When giving a Presentation, what is the biggest obstacle to connecting with your audience?

In a recent LinkedIn post Ritzya Mitchell, The “Drama” queen at http://www.thedramacoach.com/index2.html asked:

When giving a Presentation, what is the biggest obstacle to connecting with your audience?

Here is my response:

 

Hi Ritzya,

I believe the biggest obstacle to connecting with your audience is focusing on you rather than the audience.

Focusing on what you are going to say, and how you are going to say it, and how you are going to look as a result of saying it, rather than what impact your message will have on your audience.

When I stopped worrying about me and started focusing on my audience, I found that I could relax more and then really connect with my audience.

The next biggest obstacle is not making enough meaningful eye contact with your audience members. And by meaningful eye contact, I am talking about looking at and talking directly to one audience member for a sentence or two and then moving on to another audience member. Not the quick side to side scan (that makes your head look like a typewriter) or the looking over people’s heads.

Look people in the eye and care about how your gift (message) is going to impact them and you will have no trouble connecting with your audience.

I hope this helps.

Making a difference,
Richard Elmes CSP
The Sales Dating Guy
www.RichardElmes.com

Profits vs. People: The Key to Reducing Employee Turnover

After writing the post titled: The Key to Reducing Employee Turnover http://relmes.wordpress.com/2008/08/24/the-key-to-reducing-employee-turnover/ I found this quote from Mary Kay Ash founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics http://www.marykay.ca/en/, one of the largest and most successful direct selling organizations in the world:

“Of course I’m concerned about profits and losses. I just don’t give them top priority. If you treat people right, they will work more efficiently and the profits will come in.” - Mary Kay Ash

It sounds like smart advice from a very smart business leader.

The Key to Reducing Employee Turnover

Employee turnover is crippling many organizations.

Here are some thoughts on this subject from Leigh Branham, Author of the book titled: Keeping the People who Keep you in Business. http://www.keepingthepeople.com/ (excellent book)

_________________________________

Which is more expensive, the cost of doing the things necessary to retain your most valuable people, or the cost of losing and replacing those people?

The companies that achieve dramatic reductions in turnover are often the ones at which the top executive or owner makes the commitment to do something about it.

When the CEO is committed, the organization usually falls in line.

If your CEO is not committed enough to retaining the right people as a long-term business strategy, it may be only because he or she has not yet realized the cost implications and long-term business consequences of continuing turnover. If you run the numbers, most CEO’s and CFO’s, of course will pay attention to them.

____________________________________

In my experience, I have found this to be true, because as I often say,

“The number one sport in business is watching the boss.”

And when the boss see something as important, the employees take it a lot more seriously.

How to create Powerful Introductions

I asked him, “So what do you do?” and he replied, “I sell insurance.”

How boring!! In a previous post (you can check it out here http://relmes.wordpress.com/2008/03/06/how-to-become-more-effective-at-networking-events-part-9/ ) I wrote about how to develop your audio-business card and why doing so in a way that differentiates you from your competition can positively impact how you are perceived.

Remember, “Your customer’s perception is your reality.”

I am currently reading an excellent book titled: Becoming Preferred - How to Outsell your Competition by Michael Vickers. http://www.michaelvickers.com/ 

Here is what her wrote (I love, this section) about Creating your Introduction.

_____________________________________________________________

Your Introduction

The most important thing you can do in formulating a powerful introduction is to first define the benefits of what you do rather than simply describing what you do. For example, let us say that I sell insurance. You meet me at a local watering hole and during the course of our conversation you ask me what I do for a living. I reply,

“I sell insurance.”

Do you need any more information?

Do you feel like introducing me to all of your friends?

Do you get an overwhelming urge to invite me home for dinner and develop a relationship with me?

I don’t think so. Let’s face it, there is nothing wrong with selling insurance, it is just that you have been there and done that! Saying you sell insurance does not create excitement not does it create interest.

A number of years ago i was in a golf tournament. During the course of the tournament I struck up a conversation with a professional looking gentleman whom I had not met before.

The initial conversation was polite and then I asked him what he did for a living. He replied,

“I am a golf fund specialist”

That caught my curiousity and I replied, “What do you mean a golf fund specialist?” “Well, ” he said, “I help executives enjoy the game of Golf today and well into their retirement.” “How do you do that?” I asked, He then stated, “I would love to show your how I do it. If you give me your business card I will be happy to give you a call and perhaps we can continue this conversation over coffee.”

Am I interested in meeting with this person? Absolutely.

Guess what he does for a living?

He sells insurance!

The products he sells are financial products, but the benefit of what he sells is financial security. His marketing target is the business professional who golfs.

The market has thousands of insurance agents and financial planners, but how many “golf fund specialists” do you know?

“It is not what you do that counts, but the benefit of what you do.” - Michael Vickers

_______________________________________________________________________

Now that is what I call a sexy introduction!!!

Valuing the “Golden Moments” in our life

You could tell that she was fighting back the tears.

No, they were not tears of sadness.

No, they were not tears of shame.

But instead they were tears of joy and tears of relief.

Years of training, years of practice and years of competitions led to this moment.

This was her moment to shine.

This was the moment that Shawn Johnson, http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/5/221035.shtml the 16 yr. old gymnast from the United States of America had dreamed about for years.

