10 Tips For Giving a Virtual Presentation

Posted on April 15, 2020April 9, 2020 by Wendy Warman MS CCC

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Before your presentation:

Consider the background your audience will see. Make it professional looking and avoid distracting pictures and objects.
Dress professionally.
Eliminate as much as possible any chance of a distraction or noise to disrupt your presentation.
Make sure your face and or your body if standing, is well lit. Have the lighting in front of you not behind you. Don’t sit or stand with your back to a window.
Place something behind your computer that no one else can see that will remind you that you have an audience. A friend of mine shared that his 10-year-old daughter placed a stuffed animal behind her laptop as an “audience” to engage with.
If you sit, sit on the front half of your chair and keep your feet flat on the floor. This will also help with your breathing and keeps you anchored in front of the screen.

During your presentation:

Connect with your audience before diving into your presentation.
Make sure your delivery uses both your gestures and voice to keep your audience engaged. Using gestures that match your message (keep them in the camera view) and vocal expression and inflections will keep you connected with your audience.
Remember to tell stories, give examples, ask questions, pause and ask for comments every few minutes to keep interest high.
Stand up if possible. This allows you to breathe more deeply than when sitting and will keep you from slouching in front of your computer.

Take care and be well.

Wendy

Public speaking and business communication skills are the skills SmarTalkers can provide to you through our coaching and training opportunities. Visit our website www.smartalkers.com or contact Wendy Warman: wendy@smartalkers.com for more information.

Do You Have The “What If” Syndrome”?

Posted on March 25, 2020March 24, 2020 by Wendy Warman MS CCC

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“I know I’m the expert on my topic. I’ve worked hard on the design and practiced my delivery, but I always think before presenting, what if..?”

After hearing this from a new client of mine I asked her why she felt the “what if ” syndrome? Her reply was, “I don’t know. I just always feel this way.”

What about you? After you have designed and practiced your delivery of a presentation, do the “what if’s” begin to creep in?

The “what if” syndrome is a certain way to sabotage the success of your presentation, cause unnecessary anxiety, and cause you to second guess your presentation skills to make a successful presentation.

When preparing your next presentation, I invite you to ask yourself:

Do I have a clear objective for my presentation? In other words, have I answered the question, what do I want my audience to DO, not think, as a result of it?
Have I done an in-depth audience analysis audit to ensure my presentation is focused on my audience’s needs and wants and not what I think they want or need to know?
Have I added stories, examples, or analogies that support my main ideas which will keep my audience interested?
Do I have an attention-getting opening that does NOT begin with “Thank you for having me speak to you,” and a closing that shows your audience you’ve come full circle?

These are just a few questions that need to be answered “yes” in order for you to eliminate the “what if’s” from your mind.

In my book “Loud and Clear: How to Prepare and Deliver Effective Business and Technical Presentations”, there’s a six-step process, when diligently followed ensures your success in designing and delivering an effective presentation that will get you the results you want and your audience will feel it’s been worth their time listening to you.

Loud and Clear’s practical step by step process has helped over a quarter of a million people present their message with confidence, clarity, and connection.

Check out the blog post on my website to see the six steps explained in detail.

And now the rest of my client’s story. After we worked through the Loud and Clear Six-Step process, my client delivered her next presentation without the “what if’s” but now she says, “It’s showtime!”

If you’d like more information about the Loud and Clear Six-Step Process and my coaching program, let’s connect! wendy@smartalkers.com.

The Rabbit Listened

Posted on January 8, 2020January 8, 2020 by Wendy Warman MS CCC

For those that know me either through friendship, coaching, or training, all will agree that I’m passionate about authentic and connecting communication. Recently a good friend of mine gave me the book The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld. Yes, it’s a children’s book, but as described …with spare and poignant text. The Rabbit Listened is about helping others by giving them the gift of simply listening.

I invite you to pick up a copy and keep it close by to remind you that most of the time when there is conflict, hurt, or despair people just want to be listened to.

My New Year’s wish is that you will take the time to simply listen. You may be pleasantly surprised at the results.

If the skill of active listening is difficult for you, let’s talk. I’d welcome the opportunity to share my individual coaching program or training programs with you.

Public speaking and communication skills are the primary skills SmarTalkers can provide through our coaching and training opportunities. Visit our website www.smartalkers.com or contact Wendy Warman: wendy@smartalkers.com for more information.

Success vs. Value

Posted on January 1, 2020January 2, 2020 by Wendy Warman MS CCC

“Strive not to be a success, but rather of value.” -Albert Einstein

When designing your presentation and asking yourself “How can I make this a success?” the answer is simple. Bring value to your audience. Spend time with your audience analysis audit before finalizing your content.

