People do business with those they like and trust! This certainly holds true in what we say and how we speak to others. The key ingredient to a good presentation is relevant and “meaty” content, where the information and presenter are polished and professional so the presentation measures up to the listener’s expectations. The verbal message, as well as the presenter’s non-verbal signals, should be consistent. An example would be a warm verbal greeting should exhibit open and relaxed body language versus a tense facial expression and a rigid body that is not warm or inviting. This would connote the person really was not sincere in what they were saying. The first impression is made in as little as seven seconds and is difficult to change. Within twenty seconds of hearing someone speak (whether on stage, at a networking event or on a sales call), the listener is making up his/her mind as to whether he/she wants to continue listening or divert their attention elsewhere. Incorporating the following tips into your presentation will help build enjoyable, profitable and productive relationships.

Key points to avoid in your presentation

Does Everything Benefit the Audience versus satisfying the speaker’s ego? Granted, we must have the credentials to show that we are an expert on the topic, however, beginning a speech with a litany of “I, me, my” can turn off many listeners. Try to find out all you can about your audience ahead of time to help determine what you want to share. You would probably address a group of college students differently from a professional organization of executives. A quick list of accomplishments, possibly in the form of an introduction by someone else, or on a marketing piece, can show the audience all of your experience, books or white papers written, awards, blogs, titles, etc. As you speak and share your personal or professional stories related to the subject, they will learn even more about your expertise, products and services.

How You Present: Any distracting mannerisms showing nervousness, frustration, fear (or numerous other non-verbal signals), stammering, nervous laughing, etc.,  can detract from the speaker’s credibility. Rather than being able to relax and absorb the message, the audience may end up uncomfortable and eventually tune out. Rehearsing in front of a mirror or a colleague, or even by recording yourself on a tablet or cell phone, can help you work out the bugs beforehand.

How Your Talk is Structured: Avoid the audience expending their energy trying to piece together bits of information into a cohesive unit. Ensure your key points are in proper sequence, whether chronologically or by relevant chunks of information (1. Problem/situation; 2. Examples or statistics to back you up; 3. What has been done so far; 4. What needs to be done to resolve the issue).

Graphics That Enforce, Not Distract. Use short, concise visual aids. It is difficult to listen to the speaker while trying to read a lengthy message on a slide. The audience should not have to guess what an image means rather than being able to hear and absorb the information. The less verbiage on each PowerPoint slide, the better. Try using physical demonstrations — writing on a white board for smaller audiences, graphs, charts, or statistics where the audience could interject their thoughts when the time is right. If they get a dear-in-the-headlights look on their face, go back and ensure that hey understand.

Pay Attention to Their Personal Needs. Our brain can turn to mush when it experiences information overload. A person who is thirsty, hungry, needing some coffee or soda, or a bathroom break, has a difficult time listening let alone focusing on, and appreciating, the message. If you see your audience disengaging or fidgeting, it may be time for a break. We can pack more punch with a shorter message (if need be) and have an alert audience than one whose comfort level  is suffering.

Showing You Value Your Audience. Show your audience you value them enough to make their experience completely worthwhile. Most people will forgive a less-than-perfect presentation if the content is helpful, educational and interesting. 

Stay tuned for more tips on giving confident, effective presentations no matter the size of the audience. Whether speaking to just one decision maker or to an entire auditorium of people, you want to be the one they choose to continue building a quality relationship with.

Rita Rocker is a national speaker, international author, trainer and coach with Transformation Academy, LLC

An important part of building good business relationships is to give the impression of being a confident professional that clients and co-workers will be eager to have on their team. The way you speak over the telephone coveys approximately 85% of your  message. Build a reputation as a highly professional business. Present the best possible company image by keeping staff informed on proper phone coverage .  Below is a sample script you can follow:

Please advise Jake that I must speak with him before Thursday regarding his estimate on the costs associated with getting the Diamond Widget account set up.  What is his schedule like between now and Thursday?

(The assistant informs you that he is only available between 10:45 and 12:00 noon today and is then out of town until Thursday morning.)

Let him know that I’m available at 10:50 and I’ll write him in my calendar.  If I’m away from my office when he calls, please tell him to have me paged because it’s critical that we speak before he leaves on his business trip.

