Spark

9 Ways to Stand Out As A Conference or Tradeshow Speaker

2008-03-18T19:14:00.003+09:00

If you're a professional speaker, you spend your professional life learning to be a polished presenter. But what if you don't do this for a living, but have been asked to speak at a conference, trade show, seminar or other place where you get the opportunity to promote yourself, your ideas and your business?

Rohit Bhargava presents nine excellent tips for making the most of this opportunity, including:

Have a simple theme.
Get to the point.
Stay real.
Stick around.

Ask your market: Even ads are doing it!

2008-03-18T19:10:00.003+09:00

So you've got a great message. But how do you know whether it matches what your audience wants? Easy - ask them! Even advertisers are doing it - right in the ads themselves.

Most experts and leaders assume they know what their listeners want, but this isn't necessarily the case. Do some simple market research. This doesn't mean you have to get a bunch of people in a room with cheap wine, cheese and a one-way mirror. Even informal market research - just asking your target market to tell you their biggest problem - is useful.

E-Book: You Are Being Lied To

2008-03-17T14:43:00.001+09:00

In this provocative e-book, Larry Winget rants about experts who don't practise
what they preach. It's an extremely important issue whenever you're delivering
a message.

Download the e-book here - it's free.

Creating on-line community in your organisation

2008-03-15T21:34:00.002+09:00

The Internet is abuzz with on-line communities like Facebook, Myspace and LinkedIn. How can you create an on-line community within your organisation? You might already have an organisational intranet, but how do you turn that into a community?

Tim Shaw provides some answers in his article The "in" club - thinking about members-only sections. Shaw offers these four broad guidelines:

Provide members-only content
Provide access to experts
Provide enhanced networking opportunities
Provide enhanced access to events.

By themselves, these might seem obvious and even simplistic. But taken together, they can create an on-line community that combines added value and stronger relationships.

James Watson - no longer a credible source

2008-03-15T21:26:00.002+09:00

James Watson, world-famous as one of the team at Cambridge University who discovered the structure of DNA, has done irreparable damage to his reputation by making comments linking intelligence to race. In fact, Watson's critics now point to this as one in a long chain of similarly unscientific comments in his past.

How does this apply to your message management? You might not be a Nobel prize-winning biologist, but if you're in a leadership position, you do have some authority because of that position. But don't take that authority for granted. Some audiences are more skeptical than ever, and will take apart everything you say. Make sure your messages are grounded in fact, not speculation - and certainly not in ignorant bias.

Reputation Really Matters, by Penny Mulvey

2008-03-15T21:20:00.005+09:00

One of our clients, Penny Mulvey of Positive Media, has just released her new book "Reputation Really Matters". In it, she draws on her experience working with some of Australia's leading business and organisational leaders and teams, talking about the importance of your reputation in creating an environment of trust for delivering credible messages.

Virgin America creates a watchable safety video

2008-02-13T17:30:00.004+09:00

You know those airline safety videos you watch carefully every time you take off on a flight? No, we don't watch them either!

To counter this problem, Virgin America created a safety video with a difference: It's entertaining! Watch it yourself and see:

This clever twist on the standard safety video taps into people's natural inclination to watch something interesting. Virgin asked the question, "How can we make this something people want to watch?"

How can you do the same thing in your message management? Even if you think it's interesting, your message might be boring, mundane, prosaic or humdrum to your audience? How can you make it interesting - even entertaining - for them?

Do Presidential Candidates Now Have to be on Facebook?

2008-02-13T17:30:00.003+09:00

Less than two years ago, Facebook was an unknown little Web site for Harvard students. Now it's become so well-known and well-used that some people are questioning whether U.S. presidential candidates need well-constructed Facebook profiles!

Whether or not you agree with the writer's point of view, there's no doubt that positioning and public relations have changed in today's world. If you're not using today's technology to deliver your messages - and more importantly, if you're not using it well - you'll be talked about, but for all the wrong reasons.

Creating a sales video in PowerPoint

2008-02-13T17:30:00.001+09:00

The technology to create a promotional video might seem expensive and out of reach of the average business. But you've probably got the technology already - and it's called PowerPoint.

