Well Said!

Overview

Well Said! shows readers how to put themselves in their audience's shoes and tailor their message to the needs of decision makers. It reveals simple but powerful techniques anyone can use to prioritize, organize, and economize their words so that their communications are concise, clear, and—most importantly—convincing. Complete with real-life examples illustrating the concepts in action, this handy guide teaches readers how to:

Use the words and phrases that get people to listen • Capture and hold attention • Gain instant credibility with decision makers • Optimize body language • Handle Q&A with finesse • Connect with the audience • Shine with or without PowerPoint • Perfect their elevator pitch • And much more

Engaging and practical, Well Said! is the one book on presentation skills every professional should own.

About the Author

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Review Quotes

"Reading this book, I should probably say 'using' this book, is like having your own personal coach."—PCB007

"We have all sat through too many lackluster and confusing talks…this is the book those presenters should read to keep from boring us again. Rating 4 stars."—Online magazine

"Get this book if you want to stand out and make all your communications effective with that cutting-edge sparkle."—OfficePro

"…jam-packed with helpful advice that you'll want to recall every time you prepare a presentation. You'll be tempted to excessively highlight, put sticky tabs on every other paragraph..."—School Administrator magazine

"… must-have book for virtually anyone in the workforce.…By following the advice given, you will definitely become a more effective communicator, which can only help your career."—IEEE Electrical Insulation

"…excellent guide to help even the most tongue-tied public speakder, with both high-level advice on the right philosophy and approach and nitty-gritty specifics…Highly recommened..."—Accounting Today

"…teaches readers how to make economical use of language so that their words are concise, clear, and convincing...[for] professionals at all levels, and in any field..."—Chemical Engineering Progress

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Cover Copy

"Get this book if you want to stand out and make all your communications effective with that cutting-edge sparkle.?

— OfficePro

"Jam-packed with helpful advice that you'll want to recall every time you prepare a presentation. You'll be tempted to excessively highlight, put sticky tabs on every other paragraph...?

— School Administrator magazine

"Must-have book for virtually anyone in the workforce....By following the advice given, you will definitely become a more effective communicator, which can only help your career.?

— IEEE Electrical Insulation

"Well-organized and logical, this is a must-have for anyone whose job requires winning over other people.?

— Anna Jedrziewski, Retailing Insight magazine

You don't have to be a charismatic motivational speaker to present like a pro. Whether you're delivering a stand-up presentation, leading a sit-down conversation, conducting a webinar, closing a sale, writing an e-mail, or proposing an idea, Well Said! helps you convey confidence, communicate clearly, and connect with every audience.

Complete with real-life business examples, current research, and personal stories from the author's twenty years of executive coaching experience, this handy guide teaches you how to:

• Craft a persuasive message

• Master a confident, dynamic delivery style

• Gain instant credibility with decision makers

• Capture and hold attention

• Convey executive presence

• Optimize body language

• Speak with the language of influence

• Handle Q&A with finesse

• Connect through audience engagement

• Conduct powerful conversations

• Write more effective e-mails

• Deliver engag?ing webinars

• Run efficient meetings

• Speak with impact on the phone

• And much more.

If you're a professional or rising executive, when you need to win the order, close the deal, earn the trust, get the vote, or gain the funding, this is the one book on presentation skills that will get you positive results and put your career on the fast track!

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Jacket Copy

For most people, presentations are one of the most difficult parts of their job. Whether it's speaking to a roomful of people, explaining your budget to the CEO, pitching to a potential client, leading a departmental meeting, or presenting remotely via the Internet, otherwise effective and valuable employees struggle to drive home their message and persuade their audience. Even experienced presenters can fall flat on their faces when the stakes are high.

Rambling, nervousness, excessive detail, over reliance on slides, lack of focus on the audience: These are all common problems —and all easily corrected with Well Said!, the complete how-to-do-it guide to delivering targeted, memorable presentations that get results in every business situation.

The key to truly great presentations is to understand your audience's point of view and to tell them what's in it for them. Well Said! helps you make this crucial audience assessment, then carefully analyzes the mechanics of stellar presentations. Packed with tried-and-true tips, tricks, and techniques based on the author's extensive experience, industry research, and client surveys, the book shows you how to:

• Stop worrying about perfecting your presentation and start connecting with your audience

• Organize your presentation with persuasive logic and an effective structure

• Ensure a dynamic, confident delivery every time

• Engage and involve your audience to make your message meaningful and memorable

• Use PowerPoint more effectively to rein?force your message and optimize impact

• Manage nervousness and create a great first impression

• Cultivate a variety of image enhancers that will subtly lend power to your presentation—and much more

Being able to confidently address a group of decision makers and positively influence their thinking is a sure path to promotion and success, but it's a stumbling block for many. Believe it or not, you can become comfort?able —even enthusiastic—about presenting your?self and your message with clarity, credibility, and confidence by following the expert guidelines in Well Said!

