Category: Speaking

Data Dumping Equals Boring

Posted on 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 by Wendy Warman MS CCC
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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.

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.

 

Get the Hook!

Posted on by Wendy Warman MS CCC
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It’s just as important to know what your audience doesn’t want from a presenter as it is to know what they do want. Over the years of coaching and training in designing and delivering business and technical presentations, I have polled my clients and audiences as to what is a real turn off to them when listening to a speaker. Here are the top ten responses. 

 

Ten of the Most Common Ways to Turn Off Your Audience

  1. Lack of rapport with the audience
  2. Looking stiff and uncomfortable
  3. The presentation is too intellectual with no audience engagement
  4. The presenter appears to lack confidence
  5. Poor eye contact
  6. Distracting mannerisms
  7. Being unprepared
  8. Monotone voice
  9. Lack of enthusiasm
  10. Using boring material 

 

Four Faults Your Audience Will Never Forgive You For

  1. Not being prepared.
  2. Not making them feel comfortable.
  3. Not being committed to your topic.
  4. Not being interesting.

 

Are you guilty of any of these turn-offs? If so the Six-Step Loud and Clear process will give you the techniques needed to move your audiences from saying “Get the hook!” to “More, more, more!”

 

Here are a few of the benefits of using my Loud & Clear process from my book Loud and Clear: How To Design and Deliver Effective Business and Technical Presentations, with over a quarter of a million sold to date.

  1. Reduces stress and anxiety.
  2. Reduces preparation time by 20-50 percent.
  3. Increases your audience’s interest, understanding, and engagement.
  4. Connect more directly with your audience’s needs and wants.
  5. Increases your confidence and clarity.

If you’d like more information about the Loud and Clear process, let’s talk: wendy@smartalkers.com.

What Are the Most Frequently Made Types of Presentations?

Posted on by Wendy Warman MS CCC
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Knowing the type of presentation you’re going to give is the first step in designing your presentation. Let’s take a look at four of the most frequently made types of presentations.

1. Persuasive. Every presentation is, to a certain extent, persuasive. First and foremost, you must convince your audience that you know what you’re talking about. Beyond this, you might use a persuasive presentation to:

  • Gain an audience’s confidence in the organization you represent and the message you are presenting.
  • Pique the interest of a potential customer in a new product, service or program that you are offering.
  • Convince upper management of the need to commit additional personnel or money to purchase new technology.

 

2. Explanatory. An explanatory presentation provides a general familiarization giving “the big picture.” This type of presentation rarely involves a high level of detail. It might be used to:

  • Provide general information relevant to the needs of another department, company or agency.
  • Present information to a professional association, civic organization, or other groups in the interest of good public relations.

 

3. Instructional. This type of presentation teaches others how to use or do something, such as a new procedure or piece of equipment. This usually requires greater involvement of your audience to reinforce their learning and frequently provides detailed information. Typical uses for an instructional presentation are to:

  • Instruct customers in the use of a specific process or equipment.
  • Coach employees in the use of specific software.

 

4. Briefing. A briefing usually brings your audience up to date on something with which they are already familiar. Details may be provided on a selective basis, according to the needs and interests of your audience. A briefing may be designed to:

  • Update upper management on current expenditures compared to budget.
  • Clarify modifications to a particular product or service.

 

Overlapping of these presentation types may be necessary. For example, to convince upper management to invest in new technology, not only do you need to briefly explain the technology, but you will need to persuade them to make the purchase by providing the benefits of the new technology.

In summary, knowing what presentation type is necessary to achieve your objective is a key component to the design of your presentation. This will provide you with a guide as to how much information you will need to provide and how detailed the information needs to be.

Do you have a fear of speaking?

Posted on by Wendy Warman MS CCC
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Do you have a fear of speaking and let the “what if” thoughts consume you? “What if I make a mistake and look like a fool? What if I’m asked a question and don’t know the answer? What if the technology doesn’t work?”

The following post came through Instagram and I don’t know who wrote it, but felt the thoughts were appropriate for those that have a fear of speaking. Take heed. We are what we think, especially relating to: “What if” thoughts?

“Are you worried? Do you have many “what if” thoughts? You are identified with your mind, which is projecting itself into an imaginary future situation and creating fear. There is no way that you can cope with such a situation because it doesn’t exist. It’s a mental phantom. You can stop this health and life-corroding insanity simply by acknowledging the present moment.”

I might add, related to speaking, there is a way you can cope. Learning how to design and deliver a presentation and find out how to dispel all the “what if’s” will give you the confidence to overcome your fear. I know this for a fact because this is how I overcame my fear of speaking in public. You can too!

Score Yourself On Your Presentation Skills

Posted on by Wendy Warman MS CCC
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I asked participants attending my Effective Presentations course to make a list of things public speakers do that turn them off and what captures and keeps their attention.

Here’s the list. Think about the last time you made a presentation. How would you score?

TURNOFFS

  • Giving away your authority to your audience
  • Rambling
  • Not speaking clearly
  • Not speaking loud enough to be heard
  • Reading their notes
  • Too many “ahhs” and “umms”
  • Monotone voice
  • Not being prepared
  • Spending too much time one topic
  • Going off on tangents
  • Outdated information
  • Self-absorbed

TURN-ONS

  • Professional appearance
  • Confidence without arrogance
  • Lively and animated
  • A message with a purpose
  • Engaging
  • Good eye contact
  • Organized
  • Authentic
  • Prepared
  • Good voice projection

How did you do? If you, your employees or team members are falling short of being the most professional and dynamic speakers possible, contact me. I’d love the opportunity to help!

10 Ways to Ruin a Presentation

Posted on by Wendy Warman MS CCC
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Here are some common mistakes that TED (TED Talks) advises its speakers to avoid:

  1. Take a really long time to explain what your talk is about.
  2. Speak slowly and dramatically. Why talk when you can orate?
  3. Make sure you subtly let everyone know how important you are.
  4. Refer to your book repeatedly. Even better, quote yourself from it.
  5. Cram your slides with numerous text bullet points and multiple fonts.
  6. Use lots of unexplained technical jargon to make yourself sound smart.
  7. Speak at great length about the history of your organization and its glorious achievements.
  8. Don’t bother rehearing to check how long your talk is running.
  9. Sound as if you’re reciting your talk from memory.
  10. Never ever make eye contact with anyone in the audience.

Words, Words, Words

Posted on by Wendy Warman MS CCC
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Within the word, “swords” is the word “words”. This is an easy way to remember your words, like swords, get you into and out of trouble.

When your words become arrows directed at a specific positive target the point of your words become inspiring and uplifting.

Allow your words to guide and teach about the things you have spent your life discovering.

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