PowerPoint expert Dave Paradi describes how to create a sales video using PowerPoint. You won't learn about the design of the message in Dave's article, but he does talk about the process of planning, producing and packaging your PowerPoint presentation in a form that's easy to distribute.

Stand out from the crowd on-line

2008-02-13T17:29:00.001+09:00

We've recently conducted an interview with Colin Pearce for one of his audio programs. We were talking about getting business on-line, and in particular how to stand out from the crowd. In other words, if there are tens of thousands of businesses like yours on the Web, how do you make yours stand out from the rest?

The answer is: You don't! You're not competing with every other book shop, every other travel agent, every other financial planner, or whatever other industry you're in. They are not all fighting over the same customers and clients. Instead, know your particular niche - whether it's a niche by geography, demographics or motivation - and do your best to attract them.

This is crucial for effective message management. Don't aim for "everybody" - you'll reach nobody.

Reckoning With Risk, by Gerd Gigerenzer

2008-02-13T17:27:00.005+09:00

The test for breast cancer is extremely reliable. It correctly detects breast cancer in 90% of cases when the cancer does exist, and only mistakenly reports it in 9% of cases when the cancer doesn't exist. The incidence of breast cancer in women is 1 in 100. Suppose you (or, for men, a woman close to you) take a test for breast cancer, and unfortunately it returns a positive result (i.e. it detects the cancer). What is the probability that you do have breast cancer? Would you be surprised to know it's just 10%? Not 90%, 99% or some other high number?

Another example: DNA testing on a murder weapon matches your DNA, and a forensic expert says there's only a 1 in 100,000 chance of that happening. Are you doomed? Would you be surprised to know that in a city of, say, 2 million people, this means you're 95% likely to be NOT guilty, based on that DNA evidence alone?

Do these examples surprise and confuse you? If so, take heart: They surprise and confuse most people - laypeople and experts (doctors and lawyers) alike. Unfortunately, this can have disastrous - sometimes tragic - consequences in law, medicine and other fields.

This is the sort of confusion that occurs when experts don't know how to present complex information in a clear way. It's a pity, especially when there are ways to present this simply - without being simplistic. Gigerenzer shows you how.

Getting Through to the Technical Buyer

2008-02-13T17:27:00.001+09:00

When you're delivering a message in a sales presentation, the person receiving the message might not be the only person who you have to convince. Solution: Get in front of the "economic buyer" - the guy/gal who signs the cheques.

Easy, right? Wrong.

It's not always easy to get to that person directly. More importantly, it might not be enough to convince that person alone. They might have final authority on spending the money, but they'll take advice from others about the purchasing decision.

In addition to the economic buyer, you might face the user buyer (who'll actually use the product) and the technical buyer (who decides how the product will fit into the organisation's structure).

The technical buyer might in fact be the person you most have to convince. Online marketing company Enquiro Research has released a free report, Marketing to a B2B Technical Buyer, which gives detailed ideas and guidelines for marketing to this species.

This is one of the best free research reports you'll ever read. Visit their site and download it now.

Mattel's CEO sends mixed messages

2008-02-13T17:26:00.002+09:00

Last year, toy manufacturer Mattel recalled two products because of safety concerns. Mattel's CEO Robert Eckert apologised in person. But was it sincere? See for yourself in Holly Buchanan's article, and consider how you would feel as a concerned parent.

Was the message for parents (as Eckert claims) or for investors? If it was for parents, why did Mattel take out ads in the Wall Street Journal (as well as regular newspapers)? And why didn't they take out any ads after the first recall? Was it a sincere apology, or just a publicity stunt?

Be consistent with your messages. If you only care about your shareholders and investors, say so. It might sound heartless, but at least it doesn't sound slimy.

Great CEOs are corporate heroes using story to let us see the world through their eyes

2008-02-13T17:26:00.001+09:00

That title is a quotation from Marshall Goldsmith's interview of Robert Dickman, who teaches executives how to communicate using stories. He summarises the five key elements of any story:

The PASSION with which it is told.
A HERO that leads us through the story and allows us to see it through his eyes.
An ANTAGONIST or obstacle that needs to be overcome.
A moment of AWARENESS that allows the hero, and us, to prevail.
And the TRANSFORMATION that naturally results.

