The Missing Link in Presentations

Are you wondering why your audience isn’t excited? Or why they’re not sold on your ideas at meetings? Most presenters work hard to craft and deliver their sales presentations. So why don’t they get the results they desire?

They know the content backwards and forwards. They reveal what they think is great about their ideas or products. There’s no question they can’t answer. These presenters bring their A game with dynamic delivery. On the surface, it’s a good presentation. Yet, there’s no momentum. Too often public speakers think from their own point of view. 

These presenters forgot to connect the head and heart!

Consider these two acronyms. WIIFM and WSIC.

The first step is to answer the question, What’s In It For Me, meaning the audience. What’s important to them? It doesn’t matter if you have the most clever idea or the best product unless it meets their needs. And that’s where most presenters stop. The challenge is that you’re addressing needs but not tapping into why. WSIC means Why Should I Care? This is the dream or outcome of receiving those benefits. We’re talking about emotions. There is motion in the word emotion. The audience will take action when your message taps into their emotions.

It’s about connecting what they’ll gain with the impact of the benefits.

Benefit  (Head)                       Impact (Heart)

Save time                                More family events

Save money                           Buy the vacation property

Lose weight                            Look good and fit into your new clothes

Everybody wants to save time, money and be healthy. But their reasons may vary. Recall the last time you were excited about a purchase. Was your excitement about the product or how it made you feel? We’re more easily convinced by emotion than by logic but we need both.

A friend told a story about his trip to the car dealership. He was interested in a sports car. He loved the car but it came with a high price tag. The sales person told him to sit behind the wheel. He then said, “It makes you feel cool, doesn’t it?” My friend bought the car. He tapped into his emotions.

By translating what they’ll learn from you to why it’s important to them, you’ll connect the head and heart. And that is the missing link.

 Anybody can give a Knockout Presentation. Avoid these 6 mistakes and take your presentation from dull to dynamic!

My presentations, training , coaching and books are available virtually. It’s easy to find me to discuss your needs. Email diane@diresta.com. Subscribe to my youtube channel Or call: 917 803-8663

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7 Tips to Present on the Witness Stand.

You’re going to court. The thought of going to court can stress anybody out. Add that you’re going to be on the witness stand, and the fear of public speaking gets triggered.

The outcome of a case can be strongly influenced by the testimony of the witnesses. So how do you present yourself credibly in court?

Keep these public speaking tips in mind before you take the stand:

1.       Practice out loud and record yourself. Your attorney will train you in being a witness and you’ll be a better presenter when you know your message points. Rehearsing at home will give you confidence.

2.       Look at the jury. If your eyes look up before you answer, you’ll appear less credible and knowledgeable. The audience is the jury so talk to one person at a time. Make an eye connection. Looking someone in the eye denotes trustworthiness.

3.       Reduce non-words. Fillers like /um/ /you know/ /like/ will cause you to sound unprepared. Don’t be afraid of silence. Confident presenters pause. You don’t have to answer immediately. Think before you speak.

4.       Check your appearance. Your attire communicates a message. A jury can be swayed by the way you look. Be sure clothes are pressed, shoes are polished and your clothing is appropriate for the case.

5.      Speak clearly and naturally. Take your time and pace yourself. Avoid mumbling and be conversational. You’ll be believable by being yourself.

6.       Know when to stop. If the judge or attorneys interrupt, stop speaking.

7.       Get to the point. You’ll lose the jury if you give too many details or go down a rabbit hole. Stay on topic. Answer the question that was asked. Be brief.

To hear tips on presenting in court, watch my interview.

My presentations, training , coaching and books are available virtually. It’s easy to find me to discuss your needs. Email diane@diresta.com. DM me at twitter @speakingpro. Or call: 917 803-8663

Here Come Da Judge: Succeeding in Virtual Court

You many have your day in court but it’s probably not going to be at a courthouse near you.   There’s a greater likelihood that you’ll be in virtual court and that requires a new set of skills.  The Honorable Gustavo A. Gelpí & Honorable Julie Kunce Field delivered a presentation entitled Holding Virtual Court: A Conversation with Two Judges.

During the conversation they shared insights about holding court during a pandemic, the advantages and disadvantages of virtual court, their expectations, and recommendations.

In discussing some of the challenges, they revealed that people may not be tech savvy. In order to mitigate this issue they recommended that anyone appearing in court should request a practice session with a court officer prior to their hearing. Another challenge is controlling noise and conversation and for that reason, the judges mute everybody. Acknowledging the limitations of body language on a virtual platform, they requested that participants display a waist shot for the camera when in their courtrooms.. And speaking of cameras, the judges preferred Webex over Zoom for security reasons. In open court, where anybody can sit in, each person observing was expected to identify themselves.

