Video Transcript: Avoiding the 4 Deadly Presentation Sins (Karen Friedman)

Video Transcript: Avoiding the 4 Deadly Presentation Sins (Karen Friedman) 

Hi, I'm Karen Friedman. The other day a blogger asked me to list the seven worst mistakes people make when presenting information. Seven, I asked, Well, why seven? She says, Well, there are probably so many that you wouldn't have time to list them all. You know what she's right. But it's even simpler than that. If you follow just four basic steps, I promise you'll be far more engaging to others. 

One, wear their shoes.

Until you address what your listener cares about, you will never gain their full attention. 

For example, if you're a financial planner, and you're meeting a new client, yes, your credentials are very important, but move on quickly, to help them understand how that great record of yours has made money for others, and how it will do the same for them. 

Two, fire alarm approach. 

I once turned the script into a TV producer who threw it back at me and said, listen, get rid of all these three syllable words. 

While he was kidding, well, sort of his message was dead on. He wanted me to get to the point as quickly as possible. So imagine your listener can only hear one thing before that fire alarm goes off and everyone has to exit the building. What is that one thing you want them to hear? start there, the details can follow. 

Number three, pace and pitch. 

When we speak conversationally, our pace and our pitch is naturally varied. We have highs and we have lows. We project when we're excited. we pause for effect, and we vary our tone. 

We need to do the same thing when presenting. After all, If you don't sound like you're excited about what you're saying, then why should anyone else be? 

And finally, no matter how well you know your stuff, practice and do it out loud. 

You'll be amazed at how much it will help you no matter how many times you've delivered the same information. 

Remember, knowing your stuff and speaking about it are not the same thing. 

Until next time, I'm Karen Friedman.