The Lost Art of Persuasion: Drop the PowerPoint® Crutch -- and Win Over Even the Toughest Group
Six tips for regaining control and delivering presentations that truly persuade.
Hoboken, NJ (PRWEB) July 24, 2007 -- If you present for a living--whether you're a CEO selling your ideas to the board or a salesperson trying to win new business--your job is tougher than ever. You face relentless competition. People are bombarded with messages from the media, the Internet, and other sources. It's getting harder and harder to break through the clutter, yet that's what you must do in order to persuade your audience. And ironically, in a time when you most need to hit your prospects with a powerful pitch, you're likely to fall back on an ineffective crutch: PowerPoint.
"When you allow yourself to play second fiddle to PowerPoint text, you cripple your own selling efforts," says LeRoux, coauthor (along with Peg Corwin) of Visual Selling: Capture the Eye and the Customer Will Follow. "By adopting the principles of visual selling--which basically means drawing attention to yourself and shaping images, room environments, personal appearance, and gestures for maximum impact--you can give dynamic presentations that truly persuade."
Here are six tips, excerpted from LeRoux's book, on regaining control of your presentations:
| | - People remember pictures, not words. "Researchers tell us that the mind stores and retrieves pictures more efficiently than words," says LeRoux. "A face is easier to remember and recall than a name. Cognitive psychologists call this phenomenon 'the picture superiority effect.' You can leverage it to sell your ideas by presenting powerful images to your audience, unsupported by text, as you give your pitch."
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| | - Use PowerPoint images, but stay away from text. "Let's say you're a financial planner trying to get your audience to buy into a retirement plan," says LeRoux. "Instead of posting a lot of dry bulleted points stating that 57 percent of retirees must continue working to maintain their lifestyles, you could simply show them an image of a senior citizen serving fast food. Emblazoned on his apron is '57%.' People look at the screen momentarily and then quickly shift their focus to you."
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| | - You wouldn't propose marriage with a handout. Don't try to sell your ideas with one, either. Imagine you are about to propose marriage to someone with whom you are madly in love. You get down on bended knee and you begin your proposal. But first, you provide her with a written summary of your main points. "Obviously, this is ludicrous," says LeRoux. "You would draw her attention away from you eloquently emoting on bended knee and direct it toward the piece of paper. That's what happens when you distribute a handout before your speech. I'm not saying you can't give your audience a handout or deck at all; I'm saying that you should delay doing so until after your presentation."
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| | - When presenting to a group who insists you use a handout, give them an "image deck." You'll satisfy their need to "follow along" without distracting them. Print full-page versions of your image slides and duplicate them to create your handout. With a text-driven handout, heads are down and eyes are glued to the copy. But with "image handouts," people rapidly peruse the entire document and return their attention to you. It gives the skeleton of your message, but it doesn't flesh it out in a way that is absorbing.
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| | - Do use strategic hand gestures. When you're under pressure, your adrenaline surges and you want to do something with your hands. Don't try to squelch this natural impulse by hiding your hands behind your back or jamming them in your pockets. Instead, use gesturing to your advantage--to indicate size ("small" costs or "huge" margins) or action (sales will "skyrocket" or we'll "check off" results). (LeRoux's book provides illustrations.)
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| | - Learn the simple technique that creates instant enthusiasm. "No doubt about it, enthusiasm sells," says LeRoux. "In fact, 'enthusiasm' is a Greek word that translates roughly to 'the god, the spirit, and the energy within you.' Yet, it's the hardest of all delivery skills to learn or to teach. But there's an easy technique anyone can use to convey heart, drama, and passion: just speak up. Increase your volume and, like magic, enthusiasm usually appears."
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"It should be clear from these tips that there's no mysterious 'speaking gift' involved in delivering compelling presentations," says LeRoux. "You simply have to be trained in proven techniques for selling your ideas, not merely 'telling' them. You must abandon the put-'em-to-sleep-with-a-PowerPoint approach and seize the attention of your audience. Selling visually is a tangible skill--and you can master it."
About the Authors:
Paul LeRoux, the founder of Twain Associates, Inc., has been coaching salespeople on visual selling for more than twenty-five years. His specialty is rehearsing executives for high-stake competitive presentations, outside funding pitches, and large audience addresses.
Peg Corwin is the marketing director for Twain Associates, Inc. Peg has extensive professional experience in sales and has worked with real estate, financial services, and investment consulting firms. She has held licenses as an insurance agent, securities broker, investment advisor, and CPA.
For more information, visit twainassociates.com.
About the Book:
Visual Selling: Capture the Eye and the Customer Will Follow (Wiley, April 2007, ISBN-10: 0-4717936-1-2, ISBN-13: 978-0-4717936-1-8, $24.95) is available at bookstores nationwide, from major online booksellers, and direct from the publisher by calling 800-225-5945. In Canada, call 800-567-4797.
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