A good presentation starts with a good opening. A good opening will largely determine the success of a presentation. It is similar with the fact that a poor opening will also tend to make a presentation to fail.

The purpose of opening is to provide information on topics of presentations and what to expect afterward. The opening is an important part to attract the audience. Therefore, plan the opening well. Based on the experience, if the opening is clogged, the mood of presenter will also be bad and the overall presentation could fail.

When you open a presentation, say hello to audiences and stare them friendly. Give your best smile and feel that the sincere smile will influence the audience to smile too. In this case, the important aspect is sincerity. Just believe if you do it with sincerity and not by necessity, what you say will affect others.

At this stage, the audiences do not always respond well. Do not be affected with that response. Be sure that you can solve the matter.

Yes, it is indeed that a thorough preparation is the key to success. Thus, before giving a presentation, check all the equipments that you carry: a laptop, presentation files, room, projectors, air conditioners and everything. If you use slides, make sure that the slides can be displayed properly on screen. There are times when the colors you see in front of the computer are not the same as the display on the screen due to the differences in equipment settings.

Make the necessary adjustments. If there is a color that does not fit, you should change it soon, so that it can be read on the screen clearly and easily. You should not know that there is something in a muddle when the presentation has been running. Many incidents like this happen, even on an important presentation and they frustrate both the presenter and audience.

By: David J. Dempsey, JD (2010)

ISBN 978-0-07-173994-8

Book Price: $30.95

Presentation skills coach

David J. Dempsey, JD, is the president and CEO of Neon Zebra, LLC, an executive presentation skills coaching firm. He is a veteran of the courtroom, as well as a business executive, a university professor, an acclaimed author, and award winning speaker. David is also a presentation skills consultant to Fortune 500 company leaders.

Becoming a wonderful presenter

In over 300 pages of informative discourse, Dempsey shares eight parts to becoming a wonderful presenter. He releases pointers as: Set the mind (Part 1), be prepared (Part 2), use a plan (Part 3), practice (Part 4), focus on details (Part 5), deliver well (Part 6), using speaking aids (Part 7), & confront special challenges (Part 8).

Speaking success

David J. Dempsey shares with the clarity and supporting proof of a true lawyer. His insights are punctuated by solid evidence to support his claims, as seen in his opening discourse about people’s aversion to speaking. He adds, “… only 24 percent of Americans are very comfortable giving a speech or a formal presentation.”

The remainder of Dempsey’s work presents keys for readers to overcome their inadequacy of speaking in public. He uses examples to bolster impact in each point, as, “Exceptional speakers are fanatical about preparation. They leave nothing to chance. They understand their audience… meticulously build their presentations brick by brick.”

David’s clinical approach ensures that readers are fully informed about his subject. He works hard to deliver all necessary details, as seen in his summary of an excellent speech. He lists, “Excellent speeches are constructed with solid building blocks, which include a clear theme, logical organization, a captivating opening, precise sentences, vivid imagery, colorful language, engaging stories, and a dynamic closing.”

Dempsey concludes by presenting his readers with the benefits of learning to become a better speaker. He declares, “Business executives who communicate with confidence and conviction will see their messages resonate with their audiences and invariably enjoy a distinct advantage… truly stand out every time you speak.”

Excel in presenting

David J. Dempsey delivers a concise and practical tool to bolster the skills of any speaker to excel in presenting.

When the lights go off and a PowerPoint presentation begins, it can be the start of something different and unique, depending on how you plan your lesson. It is the time when students can exploit their creative skills. presentations also appeal to a variety of learning styles especially the students who learn best visually.

Students may have even started to approach you with their thoughts of presenting a PowerPoint presentation to their peers. While this is a nice thought, it is a skill that needs practice.

Teach your new students the essentials of PowerPoint presentations. Most students learn by doing, so even if the first PowerPoint presentation does not go according to plan, that is alright. You could spring from the first test case and show the students how to think in terms of PowerPoint presentations from planning to doing.

The Lesson Plan is in the Planning Stage

Encourage students to think before they prepare their slides. What is the actual hook of their presentation? Here are a few basic generic questions to help get them started.

