PCCA Journal 3rd Quarter 2013 - page 19

PCCA Journal|3
rd
Quarter 2013
19
“B
ut I’m not a speaker—I don’t need
speaking skills!” are words I hear
from many PCCA members. Not to
be a contrarian, but I beg to differ.
As leaders, you are the voice of
your company and your industry. Whether you are attempt-
ing to lead a meeting, win the contract, or negotiate with
utility providers, your ability to present your message in a
clear, concise, and compelling way can make the difference
between gaining support or walking away empty handed.
And what about your employees? Do you inspire them to
be salespeople for your company? Because, let’s face it, we’re
all in sales. Do your strategy sessions bring a fresh approach
to old issues? Do your meetings get the job done and make
the best use of your employees’ time? If your company is suc-
cessful, it is because you are a presenter, speaker, facilitator,
and salesperson—whether you like the title or not.
Now more than ever, audiences are easily distracted, less
engaged, and bored to death with what I like to call a “power
pointless presentation.” The good news is that when you
have the skills to hold your audience’s attention, you have
the perfect platform to share ideas, generate buy-in, promote
teamwork, and close more sales.
This article aims to give you some food for thought, skills
to practice, and guidelines to incorporate in your next presen-
tation—whether it is behind closed doors or at the podium
before a large audience. The following ideas apply to meet-
ings, training, and formal or informal presentations, includ-
ing sales presentations.
1. Begin with the end in mind.
Before making any kind of
presentation, answer the following questions:
a. What do I want this group to know that they did not
know or may have forgotten?
b. How do I want the audience to feel after this presenta-
tion?
c. What do I want the group to do differently because
they have heard this information?
d. What would happen if everyone who hears this mes-
sage took action and implemented the ideas?
Answering these questions can significantly impact the long-
term outcomes of a presentation. By spending time on these
four questions prior to conducting the presentation or facilitat-
ing a meeting, you will increase the likelihood of a succinct
and clear message that is designed for a specific group.
2. Identify your core message.
This is the most important
step you can take in preparing any kind of presentation.
The core message is the central theme of your presenta-
tion. It is more than a slogan and can be a call to action,
a guarantee, or a new direction. Your core message
should complete this sentence, “If you leave here today
with only one thing, this is it....” Then follow this state-
ment with a bold statement like: “To stay competitive,
we must reduce costs.” “Safety is our first priority.” “We
guarantee on-time completion.” “You have a solid future
with our company.” The importance of a core message
cannot be emphasized enough. It is the foundation of any
presentation.
3. Create three key points to support your core message.
You might be asking yourself, “Why three?” Three points
are memorable, repeatable, and help organize your lis-
tener’s thinking.
4. Craft your content for each point.
There are several
ways to do this, and the following is an easy model:
a. L - what is the learning (or supporting) point? “In
order to achieve our goals we need to....”
b. O - what is your observation supporting this point? “I
realized that this is critical because....”
c. V - what is the value of this point to the listener? “This
is important to you because....”
d. E - engage and enthuse the audience. Share anecdotes,
Speak Like a Pro!
Your best strategy for influencing people, leading teams, and promoting your ideas, products, and services
By Dr. Shirley Garrett
Continued on page 20
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