This was the moment when Shawn Johnson, the Olympic Gold Medalist in the (2008 Beijing Summer Olympics) Women’s Gymnastics Beam Event heard her national anthem being played because of her accomplishment. http://gymnastics.teamusa.org/news/article/5749

Can you imagine what it would be like, if that was you?

Can you imagine how proud you would be?

Proud of the effort, proud of the accomplishment and proud of the commitment that you put into having this experience. 

I can only imagine how much I would value the experience.

“We place value on things in the same proportion as it took to acquire it.” -Richard Elmes

And I am sure that Shawn will cherish that moment for the rest of her life.

This makes me think about whether I cherish the “Golden Moments” in my life.

The “Golden Moment” when I make the big sale, the “Golden Moment” when I make the big presentation or the “Golden Moment” where I can influence others in a leadership role.

Do you cherish those “Golden Moments” in your life?

Not only when we achieve success at work, but when we achieve a success with our spouse or kids.

I think this is a lesson that most people tend to fall short of. So next time you experience a “Golden Moment” remember all the hard work that it took to get to that point. And then be like Shawn Johnson and be proud of your accomplishment. Because you deserve it.

What was the best career advice for me?

Guustaff Vocking, a partner at SARV & AIMS International a Management Consulting and Coaching firm in the Netherlands recently asked this question on LinkedIn:

What was the best career advice for you?

Here is what I wrote:

Hi Gustaff,

The Best career advice ever is to never stop learning.
And in my learning I have picked up a few other gems, such as:

1. The key to business is personal relationships.
2. Give more value for your work than the money you are paid. That way you will be viewed as an Investment and not a Cost.
3. “You can get anything you want in life, as long as you help enough other people get what they want.” -Zig Ziglar

I hope this helps.

Making a difference,

Richard Elmes CSP
The Sales Dating Guy
www.RichardElmes.com

From the eyes of the Gatekeeper: What not to do during a Sales Meeting

Many years ago I asked Pam Hughes, a savvy executive Assistant to the President of a local company , to speak to one of my Sales Training classes.

My purpose of inviting her was to give the sales professionals in my class the opportunity to hear what it is like from the other side of the desk. What the sales experience was like from the eyes of the gatekeeper.

What follows are a list of things she doesn’t recommend that a Sales person do:

1. Don’t waste the receptionist’s time by schmoozing and beating around the bush - get to the point

2. “No” means no - there are times that you will be unable to meet with someone when you want. When someone says “no”, ask if you could call again and ask for an appropriate time frame.

3. Don’t be offended if they say they are not interested in your product of service - because someone else will.

4. Don’t have an attitude if you don’t get your way. You are representing the company that you are working for and want to leave a professional impression on the people that you are speaking with.

More great advice, thanks Pam!

From the eyes of the Gatekeeper: Do’s and Don’ts of Sales Meetings

Many years ago I asked a savvy executive Assistant to the President of a local company , Pam Hughes speak to one of my Sales Training classes.

My purpose of inviting her was to give the sales professionals in my class the opportunity to hear what it is like from the other side of the desk. What the sales experience was like from the eyes of the gatekeeper.

What follows are a list of actions (Do’s) that she recommended that sales professional take:

1. Look polished and act professional
2. Be polite and warm
3. Use proper English (or whatever language your customer speaks)
4. Be brief - everyone is busy
5. Realize that the person you are meeting with is giving you some of his/her valuable time
6. Be organized and concise
7. Be able to say what you want within 20 minutes
8. Know how your product will be the perfect fit for the company and save money; therefore, it is important to know some of the history of the company you are visiting.
9. If you promise to send the customer additional information - make sure you do it ASAP.
10. Follow-up on all sales calls

Great advice!

In my next blog I will share with you the things on her Don’t list.

The number one characteristic of a great sales leader

The following question was recently posed on LindedIn by  Jaime Davis-Thomas,  Director of Research & Publications at EcSELL Institute http://ecsellinstitute.net/:

What are the characteristics of a great sales leader?

Here was my answer:

Hi Jaime,

The number one characteristic of a great sales leader is that they care.

They care about helping solve their customer’s problems,
They care about building their business,
They care about supporting their family
and they care about doing it the right way.

Making a difference,

Richard Elmes CSP
The Sales Dating Guy
www.RichardElmes.com

How to get more brain-power out of your people

It didn’t take much effort on her part, but it meant the world to me.

I was recently in a brainstorming meeting where I presented several original ideas.

After the meeting was over, the director of the meeting sent everyone an email outlining the key points in the meeting and what our next steps would be.

Also in this email she included two words that most managers would consiously or unconsiously leave out.

Those words were “thanks Richard”.

Although it may not seem like much, that little acknowledgement will produce big results.

In those two words she not only told me that she appreciated my ideas, but also told me that I would be recognized and rewarded for giving those ideas.

“What get recognized and rewarded, gets repeated.”

And now that I know that my she is not going to steal my ideas and pass them off as her own, (Like some people would in order to make themselves look good in front of others) I will feel more comfortable and willing to share other great ideas in the future.

All from two simple words.

Who said leading people was difficult.

And one final thing, “Thanks Deborah” for the great example of effective leadership.