The YouBlog

Required Reading

WHO'S GOT TIME TO READ THESE DAYS? Only a smattering of hands raised, I see. And yet, there's powerful information out there that can help you be better at communicating, both in business and in life. Since you probably already know, or even own, the Presentation Zen book and slide:ology, I want to draw your attention to a couple other sources that are definitely worth taking the time to read, ponder, and apply their ideas.

The "Creating Passionate Users" blog
It's been two years since Kathy Sierra's last post, and yet her writing is as fresh and relevant today as it was initially. If you didn't discover her work before, go there immediately (click here); if you read her then, go back and read some of her pieces again. Her writing is that good.
        With an incredible capacity for new ideas, Kathy's writing was always insightful, funny, sharp, hip, and applicable across a wide range of disciplines. And don't let her techie background scare you away — the "users" she refers to could easily be the audience you're presenting to, or your colleagues, or the people you're trying to convince to buy your product. She also had some of the best titles and most fun graphics of anybody in the blogosphere (tho' I still enjoy a lot of the earlier YouBlog images :-).
        Here's a starter set of posts to read:

Stop Your Presentation Before It Kills Again

Better Beginnings: How to start a presentation, book, article ...

Add Graphics to Your Blog, Book, or Presentation

Conversational Writing Kicks Formal Writing's Ass

Just reading some of those titles and absorbing her images makes me smile, big time. You can even learn a lot just by scanning the collection of favorite graphics she included in her final post (scroll down the home page until you get to the images).
        And if you're reading this, Kathy, thanks sooooooo much. You were a terrific inspiration.

"How To Win A Pitch"
This is a new book by Joey Asher, an Atlanta-based presentation and communications consultant and trainer. In a world of too many books on presenting, Joey definitely covers new ground. 
        It was interesting reading for me, because a lot of what Joey writes about are things I've covered in trainings and in The YouBlog over the past three years — things like making a strong connection with your buyer, focusing on their issues, giving them a big picture before diving into details, the power of "3", and so on. It was like reading my own thoughts at times.
        The section on "Rehearsal" is very thorough and well worth reading. And the chapter on "Making Your Presentation Interactive" is unlike anything I've read in all those presentation books I've owned or perused. This part alone is worth the price of the book. You're bound to find a lot of great ideas to help you really involve your audience. I particularly liked the "Two-Sentence Drill".
        There are a few parts, however, that need caution when you're reading this book. The "Tell 'em-Tell 'em-Tell 'em" approach to presentation structure, how some of the pitches are framed, and the charge to be passionate could all end up as "Me"-focused diatribes if you're not careful. Spend your time developing a compelling, "You"-focused story to share with your audience or prospects, and everything else will flow naturally.
        Overall, this is an excellent book and worth both your time and money to read. Start at the beginning, jump to the last two chapters, and then keep my caveats in mind when you read the middle part of the book. Great work, Joey!

The "Decisive Presentations" program
This is what I would've written, if I'd decided to write a book. Instead I put my ideas about presenting into an online course. I used to charge for it, but now you can view it for free. Maybe you've gone through it already and, if so, I hope you've found value in it. I mention it now for those who might be new to The YouBlog or hadn't gotten around yet to watching it. I promise you, your time won't be wasted.

And on that theme of not wasting your time, this will be the last YouBlog post for a while. I've done nearly 200 pieces over the last three years and I don't want to blog just for the sake of blogging. Your attention is too valuable for either you or I to waste. So I invite you to wander through the YouBlog archives or use the search box to find particular topics. And if something pops up that I think could make a difference for you, I'll definitely jump back in.
        In the meantime, thanks for your interest. I'm honored that you've been here.

Lessons for 6th Graders (and us)

TALK ABOUT A TOUGH CROWD! If you think it's hard keeping adults engaged, try standing in front of a class of 12 year-olds. And to discuss effective presentations? The only thing many of them were interested in (at least regarding PowerPoint) was how to do fancy transitions and flaming bullet points. I had my work cut out for me.

        I'd been invited to talk to five classes of 6th graders who were starting to work on presentations about the Incas, Mayans, and Aztecs. In the past, these student presentations had been bullet-fests, with the occasional picture or goofy clip art thrown in — along with swirling transitions and sparkly text. Their teacher decided it was time for something better.

        My usual approaches to talking about effective presentations wouldn't work, however, as these kids had little interest in business matters. And all those exercises I might use with adults? Worthless in this setting.

