I can assure you that I’ve experienced my fair share of “death by PowerPoint” moments throughout my 30-year career as an executive presentation coach. That said, I’ve seen PowerPoint applied well often enough to know that when harnessed sensibly, it can be used to great effect.

Listen in to the latest instalment of The Presentation Fix as Andile Masuku and I chat about how best to get your point across using PowerPoint. We share useful tips on how you can use PowerPoint to enhance your message rather than detract from it, and let you in on some of the more common mistakes executives make when trying to use what has to be one of the most ubiquitous presentation software applications on the planet.

The post Getting Your Point Across With PowerPoint appeared first on Beth Ann Galvin.

A wise man once said that the best place to begin a journey is at the beginning.

When Deshun Deysel sat down for a candid conversation with Andile Masuku and I on The Presentation Fix a short while ago, she referenced her mountain-climbing experience, and how the mental conditioning required to succeed at that sport is comparable to the trained mindset that makes for successful business presentations. However, it is also true that no amount of steely determination and self-confidence can make up for faulty structure when it comes to preparing a presentation— i.e. ensuring that you have a stimulating introduction, a strong main message or content, and a memorable conclusion.

Every time you speak in public your goal ought to be aim to script a story that has maximum impact and one that communicates your message in a way that’s easily understood by your audience. While it’s important to infuse your personality into how you present your message, you might like to consider looking to some tried and tested presentation structures for inspiration. It might be best to start by harnessing the “Power of Three”.

The Power of Three

Three is widely considered a magical number in the world of communication. Research suggests that our brains find it relatively easier to grasp and remember three points at a time rather than four or more.

Here’s how you can apply this in preparing for your next business presentation. As I mentioned earlier, your presentation should have three key elements: the introduction, middle and conclusion. Start by focussing on your main message, and break it up into three parts, and then further expand each of those points into three sub-points.  If you plan to use props or visual aids like PowerPoint, discipline yourself to limit the number of bullet points you use on each slide to three— then, expand on each of those.

The “Power of Three” also applies to the key questions that the body of your presentation needs to answer— namely, “What?”, “Why?” and “How?”.

What? Why? How?

“What?” speaks to the main message you want to leave your audience with. I have previously shared on the importance of taking the time to get inside your audience’s head in order to craft a message that’s relevant and impactful. It’s important to establish what the benefit of your message is to your audience, i.e. what they stand to gain from listening to you speak and what they can do with the information you share with them.

“Why?” Once the “what” is clearly articulated, your audience naturally starts to think along the lines of “why should I do that?”, “why should I think that?” or “why should that be the case?”  Your job is to answer those questions satisfactorily. Doing that ensures that your audience stays on your side throughout your presentation.

“How?” Having established what the main thrust of your message is and why your audience should care, the next step is to reveal exactly how your audience should act on your message. In other words, you need to activate your audience by making suggestions on how they can act on what you have shared with them.

Finally, you should end off by proving the reliability of your information through case studies, personal anecdotal examples or statistics.

And there you have it. Here’s to hoping that the “Power Three” delivers the edge your presentation needs to make an impact— even in the preparation stage.

The post Winning Presentation Structure: Harnessing The Power of Three appeared first on Beth Ann Galvin.

One of the tips Dave shared in our conversation with him is the importance of keeping your audience’s interests at the forefront of your thinking during the preparation and delivery of your pitch. P-I-T-C-H is a useful acronym to help you remember the importance of this principle.

Picture

In

The

Client’s

Head

All your efforts in preparing for a great pitch must be based on an informed assessment of your client’s needs, i.e. having a clear picture of what’s in your client’s head. This will require that you to build personal relationships with the people you plan to pitch— enabling you to do research in terms of understanding their business, familiarise yourself with the power dynamics of their organisational landscape, and ultimately address their pain points.

Indeed, an audience-oriented presentation is key to meeting your business outcomes. And while that may sound obvious, it’s quite surprising how many people find it difficult to focus on clearly articulating how the solutions they are pitching will address the issues their audience face. That’s especially tough to do when you’re anxious to secure buy-in or close a big deal.

Keeping the picture in the client’s head in clear focus when preparing and delivering a pitch is one thing. However, just as important is realising that as a presenter you have a significant role to play in terms of shaping the picture in the client’s head. Think of yourself as a talented Photoshop editor applying much-needed touch-ups to an otherwise bland image.

Here are two quick tips to aid your mission:

1) Hook your audience by adopting an inspiring vocal approach.

You need to realise that how you say things is often just as important as what you say— in some cases more so. Research shows that a person’s vocal quality significantly contributes to the impact they make as a speaker, and that audiences are always far more likely to respond positively and be influenced by a speaker who demonstrates  enthusiasm  and  passion  for the  subject. Time spent improving your vocal delivery is always a worthwhile investment.

2) Mind your image.

How nervous would you get if you caught a glimpse of your cardiologist dressed for the golf course moments before putting you under to perform heart surgery on you? Chances are that this might make you a tad uncomfortable.

Successful business pitches rely not only on how your message is crafted and how expressive your voice is, but also on your ability to gain people’s trust. Your mission is to assure your audience of your competency to solve their problems. Earning credibility can also be achieved by presenting an aspirational image which your audience can confidently buy into.

