The Secret Herbs & Spices to the Perfect Presentation!

Small Biz Matters – a half hour program each week where you can work ON your business rather than IN it.
with Alexi Boyd from Boyd Office Management Services
Date: 26 March 2019

When you present to a group large or small, how do you know when you’ve really nailed it? And what’s the magic formula for getting it right? What if I said to you the answer is as simple as great delivery and Just. 5. Slides.

That’s it, simple right?

Well of course you need to know your stuff and be an expert and also be pretty good at microphone technique but the secret sauce is Just. 5. Slides.

Jeremy Goff from CloudSix is an expert in PR and Comms is going to share this and other secrets which you won’t believe makes it so easy…. plus learn all about the best approach to those tricky email conversations.

Welcome to the show Jeremy.

How to communicate clearly

Communicating is ultimately about getting someone to do something for you or NOT getting them to do. That’s personal AND business.

• What’s the DO WHAT? What do I have to do? That’s the meaning of the communication? Are you trying to convince someone?
• Email is the default and people are becoming lazy with the way they say in emails, the tone, the structure,
• This is easy to fix – you just need to remember that people can’t see your face. You can imply the word please when communicating verbally but implicitly need to. Say it in an email
• Are the people you’re talking to made to feel comfortable. The starting point should be what you’re familiar with. As we were just discussing… as per previous emails. This makes a connection.

Email strategies:

• Use short sentences – fewer than 25 words
  • Sentence 1 – sets the context - why are we talking about this?
  • Sentence 2 – Why now? The timing
  • Sentence 3 – question/statement which leads to sentence 4
  • Sentence 4 – what are we trying to achieve?
• Get to the key message within 4th sentence in 3 points max

People – internal:

• Different to clients, recognise there will be various WAYS to communicate - Toolbox talks, WIP, slack conversation
• Have you made a conscious decision about how to communicate with your internal people. Understand you need to be flexible because of time sensitivity.

Elevator/verbal/ Conversations communication

• Yes, it might be non-planned, and you need to be quick on your feet BUT if you stick to the rules. Lead them to the end point by making them feel comfortable.
  • Context
  • trigger - Why are we talking about this now?
  • What are we doing moving forward
  • Here’s the plan or information

How to give a good presentation – the 5 Slide Rule

• How not to bore your audience and be invited back!
• What you’re presenting is irrelevant
• Start & Finish Slide & Agenda (the leads of the 5 slides)
• Why only 5?
  • Short attention spans – capture, get to key message
  • Set them free from your own powerpoint and leave them wanting more info
• What to include in the slides
  • The top of the slide is NOT the heading; it’s a lead
  • In your 5 slides the “leads” should make a 25 word sentence on what the presentation is about logically from beginning to end.
• Talk to images not words. Never read off the slide. You SHOULD be able to say what you need. With images/graphs/pictures (can cheat using fly-in images on the slide)
  • But what if there’s detail?
    • That’s what backup slides are for! Anticipate the questions and have the answers in backup slides
  • Timing – only use HALF for presentations and the rest for
    • This changes the energy because you’re energetically moving through the material and this might end early!
  • Questions? YES!
    • Build relationships with the audience & Engage one-on-one
      • Great tools That’s a great question / There’s so much more about this, come and find me and we’ll have a coffee afterwards / I’ll be over there after the presentation / Name people (that wakes them up!)
    • Plant a question with a friend
    • Don’t know anyone? Be at the conference BEFOREHAND to meet with the attendees and see what they’re interested in?
    • If all else fails ask your own question “what I’ve been asked before is” “I can see a few people nodding”
  • Finishing
    • Have a finishing slide!

To find out more go to their website: www.cloudsix.com.au