        So what would work with this group, where peer pressure and being cool are ever-present? Here's what I came up with (and it worked really well):

        Don't bore your audience.

        Don't drone on or read all your bullets — in fact, you don't have to have bullets at all! That was startling to a lot of them, even after I'd shown them the Notes pane in PowerPoint and the Presenter view (where they could see their notes, but the audience would see only the image on the slide). 

        To help them understand the possibilities, I showed them four versions of the same presentation, based on one my older son had done for this same teacher two years ago. The first version was a typical text-heavy dirge. I managed to bore the kids by the middle of the second slide. The second version added a few bits of goofy clip art. The clip art images were actually appropriate to the topic, but they really did look lame.

        The third version added photos and illustrations I'd found on the web, but still retained all the bullets that my older son had used two years ago. (That was the requirement then.) This version was dramatically better than the first two — my audience was definitely engaged now — but it was still thick with text. So on to version four.

        This final version used pictures almost exclusively, with section titles as the only text. All those bullets were consigned to the Notes pane. And it told a much richer tale of the life of the Mayans. The teacher was nodding vigorously as the class and I discussed the differences, and most of the kids seemed to get it.

        And they've got great material to work with. All those killings and ritual sacrifices and weird clothes and bizarre foods and using leeches in lieu of Band-Aids? They've got a feast of discoveries and stories they can express, and it all is MUCH more engaging when presented visually — either in pictures or through the story-telling efforts of the presenter. There is no way text has any of the same properties, even when describing the same material.

The relevance for you?

1) Don't bore your audience. Think about what will inspire them, or at least engage them, and then build from that. Stressing the features of your product or how excited you are about what you have to offer is not likely to be a winning path.

2) Eliminate as much text from your slides as you can. People are NOT going to remember all those words; in fact, the more words you use, the less likely it is that your audience will remember ANY of those words.

3) Use stories or images to help get your key idea across. If you're talking about something that doesn't lend itself to captivating images, then definitely find client stories or horror stories turned to successes that can frame why your offering or idea is so compelling.

 

When You Don't Need to "Wow!" Them . . .

 

LET'S FACE IT — not every presentation needs to be a stunner. You don't have to be electrifying every time you stand up in front of people. Sometimes you just need to convey some information. Or maybe you've been asked, at the last moment, to make a pitch to a group you know very little about. In those kinds of scenarios, it's very easy to just do the same old thing you've done for years. Throw some slides together, tell 'em what you know, and — if they turn out to be interested — it's a bonus.
        STILL . . . you're trying to communicate something to others, so why not do yourself and them a favor. Instead of either trying to just get through it, or at least suck less than the other presenters they're going to see, give them the gift of an idea.
        It doesn't have to be anything extraordinary. And this takes very little time, really. You don't even need to do a wholesale change of your slide deck (though please, please, PLEASE get rid of the Agenda slide — just say that stuff).
        Here's what you do: Ask yourself what's the ONE thing they most need to know when your presentation is over. Just one thing. Ideally expressed in seven words or less (so they can remember it, and maybe repeat it).
        THEN, start off with that ONE THING. Say something like "Today, we're going to talk about <the one thing>." And you're on your way.
        I realize this may be a bit of a departure for some. And you may find (if you practice your presentation) (which you always should) that you might be a bit too focused on "Me". So adjust things as needed. Then go out there and — well, not "Wow" them, but instead, affect them.

Think You Got It All Covered?