That’s where dressing the part and using positive body language come into the picture. You may just want to consider updating your wardrobe, getting complete image makeover, and getting guidance on how to enhance your delivery style.

The post Nail Your Next Business Pitch: Focus On Your Client appeared first on Beth Ann Galvin.

“When we are selling our ideas, the audience must first buy us.”
―Peter Coughter, The Art of the Pitch: Persuasion and Presentation Skills that Win Business

Whether you’re a sales exec looking to win a client over, a board member needing to persuade your fellow directors to adopt a new plan, or even a general manager tasked with convincing subordinates of the merits of a new workflow managment system, you’ll do well to polish up on your pitching skills.

Joining Andile Masuku and I on the show this time is Dave Duarte. Thanks to Dave’s solid personal brand and extensive network, he rarely has to pitch for business these days. Nonetheless, he certainly knows a little more than a thing or two about what it takes to craft and deliver the perfect pitch.

Many thanks to Dave for taking a little time out of a busy schedule that includes sitting on several boards including that of the Mail & Guardian and Endeavor’s Venture Corps, collaborating with the Ogilvy Digital Marketing Academy (which he founded), and running a successful consulting business called TreeShake.

Be sure to listen right through for practical pro-tips I’ll be sharing that are sure to help you make the most of what’s left of pitch season.

The post The Perfect Pitch appeared first on Beth Ann Galvin.

Narratives have been told through out the ages in every culture as a means of entertaining, educating and transferring values. On the latest episode of The Presentation Fix, Andile Masuku and I have drawn inspiration from a fairly well-known TED Talk by prolific Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, entitled The Danger of a Single Story. We’ll unpack some key elements demonstrated in Chimamanda’s talk, and chat about how stories can be used to communicate complex ideas and illicit the buy-in of an audience.

We’re also pleased to feature the insights of Musa Kalenga— who is currently Africa Client Partner at Facebook, as well as Head of Brand for the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) South Africa. Over the last twelve years or so, Musa’s made quite name for himself through crafting messaging for leading multi-national firms and even governments. His current role at Facebook sees him apply himself to promoting the efforts of arguably the most prolific story-telling medium of the modern age.

Be sure to listen right through because in the Your Presentation Fix segment I’ll  be sharing practical advice you can use to immediately start improving your storytelling game.

The post The Power of Storytelling appeared first on Beth Ann Galvin.

I’m convinced that even the most naturally gifted personalities often harness a cultivated ability or skill set they might not even realise they possess– which they use to project a confident and deeply affecting image.

In this episode of The Presentation Fix podcast, we discuss the “Power of Personal Presence”— also known as the the X Factor. Andile Masuku and I chat about whether it’s something one is born with, or an quality that can be acquired. The challenge is that many of the attributes of this so-called ‘presence’ are non-tangible, and difficult to describe.

But I’m convinced that even the most naturally gifted personalities often harness a cultivated ability or skill set they might not even realise they possess, which they use to project a confident and deeply affecting image. I really do believe that is something anyone willing to put in the time and effort can acquire and master over time.

Listen in to hear me share a shocking let-down I encountered on YouTube, and to hear Andile and I reference one of South Africa’s finest exports— a young man who is the epitome of how to harness the power of presence. (Hint: He’s incredibly funny.)

Most importantly, I will share three useful tips that, if followed, are sure to help you develop and hone your own personal presence. We aim to inspire you to engage in the kind of personal “maintenance” over the holidays that will position you to ‘kill it’ in 2016.

Happy Holidays!

The post Do You Have The X Factor? Here’s How To Get It appeared first on Beth Ann Galvin.

In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable. —Dwight D. Eisenhower

I’d bet that you’ve spent a fair amount of time stressing over how to get your employees involved in keeping your business strategy fresh, relevant and highly competitive. You’ve likely wondered how one can go about making the planning process not only productive, but also fun, and most importantly, an exercise people care about learning from and acting upon.
A few weeks ago, I was invited to facilitate an executive planning session for a financial institution run by a team of exceptionally bright and assertive women. Believe it or not, the gig was a blast. Also, it was a treat working alongside my good friend, pro climber and speaker, Deshun Deysel— who just happens to feature on the first episode of The Presentation Fix podcast. (And yes, that was a shameless plug.)

Although the ladies I worked with on that project kept me on my toes, my facilitation process ensured a fast-paced, fun and interactive day. In my experience, an enjoyable and successful Strategic Planning Session must encourage team collaboration and engagement. And the number one secret to achieving those aims is creating a safe environment for participants to open up in. Otherwise, it’s pretty much impossible to access the much-needed intelligence one might seek to extract from members of a team— especially the more timid ones.

Happily, after the strategy session was complete the team I worked with responded very well to my facilitation methodology, and told me that it was the first time that they had felt comfortable enough to express their thoughts with such candidness. Kudos to their chief executive who had the courage to confront the challenge of creating a safe environment for her employees to be themselves. Ironically, I’ve found that it’s often the most capable leaders that struggle to suspend judgment and establish the required levels of trust in order to make the most of group strategy sessions.