Their advice to lawyers was that the skills that work in a physical courtroom don’t translate to the virtual world. The flamboyant lawyers who bang on the desk, and continually interrupt, don’t fare well in this environment. Legal presentations must adapt to the virtual environment. Although remote communication was thrust upon all of us, the judges reported that in many cases virtual court was successful. Saving time was touted as one of the biggest benefits of virtual court especially for a lawyer who would have to travel for a couple of hours to attend a 15 minute meeting. The situation where virtual court was not appropriate was where a jury was required. But in non-jury court hearings, an expert can be easily brought in from any geographic region, saving travel time and costs.

Both judges predicted the future will be hybrid court for it’s convenience. Major trials will be held in person, but in other situations the virtual platform will be beneficial in settling legal cases.

Virtual court is not just for lawyers and judges. You never know when you’ll need to appear to challenge a summons or handle a landlord tenant dispute. The virtual world is not going away. Master virtual presentation skills and you’ll have a better chance of winning your case. To learn how to be a knockout virtual presenter, visit www.diresta.com

My presentations, training and coaching are available virtually. It’s easy to find me to discuss your needs. Email diane@diresta.com. DM me at twitter @speakingpro. Or call: 917 803-8663

Stop Saying Um in 6 Steps

Clients ask me all the time, “How do I get rid of my ums? Why do they care? We all use a few ums. I certainly do. But when you consistently say um and ah it can have negative effects.

I heard an Ivy League professor give a lecture online. It was an interesting topic except that he continually punctuated his talk with um. I lost interest.

Here’s the negative impact of using too many ums.

Loss of credibility. The audience expects a credentialed speaker to be effective.  Too many ums can make a seasoned speaker sound like an amateur.

Loss of attention. People will listen for just so long before they get bored and tune out.

Loss of message. If the audience checks out mentally, your message doesn’t get through. They lose information and you lose influence.

The good news is you can change all that. You’re not sentenced to a life of vocal tics. Here is a roadmap for eliminating ums.

Awareness. Why do people keep repeating the same habits and patterns? Because they lack self awareness. Change happens once people hear themselves. When I echo back a non-word or filler, clients will ask “Did I just say um?” They don’t hear it!!! Record yourself and tally the number of ums in your 1 to 3 minute talk. Now you have a baseline.

Negative practice. Next, choose a topic and deliberately say a lot of ums. Why? The natural inclination is to avoid saying um and that creates more hesitations, stops and starts, and nervousness. Don’t resist. Say as many ums as you can.

Look for patterns.  Identify the types of fillers or nonwords you use. Is it  um, ah, you know, okay like, basically? Some people start every sentence with um. If that’s you, cancel the sentence. Stop, count to three and say it again without an um. Do you say um right before a difficult word? If that’s your pattern, during your rehearsal, substitute a simpler word

Master the pause. Practice the same topic but this time, stop and pause. Why is so hard to pause? Most people are afraid of silence. When you finish a sentence come to a complete stop and don’t say anything. Allow for a silence. Exaggerate the silence. It takes practice to tolerate silence. Don’t speak until you can start the next sentence without saying um. Remember, the power is in the pause.

Rehearse. After working with thousands of presenters, I’ve seen a decrease in ums after rehearsals. The more you practice and the more you know your message, the more fluent you’ll become.

Accountability. Changing behavior requires continual practice and monitoring. Find an accountability partner or hire a coach. They can tally the number of ums during your meetings and presentations.  Instead of guessing you’ll have real time data.

Slipping up with an occasional filler or nonword in your presentations will barely be noticeable. But if your audience starts counting them, that’s an issue. Practice these 6 steps and you’ll be fluent in no time. For more tips, read Knockout Presentations.

My presentations, training and coaching are available virtually. It’s easy to find me to discuss your needs. Email diane@diresta.com.   DM me at twitter @speakingpro. Or call: 917 803-8663

Q&A: How to Face a Firing Squad without Being Shot

My clients often fear the Question and Answer session. They feel anxious and unprepared because they don’t know what will be asked. They know their content but don’t know how to organize it in the moment. For some public speakers a Q&A session is akin to facing a firing squad.

Recently, I saw a news clip of a politician being grilled by a reporter. It was obvious that the agenda was to make him look bad. The reporter cited a litany of complaints and asked why these issues were not resolved. The politician jumped in and proceeded to answer the question. The reporter interrupted him and accused him of not letting her finish. He responded with “You asked me Why. I’m answering your question.”

She cut him off and continued to highlight issues and shortcomings.

The politician interjected, “Are you asking a question or giving a speech?” (He knew her agenda was to highlight the negative). He finished by explaining that he delegated the process to the experts who were better equipped to make decisions for their industry than the government.

He never lost control because he practiced positive public speaking principles for handling difficult audiences.

1. He listened but didn’t let the questioner ramble. He cut in and began to answer. Another alternative to interrupting is to say “What is the question?”