You then inform your office that you’re expecting an important call from Jake and that if he calls, you need to be paged.  You absolutely must talk with him. To convey the utmost in professionalism, follow the tips below:

• Always say, “May I tell him/her who is calling?” rather than “Who’s calling?”
• If you need to transfer someone, be sure to say, “I will connect you to Mary Jones, who will be able to help you”. Avoid saying “transfer” which makes people feel like they’re getting the runaround.
• Always ask permission to put someone on hold.
• Repeat names, phone numbers and pertinent information slowly and clearly.
• Important! Watch your opening statements and tone of voice as you immediately set the tone and where the conversation will go.
• Visualize the person to remind you that you are engaged in a two-way conversation and that this person is your #1 priority.
• Check your body language and facial expression.  Energy, frustration or any other mindset will be transferred.  Emotions are often irrational while you are focused on a rational solution.
• Inform the individual as to when you will have an answer or be getting back to them.  Always keep your word to call back at that time, even if you need to let them know that you’re still working on a solution and when you will call back again.

The one who has the most power to change your life is the one you see in your mirror!”

Think of your mind as a computer and work diligently to program it for the most positive and effective transformation. Just like a computer, if you load the wrong software into it, it will not function correctly and may cause a hardware crash which can cause tremendous aggravation to restore and rebuild before getting back on the right track. Just like when a computer gets a virus and needs to be cleaned up, we often need to remove the negative “viruses” in our lives. They run the gamut from negative and demeaning relationships, bad health habits that tear us down, careless spending that can put us in a sea of debt, filling up our mind’s computer with trash.  When our thoughts become infected, we either clean them up, hit the gas and go forward in victory mode, or clog up our system and sit by the side of the road. It is your choice. Is it time to replace your mental engine?

When you go through life’s transitions, keep focused on the bigger picture. Design it in your mind no matter what is actually currently in your life. Walt Disney created the entire Magic Kingdom in his mind before he had the money, support, anyone’s respect and cooperation, or the very equipment that he could actually make it happen. He grew up as a poor workhorse on the family farm with an abusive father who made him and his brother work from before dawn to late at night, every moment they were not in school. They would freeze in the winter with holes in their one pair of shoes. His trials and loss of a true childhood is what gave him the drive to create an enchanted place for all of us to dream, have unbelievable fun, and experience life like never before!

       If Walt Disney can do something so profound and miraculous, think of what you can do with the magic pen we                 call “the mind.

“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of the past.. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not see it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43: 18-19 (NKJV)

Close Your Eyes and Create! When we look around with our eyes wide open, we see the world and our life’s situation, finances, relationships, etc., as they currently exist. If any of those areas are in dismal shape, it is hard to imagine and recreate a life of fulfilled dreams and purpose. Thinking with our eyes closed ignites our imagination of what can be, instead of what is at present. Focus on the opportunities and possibilities instead of obstacles to unlock your inner architect.

 Start at the End of Your Life and Create Your Plan in Reverse!

As you work towards your personal reinvention, start with where you truly want to be if your wildest dreams were achieved. This will help you explore fresh possibilities, new relationships, programs and steps to take to reach that goal. Work backwards. There is nothing more invigorating, faith building or obstacle-busting than to see your end goal every day, no matter what life looks like now.

“Seeing” the end is how we “get” to the end!

It is often a shift in your mind that must take place before you get (and remain) on the right track, the one that will take you to the finish line. A thought-provoking visual aid can actually shave months (or literally years) off of reaching your goal IF you follow it no matter what anyone says. Here are a few suggestions for creating your ultimate goal page. Write out in great detail. Do NOT think about “how” this will get accomplished, just write!

• how you want to look and feel
• what you want your bank account to be
• what kind of family and social life you want, etc.
• what you will feel like now…and…how will your life look after you have reached these goals

 List all of your positive characteristics:

• the ones you have now and …
• the ones necessary to exchange before you can reach those goals (replace negative friends with supportive ones, switch from watching four hours of television at night to attending/researching/watching educational programs, etc.). Put a date at the top of the page. Close your eyes and see it happening every day. It truly is never too late for a new beginning!!

Never compare your journey, credentials, accomplishments,

(or any part of your life for that matter) with anyone else’s.

When you measure your progress, compare yourself to who you were yesterday.

Then get back on that ladder and take the next step divinely created for you.

