When you are presenting to green and potential green audiences you will have a mixture of people in the audience. Some will be on your side and totally supportive of your messages, some will be indifferent and some will need plenty of convincing. This article highlights 7 suggestions to help you deliver presentations to audiences who need plenty of convincing.
Successful presenters are able to initially pace their audience and then lead them to where they want to take them. They do this by adapting their style and their content according to their audience. They realise that the presentation is not about them and their ego. It’s about their audience and taking them with you on the journey. They get in to pace with their audience, then lead them successfully. Pacing and leading.
7 suggestions for persuading your audience:
1. Get as much information as you can on your audience before you present to them
Use online tools such as Google, My space and Linked in to research your audience. Do some of them have blogs? The more you know about them the stronger position you will be in to influence them. Do they belong to groups and associations you may be affiliated with? By understanding your audience you will be in the best position to influence them. Knowledge is power. Do your homework. Who do you know in the audience who can provide you with more background on the attendees?
2. Position yourself, your background and your credibility to address this group
Don’t assume they all know who you are. If you are being introduced, email the person introducing you a note with how you would like to be introduced. Mention in the first 2 minutes of your presentation who you are, what you do, how you help others and critically the value you will be providing to the audience today. During your presentation refer to experiences you have had. Sprinkle regular interesting examples throughout your talk. I’d also suggest you mention that people can email you if they would like to receive a copy of your slides or access any of the reports / case studies you discuss. This is a powerful networking tool.
3. Challenge the non believers early in your presentation
Highlight examples when you have shifted your view on something and why this happened. Most of the time people want to remain consistent with their beliefs. Creating shifts in beliefs is no easy task. By highlighting how your own opinion changed as a result of an experience you had may encourage them to open their minds. I read a book earlier this year about an Afghani refugee who spent 3 years in Woomera Detention Centre. After reading his thoughts about beauracracy, strange customs and dealing with people he didn’t know, he made me question some of my long held assumptions. Your skill if you want to persuade others is to challenge them as to why they think the way they think. Open them up to fresh ideas.
4. Be genuine and sincere
Don’t try and be someone you’re not. The number one thing that audiences are seeking from a presenter is sincerity. They will believe you if they can see the sincerity in your body language, gestures and facial expressions. These need to be in sync with the words you are using. It is all about congruity. Great presenters are comfortable in who they are and the message they are presenting to their audience will then come across smoothly and naturally.
5. Challenge them to do something as a result of the presentation
Mention your website, a blog you read or write and future events or presentations you will be attending. Recall the Chinese proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step”. Ask the audience to email their opinions to you. Encourage people to make contact with you via email, Facebook, Linked in or over a drink at the end of the session if time permits. People rarely shift their opinion as a result of one event. It’s a series of steps. You can only take one step at a time.
6. Tell real stories about real projects, real buildings and real people
Use names, people, places and dates. Stories are a very powerful way of connecting with an audience and helping to shift their opinion. Selecting the best stories for your audience will depend on who is in your audience and the selection of stories you have access to. Great presenters are always looking out for fresh stories. Consider the last 2 projects you have been involved in. Are there not stories that could be told about those experiences?
7. Use clean and simple visuals
A picture paints a thousand words. Audiences can be moved by powerful visuals. People, metaphors, buildings, works in progress all make for great slides. Go easy on the bullet points. Recent research highlights that a message will be less effective if the presenter is speaking whilst presenting using bullet points. Put a bullet to your bullet points.
About the author:
Steve Herzberg is the Managing Director of NRG Solutions. He is regarded as one of Australia’s most effective presentation skills coaches. He works closely with the GBCA and many other clients helping presenters and potential presenters to fulfill their potential. For more information please email Steve at steve@nrgsolutions.com.au
When you listen to the news they use a standard formula.
Start: Headlines that capture your interest
Middle: Meat on the bones of the headlines
End: Recapping the main points again
When you are structuring a presentation you can apply a similar formula.
Hook
Grab your audience at the start by letting them know what’s in it for them. Remember it’s not about you, it’s all about them. You have to know your audience to be successful as a presenter.Let them know who you are and find a way of building rapport with them. People tend to be more easily influenced by people who are like them. Build common ground. Reduce difference. Get them enthusiastic about what you will be covering.