2. When she continued to dominate the platform with a soliloquy he challenged her. When a questioner won’t get to the point, the moderator or speaker can say, “Please be brief.” Or summarize, “What I understand your question to be is… “ and then answer the question.

3. He gave a clear explanation without apology or emotion. He confidently held his ground. It’s not effective to get angry with a questioner.

   Not all questioners are hostile or have an underlying agenda. Some audience members simply have trouble getting to the point. So help them out and stay calm, cool, and collected.

   The Q&A session is a forum for you to underscore your points, clarify your message, and provide information to the audience.

   The next time you’re on the firing line use these tips to ricochet those heat seeking questions and emerge unsinged.

Communication and Public speaking is a vital component of executive presence. Diane DiResta coaches executives to be influential public speakers. Companies hire Diane to deliver keynote speeches, seminars and workshops to train their teams in effective communication and leadership skills. Contact Diane

Talk to the Teleprompter

Do you have trouble staying on message? Do you lose your train-of-thought? Do you remember an important point after your presentation is over? No worries. It’s the teleprompter to the rescue.

Teleprompters are no longer just for broadcasters. Today’s presenters need broadcasting skills and there are times when a teleprompter will serve you well. You can download teleprompter apps for your phone and computer that will enable you to write your presentation and read it while filming a video.

Video presentations are more important than ever-especially for interviews. Imagine how you’ll stand out on linkedin and other social media platforms when you share your expertise in a short video. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or work for a company, your ability to present yourself is essential to your success. You can create a video to build your brand, gain visibility, present an idea, pitch yourself as the ideal job candidate, or thank the interviewer afterwards.

Using a teleprompter will enable you to look your best and impress the audience. So here are a few tips when using a teleprompter.

Write for the ear, not for the eye. Use natural everyday language so that you sound like yourself. For example, use contractions to sound less formal. Use shorter, action words. Rehearse out loud. Does it sound like a speech or does it sound like you?

Format your script. Use bolding, highlighting, underlining, and capitals to emphasize certain words or phrases. Use a forward slash / to indicate a pause, and a double slash // to indicate a longer pause. Use a font that’s easy to see but not so large that it takes up the whole screen. Write out names or difficult words phonetically.

Frame yourself. Choose a simple, clean background that doesn’t compete with you and your message. Choose a head shot or waist shot to create more intimacy. A full body shot will look more formal and create more distance between you and your audience. Also, the words may be harder to read at a distance.

Master eye contact. The goal is to see the script but to appear as if you’re looking at the audience. This takes practice. Don’t move your eyes from left to right or you’ll look like you’re reading. Test your eye contact by doing several takes. Usually, looking at the top line will work. You’ll need to experiment to look natural. It shouldn’t be obvious that you’re using a teleprompter.

Adjust the speed. If the words fly by too fast, you’ll speed up and sound nervous. If the words scroll one at a time you’ll sound boringly slow. The average speaking rate is 150 words per minute. You’ll want to test the right speaking rate and also vary your intonation. The speed should allow enough time to pause. Marking up the script will help add color and energy to the voice.

Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. It takes a lot of preparation and practice to master the teleprompter. When you do, you’ll sound natural without missing a beat.

Lessons from the Debates for Public Speakers

Debates are not just for politicians. Debates happen in meetings, in schools, and in personal settings when sparring with a friend. There are techniques from debates that apply to win others to a different point of view. While everyday situations don’t follow formal debate rules, we can take a lesson from watching debates.

Staging is important. The decision to stand or sit can have an impact on the process. Standing will definitely increase energy; however a seated position will create a more intimate feeling and will work to control more volatile personalities. In a meeting or panel discussion, be intentional about seating order.

Show some passion. How you speak is as important as what you say. The best idea won’t land unless it’s spoken with conviction. Soft spoken people need to push their energy.

Mind your facial expressions. In a contentious debate, it’s common for the opponents to smirk, shake their head, or roll their eyes. On a panel, or in a meeting this is unacceptable. Be cognizant of too much smiling. Even when smiling is meant to be condescending to the person speaking, it can backfire. This is especially true for women because of a double standard. Use it sparingly. It’s better to discredit the other person with logical statements and evidence.

Respect the rules. As in a debate, meetings and panel discussions are timed. When presenters interrupt or go over their time, it’s disrespectful to the listeners. Cut off interrupters by saying, “Excuse me, I wasn’t finished.” “My time isn’t up.” “Let me finish my point.” “Please don’t interrupt.” Talking over someone to shut them down, will cause valuable ideas and information to be lost. And the listeners will feel resentful.

The moderator is EVERYTHING. A debate is only as good as the moderator. The role of the moderator is to establish rules and expectations, manage the timing, make transitions, ask thought provoking questions, keep the debate focused, and manage personalities. A debate or meeting can quickly derail if the moderator is weak. And a lackluster moderator can create a boring experience. Be sure to vet the moderator and choose the most skilled, confident and versatile person to lead the debate or meeting.