Take at least ten minutes in the morning to visualize and “see” yourself being/doing those very things you desire and need to have to fulfill your vision. If you can do this upon awakening when your mind is fresh and you haven’t yet met the day with family and job duties that works best.  If you only have a quiet space in the bathroom with the door locked, do it.  Right before you begin your day, if possible, take ten minutes to think about your day and fill out your assessment above. Use more paper as necessary to write it all down to review. You can eventually create a blueprint that transforms your mind and alter your everyday life. Keep positive thoughts that guide you to those activities and the people who were meant to be part of your life. Dream big and again, during this mind transformation time, do not sabotage your efforts by wondering “how” it can come about. Only visualize, visualize, visualize!

      See yourself wearing that gorgeous dress, being promoted at your place of work, in your new house, being mentally and physically strong, positive and healthy. See yourself feeling good (even if you’re sick), being a powerhouse speaker, enjoying dinner with supportive friends, or whatever changes are necessary to shift your circumstances and manifest your best self and life. Even when things at home or work are crazy tough, see yourself calm, strong and reacting in a positive manner. Doing so can help shift your mind and prepare you for a more calm and effective manner of communication.

It is a scientific fact that the power of belief can cause the brain to lead the entire body in a certain way, however, you must be realistic in that if you want to shrink your hips four sizes, that it really is possible. For example: If you have a particular bone structure with larger, wider hips, your goal can only go so far as your bone structure allows and will never move those hip bones into a tiny rump. Think the impossible but be realistic. Keep your empowering goals before you (even make a vision board) and your self-talk positive and relevant! It may take a continuous and conscious effort to keep switching back to goal-oriented thoughts when they sneak back to the ones that have been speaking to you. You get my drift!

When you visualize a stronger, more confident and prosperous version of your natural self, you will begin to program your body and mind to “go there” which will help you support the habits that will help get you to your goal!

Stay tuned for part 2

A major shift in life’s circumstances takes concentrating more attention to who you want to become and who you want to be with on a regular basis rather than what you actually do for a living, for example. What thoughts take up most of your time? What do you believe will happen versus what can happen with clearer focus and more determination? How long do you allow yourself to feel down or defeated? We all have bad days and thorns in life that poke us hard, however, how long do you allow them to affect your emotions? How do you speak to yourself, see yourself and allow yourself to be treated? What makes you feel confident and powerful or weak and ineffective? Write it down!

Visualizing, or seeing yourself strong, is a tremendously powerful tool. Experts say it takes 21 days to form a new habit. Can you resolve to see yourself confident, healthier, in a flourishing new relationship, financially stronger…or whatever your need or desire is…for the next 21 days? Can you make that specific period of time one of “seeing” and “feeling” what you truly want to happen AS IF it has manifested already? Allow your pliable, magnificent brain to create a mental ‘blueprint’ of what you want to accomplish. Even if you cannot see “how” to get to the end result, don’t worry about that right now. Only concentrate on seeing and believing.  Your brain can then begin to shift into the behaviors and means necessary to attract and complete this vision.

For the next 21-day habit transformation, begin each day with an attitude of expecting the best rather than just hoping nothing bad happens. Disappointments occur and sometimes we get bad news. However, it is important to steer your day in the most positive way possible, even if you have to redirect your path several times. Call out and declare the best to happen to you…predict it and expect it. Determine, first in your mind, the greatest day possible.

When someone says something about you, either positive or negative, that seed tries to plant itself in the soil of your life. It is at this very moment that you determine whether or not to allow that seed to take root and grow into a self-sabotaging weed. If you dwell on what was said or done to you, you are watering and fertilizing the damaging seed and it will manifest in your life. That is why you must stop it every time, immediately! Switch and meditate on positive thoughts, blessings, what God’s Word says about you throughout the day. Nourish those seeds and watch them grow into your newly created reality! Ever look at a packet of flower seeds and see a beautiful and full array of gorgeous flowers? Yet, when you open the packet, what do the seeds look like initially? Shriveled and ugly? You plant them in the ground, alone, away from any light or sunshine. They just get “rained on” in the beginning (like what happens to our dreams quite often). But…what is going on beneath the surface? Just like your own building blocks you are painstakingly setting in place (educational classes, replacing negative friends, a new exercise program), caring for the seeds of your dreams will eventually cause the “fruit of your labor” to surface just like those flowers. Depending on your life situations (family, career, finances, support (or not), it may take a bit longer than you had hoped but it is a law of nature: what you sow, you will reap! Life may seem pretty dismal and you may only see the work you’ve put in but not the results yet. Keep nourishing your plants (your life, body, etc.) and you will see a transition take place. Like I said, it is a law of nature…and a law of God!