My PowerPoint presentation is on: __________________________ (subject)

I want to teach: ___________________________ (examples here are helpful)

I will present the information by: ______________________(ie. giving facts, showing pictures, asking questions, playing music, graphs)

At the end of the lesson, I want the students to know more about: ___________________________________________________________________

(encourage students to be as specific as possible – ie. what steps have been done to prevent the Saber Tooth tiger from being extinct)

Preparing the Slides

When students do more planning, the actual creative part comes easier for them.

Presentations are also being used more and more for student projects, homework and performance tasks. Maximizing student attention and focus is of utmost necessity for ALL presentations but even more in particular for High School research projects.

However just like a teacher’s unsuccessful lesson, a presentation can disappoint and upset the fluidity of a lesson plan. Here are some tips to encourage maximum student participation and focus.

1.Make sure the font size is large enough. Encourage the students to view the font size from the back of the room as a indicator. Have a balance between information and visual data.

2.Encourage students to stop and explain, not simply to read off the slide. This is the part where they can add or elucidate something thus giving the slide their own personal touch.

3.Encourage five minute of questioning and five minute of feedback. This ensure quality control and a balance between media and students.

4.Test all technological setups and communications prior to presenting the lesson plan in class.

5.Keep it Interactive

Interactive presentations should combine a variety of media. Use non-visual date such as charts and pictures with captions.

You give the big sales presentation, management briefing, or all-hands overview. And then you wait to see how you did. Smiles or frowns? Thunderous or polite applause? Objections or nods of agreement? Speakers often leave a presentation with a mixed perception of what went well and what needs improvement.

Clients frequently come to us for coaching in presentation skills. But when we probe by asking them about their goals… or evaluations on past presentations, clients often seem puzzled. They really don’t know what they do well or where they need help. Either they themselves or someone else has simply made them aware that their skills are lacking.

Specifics escape them. Yet, they’re investing substantial dollars to correct a problem they haven’t identified. So you may want to consider these 5 ways to measure your own success as a presenter before you call in a coach. Take, for example, your last presentation:

1: What was the outcome? Did you motivate the listener to take action? Sign off on the project? Approve the budget? Buy your product or service? Support your cause? Cooperate with your initiative?

2: Did you build a strong case? Okay, so maybe you can’t control ALL the circumstances and, thus, your presentation isn’t solely responsible for action or decision. But given circumstances outside your control, did you build a strong case? Did you receive feedback from the audience that you made a strong case, and that had it not been for “other circumstances,” they would have acted favorably? If so, a good measure of an effective presentation is a strong structure-a persuasive case.

3: Did you advance your career? Did you improve others’ perception of you and your abilities? How well did you deliver the presentation? Maybe the statistics did not lend themselves to a strong argument. Maybe the timing was wrong for a favorable decision. Maybe the competitors had a technological advantage. But did you tell your story in the best light possible–that is, with substance and style? You may have ended the meeting with a “no” decision, but increased your value in the eyes of others in the audience? Will your skill displayed in this presentation position you for further advancement?

4: Did you decrease your preparation time without losing peak performance? Was your preparation time excessive? Consider your general process. You do have a step-by-step process, right? To be an effective presenter, productivity should always be a concern.

5: Did you improve your personal best? Just like marathoners who often compete against their personal best rather than against competitors, how did you feel about the presentation? Confident rather than nervous? Did you use all the techniques at your disposal to clarify key points such as quotations, analogies, metaphors, mnemonics? Did your time-management and facilitation skills enable you to include all the key points you intended? Was the audience fully engaged? How do you know? As with writing,.. racing,… or raising money,… presentations-both outcome and process– deserve analysis. Take a few minutes to evaluate yours. The key to continual improvement is continual evaluation.

No more quaquaversal presentations? No more what? Have I impressed you with my use of complex words? I doubt it yet many speakers do so all the time.

We’ve all been to presentations where the speaker used obscure words. Chances are parts of that presentation zoomed over your head while you tried to figure out what on earth they were talking about!

When faced with language that isn’t immediately clear, we naturally focus on the meaning of the words we don’t understand, even if it means we miss the information that follows.

Our attention becomes quaquaversal. What does ‘quaquaversal’ mean? It means scattered – exactly what you don’t want the focus of your audience to be the next time you’re presenting!

Follow these presentation tips to make sure you don’t fall into the terminology trap.