If you're in a strategic leadership position, are you tapping into the power of stories to convey your messages?

Rachel Green's media tips for speakers

2008-02-13T17:25:00.002+09:00

When delivering a message as an expert, it's important to be credible and authoritative. One of our colleagues, Rachel Green, has published a list of 10 media tips for professional speakers. Use this checklist before any media opportunity, to ensure you create the best impression.

It's easy to be believed when you're an "authority"

2008-02-13T17:25:00.001+09:00

A Washington Times article points out that U.S. congressional committees are swayed by the opinions of experts, even when the experts' research is based on poor science or junk science. The power of authority is so strong that - even when it's built on dubious foundations - ordinary people believe your authority, not the facts.

This is not to say that you should deliberately mislead people, just because you're in a position of authority. Far from it. But do be aware that people view your authority as a shortcut to your credibility. So don't feel that you have to justify every little thing and every tiny detail. Your position gives you subconscious authority in your audience's mind. Don't abuse it, but don't overlook it either.

Peer Influence Used to Stop Anti-Social Behaviour

2008-02-13T17:24:00.000+09:00

The University of Kentucky is taking a new approach to reduce the problem of violence against women on campus: Social proof.

Its The Violence Intervention and Prevention Center is no longer relying on traditional methods, such as one-time programming and awareness campaigns - which have been shown to be ineffective. Instead, they are focusing on teaching people how to take the initiative in group situations, and become more active in taking action, rather than relying on somebody else in the group to go first.

This is an application of the Social Proof principle: In a group situation, people naturally look to others for cues to take action. It takes a concerted effort to educate them to act differently.

Web 2.0 Overview

2008-02-12T09:57:00.001+09:00

What is "Web 2.0", and what does it mean for delivering your messages on-line? In this brief presentation, Satyajeet Singh gives you an overview of the main concepts:

The key is that Web 2.0 is about community, collaboration and participation. You can no longer rely on strangers finding you and trusting you. Build trust and prove you're an expert before they visit your Web site.

How to report scientific research to a general audience

2008-02-11T17:42:00.001+09:00

Dave Munger, co-author of the "Cognitive Daily" blog, published an excellent article about reporting scientific research to a general audience.

This article is a good example of how highly technical information can be presented to a general audience with clarity. His tips assist scientists to design a powerful message, by being really clear about what is to be presented.

His eleven tips are:

Find interesting research
Show why it's interesting first
Let the research speak for itself
Don't include details that are only relevant to scientists
Don't use scientific jargon
Tell a story
Visuals need the same treatment as words
Keep it concise
Cite your sources
Don't overstate your case
Have fun!

For example, Tip 5 highlights how you can increase the clarity of your article by eliminating unnecessary language that the audience doesn’t need to understand. He also has some interesting comments on how to deliver a technical message in a way that appeals to a general audience (eg; including stories, establishing authority by citing sources etc).

Although his article is written for an academic audience, it's highly relevant for anybody delivering a complex message. You'll find that all his guidelines apply just as well in a corporate, business or personal context.

The Intuition Myth

2008-02-08T07:07:00.000+09:00

There's a popular conception that intuition, gut feel and "seat of the pants" thinking is a key factor in innovative business thinking. But in their special report, "The Power of Intuition - And Why It’s the Biggest Myth in Business Today", authors Kevin J. Clancy and Peter C. Krieg debunk this myth. They argue that it's rare for hunches alone to lead to success, and that the myth has grown because it's the rare successes that get the most publicity.

Download your copy of their report here.

Clancy and Krieg argue passionately for the importance of proof, not just guessing, in making decisions ("personal judgement and unimpeachable data", as they put it). The same applies to your message management. By all means, use your opinions, hunches, intuition and gut feeling in developing your ideas; but support them with a solid foundation of facts, data and research.

How not to use PowerPoint

2008-01-28T20:20:00.000+09:00

Watch the following comedy sketch by comedian Don McMillan on "How not to use PowerPoint".