So, if you’re keen for your team to collaborate on killer business strategy, you need to spend some time thinking about how to create a safe platform which will enable open, yet goal-directed dialogue. And of course, you need to ensure that the facilitator you partner with has the ability to remain neutral, apply a process that eliminates friction and ensure that all your participants (even the most timid) feel comfortable enough to contribute meaningfully.

The post Stop Dreading Your Next Strategic Planning Session appeared first on Beth Ann Galvin.

The mind is a powerful thing. It can take you through walls. –Denis Avey

This is the first of many Presentation Fix podcasts (which we will be publishing once a month) in which my co-host Andile Masuku and I will be teaming up to empower you with the knowledge and skills to make an impact every time you speak or present in public. I intend to tap my on-going experience as an executive presentation coach, trainer and speaker to offer you practical guidance on how to become the best speaker possible— distilling everything I’ve learnt during the last 30 years of working in this industry. 

You can also expect to learn a lot from Andile. He is a respected broadcaster and entrepreneur with nearly 15 years of experience writing, producing and presenting for television, radio, and live events, as well as working in new media— blog, social, online video and podcasting. He no doubt knows a thing or two about communicating effectively.

That said, Andile and I are both active professionals who are keen on upping our game. And so, the learning never stops. We look forward to sharing notes with some of South Africa’s leading communicators who we’ll invite to join us on the show from time to time to deliver insights.

Joining us to get the show on the road is master climber, speaker and businesswoman, Deshun Deysel— who will share, among other things, how she’s channeled her love of climbing very tall mountains into a thriving business and speaking career. Your Presentation Fix is here. Do listen in!

The post Extra! Extra! Get Your Presentation Fix appeared first on Beth Ann Galvin.

Not only have my team and I been busy getting my new website all set up, but I was delighted to be invited to feature on broadcaster and entrepreneur, Andile Masuku’s popular #AndilesTake podcast. He’s working on an episode in which he explores the influences that have contributed to the professional communicator he is today.

He asked me to chat to him about a blog I’d written that had caught his attention– The Rise of Julius Trump, as well as to share some useful tips on how to present like a pro.

Andile has this really smart, cool and humorous way of engaging with people on the mic. He showed me a great time and created a great vibe, which I’m sure you’ll pick up on. Take a listen:

Even more exciting for me is that I will be partnering with Andile to launch my own monthly podcast called The Presentation Fix soon. We plan to deliver lively commentary and conversation that is chock-full of proven business presentation tips and strategies, as well as insights gleaned from some of Africa’s leading presenters who we’ll feature on the show from time to time.

Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter to be the first to know when the podcast is ready, and to have other useful updates and resources sent straight in your inbox.

The post It’s A Podcast Party! appeared first on Beth Ann Galvin.

While they obviously don’t share a barber, they do share a bull-in-a-china shop approach to presenting polarising political arguments, and an ability to win over hundreds of thousands of fans. Could it be that minus the predictable inflammatory declarations and oft-insensitive comments, there might be something great, and perhaps even admirable in their approach to presenting themselves in public?

They both seem to put an awful lot of effort into projecting their public images. Unofficially, “The Donald” owns the trademark to the middle-aged rich banker look (pristine suits and bold ties), complete with the infamous comb-over he’s sported for decades.

Meanwhile, “uJulius” displays an equal measure of intentionality with regards to his dress code— often proudly donning the EFF’s infamous red beret and matching overalls in the halls of Parliament, and sporting the finest European suits and most fashionable casual attire when he’s ‘off-duty’.

Donald and Julius’ wardrobe choices are no doubt part of a calculated multi-sensory strategy to reinforce the charismatic public brands they’ve built. They have succeeded in completely owning every public speaking opportunity by speaking passionately and candidly— off-the-cuff in most instances, and always at high volume.

At The Gathering 2015, hosted in Midrand, South Africa a few months back, I had the pleasure of watching the “Malema Machine” in action along with hundreds of delegates who had congregated to listen to political leaders, top journalists and the country’s business elite debate South Africa’s socio-economic state.

Julius was the last to speak at the end of a very long, but stimulating day. His presentation was scheduled for 6pm, and just like everyone else in that conference room, I waited till the very end to hear him speak. To his credit, he did not disappoint. He kept us hanging on his every word. And despite many people in the audience being vehemently opposed Malema’s political views, he succeeded in coming across very sincere, funny and even likeable.

Meanwhile, Trump continues to be the number one ranked contender for America’s Republican Party Presidential Candidacy. This despite the slew of racial and sexist statements he’s spewed recently— that some feel may eventually lead to him losing the support he’s so far enjoyed. Similarly, Malema continues to lead the EFF “to greater heights”, earning him the grudging admiration of his detractors.

Now am I proposing that the Julius Trump’s bombastic approach to public presentation is one to be emulated? No. But I do think that it’s an approach that’s worth keeping tabs on, and talking about— if only to keep abreast of the times. What I do know is this: Julius Trump is on the rise, and I’m betting that there are more fireworks on the way. So watch the sky.

The post The Rise of Julius Trump appeared first on Beth Ann Galvin.