Use the right language for your audience

When putting together a presentation, your central focus should always be your audience. In some contexts the use of jargon is perfectly reasonable and even desirable.

Using the appropriate technical terms can be a good way to build a connection with your audience. But that’s not always the case so before you start preparing your presentation, ask yourself whether your audience will expect you to use jargon or whether it’s likely to confuse them. It’s only worthwhile using complex terms if they’re going to add to your presentation rather than detract from it.

Use the right language for your audience

When putting together a presentation, your central focus should always be your audience. In some contexts the use of jargon is perfectly reasonable and even desirable.

Using the appropriate technical terms can be a good way to build a connection with your audience. But that’s not always the case so before you start preparing your presentation, ask yourself whether your audience will expect you to use jargon or whether it’s likely to confuse them. It’s only worthwhile using complex terms if they’re going to add to your presentation rather than detract from it.

Don’t over-complicate

If jargon isn’t required, a general rule is to keep the words descriptive yet simple. You want to take your audience on a journey with you so by the end of the presentation they’re ready to buy your services or products.

Appeal to all the senses

Even though over 90% of our face-to-face communication is through our body language and use of voice, the language you use is also very important. Sometimes we become so focused on dealing with our nerves that we overlook what we’re going to say and just stumble through a presentation.

As we’re all different, individuals in your audience will respond to different words and phrases. People use all of the senses but generally have a preferred one so cater for these differences by using a smattering of words and phrases that appeal to the different senses. For example:

A visual person will respond to picture words such as ‘If I could show you an attractive way to…’

An auditory person will respond to sound words, such as ‘If that sounds good to you we’ll go ahead and discuss how to…’

A kinaesthetic person will respond to feelings or doing words, such as ‘If I could help you get a hold of a concrete way in which you could…’

Pre-flight checklist

Once you’ve considered these factors and put together your presentation, re-read the content one last time and ask yourself:

Have I used words that could be replaced with simpler ones without detracting from the presentation’s message?

Could there be any double meaning?

Have the words that I’ve used added to my message?

When you’re happy with the content of your presentation, practise it until you’re comfortable with the flow. To avoid your audience’s attention becoming quaquaversal, it’s important to engage them with the delivery of your carefully crafted words.

Here are the top ten negotiating tips for wholesale buyers. These tips are great because they rely on the power of win/win arrangements.

The key to success in business is having good long term relationships, both with your customers and your suppliers.

By following these rules you will negotiate in a professional manner, gain respect, and obtain better results.

Negotiating Tip #1

Research the market. By fully researching the market you will discover what prices you can expect to pay, and at what prices you can expect to sell the merchandise at.
If you offer a price that is too low you will lose the respect of your wholesale supplier, he will simply assume that you have unrealistic expectations.

Negotiating Tip #2

Pre determine what your goal is. By having a firm goal in mind you will do a better job of negotiating. Don’t lose track of your goal. It is very easy to lose track of what your original goal was when you start negotiating the fine details of a business deal.

Negotiating Tip #3

Compromise. Compromising shows that you are fair business person who understands the position of the other party. While you might have the upper hand and not feel the need to compromise, you would be better off still compromising to keep a positive relationship with your business contact. Even if you don’t plan on doing business again with him, you want to maintain positive goodwill since you never know when you might need the contact again.

Negotiating Tip #4

Understand the goal of the other party. Know what it is that the other party is trying to achieve. Price is sometimes a minor issue in a negotiation. The wholesaler might be more interested in moving his merchandise in volume, than on selling it any given price.
If you cannot discern the goals of the wholesaler ask him what it is straight out. By understanding his goals you will be able to negotiate a better deal in a faster and more efficient manner.

As you read Roger Dawson’s book – ‘Secrets of Power Negotiating: Inside Secrets from a Master Negotiator’ – you will learn so many new strategies, tactics and skills required for successful ‘Power’ negotiating that your whole concept of negotiating may well change. This book is one of those rare finds: An “Inside Secrets” book that really does show you useful negotiating tactics that you can apply easily in your daily life and going about your business. In fact, whilst they may not be absolutely classed as secrets, I didn’t know some of these things before.