HOW MUCH ARE YOU ON AUTO-PILOT in your preparations and your presentations? It's pretty easy to reach that state, after you've been up in front of others a few times.
        Of course, there may be those times when the audience just didn't seem to get it. Or where you didn't have all the equipment you were supposed to have. Or — well, there could be all sorts of glitches that somehow come up.
        And you muddle through and snap back into auto-pilot the next time a presentation rolls around. In fact, it's in our nature to fall into this pattern.
        BUT . . . just like an actor needs to approach each performance as though they're doing it for the first time, you should be approaching each of your presentation experiences as though you're doing it for the first time. Because, hopefully, your audience has never seen anything like your presentation before. (Unless, of course, your presentation is all about "Me" and you've loaded your slides with bullets and you intend to read all those bullets, in which case they've seen your presentation a million times before.)
        Which brings me to the inspiration for today's post: CHECKLISTS.
        You've seen them, maybe too many of them. You may even have your own version, though whether you're still going down the list is another question. And a checklist can be invaluable — if you really go through the exercise of using it.
        I came across a reasonably concise list recently, by new blogger Vivek Singh. You can certainly find more extensive lists, but if you have too many things to check off, chances are you won't use it more than a couple times. What I particularly like in his checklist is the third part, where you do a post-presentation analysis. Debriefing your experience will be invaluable in helping you improve your efforts in the future.
        If you already have your own checklist: A) congratulations! B) go through it and circle everything you now do by rote. If any of those circled items are things that should get extra attention, leave them on your list. If, however, any of them have become second nature (and don't compromise your focus on your audience), cross them off. Once you've done that, go through Vivek's list or Garr's or anyone else's and see what makes sense for you to add to your list.
        And I'll add my "two cents" — Start off with a Goal slide; finish with an Action slide.
        Meanwhile, if you don't have your own customized list, start one today. Find a list to start from, subtract and add as you feel appropriate, and then USE IT.
        And resist, resist, resist the temptation to make your list too long. For a cautionary tale, check out this YouBlog post — Item #87: Breathe (repeat as needed).

Improving Your Presentations in 2009

THERE'S AN INTERESTING TOPIC being bandied about by some of us presentation blogger types that you might find valuable. The theme is "What would you like to see in PowerPoint slide design in 2009?" The idea was sparked by Olivia Mitchell (I'll give you the back story in a minute) and I couldn't resist the invitation to join the discussion.
        My short answer is . . . "Nothing." 
        PowerPoint slides have been sliced and diced, filled and drained, complexified and simplified in virtually every way imaginable. Sure, most of the 30 million presentations given every day are of the classic bullet-mania type, so they could definitely use a makeover. And Garr Reynolds and Nancy Duarte (among others) have given us outstanding examples of how to improve the effectiveness of our visual communications.
        So we've probably covered the range of PowerPoint slides from a design standpoint — unless we all want to follow Tom Peters's lead and make flaming red the new "white" for backgrounds (check out this example) (and then never, ever do it).

Let me then revise Olivia's charter (as did others) to focus on what I'd like to see in PowerPoint, or even just what I'd like to see in presentations in 2009. And, rather than give you a long list, I'll give you just one thing — one thing that, if you do it, will change both how you interact with your audience and, very likely, what your slides look like.

        Make your first slide a "goal" slide, not a title slide.

That's it. Start off with what your audience is trying to achieve or what you want them to understand. That will give them a powerful and (hopefully) succinct way to think about what is to come. And if that goal is sufficiently compelling, they'll be involved with you the whole way.
        In fact, they'll stay engaged whether your slides look like something from Duarte Design or from Bubba's Bullets-R-Us. Give them a reason to care — right from the start — about what you're going to cover, and PowerPoint doesn't really matter. You could bombard them (as did Tom Peters in this example) or you could leave PowerPoint completely out of the picture (as Edward Tufte did in the story at the end of this, my favorite YouBlog post).
        So that's what I'd like to see from PowerPoint users in 2009: a stronger connection with their audiences. Everyone wins in that scenario.

<THE BACKSTORY>

Olivia got the idea for this group writing project after she read a provocative post by Laura Bergells, entitled "PowerPoint, Propaganda, and You". I get what sparked Olivia's theme, but I'm of a different mind than Laura on where we are or where we're headed with the current direction of slide design. Laura seems to find simple graphics manipulative, and maybe she's seen some presentations that left her feeling that way.
        But I don't think the vast majority of PowerPoint users have the skills or insights to be consciously manipulative. When you consider that a LOT of engineers and highly-paid management consultants use PowerPoint as their word processing tool, you know that we're not close to eliminating the bullet-mania approach. In fact, of the 30 million presentations given every day, I'd guess that at least 90% are bullet-fests. Of those other 10%, which tend toward the Presentation Zen style, only a fraction are likely in the truly manipulative style. And the people who are skilled manipulators don't need PowerPoint to weave their tales. Ever walked onto a car lot? (Here's a story about that.)
        Anything that improves communication between people is a winner in my book, so I have no problem with the simpler, more refined approach that Garr and Nancy and others espouse. If, however, you feel someone is manipulating you, call them on it — but don't think that it's a movement.
        As for the group writing project, Olivia has rolled out her initial recap. You can find it here. 40 people contributed to this and there's an interesting mix of ideas. Happy reading :-)

