Communication Counts: Business Presentations for Busy People

Communication Counts: Business Presentations for Busy People......Page 1
Contents......Page 9
Acknowledgments......Page 11
Introduction: Be Bright, Be Brief, Be Gone......Page 13
The Modular Message......Page 15
PART I: A WORD IN EDGEWISE......Page 19
CHAPTER 1: Your Lips Are Moving . . . but Is Anyone Listening?......Page 21
The Forgetting Curve......Page 22
Did Someone Say Stress?......Page 23
The Myth of the Captive Audience......Page 24
The Forgetting Curve’s Silver Lining......Page 25
Essential Elements of Speaking......Page 26
Even the Best Can Blunder......Page 29
The Message Tripod......Page 30
CHAPTER 2: Message in a Module......Page 33
Simply Seven: Message Module Categories......Page 34
Connecting the Dots: A Case Study of Seven Simple Modules......Page 37
Train Your Brain to Think in Modules......Page 38
CHAPTER 3: The Fear Factor......Page 43
Yikes! The Physical Aspect of Speaker’s Fear......Page 44
What Will They Think of Me? The Cognitive Aspect of Speaker’s Fear......Page 46
Fear of Fear Itself......Page 51
The Eighth Module......Page 54
PART II: MESSAGE BOOT CAMP......Page 55
CHAPTER 4: Audience: The \"What\'s in it for Me?\" Principle......Page 57
Is Anyone Here but Me? Overlooking or Misunderstanding the Audience......Page 58
WIIFM : What’s In It for Me?......Page 59
Audience Always Matters: Show Your Respect......Page 62
Do Your Due Diligence for WIIFM......Page 64
An Audience of One: Matching Modules to Decision Styles......Page 66
CHAPTER 5: Substance: What\'s Your Headline?......Page 69
Ignoring the Elephant: Three Reasons People Miss Their Headline......Page 70
Writing Your Headline: Finding the “Aha”......Page 73
Think Like an Ad Writer......Page 75
What to Avoid in a Headline......Page 76
Linking Your Headline to Other Modules......Page 78
Headline Study: A Public Relations Director......Page 80
The Solutions......Page 82
CHAPTER 6: Style: “V” Is for . . . Visual, Vocal, and Verbal......Page 85
“V” #1: Visual Elements......Page 87
“V” #2: Vocal Elements......Page 95
\"V” #3: Verbal Elements......Page 100
Variety: The Spice of Speaking......Page 102
CHAPTER 7: Time Sense: The Lincoln Legacy......Page 105
Our Patience Is Thinning......Page 106
Cut to the Chase......Page 107
Jolt So They Don’t Bolt......Page 110
Time Your Modules, Adjust as Needed......Page 113
Overtime Is a Crime......Page 116
PART III: PRESENTATION SITUATIONS......Page 119
CHAPTER 8: Hold That Elevator: The One-Minute Message......Page 121
Be Ready with a Boilerplate......Page 122
“Got a Minute?” Keep It Conversational......Page 124
Respecting Boundaries: Moments Not to Seize the Moment......Page 126
First Minute, First Impression......Page 128
The Five-Minute Formula: Meeting Meat without the Fat......Page 131
Meeting Jousts: Disarming Your Challengers......Page 133
Back Pocket Modules......Page 134
Know Who’s Across the Table......Page 135
Meeting with Style......Page 136
CHAPTER 10: Main Attraction Modules......Page 139
Kitchen Sinks Not Required—Just the Garbage Disposal......Page 140
Coming Up with a Context Module......Page 141
Creating a Catchy Signpost......Page 142
Proof Positive: Finding Facts, Analogies, and Anecdotes......Page 143
Rehearsing for Long Presentations......Page 146
Cutting It Short?......Page 147
CHAPTER 11: The Power to Cure PowerPoint and Master Other Visual Aids......Page 149
PowerPoint: Use It; Don’t Be Used by It......Page 150
Slide Content: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly......Page 151
Talk Back to Me: Visuals as a Road to Interactivity......Page 155
Should You Go with Video?......Page 156
The Art of the Flip Chart......Page 157
The Power of Props......Page 158
Another Visual Aid Is You!......Page 159
CHAPTER 12: “That’s a Good Question”: Handling Q&A......Page 161
Don’t Just Take Questions—Ask Them......Page 162
Facing the Tough Questions......Page 163
Handling Difficult Audience Members......Page 165
The Sound of Silence......Page 167
Team Talk: A Resonant Symphony......Page 169
Team Style, Team Spirit......Page 172
Panel Presentations: Mixing It Up......Page 174
CHAPTER 14: A Moveable Feast: Presenting to International Audiences......Page 179
Know Before You Go: Ask Who, What, and How?......Page 180
Tips for the Traveling Presenter......Page 181
PART IV: MANAGING YOUR MEDIA MOMENT......Page 185
Remember Who’s Watching, Remember Who’s Reading......Page 187
Reporters Are Different......Page 188
Research Your Reporter......Page 193
No Press Bashing, Please......Page 194
The Wrong and Winding Road to Media Prep......Page 195
Modules for Media......Page 197
Media Question Control: Softballs......Page 201
Media Question Control: Hardballs......Page 202
Handling the Ambush......Page 205
CHAPTER 17: Serve It with Spice......Page 209
Loosen Up, Lighten Up......Page 210
Controlling the Picture......Page 214
Tick Tock . . . Top Time Mistakes......Page 219
The Print Article: Size Matters......Page 222
The TV Interview: “And Now for a Break . . .”......Page 223
New Media: Is YouTube for You?......Page 226
PART V: A LAST WORD......Page 229
Equipment: Tackling Technology Terrors......Page 231
The Room: If Your Space Is a Disgrace......Page 233
People Problems: You’re Only Human . . . and So Is Your Audience......Page 234
Final Thoughts . . .......Page 238
About the Authors......Page 241
Index......Page 243