Your audience has three main styles of learning.
• Visual – Seeing something.
• Auditory – Hearing something.
• Kinesthetic – Doing something.
We use all three to different degrees. Nothing is good or bad. It is what it is.
For speakers, if more than one of these styles can be addressed to convey your message, the odds they’ll GET IT! are dramatically increased.
Depending upon their time slot, speakers at the recent National Political Conventions, were seen and heard by thousands to millions of people.
What an amazing time to showcase themselves and their presentation skills! What a fantastic item to add to their resumes!
My mantra is: “Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities!”
Obviously, another Speaking Opportunity that could be added to that list is Political Opportunities.
To be on a national stage, at an extremely important event, is something most of us only dream of doing.
Here are a few points about this, and other personal stories:
• They’re true!
It really happened so it’s easy to retell to make the point that Presentation Skills can be learned and the Fear of Public Speaking lessened.
• When they’re told, you haven’t heard it before.
Too many stories are about famous people who’s accomplishments we’ve heard time after time.
Edison’s persistance, Lincoln’s overcoming depression, Michael Jordon being cut from his high scholl basketball team, etc., are all great stories, but not new to many audiences.
Telling a story that others have heard is a good way to lose an audience.
• The Key to having this story, and others used to reinforce a points of a presentation is to be, as they say in Yoga, “Always present and in the moment.”
When those stories occur, in real time, capture them, and place them in the hard drive of your brain, so when you need a personal story support a point, you can retrieve that file!
Who wants Good? I don’t!
Do you want: Good coffee, a Good meal, or a Good spouse? NO!
You want: a Great cup of coffee, a Fabulous meal, and an Incredible spouse – Correct!
Let’s Look at Speakers:
Many are Not Very Good.
Who wants to waste time watching and listening to them?
A lesser number of speakers are Good.
Again, do you want Good Coffee?
Few speakers are Very Good!
These are the speakers who are perceived as Experts.
Perception is reality, and we like to work with Experts.
These people grow their businesses, advance their careers, and increase their leadership roles.
In the Group Scenario, without infringing on the time other presenters are allocated, we want to give an Elevator Speech that clearly tells attendees:
Who we are.
What we do.
Who is a prospect.
Something that gives us credibility and distinguishes us from others in our field.
The Individual, Face-To-Face situation and Goal is different.
When it comes to Presenting, get Uncomfortable!
If you always speak standing in back of a lectern,
Get out from behind it the next time you speak.
You’ll find that it forms a physical and emotional barrier between you and the audience. Without it, you’ll make a better connection with them.
If you usually read your presentation or use bullet points,
Try using a Mind Map.
A Mind Map is a visual, non-linear brainstorming tool that uses pictures, symbols, and colors.