Don McMillan uses comedy to deliver a more powerful message. What are some ways ways that you can create a memorable story to get your audience's attention for your message? Even if you're not a comedian, you can still find interesting ways to deliver your message.

Can watching "ER" make you a healthier person?

2008-01-28T20:16:00.001+09:00

Apparently so, according to researchers at the University of Southern California, who examined the story-line of TV drama 'ER' and its influence on viewers. In that particular story-line, a character on the show was advised to exercise more and eat healthier food. Thomas W. Valente of the Keck School of Medicine conducted a survey that found that viewers of the show were much more likely to report a positive change in their behaviour after watching the episode.

This demonstrates the authority principle. People are influenced by others in authority, even if the authority is fictional! When delivering your message, authority is one of the key aspects to establishing or framing it(i.e. It answers the "Why you?" question in their mind). So, if you have genuine authority (not false authority like the ER episode), use it! Or refer to someone who does have genuine authority. It can make a positive difference to your message.

One Red Paperclip, by Kyle Macdonald

2008-01-28T19:50:00.000+09:00

You might have heard about Kyle Macdonald, who tells his amazing story of how he traded a paper clip for a house. Well, not in one trade, but in a series of trades that took him back and forth across North America. His book and his blog tell his story in detail.

Sounds crazy doesn’t it? A paperclip for a house? Well, it depends. He starts by trading it for a novelty pen, which somebody gave him just for the fun of it. The first few trades are just for fun. And then it gets serious. He gets something rare, and finds a collector willing to trade for it. He gets a lot of media attention, so some people want to trade on the exposure they'll get. And so on. At one point, he seems to be going backwards - at least, in the opinion of many of his loyal fans. But he sticks to his guns. And ends up with a house.

Kyle’s story is the perfect illustration of selling value, and more importantly how one person’s need may be very different to another. He understood that if he could find out how each trade item solved that persons problem or need then that item had value for that individual. In fact, throughout his blog (and his book) he highlights what benefits a specific trade provided for an individual (ie, what "problem" did the traded item solve for that person. For example, Shawn Sparks really wanted the door knob for his espresso maker (stating that "Yeah, it even looks like me in the morning after my first cup - all wired up and stuff"). Each trade solved an individual's need, and in the end solved Kyle's - he got his house!

Step into your audience's world, truly understand their need, and create messages that solve their problems.

Gihan Perera talks about Magnetic Messages on the Wake Up WA breakfast show

2008-01-28T19:45:00.000+09:00

How do you make your message more memorable? On a recent episode of the breakfast show “Wake Up WA”, Gihan Perera talked to Matt Hern and Edwina Nattrass, and shared some simple tips and ideas on how you can be remembered after you leave the room.

Look out for how he teaches you to use “When you…”, “The next time …” and “Every time…” to create a future action or association in the listener’s mind, so your message is remembered among the hundreds of other messages your audience will hear today.

Always be persuading

2008-01-28T19:31:00.000+09:00

In public speaking courses, beginners are taught that a speech has one of three purposes: To entertain, to inform or to persuade. But what if you looked at every presentation of your message as an opportunity to persuade - even if you're informing or entertaining as well?

In this free report, To Inform Or To Persuade?, David Brenner makes exactly this point. It is easy read, and is particularly relevant for you if you make presentations in the workplace. He uses a story or case study to demonstrate the importance of framing to create a persuasive presentation. In the case study, the consultant identifies that Jane’s presentation did not answer some specific questions that would be relevant for her audience:

Is Jane trying to inform me or persuade me? (Why this?)
What does Jane want me to do? (Why now?)
What does Jane want me to remember? (Why me?)
Does Jane understand what will concern the audience most? (Why me?)

Once these were addressed her presentation became persuasive for her audience.

Who are the heroes in your stories?

2008-01-28T19:22:00.001+09:00

Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways of creating magnetic, memorable messages. And one of the reasons stories work is because they have a “hero”, someone we can identify with. Use this list of heroic characters to understand the different types of hero, so you can incorporate them into your stories for greater impact.Although you might find it difficult to find a suitable “Knight” (someone who confronts evil) in a business context!

