is just about right.) Be sure you are looking each listener in the eye, or at least near the eyes.

2. Manage your rate of speech. On average, people speak at around 150-160 words per minute. But when we feel adrenaline coursing through our bodies, we seem to speed up even more, often racing to keep up with our thoughts, which always speed ahead of our words. A great way to manage rate of speech is to speak fairly quickly, but pause a little longer and a little more often. Note that when we speak from slides, we slow down to somewhere closer to 100 words per minute on average — probably too slow for most audiences. So when you are working with slides, you might want to push ahead a little bit to sound more natural.

3. Nail your presentation time. Of all the things you don’t want to do, running over your allotted time has to be near the top of the list. During rehearsals, keep track of time for each segment, so you know not only how well your material will fit the time frame, but where you might need to tighten it. Mark your speaker words with notes on where you need to be at certain checkpoints. And don’t hold the most important points for last, as these may well be the ones you need to abbreviate or skip. To be sure, get those important points in earlier, while attention is strong and your energy is peak. (Tip: to keep track of time, use a remote slide advancer with vibrate mode, or set a timer on your smart phone or tablet, silenced of course, but visible to you.)

4. Leave enough time for Q&A. A common enough problem is to speak right up to the last minute, and then ask for questions. Most audiences won’t ask many questions at this point, as the pressure is on to move on to the next meeting or event of the day. Deliberately cut your presentation by 20-25%, so that you have time for discussion during your presentation and a solid give-and-take at the end. If you have engaged the audience, and there is time for Q&A, you are much more likely to have a good exchange. If not, ask them one or two questions about their reactions or comments.

5. Take time for a good close. Many times speakers get to the end of their presentations and then run out of steam. Their adrenaline has abated, or they are just so relieved to be finished, that they end up with a weak or nonexistent close. Plan ahead so you know exactly what you plan to say in the final two minutes, and rehearse it so it is top of mind when you get to it. poor closings include “thank you for your time” and “I guess that is all I have.” You can do better. Sum up quickly key points, and end with a positive note, a restatement of your key message, and a call to action of some sort. Make it brief and positive. Take that final minute or two to reinforce all that has been said, and send your audience off with finesse and punch.

How is your timing? Do you remember to manage these critical components of a great presentation? Have you learned some great techniques for timing? We would love to hear your experiences.

We have been discussing using stories in your presentations.Part One discussed the compelling reasons for using stories in business speaking. Part Two provided important Do’s for storytelling. Today we examine a few pertinent tips for better storytelling, and a few Don’ts you will want to be aware of.

Tips for Better Storytelling:

Think of structure. In order to grab and hold our attention, and to have greater meaning than just an anecdote or a ramble, stories need to have structure. Simply put, you need to set the stage, show the conflict or problem, build tension, have a turning point, and then resolution. Think about your favorite stories from Goldilocks to Star Wars, and see if you can’t observe the same structure in these stories.

Think of the point you are making. Start by determining the point you want to make in your presentation and then look for a story that illustrates it. If the story doesn’t really make that point, it is going to fall flat, no matter how well you tell it. In business presentations, we need to get the point.

Rehearse and try it out on others. It might be fun to remember that afternoon along the Seine, but unless others resonate with it, it may not be the story to tell. If others really respond positively to your story, then polish it to perfection and edit it for brevity. The story should be told in a minute or less for most business presentations, maybe two or three minutes for a more motivational presentation or an after dinner speech.

Set it up well. Tell people why you chose this story. Tell them what the story illustrates. But don’t build I up too much (“You are going to love this story!”) or provide way too much background.

Use dialog and names. Rather than saying “my aunt told me to wear clean underwear,” try saying: “My Aunt Bessie told me, “Never go out of the house without clean underwear, in case you get into an accident and need to go to the hospital.” Use a tone that sounds like an Aunt Bessie might sound. Here is a great place to use your acting skills.

End it with a point. This is the resolution, or the moral of the story. Tie your story back to the business point you are making. Keep it simple, but make it good. “So that is why we always want to treat each and every customer with respect; you never know who you are talking to.”