The insights you can gain from this book will resonate with real, everyday situations you might encounter such as buying a car or agreeing a holiday destination; but also more serious matters all the way through to resolving difficult business issues. As with most ‘Secrets’ the ideas themselves are no more than good common-sense approaches, but if you haven’t thought of them, some are mind-boggling such as the advice to physically flinch when you hear the other side’s first offer.

Beyond this, you’ll learn a lot more about other techniques such as ‘acquiring a winning personality’, ‘reading other people’ and ‘building confidence’. This book is jam-packed with practical tips, and nuggets of information that make you say “of course!”

You will probably think at first-sight that you already know a lot of the ideas presented as secrets, and perhaps you do, but if you stay with it you’ll realise that you can see better ways of applying the knowledge you already possess. However, I believe there may be much in the book that you didn’t know and it will add to your overall fund of negotiating knowledge.

It’s also well written and the layout is easy to follow making it an extremely powerful, great to read, book. Highly recommended.

First step towards managing your debts that are spiraling out of control is acknowledging that there is a problem that needs to be sorted. Falling behind with creditors and having your debts mounting is not advisable and is certainly not a way to live. Credit cards are worst culprits because you tend to use them loosely without warning yourself of the consequences and before you realize your folly the damage is done. But there is a way to damage control and it’s a pretty straight forward option. It’s Debt Negotiation that can keep your debt related problems under the lid.

One major issue we face as consumers is the lack of know how about how debt structures work. Having more than one debt makes matter worse, which is why you need to consider Debt Negotiation as your option out of the situation.

Debt Negotiation is a settlement of your loans with the help of companies who will negotiate an amount agreeable to the creditors. It’s usually 40-50% of the amount due and should make things easier for you as well.

It’s worth giving it a thought or you will be faced with unpleasant phone calls from credit card companies and unwelcome meetings with other lenders. Credit Card Debt Negotiation is a particularly helpful option because credit card companies can be very difficult to deal with.

Also their terms and conditions are often lost in the fine print or way beyond your comprehension. However Credit Card Debt Negotiation companies know exactly how the system works and will be aware of the traps.

Many credit card companies will not entertain any negotiations with individual customers. You will have to go through Credit Card Debt Negotiation companies to work things out for you.

However you need to know that being signed up with Debt Negotiation companies can affect your credit record as long as you are in the program. But some of these companies will be able to strike off negative updates in your record.

Usually Credit Card Debt Negotiation deals take from 3 to 9 months to reach a conclusion. However the process can be sped up in different cases depending on the requirement.

These negotiation companies charge 8-15% of the total outstanding amount due but that is a small price to pay when you consider reduced principal debt amount and freedom from stress of dealing with creditors.

How to choose a reliable company?

You are in the mess with your debt situation primarily because of your lack of understanding about interest rates, several debts etc. Make sure you don’t get yourself in a worse situation, do your research about these companies before hand.

These companies will have their own terms and conditions and make sure you go through them carefully.

In your vulnerable situation you will be tempted by companies who offer you unrealistic targets. Don’t be fooled by these notions because you will only be taken for a ride.

You might not be able to undo the damage done by your debt situation but stop it from worsening any further.

As he walked into the room, his body language said, I’ve arrived – hear the trumpets roar. Everyone turned and looked at him. His gaping stride gave the appearance of him gliding around the room.

Yes, he exuded confidence. He displayed it through his bright-broad smile, shoulders held back, and head held high. And then it happened! He began to speak. Some in attendance later said, his voice was like an angelic choir singing in perfect harmony. And his body language gestures and words were in perfect alignment. Attendees erupted with an outpouring of emotions. They couldn’t contain themselves. Yes – he oozed power. Others wanted to get closer to touch his hand, his jacket, or to receive recognition from him.

So, what did he do to cast such a powerful image? Several factors added to his veneer. After observing and incorporating the following body language gestures, others will perceive you as a power source too.

Indecision:

Some people enter environments and appear caught in a vortex of uncertainty. They show it through their body language first without ever uttering a word.

To portray confidence, never compress your body into itself (e.g., shoulders slumped, eyes cast downward to the floor, slow pace when walking). Such gestures message others that you lack depth and self-assuredness. That demeanor would be beneficial if you wish to convey a lack of assuredness to your negotiation opponent. And that role would have to be in alignment with your strategy for the negotiation.