A few questions from the Audience Analysis Audit found in my book Loud and Clear: How to Design and Deliver Effective Business and Technical Presentations will help you get into the minds of your audience so, at the end of your presentation, your audience will feel it’s been worth their time listening to you.

Here are just a few:

Identify your audience’s expected benefits and positive outcomes. What will they want to have happen, learn, or change as a result of your presentation?
What are their opinions about you or the organization you represent?
How willing are the members of this audience to accept the ideas you will present?

Spending time thinking about what your audience wants to hear from you, what value will you bring to them through your presentation will ultimately bring the success you may have initially been striving for. Value first, then success.

Would you like to know more about the power of the audience analysis audit found in my book? Let’s talk.

Perfection. The Key to Failure

Posted on December 18, 2019December 18, 2019 by Wendy Warman MS CCC

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“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.” -Vince Lombardi

This quote reminds me of the many times when coaching a client for a presentation they have said to me, “I want this presentation to be perfect!”. My response, “That’s a sure way to fail.”

I was raised to be a perfect child, which spilled over into fueling my fear of speaking in public. I wanted perfection and when I didn’t achieve it, my fear continued to build to the point of severe anxiety when asked to speak, even for a brief moment like introducing myself.

Choosing to be prepared, authentic, and audience-centered will result in excellence, not perfection. Practice makes permanent, not perfect.

If you’d like to learn more about how to eliminate your need for perfection and move towards excellence when designing and delivering your next presentation, let’s talk.

Public speaking and communication skills are the primary skills SmarTalkers can provide through our coaching and training opportunities.

Visit our website www.smartalkers.com or contact Wendy Warman: wendy@smartalkers.comfor more information.

5 Ways to Increase Your Success When Presenting To Senior Executives

Posted on November 6, 2019October 30, 2019 by Wendy Warman MS CCC

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One of the most common concerns of my coaching clients involves how to effectively present to senior executives. Here are a few tips to help you the next time you have the opportunity.

Summarize upfront: Say you’re given 30 minutes to present. When creating your opening statement, pretend your whole time slot got cut to 5 minutes. Lead with all the information your audience really cares about such as: high-level findings, conclusions, recommendations, call to action. State those points clearly and succinctly in your opening statement, then move on to supporting data, and material that’s peripherally relevant.
Set expectations: Let the audience know you’ll be spending your first few minutes presenting your summary and the rest of the time on discussion.
Create summary slides: When making your slide deck, place a short overview of key points at the front; the rest of your slides should serve as an appendix. Follow the 10% rule: If your appendix is 20 slides, create 2 summary slides. After you present the summary, let the group drive the conversation, and refer to appendix slides as relevant questions and comments come up.
Give them what they asked for: This time-pressed group of senior executives invited you to speak because they felt you could supply missing or valuable information on the topic. Answer that specific request directly and quickly.
Rehearse: Run your talk and slides by a colleague who will serve as an honest coach. If possible, find someone who’s had success getting ideas adopted at the executive level.

Public speaking and communication skills are the primary skills SmarTalkers can provide through our coaching and training opportunities.

Visit our website www.smartalkers.com or contact Wendy Warman wendy@smartalkers.com for more information.

With Increased Responsibility Comes Increased Accountability

Posted on October 23, 2019October 18, 2019 by Wendy Warman MS CCC

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In my morning thoughts and meditation, I came across this statement. It’s one I’ve heard before, however, today it prompted me to reflect on the responsibility and accountability we have when presenting our information to others.

When designing a presentation we must keep our audience in mind. That is a speaker’s responsibility. It’s not all about what we want them to know about our topic, but also what they will want to know and hear about the topic.

In addition, we are held accountable for not only what we say but how we say it. Our tongue is a very small muscle in our body but holds power that can encourage and build up or destroy and tear down. Our voice and body language have power over our words. They must match in order to be believable and accepting to our audience.

Presenting to others is a privilege and with that privilege comes responsibility and accountability.

When developing your presentation, do you have a process that will ensure your message will address your audience’s needs and wants? Are you in control of having your message match your words and voice?

If you’re unsure, the process found in my book Loud and Clear: How to Prepare and Deliver Effective Business and Technical Presentations may be just what you need. It’s a simple process that delivers positive results! To find out more about the Loud and Clear Process and hear from the words of my clients the benefits they’ve received, check out my website: www.smartalkers.com or contact me at wendy@smartalkers.com. I’d welcome the opportunity to speak with you!