Someone who has used stories effectively in a business context is author Patrick Lencioni, the founder and president of The Table Group. He is a leading authority on organizational health, teamwork, change and corporate culture. He uses stories in books such as The Five Temptations of a CEO and The Five Dysfunctions of a Team to help CEOs and leaders learn the about the top pitfalls of leadership and suggests practical ways to overcome them. He has also designed interactive workshops and resources that can be used to make these live for the audience.

So consider how you could use a story to enhance your message or idea.

Network marketing without stalking your friends

2008-01-25T19:57:00.000+09:00

Your communication varies depending on your level of trust … it is important not to “stalk” your friends.

Network marketing is often touted as the answer to running a successful small business - using a simple, proven formula that anybody can do. But it also has a reputation for exploiting friendships and relationships for financial gain. In the network marketing game, some cynics call themselves "NFL members" - that is, No Friends Left!

What's the truth? Is there a way to do network marketing without stalking your friends? Even if you're not involved in network marketing, read Kim Klaver’s free report, "Friends, Lies and Network Marketing". It offers excellent ideas on delivering important messages in ways that are remembered, not rejected. She gives 12 tips for ethical, pressure-free success in network marketing.

Here are five of the tips:

Tell them up-front that you're selling.
Ask for referrals, not sales.
Use enthusiasm, not hype.
Recommend the smallest package.
Skip the therapy.

How can you use this in your business? What are some other ways you can develop or strengthen trust in your message for your audience?

Death by Powerpoint

2008-01-25T19:50:00.000+09:00

In the following presentation by Alexei Kapterev, he effectively use a "story" to present his message: "Death by PowerPoint".

He uses pictures (eg: of bored audiences), simple and sometimes dramatic written points ("lots of people are killing each other with bad presentations, now") and music to enhance his story. The audience is left with a “wow” and a round of applause at the end! (a high). He has now delivered a much more memorable message, by taking the audience through some highs and lows, appealing to different learning styles (audio and visual) than a standard PowerPoint presentation.

Make them right, but make them uncomfortable

2008-01-25T19:47:00.000+09:00

It's hard to inspire people if you start by telling them they are wrong - they immediately resent you. But it's also hard to motivate them if they think they are right, and don't have to change. How do you resolve this dilemma?

One way is to convince them that what they are doing used to be right, but might no longer be as effective today. Frame your message in a way that they can relate to, emphasise the “Why me?”

For example:

Paying off a home mortgage used to be an effective investment strategy. But now there are so many other options for using the equity in your home to purchase investment properties.
Thirty minutes of exercise three times a week used to be good advice, but now you have to do forty minutes four times a week because of even more desk-based jobs.
Salespeople used to focus on product knowledge, but customers with Internet access now come to the sales meeting armed
with all that knowledge themselves.

In other words, you make the audience right, which encourages them; and then point out that circumstances have changed, which motivates them. They engage with your message, and act.

Learn influence skills from the scammers and con artists

2008-01-25T19:44:00.000+09:00

Framing allows you to answer the four questions that your audience ask when they assess if a message is relevant to them.

The following letter is an example of a spam email that is doing the rounds. It's a scam, of course, and full of holes if you're looking for them. But when you read it, pretend you are a gullible person. What does the writer do to try to influence you?

From: Mrs Rebecca Thatcher.

No:36 Old Shrewberry Street,
London England.

Beloved,i am Lady Rebecca Thatcher, suffering from cancerous ailment. I used to be married to Sir Jeremy Thatcher an Englishman who is dead and resting peacefully. My husband was into private practice all his life before he passed. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of Twenty Million Pounds (20,000,000.00 Million Great Britain Pounds Sterling) which were derived from his vast estates and investment in capital market with his bank here in UK. Presently, this money is still with the Bank. Recently, my Doctor told me that I have limited days to live due to the cancerous problems I am suffering from.

