Phil Stella

Quote-ables Anyone?

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A few more treats to whet your appetite: *  ‘Do not promote what you can not explain, simplify and prove early.’ – Louis Pasteur, (1822 – 1895), inventor of pasteurization *  ‘We work on the KISS System … Keep It Simple, Stupid!’ – Ray Kroc, (1902 – 1984), creator of the McDonald’s empire

End Strong with a Power Close

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Audience-Centric presentations should end, not just stop. And they should end strong. Previously, we discussed the critically important Introduction and shared Best Practices for ‘Telling ‘em what you’re gonna say.’ Now, we focus on ‘Telling ‘em what you said.

While the audience may be influenced most by what they hear first, they remember most what they hear last. So, a powerful ending can ‘close the sale’. You can quickly restate your Main Point in terms of audience-centric value, remind them of the Sub-Points you shared to ‘prove’ your Main Point and let them know what’s next.

Just as with your Introduction, that’s a lot of important work to do in a very short time, so every word must count here, too. What follows are some Best Practices for your Power Close:

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Harness the Power of Words

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Even though we realize the impact that tone of voice, body language and visuals all have on your presentation outcomes, never forget that Content Still Rules in audience-centric presentations … and the words you use deliver that content.

Before sharing some ‘Best Practices’ in future articles to help you Harness the Power of Words, let’s discuss some of my favorite ‘Worst Practices’ – the poor choices we often make and why we make them. Tpyically, my executive coaching clients fall victim to three flaws affecting the words they use … and don’t use.

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How’s Your Escalator Speech?

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Regular readers know I write … and rant … a lot about Elevator Speeches, the simple answer to the often-asked networking question ‘What do you do?’  Sometimes maligned and often done poorly, Elevator Speeches are still a fact of life when you network. But, here’s a clever new spin on that concept. My colleague, veteran … Read more

Now that’s a dumb question!

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You know that old adage, ‘There’s no such thing as a dumb question’? Sorry to spoil your fantasy, but that’s wrong. There are plenty of dumb questions. Three of my faves are: Excuse me, do you know what time it is? Hey mister, got any spare change? Honey, do you want to take out the … Read more

More Quote-ables

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‘Look with favor on bold beginnings.’ – Virgil ‘The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one word will do.’ – Thomas Jefferson ‘Be sincere; be brief; be seated.’ Franklin D. Roosevelt

Stuck Behind the Podium?

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A client recently asked what to do when forced to deliver a presentation from behind a podium. I’ve been in that situation a few times and I don’t like it. Even if it makes some sense because of lighting requirements or microphone limitations, I still don’t like it. If you’re ever faced with that situation, … Read more

Making the Varsity Networking Team

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Interact enough with members of the Varsity Networking Team and you’ll quickly realize how they got there and what we can learn from them: Everyone networks, but very few people network with focus, finesse and flexibility. And even fewer with class. Always network with a strategic plan … then work your plan like a pro. … Read more

Handling Audience Questions

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It’s time to consider Best-in-Class strategies for handling audience questions. What they ask and how you respond can make or break your credibility, impact your confidence and influence your outcomes.

Recalling your thorough planning process, you should be able to anticipate 90% of the questions 90% of the audience will ask 90% of the time. Not bad odds for sure. Your Sub-Points can even be phrased as questions.

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