http://archive.aweber.com/presentationsppPower Presentations TipsThu, 19 Apr 2012 11:38:00 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/presentationspp/EKwOE/h/_SP_Tips_Superior.htm Unsubscribe to this newsletter Superior Presentations (Formerly Power Presentations Tips) From George Torok Build Rapport Rapidly , If you want to persuade people you first need to establish rapport. The sooner you build rapport with your audience, the sooner they will listen to your ideas. The stronger the rapport, the more they will like and trust you. What is Rapport? You have rapport with a person when you both see things the same way, which means they must believe that you understand them and see things their way. If you want to persuade them to see things your way, you must first demonstrate that you see things from their position. Then you might be able to shift their perspective. How can you build rapport rapidly? Recognize their Perspective Point out the challenges and frustrations that they face. You might need to do some research to better understand your audience. The fastest way to connect with your audience is to acknowledge their pain. Everyone wants appreciation of their hardships. Are they sales people who face cold calling, rising quotas and longer sales cycles? Are they professionals striving for more respect from other colleagues? Are they IT managers juggling impossible demands from customer service and operations? After you have acknowledged their pain, they might accept that you are in their camp. The next thing to do is to remind them of their strengths, valuable contributions and importance to their organizations. Shift the outlook from negative to positive. These things will establish a growing rapport with your audience. You'll notice heads nodding in agreement and a keener interest in your message. Relate Common Experience Relate an example about how you endured a similar situation. This goes beyond understanding. There is nothing like common experience (especially pain) to bring people together. This principle is captured in the old expression, The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Unmask the Elephant in the Room State the obvious truth that everyone knows but avoids saying out loud. Similarly, you might ask the unasked questions that prey on everyone minds. By giving voice to their repressed thoughts and feelings you become accepted as their friend and perceived as a leader. Build rapport with your audience to show that you are with them. Then they are more willing to follow your message. George Torok Speech Coach Blog Twitter eSpeech Coaching Speech Coach for Executives News We've changed the look and the name of these tips. Superior Presentations better describes the theme and intent of these tips and the training programs that I deliver. The new name recognizes that every presentation is a competition for the attention, trust and actions of your audience. It's not about delivering a perfect presentation. It's about delivering a presentation that is superior to your competition. Many times the competition is simply the other thoughts in the minds of your audience. PS: Tell me what you think about the new look and name. How can we help you? George Torok trains professionals to deliver superior presentations. He coaches business leaders to deliver million dollar presentations. He delivers engaging kenote speeches. To arrange a program call 905-335-1997 or visit www.Torok.com Contact Us www.Torok.com Copyright © 2012. All Rights Reserved. Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:38:00 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/presentationspp/PLBEQ/h/_PP_Tips_Power.htm © 2012 George Torok Power Presentations Tip from George Torok Unsubscribe link is at the bottom Focus on Success Not Perfection I believe that the perfect presentation doesn't exist. Don't chase perfection in your speaking. Instead, seek to be successful every time you speak. Perfection is unattainable and chasing it will slap you with a constant stream of frustration. A successful presentation is attainable and far more rewarding. Start by defining your vision of success before every presentation. That definition of success can easily change depending on your growth as a speaker and the audience. For a novice speaker, success might mean surviving the presentation without fainting. Everyone's got to start somewhere. When you have passed that stage, define success in terms of moving people. Define a successful by answering this question. What do you want people to think, feel or do when you are done? If you want a single action (buy your product, hire you, approve your idea) then success will be easy to measure. If you are speaking to a group where each listener will make and act on individual decisions then recognize that success might not be defined as 100%. This might be the case if you are instructing a class, speaking at a conference or managing staff. When speaking to a group you might define success as moving 60% of the audience. Don't be upset by the 40% who didn't move. You still achieved success. Don't beat yourself up over the flaws, mistakes or omissions in delivery if you attained your goal of moving people. Yes, you probably want to improve your presentation skills. Keep doing that. But it's results that you want. That's the reason to speak. If you want to be more successful in your presentations, then focus on success. Define the success of your presentation clearly and don't be distracted by the stumbles, tangents and turbulence along the way. George Torok PS: , the title of these tips will be changing to Superior Presentations in April. Power Presentations News Next Public Seminar - March 28, 2012- Toronto Airport How to Deliver Superior Presentations Still time to reserve your seat. See what participants said about this program. Power Presentation Resources Forward this tip to your colleagues who want to be more effective presenters. Call George Torok to arrange: Presentation Skills Training for your team One-on-one Personal Speech Coaching for your executives An Engaging Keynote Speaker for your