If you have flown lately, you might have noticed what I did on my trip to Chicago last week on American Airlines. Where once one person on a video would walk you through all the safety information, several people explained the procedures on the video I saw. One person welcomed us aboard. Another demonstrated the …
Can you repeat your Social Security number? Can you state your zip code? Unless you live in a state where your Social Security number is your driver’s license number, can you repeat your driver’s license number? My guess is your answers are, Yes, Yes, and No. And therein lies two very important sales and presentation …
Top naming expert and pal Steve Rivkin recently pointed out that one-word titles are all the rage these days. Television shows are called Glee, Homeland, Scandal, Survivor. While some earlier shows were also one word (Dallas), the number of these single titles is growing rapidly. He notes that given our shorter and shorter attention spans, …
Working with a group of technical salespeople this week reminded me of a recent PBS Nova show about the transformative impact on the ecosystem in Yellowstone Park due to the return of wolves to its area. Just as that one change led to dramatically different outcomes in nature, one changed element in the sales process …
On Valentine’s day the only fluttering hearts should be those in love. BUT, if your heart flutters more than you like when you present, then download a free copy of my new ebook: No One Hears Your Pounding Heart! The Ultimate Guide to Presentation Confidence. 50+ tips for controlling nerves from a survey of business people, from celebrities …
How often do you try to persuade clients or colleagues to do something they should do, but don’t want to do? We present facts. We cajole. We remind. And still nothing happens. Instead of continuing down the same fruitless, logical, left brain path to change minds, can you get the result you want with a …
What do a US President and an animal researcher have in common? At face value, very little. But both recently used the same technique to hook people into listening to their otherwise tough message, in one example, and dry message, in the second example, a technique that you can use as well in your B2B …
The article “What Verbal Tics May Be Saying About Us” that ran in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal highlights a really important point for anyone who sells or presents big ticket products or services. The “Tics” the article notes are phrases that you are totally unaware of that can torpedo your message and kill a potential …
Looking for a great way to freshen up your presentation arguments? Use the news. Every day there are stories in the media with high drama to them: success, tragedy, victory, triumph, defeat, heroism. With a little creative thinking, you’ll find many ways to use them to drive home your point. Here’s an example. You couldn’t …
As we begin anew in 2014 with gung-ho big ideas, it pays to remember the little things as well. Years ago, I stayed at the Ritz Carlton on assignment for a client in Maclean VA. Having traveled all over the world for business, I thought I had seen everything when it came to good service. …
Oh, God, yet another holiday networking event! Elevator speech? Check. Smile and business cards? Check Shoes shined? Suit pressed? Look like a million bucks? Check Objectives set? Check Up on latest news for smart conversation? Check. Discussion questions memorized? Check. With everyone pretty much a networking clone by now, how do you get real interest in you? Surprise people. Ask this …