How many presentations will you make today?

SO...how many presentations do you reckon you make?

One a month? One a week? One in a blue moon?

How about 20, 30 or more a day? That's probably closer to the truth.

In fact, every communication: every casual chat, every conversation at a networking meeting, even everything we share with our family is, in a very real sense, a presentation.

In every transaction we have with another person or group of people we are presenting something: ourselves, our values, our company, our beliefs, our products, our desires, our needs.

Only when you realise that this is the case do you start to think consciously about how you approach each encounter.

And it's only when you start to think about every encounter that you can maximise the effectiveness of these presentations - whether they are formal or informal - and turn them into opportunities for benefit to both sides.

As an example: you want your son to tidy his room. You could either ask him, tell him, order him or barter with him. No matter which of these you choose, you are more likely to get the desired result (a tidy room without a fight) if you approach the transaction as a presentation.

Evaluate your audience (OK, he's your son...you're supposed to KNOW him, but how often do you put yourself in his place and THINK like him?).

Decide on what you want to say.

Have a clear picture in your mind of why you are saying it.

Make sure you know how to say it to get his attention or acquiesence most readily.

Deliver your presentation.

OK...this is an extreme example, being the polar opposite of what we think of as a' normal' presentation, but it's exactly the same template I advocate you use when making a speech to an audience or pitching for new business.

I'd be happy to hear from you if you would like to explore this more thoroughly, and I'll expand on the topic in future posts.

In the meantime, follow me on Twitter or take a look at our website: www.profile-training.com