Though what bothers me most is the stroke that I have in addition to the cancer. With this hard reality that has befallen me, I have decided to donate this fund to you and want you to use this gift which comes from my husbands effort to fund the upkeep of widows, widowers, orphans, destitute, the down-trodden, physically challenged children, barren-women and persons who prove to be genuinely handicapped financially. I took this decision because I do not have any child that will inherit this money.

My happiness is that I lived a life worthy of emulation. Please assure me that you will act just as I have stated herein. Hope to hear from you soon. You can contact me through my personal email address at [snipped].

Thanking you in advance for everything,

Sincerely yours,
Lady Rebecca Thatcher.

Consider how framing is used in this letter:

Why this? What are the benefits of responding to this letter?
Why you? What is the author’s
credibility
Why me? What is the relevance to me, the reader?
Why now? What is the urgency to take action?

How effective is the letter in setting these up? Can you see how these four questions can be answered in your next message for greater impact?

Business Presentations - Pros and Cons

2008-01-25T19:40:00.000+09:00

How do you deliver an effective business presentation? Experts will give you varying - sometimes contradicting - advice. But they usually agree on one thing - be really clear about what your message is and keep it simple.

Often authors or presentation experts present examples or stories on how to use PowerPoint effectively. The following two articles are good examples of this:

Darrell Zahorsky of the About.com Small Business Information channel has an article about 8 Secrets to a Knockout Business Presentation. By incorporating these in your PowerPoint presentation you can really enhance the clarity of your message. As he highlights it “all comes down to what your audience walks away with in the end”.

Elsewhere on the About.com site, you'll also find the other side of the coin in: The Seven Deadly Sins of Powerpoint Presentations. Dr. Joseph Sommerville highlights some of the common mistakes made in PowerPoint business presentations.

Remember, PowerPoint can be a really powerful tool to deliver your message when used well, or an absolute disaster when not. A clear message can reach through a cluttered world, but not if the PowerPoint presentation is cluttered! Finally, as Dr Sommerville says “You should still be able to give an excellent presentation if you focus on the message.”

Classy Video from Defenders of Wildlife

2008-01-25T19:35:00.000+09:00

The Defenders of Wildlife organisation has created a simple thank-you video for its supporters, for all their work in 2007. The video is introduced by the president of the organisation, and then has some simple points and pictures to back up his message.

As you watch this video, notice some of the things he does to enhance the trust that the organisation already has with their supporters.Because they are already “friends”:

He already knows and understands his audience - they are supporters of the Defenders of Wildlife.
He doesn’t have to spend much time presenting statistics or justifying the cause with proof. The few statistics used are shown in very simple ways.
He can keep his message clear, simple and direct. At the beginning of the video he simply states “thank you for all of your actions and support during this past year that helped us save ...(names animals)” and “believe me, your actions made a powerful difference”.
He consolidates the community feel by concluding with “Together we also helped …” and “We couldn’t do it without you”.

It is much easier to have a compelling message with an audience that is already receptive.

Richard Wiseman's Colour Changing Trick

2008-01-25T18:58:00.000+09:00

How often have you been skeptical about someone’s message? These days, people are generally less trusting, and you need to use proof to give your message strength or credibility. One of the most powerful forms of persuasion is a demonstration. Even more powerful, is letting your audience experience it.

Watch Professor Richard Wiseman as he demonstrates our powers of attention (and inattention!) in this card trick:

Professor Wiseman elegantly uses the viewers’ personal experience of watching the two halves of the video to demonstrate his point. Are there ways you could do something in your presentations to make the message more personal for the audience? After all, isn't this so much more powerful than a dry scientific lecture, a data driven report or boring business presentation?

Stating the obvious

2008-01-25T14:35:00.000+09:00

Providing proof is an important part of creating a credible, memorable message. But you don't have to prove things that are obviously true. If it is already considered an established truth, then there is no point to creating a message that re-iterates what your audience already knows! This is why scientists often have difficulty in publishing data that backs up what other scientists have already shown.

Sounds obvious, right?

The National Post has a humorous round-up of some of the serious but unnecessary research conducted over the last year. Examples include these "discoveries":

Eat less and you won't get fat.
Divorce isn't a whole lot of fun.
Many drivers exceed the speed limit

Enjoy!