corporate meeting or association conference Register for Power Presentations Tips Facebook Page Presentation Skills Club Twitter For more frequent short tips follow me on Twitter Daily Presentation Tips Power Presentations® is a registered trademark of Peter Urs Bender © George Torok 2012 All Rights Reserved Tue, 20 Mar 2012 08:48:58 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/presentationspp/JDq7g/h/_PP_Tips_Superior.htm , This is your last chance to save $80 to attend the How to Deliver Superior Presentations seminar. The price goes up after St. Patrick's Day, March 17. Date: Wed March 28, 2012 Location: Hotel Indigo Toronto Airport Register here www.PresentationSeminars.com View the video testimonials from participants. In this one-day seminar you will learn how to: Project more confidence even when you don't feel it Grab the attention of your audience in the first 10 seconds Engage your audience throughout your presentation Avoid the words that can sabotage your message Adapt your presentation to changing conditions Use stories as strong rapport builders Control your body language to work for you Plus much more... Bonus: The 28 page participant guide will become a valuable resource when you prepare for your important presentations. If you're able to attend, register now and save the $80: http://www.PresentationSeminars.com George Torok PS: Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed or your money refunded. www.PresentationSeminars.com Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:34:12 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/presentationspp/Id6tg/h/_PP_Tips_Power.htm © 2012 George Torok Power Presentations Tip from George Torok Unsubscribe link is at the bottom How to Adapt to Changing Time Constraints The worst presentation sin is to waste time. Imagine this situation. You prepared a 45 minute presentation because that's what you were told to deliver. You arrive at the meeting ready to speak and the chair informs you that your time has been cut to 30 minutes. What can you do? Charlie Sheen might curse, stamp his feet, raise a fist and yell, Do you know who I am? I insist on my time. That's probably not what you should do. Instead smile and ask the chair, What time should I finish? In fact, make it a habit of asking that question just before you start every presentation. That thoughtful question will demonstrate that you respect their time and plan to finish on time. That will also diminish the need for the chair to interrupt you with a reminder about the time or to surprise you with a last minute change. To finish on time, place a travel clock where you can easily glance at it while speaking. Looking at your watch can be distracting for both you and the audience. Sometimes there is a clock on the back wall but don't count on that. Never stand in front of an audience and ask, How are we doing for time? You should know because you are the presenter. To make it easier to trim your presentation, create it as a series of modules. Rehearse the presentation as modules so you can separate or reorder them when necessary. If you had three examples use only the best one. Have more than one version of your stories. Those might be 5 minutes, 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Be clear on your purpose and what you need to say to achieve it. It's never as much as you think. I coached a CEO to cut his 60 minute presentation to 12 minutes. He originally prepared 60 minutes because that was the maximum time the client scheduled. After listening to his original 60 minutes we uncovered only 12 minutes of pertinent material. By the way, that CEO closed that deal. It was a $10 million contract. If you can't explain your message in 5 minutes, you don't really understand it. On the other hand if you are able to explain it in 60 seconds or less then you are clearly aware of the relevance of your message to your listeners. Einstein was able to explain his theory of relativity to the public with a simple analogy of a man walking on a train. He did that under 60 seconds. Here's one more test for you. Summarize your presentation in six words. When you can do that you know your message and can easily adapt to changing time frames. George Torok PS: , the title of these tips will be changing to Superior Presentations. Power Presentations News Next Public Seminar - March 28, 2012- Toronto Airport How to Deliver Superior Presentations Reserve now for the early booking discount. See what participants said about this program. Power Presentation Resources Forward this tip to your colleagues who want to be more effective presenters. Call George Torok to arrange: Presentation Skills Training for your team One-on-one Personal Speech Coaching for your executives An Engaging Keynote Speaker for your corporate meeting or association conference Register for Power Presentations Tips Facebook Page Presentation Skills Club Twitter For more frequent short tips follow me on Twitter Daily Presentation Tips Power Presentations® is a registered trademark of Peter Urs Bender © George Torok 2012 All Rights Reserved Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:44:12 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/presentationspp/K3BEw/h/_PP_Tips_How_to_Deliver.htm , How to Deliver Superior Presentations... ...because inferior never wins and the competition keeps getting tougher. What's the fastest way to improve your presentation results? Attend the How to Deliver Superior Presentations seminar. It's a full day seminar which means that you take only one day out of your schedule. It also means that you will experience a full day's worth of presentation value. In this program you will: Discover (or rediscover) the key fundamentals of communication and persuasion Learn and observe effective presentation techniques in action Ask your specific questions and adapt the methods to your situation Hear practical advice to presentation challenges See a powerful speaker demonstrate little-known tricks of the trade This seminar is on March 28 near the Toronto airport. If you act quickly you can take advantage of the early