And a few don’ts;

• Don’t go on and on. Edit, edit, edit. Keep it short. Don’t go on tangents.
• Don’t tell too many personal stories (or stories that are “too personal.”) You can be self-effacing, but do it gently. Don’t brag about yourself, nor put yourself down too much.
• Don’t tell stories that could offend. Would you tell this story to your grandmother? Or to Aunt Bessie? If not, probably it’s a little too risky.
• Don’t tell stories that may shame others. Really think it through. Who is in your audience? What is the point you wish to make? Does anyone look bad in your story? Make sure if there is a butt of the joke, it is you.
• Don’t tell stories that have no obvious point or message. You may be a great storyteller, but unless you can clearly tie the story to your content, save it for over lunch.

So there you have it; why to use stories, how to tell them, and the do’s and don’ts of great delivery.

How are your storytelling skills? What do you like to hear when others are speaking? We would love to know your thoughts and experiences.

Storytelling Do’s

Last time we talked about storytelling in presentations, and we named some of the benefits of doing so. If we are going to tell stories and enjoy those benefits, it is obvious that we will need to learn how to do it well. Accordingly, here are some of the best practices you will want to be aware of so you can tell stories effectively.

1. Breathe and relax! You may be excited or a little bit nervous about telling your story. Be sure you aren’t holding your breath, which is very easy to do if you feel a little stressed. But you want your voice and face to be at their most expressive when you tell a story, so breathe and tell yourself it is going to be just fine. As you take that breath, relax your arms and shoulders. Let the tension go out of your tummy. Relax your hands. Much better.
2. Be organized. Don’t expect the story to unfold gracefully without some advance planning and rehearsal. You may know your own story very well, but to tell it well is another thing altogether. Create a little map or write a script. Or rehearse it by recording yourself telling it. Listen and edit. Rather than an entertaining ramble, make sure your story is a well-crafted little gem.
3. Share your passion. It was funny, or sad, or delightful. Otherwise you would not be telling the story. So get into it; feel the joy or the pain the story describes. Don’t hold it at arm’s length, but embrace the story and the emotion in it.
4. Move around. The story gives you license to move around more than a typical formal presentation does. But don’t just wander. Step to the right to make one point, to the left to make a different one. Step toward the audience to go out of character for a moment, then back to your original spot to step back into character. Make the movement have meaning.
5. Have an obvious ending. The beginning and ending are your most important parts to the story. Signal your ending with eye contact, a smile, a pause, and a verbal close. It might be a moral of the story, or a lesson learned. But do something to signal the end, rather than just wind down.
6. Be animated. When telling a story, you have so much leeway to be dramatic. Act out the story in voices, accents, or inflection. Use sweeping gestures to describe the action. This is another great way to distinguish the story from the more formal parts of the presentation.
7. Get to the point. The beginning is key; you want to catch and hold the audience’s attention. Don’t ramble around. Plan this part, rehearse it, and stick to your plan. Use just the right amount of detail to move into the story, and no more.
8. Maintain eye contact. Don’t get so carried away by the story’s action that you forget about the audience. Use your eye contact to keep drawing them in, and to signal how important they are to you. Without the audience, you wouldn’t be telling the story at all.
9. Keep it short. That means take out every scrap of material that does not move the story forward. This takes practice and editing skills. It takes discipline. But if you take too much time for your story, your business audience will likely become restless.
10. PRACTICE. Practice out loud. Record and listen to your story. Video yourself and watch. Get a small audience to listen and critique. Tell stories over lunch or dinner. Tell an amusing anecdote at a social gathering. Take an improv or storytelling class. Read to children. Just get out and do it more often. Soon these new skills will feel comfortable and natural.

How about you? How are your storytelling skills? What do you like to hear when others are speaking? We would love to know.

Next time: more tips on telling stories well, plus a few don’ts.

Many of my clients are scientists, engineers, and accountants. They are always interested in making their content more compelling, but when I mention storytelling as a technique, I sometimes get a funny look. It’s as if they are saying, “What? You mean I should tell a story while giving a presentation? You must be kidding, right?”