Take the Lead

IF YOU WANT TO BE REALLY EFFECTIVE in influencing or persuading others, it's critical that you tune into their needs, issues, and goals. But sometimes it's not enough to ask them "What's your pain?" or "Tell me about your situation." Sometimes, that gets you too deep in the weeds toooo quickly. Sure, you're covering (or at least hearing about) what's affecting them, but you (and they) may be missing the bigger context.
        This is a really easy trap to fall into. We've become so accustomed, as buyers of products and services, to slogging through mountains of details and features and such, that we start narrowing our focus to those details and features. Which then perpetuates this limiting cycle.
        But every now and then, someone stops us and says, "What do you really want to accomplish?" or "How are you planning to use this?" or "Why does this matter?"

        Wow.
        What a concept.

        And then the conversation continues on a higher plane, one that reveals deeper motivations than just "I want this feature." or "I'd like a window over there."
        It also transforms the connection or relationship between the parties. When you pose questions like that — or, rather, when you elevate the discussion in this way, you show that you care about their goals, not just about pushing features or functions. And that type of connection is incredibly powerful.
        Talking about their higher objectives works in all kinds of situations, not only sales presentations and cold calls, but also internal presentations and really any situation where you're trying to persuade or influence someone.
        And all it takes is for you to ask that big question. Don't just sit and listen to what they say they want, and then give them a direct answer. Take the lead and ask them "Why?" It can change your conversation dramatically.

Do You See the Difference?

LOGIC ALONE rarely persuades someone. And logic may also be out the window when we are preparing our presentation or pitch.
        "Huh?" I hear you say.
        That's right. All those cherished phrases we love to spout, like "We're the leader in" or "We've been recognized as" or even "We have offices in " — these can actually get in your way.
        I'm not saying these aren't relevant, nor am I suggesting you shouldn't use them. In the right time and place, and with the right set up, they can help cement your case.
        Where these phrases hurt your chances is when you lead with them and/or when you don't give a context for why such pronouncements are important to the people you want to influence.
        Here's an example from a recent training session. I was working with some construction executives, and one of them wanted to be really bold about a recent award they'd received for safety. He was adamant about leading with: "We have the best safety record in the nation for a firm of our size."
        Okay. Definitely something to be proud of. And behind that award are all the things that they did to receive such high recognition — things that would be meaningful for a new client who might be concerned about safety.
        But just laying it out there, as he wanted to do, leaves behind all the juicy details (meaningful, visceral details) and forces the prospective client to decide how relevant it is.
        It was interesting to watch him clutch onto this idea, even when several of his colleagues (who were getting the idea of "You" v. "Me") challenged him on it. So we did some role playing. One of his co-workers said, "Jerry, I'm really concerned about several aspects of safety on this project."

JERRY'S APPROACH: "Well, we have the best safety record in the nation for a firm of our size, so we can handle all aspects of safety on this project."

"YOU"-FOCUSED APPROACH: "We share your concerns about safety on this project and here is how we're going to manage it." [then detail three specific aspects] "And as evidence of our commitment and results, we were recently recognized for having the best safety record in the nation for a firm of our size."

Do you see the difference?

Jerry's approach is all about "Me". Sure it's a meaningful piece of information, but the client isn't choosing them for their awards, the client is choosing them for their ability to get this specific job done. The "You"-focused approach, on the other hand, answers the question more directly and with richer detail, and then uses the safety award as the icing on the cake.
        You should do the same. Focus on the needs, interests, and goals of the ones you want to influence (the "You") and add in details about "Me" (yourself or your company) as needed to help make your case.

Making the Most of a Q&A Session

SO MUCH POTENTIAL — for good and bad — lurks in a typical Question & Answer period. But before I give you my thoughts, let me ask you how you handle these:

· Do you finish your presentation with a slide that says "Questions & Answers" and just go from there?

· Do you say, "Any questions?"

· Do you consider in advance what kinds of questions you're likely to get?

· How do you wrap things up when the Q&A session is over?

· What's the reason for a Q&A session in the first place?