bird special rate and save $160. Register now. Good News - Early Bird Rate Extended This special rate was scheduled for the month of February only - but because of the last minute flurry we have extended the deadline to midnight Friday March 2. In this intensive one-day seminar you will learn how to: Project more confidence Open with more pizzazz Close with finality Establish lightning fast rapport with your audience Prepare more effectively in less time Master the question and answer session Handle interruptions and failures with ease The bottom line is that you will be a more effective presenter starting with your next presentation. That means that you will win more deals, lead more effectively and enjoy more success. There's much more that you'll take away. Read it here. Watch these videos from past participants in this seminar. Just imagine the difference you will experience when you start delivering superior presentations. Remember, every time you present you are being evaluated by your listeners. Like it or not they are comparing you with the speaker before you or against their own expectations. It might not seem fair, but the good news is that most of the time, the better presenter wins. You can be that superior presenter after attending this program. The main difference between a superior presenter and an inferior presenter is not talent nor natural selection. It's the investment of time, money and effort that the superior presenter made to get better. I know this from personal experience. I was not a natural. I was a shy, introverted stumbling speaker. Fortunately a good friend explained the facts of life to me and pointed me in the right direction to becoming a superior presenter. By the way, that's why my programs are so effective - because I remember the pain and embarrassment of learning how to present. You won't regret attending this seminar. I guarantee it. Yes, read the 100% money back guarantee. But you might regret not attending. Hurry and take advantage of the early bird savings. George Torok Creator of Superior Presentations PS: If you're still not sure, watch these short videos from past participants. These include folks who considered themselves expert speakers along with novices. PPS: If you're not available to attend that day, feel free to tell a friend about this program. Last chance for the early bird discount - click now. Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:46:17 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/presentationspp/MBtEw/h/_PP_Tips_How_to_Deliver.htm , How to Deliver Superior Presentations... ...because inferior never wins and the competition keeps getting tougher. What's the fastest way to improve your presentation results? Attend the How to Deliver Superior Presentations seminar. It's a full day seminar which means that you take only one day out of your schedule. It also means that you will experience a full day's worth of presentation value. In this program you will: Discover (or rediscover) the key fundamentals of communication and persuasion Learn and observe effective presentation techniques in action Ask your specific questions and adapt the methods to your situation Hear practical advice to presentation challenges See a powerful speaker demonstrate little-known tricks of the trade This seminar is on March 28 near the Toronto airport. If you act quickly you can take advantage of the early bird special rate and save $160. Register now. Good News - Early Bird Rate Extended This special rate was scheduled for the month of February only - but because of the last minute flurry we have extended the deadline to midnight Friday March 2. In this intensive one-day seminar you will learn how to: Project more confidence Open with more pizzazz Close with finality Establish lightning fast rapport with your audience Prepare more effectively in less time Master the question and answer session Handle interruptions and failures with ease The bottom line is that you will be a more effective presenter starting with your next presentation. That means that you will win more deals, lead more effectively and enjoy more success. There's much more that you'll take away. Read it here. Watch these videos from past participants in this seminar. Just imagine the difference you will experience when you start delivering superior presentations. Remember, every time you present you are being evaluated by your listeners. Like it or not they are comparing you with the speaker before you or against their own expectations. It might not seem fair, but the good news is that most of the time, the better presenter wins. You can be that superior presenter after attending this program. The main difference between a superior presenter and an inferior presenter is not talent nor natural selection. It's the investment of time, money and effort that the superior presenter made to get better. I know this from personal experience. I was not a natural. I was a shy, introverted stumbling speaker. Fortunately a good friend explained the facts of life to me and pointed me in the right direction to becoming a superior presenter. By the way, that's why my programs are so effective - because I remember the pain and embarrassment of learning how to present. You won't regret attending this seminar. I guarantee it. Yes, read the 100% money back guarantee. But you might regret not attending. Hurry and take advantage of the early bird savings. George Torok Creator of Superior Presentations PS: If you're still not sure, watch these short videos from past participants. These include folks who considered themselves expert speakers along with novices. PPS: If you're not available to attend that day, feel free to tell a friend about this program. Last chance for the early bird discount - click now. Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:45:41 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/presentationspp/7BBeA/h/_PP_Tips_Power.htm © 2012 George Torok Power Presentations Tip from George Torok Unsubscribe link is at the bottom So What? You probably didn't hear it but your audience is asking this question often during your presentation. So what? There it is again. Most of the time, it's silently echoing in their minds. If you don't answer this question you might lose them. And your presentation fails. This question is the silent killer of many presentations because it is seldom spoken yet often interrupting their thoughts. This question is important because it is about relevance and it is relevance that determines decisions and actions. A variation of So what? is Why is that important to me? This question generally pops up after you state a fact. For example: We are using the latest technology in this new product. So what? It's been tested by the military. So what? We received the industry award last year. So what? Don't assume that your listeners understand the relevance just because you do. Instead it's more productive to assume that they are asking So what? after every key fact you state. You can keep them engaged by anticipating that question and answering it. Here are some sample phrases that you can use to connect your facts to relevance: What that means to you is How that helps you The reason I tell you that Why that's important is And that means By answering the questions in the minds of your listeners they will feel that you understand what's important to them. That keeps them interested. It builds trust and credibility for your message. So what? There it is again. If you want to persuade people to act you need to show them the relevance. What that means to you is more effective presentations. George Torok PS: , the title of these tips will be changing to Superior Presentations. Power Presentations News Next Public Seminar - March 28, 2012- Toronto Airport How to Deliver Superior Presentations Reserve now for the early bird discount. See what participants said about this program. Power Presentation Resources Forward this tip to your colleagues who want to be more effective presenters. Call George Torok to arrange: Presentation Skills Training for your team One-on-one Personal Speech Coaching for your executives An Engaging Keynote Speaker for your corporate meeting or association conference Register for Power Presentations Tips Facebook Page Presentation Skills Club Twitter For more frequent short tips follow me on Twitter Daily Presentation Tips Power Presentations® is a registered trademark of Peter Urs Bender George Torok is licensed to use this trademark. © George Torok 2012 All Rights Reserved Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:08:43 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/presentationspp/66dsA/h/_PP_Tips_Power.htm © 2012 George Torok Power Presentations Tip from George Torok Unsubscribe link is at the bottom The Two Laws of Answering Questions You don't need to answer the question now. You don't need to answer the question. These two laws are important because most of us were taught just the opposite for most of our life. First our parents and then our teachers drummed into us that we must respond immediately to their questions. And some of us went through that defiant period. But it's still difficult to shake that tyranny of responding to questions. When you deliver a business presentation today you must learn and reinforce the two laws of answering questions. 1. You don't need to answer the question now. Just because a member of your audience raises their hand or shouts out an uninvited question doesn't mean that you should disrupt your presentation to cater to their needs. There are times when you are making an important connection in your presentation that you want to complete. When that occurs you can acknowledge the questioner with a nod to indicate that you see them and want them to hold their question for a moment. If you already announced that you will take questions later, remind them to hold till the question period. If the person asks a question on a topic that you plan to talk about later, ask them to hold that question because you will come to that topic. 2. You don't need to answer the question. There are some questions that you don't need to answer. If it is off topic you could point that out. Or you might say, let's focus on... You don't need to answer hostile questions. If the questioner is attacking you personally, you could respond with, This is not about personalities, this is about... Or you could simply ignore the questioner and ask for other questions from your audience. If possible, don't allow that attacker to ask another question. The message for you: When you present you decide when and how you will respond to questions. Don't get fooled into dancing at the whim of offensive audience members. Naturally there are exceptions. Sometimes that offensive person might be your boss. But that is a question for another day. This tip is an excerpt from the recent audio class, How to Ask, Answer and Anticipate Questions in Your Presentation. Watch for more free audio classes this year. George Torok PS: , ask your questions or add your comments to http://www.facebook.com/PresentationSkillsClub Power Presentations News Announcing eSpeech Coaching Now you can receive virtual executive level speech coaching in the comfort of your home. It's simple, convenient, and affordable. Check out the introductory special rate. Read Article Body Language Oozes Testosterone How you stand determines how you feel. Power Presentation Resources Forward this tip to your colleagues who want to be more effective presenters. Want to be more successful? Improve your presentation skills. Call George Torok to arrange: Presentation Skills Training for your team One-on-one Personal Speech Coaching for your executives An Engaging Keynote Speaker for your corporate meeting or association conference Register for Power Presentations Tips Facebook Page Presentation Skills Club Twitter For more frequent short tips follow me on Twitter Daily Presentation Tips Power Presentations® is a registered trademark of Peter Urs Bender George Torok is licensed to use this trademark. © George Torok 2012 All Rights Reserved Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:27:49 