Maybe you have heard you should use stories to bring your content to life, but aren’t sure why or how storytelling adds value. You might even wonder if using stories is worth the risk of looking silly, or worth the time it will take to learn to do it well. Here are some of the compelling reasons why I think it is worthwhile to use stories and storytelling in your presentations.

Top ten reasons to include stories in your presentations:

1. Makes your presentation more interesting. Sure, those numbers are fascinating to you, but others may not think so. Adding a story can bring the numbers to life, and make them more compelling. For example, instead of dwelling just on dollars during a fund-raiser, bring in the human-interest stories about why the money is important.

2. Engages the audience. It is pretty easy to daydream through a data-driven or technical presentation. But when a story begins, we get drawn in. Think about watching a boring television program when all at once the advertisement comes on. The ad uses story, dialog, character, and sounds and music to tell the story. You are drawn into the story despite yourself.

3. Increases retention. We remember very little in the way of facts and details; only about 10% of what we hear. But when you tell a story and engage the emotions and the senses, we tend to remember more. If you doubt it, think back to some of the childhood stories you loved as a child, and see how much you can remember. Now, compare that to the last meeting you attended. My guess is you actually can recall more of the old story than the new content without a story.

4. A more subtle way to make a point. Tell me what I “should” do and I get defensive. Tell me a story and I get pulled in and the lesson sticks. Any parent of teenagers probably knows this one; but it can be very effective. “Here’s what happened to someone I know….”

5. Can add a touch of humor. You may not be able to tell a joke, and perhaps you shouldn’t, but you can add personal interest and humor. Choose stories or anecdotes that are true to you, that always get a good laugh, and that can help illustrate a point you are making. In stories, you can be silly or playful, and it is OK because it is part of the story.

6. Provides illustration. When a speaker tells a story, I can easily imagine myself in the situation. What would I do? How would I feel? This is a great way for me to “see” the situation rather than just hearing facts about it.

7. Humanizes the speaker. When you tell a story about a mistake you made, or a problem you were experiencing, you take away some of the distance between you and your audience. You may be the subject matter expert, or the boss, but at a human level we share similar experiences and reactions.

8. Makes material believable, “real.” If I am telling you how to overcome objections, I may give you a procedure or process. But when I share an example of how it worked (or didn’t) for me, it demonstrates that this is real, not theory.

9. Motivating; we can learn from others’ mistakes. One of the areas many of my clients work in is safety training. For many, this is mandatory training, and something they have heard time after time. All the data in the world won’t help if it goes in one ear and out the other. But insert a story about something that went wrong, or almost went wrong, and it makes us perk up our ears. I learn the lesson vicariously, and it sticks with me.

10. Sets the tone. When you open with a story, you send a powerful signal that your presentation is going to be different, more interesting and engaging. Especially if you content is perceived as dry or difficult, you have already raised the bar from the run-of-the-mill presenter.

As you can see, telling stories as part of your presentation is a powerful tool. If you are reading this you probably don’t consider yourself a “natural” storyteller. Truth be told, sometimes natural storytellers don’t choose the right stories, and they don’t always connect them to the content as well as they could. You can learn to use stories effectively and appropriately. Next time, we will discuss the do’s and don’ts for telling stories in your presentations.

Until then, I would love to hear from you. What advantages do you see in using stories in your presentations? If you are not a “natural” storyteller, how did you learn? What advice would you give others who want to use storytelling in their presentations? Drop me a line and let me know what you think.

Perfect Rehearsals

When you are preparing for a really important presentation, and you want it to be just right, what special steps should you take? Here are some tips that will help ensure that practice makes perfect:

Say it out loud. Just as soon as you have your main ideas on paper, begin practicing out loud. Work on the spoken version rather than seeking a word-perfect script. Rehearsing in your head is not the same as making yourself do it out loud.

Start to finish. Rehearse the entire presentation, not just the opening lines or the first half. If time is short, run through the whole thing once, then focus on practicing the beginning and end. Note that we too often assume the ending will take care of itself, and we are so relieved to get there we often drop the ball. Plan and rehearse the ending.

Start early. Rehearse with visual aids as soon as you can, so that you are comfortable with them from the beginning. You can continue to make refinements as you go. The more times you verbalize it, the better. And by making refinements and verbalizing again, you are less dependent on the perfect words.