Okay, that last question should be easy. It's to give your audience a chance to get your response on things that may be of interest or concern to them. But Q&As provide a lot more than that.
        A Q&A session breaks through the formality of a presentation. It provides a chance to make a personal connection between a presenter and his or her audience. And those can be incredibly powerful results — if you don't come across as stiff, defensive, or unprepared.
        Q&As can be deadly when they just hang-there; when the audience seems to have nothing to say. Is it because you absolutely nailed the presentation and there's not a thing they could possibly ask you? Is it because you bored them to tears and they just want you to leave? Are they afraid of speaking up, for fear of how you or others may react to their question?
        It doesn't need to be this way . . .

How best to handle a Q&A

A Q&A should be an extension of your presentation as a whole — a vibrant conversation between you and your audience. If you've gotten them excited about your ideas, the Q&A enables you to get into detail on specific items. If they're interested, but not yet certain about your case, the Q&A helps them resolve their concerns.
        You can't leave this all to chance, however.
        Preparation is critical to handling Q&As smoothly and succinctly. Think through what your audience is likely to ask and see how much of that you can build into the body of your presentation. Being preemptive in answering their likely questions or concerns strengthens your case substantially. You may still get questions you haven't anticipated, but preparing for their questions will increase your sensitivity to their point of view.
        During the Q&A, it's important to answer their specific questions. That sounds simplistic, but very often presenters launch into an answer that is not what the audience was looking for. So make sure you understand their question. It's perfectly acceptable to repeat the question back to them or paraphrase it. (And you might want to then add something like, "Is that correct?" or "Did I hear that correctly?")
        If paraphrasing still doesn't help you, go ahead and ask them for some clarification. They want to get to the heart of an answer as much as you do.
        The Q&A also provides a great opportunity for you to ask them questions. Prepare two or three questions on which you'd like to hear their answers — either to deepen your knowledge of their situation, or to help prompt their questions and interaction. You should never be stuck with that awkward pause that surrounds a "No questions?" remark.
        If you're part of a team presentation, there should be one person in charge of moderating the flow of the Q&A. It's too easy for a session to spin out of control if each person on the team feels compelled to add their view.
        Finally, be on the alert for when and how to wrap up the session. Don't let things just peter out, followed by a limp "Ah, thank you." Instead, give a high-level recap of the ideas covered in the presentation, add any insights from the Q&A if its appropriate, and then finish with the next steps you've already laid out for them.

Comedians will tell you that the best ad-libs are not left to chance. Your Q&A sessions should be the same.

Presentation Sleight-of-Hand

AHH, THE AGE-OLD QUESTION: "Where do I put my hands?" Ever heard it? Ever said it or thought it? It's not a stupid question, but it's not the most important thing to think about when you're getting up in front of an audience.
        The bigger question is: Do you have something to share with them that will get them at least interested, and perhaps even excited or inspired about what you have to say? If you've got that, all the rest is superfluous.
        Think about magicians. Not the grandiose ones, but the ones who excel at close-in work like card tricks and other sleight-of-hand. What makes them successful (beyond their patter and dexterity)? Misdirection. That's the key. They get you so absorbed in one part of their trick that you don't even see what else they're doing. It's amazing what you don't see when you're focused on one thing.
        Want a fun example? Play this video and count how many times the guys in white pass the basketball. (Be sure to press the green "play" button.) When you're done, play it again and watch the whole scene, not just the people in white. See anything different? (Even if you've seen this before, watch it again and focus only on the people in white. See how strong our brains are!)
        The point of all this is not to turn you into a slick showman. You can be very simple in your approach and still have great impact — IF you have really compelling content. If you don't, no amount of flash or dancing gorillas will help you.
        So rather than worry about where you should put your hands, just concentrate on getting them locked into your ideas. Do that and they won't care where you put your hands (and neither will you).

Something Bigger Than Expected

SETH GODIN HAS AN INTRIGUING NEW POST today, entitled "Thinking Bigger". He covers a lot of territory in a few words, but what I like about it for presenters is this: What are you doing to go beyond the expectations of your audience?
        Given that the vast majority of presentations are stale, boring, bullet-laden dirges, it doesn't take a lot. Even simplifying your visual presentation, as so well defined by Garr Reynolds and Nancy Duarte, is a major leap forward for most.
        But what about changing the conversation — or, rather, making your presentation into a conversation? What about starting with the end of your presentation and then working backwards? Or closing your laptop after you've shown the first slide, moving closer to your audience, and saying, "Here's what's really important for us to talk about."
        What are you doing to engage their minds? That's where "Bigger" grows.