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/presentationspp/MDvVM/h/_PP_Tips_Power.htm © 2011 George Torok Power Presentations Tip from George Torok Unsubscribe link is at the bottom Speaking Fundamental: Speak Slower This is an important public speaking fundamental yet I was reluctant to bring it to your attention. Why? Because it is so fundamental. But I've noticed that many of us need to be reminded of the fundamentals from time to time. I watched an experienced and capable speaker at a conference. I stopped listening early in his presentation because it was too difficult to keep up with his rapid patter. I tuned out and missed most of his speech. Naturally I was impressed that he asked me for constructive feedback after his presentation. He didn't say, How was I? Instead he asked, How might I improve? That's the sign of a concerned professional. His biggest error was that he spoke too quickly. I suggested that he slow down - a lot. That would make it easier for the translator to translate his words (we were speaking at a foreign conference). It would also allow the audience to hear and digest his words while thinking about the ideas, and it would help listeners to identify the key learning points. The next day he spoke much slower. His presentation was better received. He was fabulous. All it took was for him to speak slower. I read about a trial lawyer who suffered a massive stroke. He had to totally relearn how to speak. His impossible goal was to return to the court room. He endured and he returned to presenting in the court room. One of his lessons was that he was more persuasive by speaking more slowly. In the movie, The King's Speech, you might have noticed that when King George VI delivers his first radio speech he spoke slowly with dramatic pauses - because he had to. Yet, those two techniques made his speech more dramatic and thus more effective. When you speak in public - speak slower than you normally would. You will sound more confident. You will be better heard. You will be better understood. Got something worth saying? Slow down. George Torok PS: , ask your questions or add your comments to http://www.facebook.com/PresentationSkillsClub Power Presentations News Next Free Audio Class - January 26 How To Competently Ask, Answer and Anticipate Questions in Your Presentation - (Watch for registration details next week) Read Article Boardroom Presentations Power Presentation Resources Forward this tip to your colleagues who want to be more effective presenters. Want to be more successful? Improve your presentation skills. Call George Torok to arrange: Presentation Skills Training for your team One-on-one Personal Speech Coaching for your executives An Engaging Keynote Speaker for your corporate meeting or association conference Register for Power Presentations Tips Facebook Page Presentation Skills Club Twitter For more frequent short tips follow me on Twitter Daily Presentation Tips Power Presentations® is a registered trademark of Peter Urs Bender George Torok is licensed to use this trademark. © George Torok 2012 All Rights Reserved Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:53:25 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/presentationspp/GGKUs/h/_PP_Tips_Power.htm © 2011 George Torok Power Presentations Tip from George Torok Unsubscribe link is at the bottom Dance with Your PowerPoint Imagine that your PowerPoint is your ballroom dance partner. You each have differing roles to play. You support each other. It's always clear to the audience who the lead is, even when that changes during the dance. The dance would look silly without both of you there. The audience never questions why both of you are there. Now, think about your next presentation. Do you plan to use PowerPoint? There's nothing wrong with using slides, but be clear on your purpose. Will your slides enhance your presentation or simply provide you with your presentation notes? Will you and your PowerPoint be fighting for the lead? Might your audience wonder who to pay attention to? Will you appear as two clumsy dancers stepping on each others toes? The strength of PowerPoint is in displaying visuals. Images, photos and charts are visual. Paragraphs and bullet points are not visuals. They are text. You, as the speaker are there to deliver the words and context. If PowerPoint could do that well, we wouldn't need you. (Think about that.) Technology is wonderful. But it doesn't mean that you let technology rule. It's up to you to recognize the strengths of your tools and use the right tool in the best way. Too many presenters use the tool only because they are following the herd. I recently watched a speaker who danced with his slides. He set up the anticipation for each slide, then changed the slide and paused while the audience absorbed the visual portion of this message. As you might have guessed, his slides were real visuals. The only slides with words were the ones that marked his transitions. He did not read the words on his slides. How liberating! If you can't or won't learn to dance with your PowerPoint then at least one of you needs to sit out the next presentation. George Torok PS: , ask your questions or add your comments to http://www.facebook.com/PresentationSkillsClub Power Presentations News Next Free Audio Class How To Win with Questions - (Watch for details) Read New Article Annoy Your Audience: Read Your PowerPoint Slides Power Presentation Resources Forward this tip to your colleagues who want to be more effective presenters. Want to be more successful? Improve your presentation skills. Call George Torok to arrange: Presentation Skills Training for your team One-on-one Personal Speech Coaching for your executives An Engaging Speaker for your corporate meeting or association conference Register for Power Presentations Tips Facebook Page Presentation Skills Club Twitter For more frequent short tips follow me on Twitter Daily Presentation Tips Power Presentations® is a registered trademark of Peter Urs Bender George Torok is licensed to use this trademark. © George Torok 2011 All Rights Reserved Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:09:47 -0500