Seeing is believing. Record or videotape your presentation, so you can hear or see it as the audience will. This will help you accurately pinpoint strengths and weaknesses. It should help you build your confidence as you see the things you are doing well. And help you shore up any weak spots.

Get input. Invite a small group to attend a rehearsal. They can ask questions a real audience might, and give you feedback on both content and delivery. Be sure to work on the questions they pose so that you are prepared for pretty much any question that arises.

You might be thinking “this is going to take some time.” True, but if the presentation is important, then the preparation is worth every minute of your time!

How to Read Your Audience

How do you know what your audience is thinking, how engaged they are, or how well they understand your content? If you are a novice speaker, keep in mind that while you want to be responsive, too much focus on the audience can be a huge distraction. Once you know your material really well, and have built some confidence, you may be able to begin periodically “checking in” to see how the audience is responding.

Be aware that it is very difficult to know what someone else is really thinking. Does arms crossed mean they are resisting your ideas, or that the room is too cool. Does lack of eye contact mean they are bored silly, or that they are thinking about another pressing matter? Does tapping at their phones mean they are tuned out, or are they taking notes on a smart phone? Each of these examples can be confusing and distracting, so just be aware that audience reactions can have a number of meanings and reasons.

That said, here are some strategies to help you begin to “read” your audience in order to increase awareness and the ability to adjust as needed, without losing focus:

Watch for trends. One person yawning does not mean you are boring. But if you see lots of yawns, crossed arms or lack of eye contact, prepare to take action. For example: ask open ended questions, suggest a “pop quiz” or announce a quick break.

Seek the real reasons. A quiet group might be dealing with issues that have nothing to do with you—or might just feel like being quiet. A lot of yawning might mean the room is too warm, or there was a late event the night before. Action: move your presentation to discussion. Pair people up and have them discuss what you just told them.

Ask questions. Try asking for a show of hands. Use open-ended questions, and be prepared to wait for answers. If your group is really silent, ask them to write their questions on a note card, or have them pair up and discuss their reactions. Or have a case study ready for them to work on.

Chat ‘em up. Visit with people before the presentation and on breaks to get a more informal “read.” Also check in on break; I once had an audience member who looked like he was disagreeing with everything I said. While visiting on the next break I realized he was squinting to see better and that he was perfectly comfortable with the content.

Put it in writing. Ask for feedback throughout your presentation via comment cards, Post-it™ notes, a straw poll or a vote. Read and respond to this feedback periodically.

While you need to keep your focus and not get too distracted, you can stay tuned to your audience’s needs and level of interest. Use these tips to be sure you have an accurate “read” before making dramatic changes in your presentation.

Now what about handling questions when they come your way? Some of us love questions and answers. Others freeze or get defensive.

Here are three tips for preparing to answer questions from your audience, whether they are easy or challenging.

1. Think ahead. The worst questions are the ones we didn’t see coming. Take time during your preparation to consider your audience and what they are likely to ask you. If you aren’t sure, ask someone else to help you dream up the tough questions. Then prepare a great response.
2. Stay calm. When you get the tough question, the one you really didn’t want to hear, take a breath. Relax your body. Open your hands. Put an interested, neutral look on your face. Tell yourself you will be able to handle it. You will!
3. Handle with care. Take your time, even though adrenaline is coursing through your body. Rephrase the question using a neutral bridge, such as “the question in about _____________.” Answer if you can. Or say you don’t know and you will get the information for the audience. Then move on to the next question.

By planning, practicing and keeping your cool, you will be able to handle even the toughest questions that come your way. Get started today.

During your presentation you ask a question…nothing. You crack a little joke…crickets. You start to sweat a little. What is happening? Is this a hostile audience? Did you just offend someone? Is there something in your teeth?

Before you go into a tailspin of doubt and worry, ask yourself if it is possible that you are dealing with a quiet audience. Audiences can be quiet for a number of reasons, many of them having absolutely nothing to do with you.