Data Dumping Equals Boring

Posted on October 9, 2019October 7, 2019 by Wendy Warman MS CCC

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This week I listened to a speaker that was the perfect example of data dumping. For 25 minutes, we looked at slides with words too small to read, and listened to the history of the product he was talking about – beginning before the birth of Jesus to the present day! Yes, that’s right. We looked at too many slides in small font with the speaker giving only minimal commentary. He could have easily given us a handout of his slides and walked out the door. Data dumping at it’s best and BORING! During his presentation, I looked around and saw audience members looking at their watches and wiggling in their seats.

When I thought I could stand no more, he began to show photographs and other interesting visuals and added commentary that piqued my interest and the interest of his audience. However, it was too late. The moderator politely interrupted him to let him know he needed to wrap up.

Are you guilty of data dumping? Overwhelming your audience with everything you know about your topic? Or do you have a process that will guide you in designing a presentation that will get you the results you want and your audience will feel it’s been worth their time listening to you?

If you’d like more information on how to design an effective and interesting message, let’s talk. The six-step process included in my best-selling book (over a quarter of a million sold) Loud and Clear: How to Prepare and Deliver Effective Business and Technical Presentations may be just what you’re looking for. Contact me to get your copy: wendy@smartalkers.com

Awkward Memorization

Posted on October 2, 2019September 26, 2019 by Wendy Warman MS CCC

One of my favorite business experts is Seth Godin (https://www.sethgodin.com/)

I subscribe to his daily blog posts and this one really hit the mark on the topic of memorization. It follows my philosophy that I share with my coaching clients when they tell me they want to memorize their presentation.

Here are his thoughts…

____________________

Awkward Memorization

The spread of TED talks means that more and more people are being put on stage and told to memorize their talk.

This almost always leads to failure.

It’s not because people memorize too much, it’s because they don’t memorize enough.

Watch a great performance and you’ll see no artifacts of memorization. Instead, you will see someone speaking from the heart.

This is what it means to know something by heart.

Memorizing the words is half of it.

And woefully insufficient.

My suggestion: Don’t memorize your talk. Memorize your stories. Ten stories make a talk. Write yourself a simple cue card to remember each story’s name. Then tell us ten stories.

Be you.

We didn’t come to hear your words. If that’s all we wanted, we could have read the memo and saved a ton of time.

Bring your heart.

__________________

And I would add…in the word rehearse is the word ‘rehear’. Practice and rehearse until it becomes apart of you…Yes, I agree, be you and bring your heart.

Communication is Not a Soft Skill; It’s an Essential Skill!

Posted on September 25, 2019September 10, 2019 by Wendy Warman MS CCC

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5 Essential Communication Skills Needed to Be a Good Communicator

For those of you who follow me on LinkedIn and Facebook, you know I’m passionately against communication skills being put into the category of soft skills. Here’s just another reason why communication skills are essential skills, not soft skills!

A recent article from Inc. magazine stated Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO, recognized the value of 1 “essential” job skill even before he had a name for his company. You guessed it!

Bezos was quoted as saying “Top-notch communication skills are essential.”

Bezos recognized very early that job candidates who were skilled in one area–like coding and engineering–would still fall short of their potential if they didn’t have the ability to communicate and collaborate with others.

Recently, LinkedIn surveyed 4,000 hiring professionals, with “leadership and communication” topping the list of must-have job requirements.

Here are 5 key communication skills that are essential for your success in the workplace:

Rate yourself on a scale of 1-5. 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest.

Listening: not only to words being said but the message behind the words. Ensure the accuracy of what you’ve heard by asking clarifying questions or paraphrasing what you’ve heard.
Nonverbal communication: effective eye contact, use of hand movements to match your message, and tone of voice to bring life to your message.
Communicate with clarity, confidence, and conciseness: Confidently presenting your message that is clear and concise will ensure a successful communication encounter.

In an upcoming training session, I’ll be providing to a software development company, this was the most requested area to address as it relates to communicating one on one and to a group.

Empathy: Using phrases as simple as “I understand where you’re coming from” demonstrate that you have been listening to the other person and respect their opinions.

Even when you disagree with an employer, coworker, or employee, it is important for you to understand and respect their point of view.

Giving and receiving feedback: Giving well thought out feedback will result in a high return on your investment. People respond and are motivated by constructive feedback even if it’s not always positive but delivered in a way that’s respectful and truthful.

Similarly, you should be able to accept and even encourage, feedback from others. Listen to the feedback you are given, ask clarifying questions if you are unsure of the issue, and make efforts to implement the feedback.

Well, how did you do? If you scored 3 or lower, I’d welcome the opportunity to talk with you about ways to improve your communication skills…The essential skill.

Contact me through my website: www.smartalkers.com or email: wendy@smartalkers.com

You can also follow me on LinkedIn and Facebook for more tips on public speaking and communication skills.

Communication is not a soft skill; it’s an essential skill.