Darlene Price is the president and founder of Well Said, Inc., a training and consulting company specializing in high-impact presentations and effective communication. Darlene has presented to thousands of audiences across six continents and coached the chief officers and senior executives in more than half the Fortune 100 companies. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Excerpt

The Most Important Element of All

"You've got to start with the customer experience and work back toward the technology, not the other way around." —STEVE JOBS

When I conduct executive-level presentation coaching programs aimed at persuading tough decision makers, I often begin by waving a crisp $100 bill around the room and asking the participants, "Who would like to win this?? Several hands shoot up in the air, folks sit up a little straighter in their chairs, and all eyes are fixed on the green oval portrait of Benjamin Franklin. Once I have their attention, I continue, "In the next thirty seconds, you'll win $100 if you can answer this question correctly: What is the most important element of every presentation?? I set a thirty-second timer for all to see. The competitive outgoing types immediately shout out their answers: "Body language!? "Voice tone!? "Professional image!?

"All good guesses,? I reply, "and critical elements to success, but not the most important.? The guesses continue. "The opening?? "The close?? "The content?? The timer is ticking. I urge them on. "Think about it,? I say. "Of all the elements that make up a successful presentation, what is most important of all?? They look befuddled. "Humor?? "Good visual aids?? "Oh I know! It's the presenter's level of expertise!? I nod my head, but they sense my disappointment. The last few take a stab. "Preparation?? "Storytelling?? "Props?? The thirty-second timer buzzes and I return the bill to my wallet. The correct answer? The audience.

Believe it or not, in the hundreds of presentation coaching programs I have conducted over the course of twenty years, fewer than ten people have won that $100 bill. Why? Self-focus versus audience focus. According to my audience surveys, which also number in the hundreds, failing to speak from the audience's perspective is the most common strategic mistake presenters make. The audience responses indicate that it's the primary reason a sale is not made, a budget not approved, a proposal not agreed to, a request denied. The presenter fails to align with the audience and speak from the decision makers' point of view.

Under normal circumstances, most of us probably strive to maintain a sense of compassion and understanding toward others. We know the importance of listening and empathy when building a healthy relationship. We know that to truly connect we have to see things from the other person's perspective. Unfortunately, when it comes to delivering a high-stakes presentation where our reputation, level of success, and possibly even our job is on the line, our individualistic desire to survive and thrive dominates. All of a sudden, in front of a group of decision makers, including our boss, the company's senior leadership, plus our customers, we become self-focused. We want to look good, sound smart, and be perceived as confident, credible, and in control. We want to make a great impression, win the order, close the deal, earn their trust, get the vote, or gain the funding.

There is nothing wrong with wanting these outcomes. The key is to realize that these payoffs are the consequences of an audience-focused presentation. They are not the main goals. If we become too self-focused we design and deliver a presentation from our own perspective, not our audience's. We choose the content we want to talk about; create the slides that feature our favorite points; present the data we think makes us look smart. But the primary goal of a presentation is to persuade the audience by speaking from their perspective. The most effective and most influential presentersI work with, from entry-level sales professionals to chief officers of major corporations, begin the presentation process by asking, "Who is my audience??

By getting to know your audience first, addressing what is important to them, and solving their issues, I promise you will win much more than a $100 bill. From your boss and coworkers, you will win respect, recognition, and career advancement. From your customers and prospects, you will win trust, confidence, and most likely their business.

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Table of Contents

Preface xi

SECTION I: Laying the Groundwork for Getting Results

Chapter 1: The Most Important Element of All 3

Chapter 2: How to Persuade a Decision Maker 15

Chapter 3: Establishing Credibility 27

SECTION II: Developing Persuasive Content

Chapter 4: Crafting Your Presentation 37

Chapter 5: Developing Content That Involves and Engages Your Audience 58

Chapter 6: Designing and Presenting Effective PowerPoint Slides 74

Chapter 7: Preparing for a Powerful Performance 89

Chapter 8: Using Effective Body Language to Show Confidence 97

Chapter 9: Conveying a Professional Image Through Dress and Appearance 114

Chapter 10: Speaking with the Voice of Authority 123

Chapter 11: Leveraging the Language of Leadership 136

Chapter 12: Handling Q&A with Credibility and Finesse 149

SECTION IV: Seizing Every Opportunity to Persuade Decision Makers

Chapter 13: Planning and Conducting Powerful Conversations 165

Chapter 14: Writing E-Mails That Get Results 182

Chapter 15: Facilitating Effective Meetings In Person and via the Telephone 193

Chapter 16: Delivering Winning Webinars 210

Chapter 17: Leading Team Presentations 223

Afterword 231

Index 233

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