Many years ago I was working with a group from an energy company who didn’t respond to anything I said. They sat there passively until the first morning break. Over coffee I asked one woman about the “silent treatment.” “Oh,” she said, “it’s nothing personal, we just don’t like outside consultants very much.” I am not sure if that was supposed to make me feel better, but once I understood it, I relaxed, and once I did, they seemed to warm up too.

On another occasion I was conducting a workshop when a major layoff broke. People were being called out of the training and not returning. It was quickly obvious that this group was completely distracted and it wasn’t because of me at all. Luckily, once I learned what was happening I was able to adjuste the discussion—and my expectations.

So, when a group is quiet, take heart. They might be distracted, upset, tired, or just plain quiet.

That said, there are many things you can do to head off the silent treatment, for example:

Ask your sponsor. Recently a client confided that her group often started out quiet, but would eventually warm up and become quite talkative. Knowing that, I was in the room early and walked around the room meeting and chatting with people before the session started. At the kickoff of the session I asked people to write down their name, years of experience in training, and their goals for the day. I then asked them to circulate around the room, connecting with one person at a time, then moving on to another until they had shared this information with three other people. Once they were out of their chairs, the room exploded with energy. There were handshakes and hugs, and never a dull moment the whole day.

Start out interactive. If you do all the talking for the first hour, you will probably find it difficult to get much discussion going. Plan for some kind of interaction in the first fifteen minutes. I sometimes ask audience members for their thoughts even before I have talked about the agenda for the day. This way I signal that what they say and want is important. And if I reference their opinions in my description of the day, they know I have listened. All this makes it more likely that they will be willing to participate later.

Make it easy at first. Don’t ask the deepest, most challenging questions until you have built some trust and credibility with your audience. Ask an easy, non- threatening question, and then ask for a show of hands. Hold your hand up so they know you are looking for an answer. Wait for their response. Ask again if needed, nicely. Once you get the first response, it will be easier to get another.

Keep it safe. Don’t ask them to reveal too much, do a role play, or speak in front of a large group, at first. Start with a pair-share, or table discussion. Select topics that are challenging but not threatening.

Jot it down. Asking people to write down their answers first is a great technique, because it helps people to gather their thoughts first. If you see them writing down their thoughts, you know they have something to say.

Give positive feedback. When people do respond, find something good to say about their response. Thank them for their answer. Thank them for volunteering to speak. Words like “I am so glad you said that” or “I understand what you mean” go a long way toward encouraging others to speak. And do it with a smile, too. Essentially you are rewarding them for responding. (By the way, some leaders use candy to reward people for responding. I don’t. It feels a little too much like training dolphins to me. But if you think your audience might enjoy it, give it a try.)

Whatever you choose, make it easy and safe for your audience to get involved. Stay calm and positive. Enjoy.

P is for poise. What does poise mean to you? To me it is a calm, positive presence. It is quiet strength. It is a sense of ease and confidence. How do you acquire poise? One thing you should consider is your energy and how you use it. If your energy tends to be high (you speak fast, or loudly, you gesture and move a lot, and you are generally expressive) you may need to temper it, or better yet, balance it with some calmer aspect.

For example, if you gesture quite a lot, plant your feet and don’t move around much at all. The balance between energy/gestures and poise/stillness in feet can be highly effective.

If you talk loudly, balance that with times when you deliberately speak more softly. If you tend to talk very fast, work to insert more and longer pauses. Think “balance” in your energy.

Another way you obtain poise is by your focused thinking. If your mind is racing, you will likely feel and reflect a sense of being frazzled—the polar opposite of poise. Take time to focus your mind with breathing exercises or calming thoughts. Take a moment before your presentation to “center” yourself and let go of distractions or fear. Some people meditate; others pray or use an affirmation. Find out what works for you. Get clear-headed. Then move toward your audience with calm, open energy.

One more way to exhibit poise is when things go wrong. If you read “Oops” you heard some great ideas from my colleague Theresa. If you accept your imperfections, and handle yourself with grace and maybe a bit of humor you will be seen as poised.

P is for Persuasion. Some people think that the purpose of presenting is simply to provide facts to the audience. They forget that every presentation should have at least an element of persuasion; at the very least you are persuading the audience to listen and to respect what you are saying. Most often, you do have a recommendation or a point of view you are advocating. Not sure what it is? Go back and look at M is for Message.