Structure
Let them know how long you will be presenting for and what you will be covering. You might suggest they hold their questions until the end as well. Suggest people turn off their phones. Let them know you will email through a copy of your slides to anyone who may want them.
Then tell them a great story that is relevant and linked to your content.
Present your content in the best order for your audience. 3 key messages is normally enough. Go with your best piece of content first. You decide the best way to structure your messages. Use examples, quotes, simple graphs, great images. Tell real stories.
Summarise and draw it all together. Handle the questions beautifully.
Finally recommend the next steps. When, how, who. Show of hands? Who’s in? Who needs a bit more time?
Thank them for their time and their feedback.
So just recapping the main points again.
When you present, have a strong beginning that engages your audience, a clear middle that outlines your points and arguments and a great ending leading to actions.
Watch how skilled presenters answer questions
“I can’t really comment on that , but what I can say is this…. “
Have you ever noticed how experienced presenters can effortlessly glide from the question to the answer?
It’s like watching a bird land on a skinny branch. Something appearing complicated and threatening made to look effortless.
What experienced presenters do is utilise a variety of techniques to make the complex seem simple. You can try them.
These include:
Be clear on what you want to say prior to be asked questions. Use transitions to get you out of any tight spot. “I’d love to comment on that, but in fact what I really want to stress is this…”
or
“I can’t totally agree with that comment but what I can say is this…..”
Allow time to let the question land (say 2 seconds) . Accept the question non verbally (head nodding, smiling) and then verbally.
“Thanks for that question Julie, it’s something that often comes up when I present on this topic”
Repeat or rephrase the question if need be to allow you time to gather your thoughts.
Answer the question, use someone else in the room to answer it or defer the answer depending on the circumstances.
Above all else , stay calm and relaxed. You only have to look at a presenter to tell if they know their stuff.
Keep your answers relatively brief and prepare for the types of questions you could receive and some potential answers prior to any presentation you give.
Oh, one final thought. If you don’t know the answer, mention that you need to look into that and will come back to them. It isn’t a crime not to know everything about a topic.
Check out this article for some more tips on presenting and how to persuade an audience.
http://www.nrgsolutions.com.au/index.php/steve-herzberg/steve-herzberg-articles/
Steve Herzberg’s 10 best tips for delivering persuasive presentations
1. Focus on your key message and repeat it over and over and over again. Use it running through all your slides if you choose to use slides. Make sure the key message is a benefit to the audience
2. Know your content inside out. Do your homework on your audience as well. What will they want to get from this presentation
3. Tell real stories about real people / clients. Each story should have a problem they faced, an outcome they wanted and how you were able to assist them to achieve that outcome.
4. Use statistics to support your argument. 88% of statistics may well be made up or unsubstantiated. People still remember them. Try and support your statistics with the source
5. Start every presentation with a powerful hook. Use the 3 R’s at the start of every presentation.
Rapport - Find common ground. Receptivity - make them thirsty about what is coming up and why it will benefit this audience. Reason - be very clear about the reason we are all here today. What will this presentation achieve?
6. Structure your content in a clear, easy to follow fashion. 3 key messages are enough. Any more and they’ll struggle to recall anything. Any less and they may feel short changed.
7. Use regular response checks throughout the presentation to keep the audience engaged. “Have you ever noticed…?” “Can I ask you to picture this…,?” “Can I get a show of hands of the 3 ideas I’ve just suggested, who prefers the first, the second, the third?” “Take a guess. How many of ourcurrent customers …?”
8. If you must use PowerPoint slides try the 10/20/30 formula. 10 slides maximum, 20 minutes duration, 30 as the minimum font size.
9. Handle questions in a clear and concise fashion. Use techniques for dealing with them. Assess the type of question you being asked before jumping in with an answer. Are you being challenged? Do they need further information on something? Is the questioner just flexing his / her ego?
10. Clearly define the next steps at the end of the presentation. Who’s in? Who needs more time? What is a realistic time line? Why can’t we move this forward?
Steve Herzberg is one of Australia’s most engaging and persuasive presenters. He works with clients including
Lend Lease, ANZ Bank, IAG and Fitness First. He helps their staff understand how to get their message across.
For more information on Steve and NRG Solutions please go to www.nrgsolutions.com.au