Vulnerability:

Do you know when you feel most vulnerable? It’s worth noting. Because when you sense exposure, you’ll display nonverbal behavior that shows in your body language. When you feel threatened, assess its source.

If you know you’ll enter into an environment that may cause you angst, plan the nonverbal gestures you’ll invoke to enhance your persona. Do so to emit confidence. As an example, you might consider smiling more than you usually do, be more open to being engaged and engaging in conversations, and speaking more while using hand gestures to highlight your words. Casting such an image will make you appear to possess more confidence. It will also serve as a deterrent to those who would challenge you if you seemed to be weak.

Body Language Gestures To Observe:

• Smile – People that smile, at the appropriate time, display a lack of concern about their wellbeing. This gesture also suggests that the person is open and approachable. When someone flashes a smile during times of adversity, it can cause a potential threat barer to question his intent. He’ll wonder why you’re not displaying fear.

• Walking Stride – People walking at a brisk pace with a wide gap indicate that they’re ‘on the move.’ They have a destination in mind. Contrast this against the individual that shuffles upon a path. The signal is, they’re not in a hurry. Use the appropriate pace for the image you want to send.

• Hand Movement – Like other body language movement, hands should be synchronized with the words pronounced. But, someone’s hand motions can occur a moment or two before their words. Hand movement can also indicate the beginning of aggression (e.g., closing into fists and opening again). Thus, to show you’re not afraid, do so by displaying palms up. To add to the display, splay your fingers too.

• Pace of Speech – Nervous People tend to talk too fast and too much. Thus, you can use this act to gauge how calm someone is. And, to convey more power when you speak, do so at a pace associated with what the listener perceives as someone exerting influence.

Whatever the environment you’re in, by controlling your body language and observing that of others, you can become better perceived as being more powerful. Therefore, once you master the techniques mentioned, the perception of your power will become heightened… and everything will be right with the world.

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

Listen to Greg’s podcast at https://anchor.fm/themasternegotiator

What control do you attempt to exercise when negotiating? Negotiation Tip: Winning negotiators win more negotiations by determining what will be negotiated.

This article highlights strategies you can use to control your negotiations and increase your negotiation win rate.

The beginning steps to winning any negotiation is determining what will be on the negotiation table. So, if you think there are issues that are deal breakers for you, ones in which under no circumstance you’d agree to, don’t allow your negotiation opponent to put those issues on the table. The way to prevent him from doing so is to agree on what you’ll discuss (negotiate) before sitting at the negotiation table. Whether you or he realizes it, you’re actually engaged in the negotiation process at that point. If he’s wise, he’ll attempt to keep you from having issues on the table that are deal breakers for him. At that point, agree to negotiate on issues that are agreeable to both of you. Make sure you use a red herring as a ploy (something you have that he wants that doesn’t cost you a lot to give, for something you can get that has greater value than what you give) to enhance your position.

Then, as you engage in the negotiation, try to discuss an issue that had not been planned, but one that will appear to be innocuous to him. To the degree that he negotiates on that issue, try another. The point is, if the negotiation is going good from his perspective, and he’s conceding on the points that advantage you, continue using this strategy until he puts the brakes on this tactic.

If your negotiation counterpart bulks at some point, ask why he’s doing so. Cite the fact that everything was going well and note his reaction. He’ll give insight into how he feels about the offer/counter offer that brought him to the point of impasse, which will give you insight into his mental thought process. At that point ask what he’d do in such a situation. What you’re really doing with that question is getting him to provide a solution to the situation. More than likely the solution will be in his favor. That’s okay. Tell him if he thinks the idea is so good, you’ll flip it (make it to your advantage) and take it. That will cause him consternation. When it does, ask him what he really thinks is fair. Again, he’s providing the solution. Stay in this cycle until he’s willing to accept an offer/counter offer that is beneficial to you. He can’t fault you for accepting a solution that he provided and thus the point should be agreeable to him.

When using this tactic, don’t attempt to negotiate by adding more items to the negotiation than what is called for and/or can benefit your position. Walk right up to the line of his indignation, but don’t cross it.

As you know, there’s a lot of give and take in a negotiation. To the degree you can give, to the satisfaction of the other negotiator’s needs, you can take everything that you want. Use the strategies above and he will willingly give you all that you want… and everything will be right with the world.

Remember, you’re always negotiating!