Key questions to ask when preparing a presentation include:

• What do I want to say?
• What do I hope to accomplish?
• What do I want my audience to do, or think, or feel or remember when I am through?

If you aren’t sure what your message is, you can be sure your audience won’t either. So before you simply spout facts and statistics stop and think about the big picture. Your audience won’t remember all the details, so give them a clear, persuasive message that they can remember.

Here are some special tips to create more influence and persuasion in your communications.

• Do not reveal persuasive intent. Words like, “I am here to convince you” or something similar can put the audience in a defensive position. Instead, create a more neutral statement of fact, then back it up with the right argument, and let your audience persuade themselves.
• Tailor your persuasive elements. Know who your audience is and what their communication style is. Do they want facts and more facts? Do they need “proof?” Will a story or case study resonate more with them? Will they want to make a quick decision, or have time to think it over? Once you know their behavioral style you can tailor your communication accordingly.
• Get them talking. As one well-known trainer says, “people don’t argue with their own facts.” You may want to ask the audience to interact with one another, or with you, so that you can hear what they are thinking. Ask them questions, get them involved, and have them share their concerns and questions with you.
• Show both pros and cons. If you only show one side of the argument, the audience is sure to wonder why. Of course your side is stronger, which is why you are recommending it, but be sure you let the audience know you have looked at all sides.
• Give reasons. Even if your reasons aren’t the strongest, giving a reason for action strengthens your request. If you can show a good list of reasons, do it. A good rule of thumb is to have at least three good reasons.
• Use examples. Examples are like stories; they help the audience see the picture. They play to the emotions. They are memorable. If the picture is positive, be sure the audience can see themselves in the picture.
• Use third party evidence. Not just what you say, but what do others say? Third party research, testimonials or evidence can add credibility to your argument. Just be sure the sources you site are unbiased.

Being clear in your purpose, making strong recommendations, and backing them up with solid persuasive tactics can make you a more influential presenter.

As presenters, it is almost always wise to take a positive approach. Stress solutions when reporting on problems. Say what you will do, not what you won’t. Focus on supporting evidence, not concerns or doubts. But notice I said “almost always.” You knew there had to be a few exceptions to the rule, didn’t you? Here they are,

Three things you should never do in a presentation:

1. Ad-lib your opening and closing. The first minute and the last are so important you should script them. Or at least think them through carefully. Say them out loud two or three times to get a feel for how they flow. Or test them on a small group first. Or your cat.

2. Apologize. You may not consider yourself the supreme subject matter expert or maybe not even the best person to give the presentation (your boss asked you to fill in at the last minute) but resist the impulse to apologize before you even begin, or anytime. Unless you step on someone’s toes, or otherwise hurt someone, then by all means apologize!

3. Overload the audience. We love our loaded baked potatoes, but those overstuffed presentations are another matter. Keep it lean, mean, and leave them wanting a little more. So much better than having too much content and stuffing it in. Ugh! As you prepare your talk, consider ways to keep it lean while setting aside details you can delve into if time permits or questions arise. Deliberately create a presentation that uses 75-80% of your allotted time, preserving unhurried time for questions. If you should happen to finish a few minutes early, you will probably look like a hero to your busy audience.

In addition to avoiding these behaviors, N is for never letting anything get between you and your audience.

Barriers to avoid:

Don’t block the view. Don’t use a lectern unless you absolutely must. Don’t sit at a table to use the computer; instead use a remote presenter so you can get closer to the audience. Don’t turn to the slides, but keep your body facing the audience as much as you can.

Don’t hide your face. Push your hair away from your face. Keep beards and mustaches trimmed up neatly. If you wear glasses, choose those with lighter frames and untinted lenses.

Don’t allow distance. Don’t allow empty chairs in the front of the room. (I sometimes bribe audiences to sit up front.) In a long, narrow room, try to move to the side or walk to the back of the room from time to time. On stage, move toward the front or down onto the floor if you can.

Definitely, think and act in the most positive way you can. But never let these don’ts come between you and your audience.