| Part of developing Great Presentation Skills is to | | | | for maximum impact. |
| understand the type of presentations which you | | | | 3) Put Your Audience First |
| intend to give. Is your presentation meant to | | | | This tie in with the second point above. Before |
| educate, train, inform or persuade and make | | | | even developing your persuasive presentation you |
| money? | | | | must totally understand your audience. Ask |
| In this article, I would touch on Persuasive | | | | yourself questions like "What can I do to change |
| presentations. I think this is the most important | | | | their hearts and minds", "What can I do to help |
| kind of presentation because it allows us to close | | | | them understand, motivate them, get them |
| that deal, get that budget we want, sell products | | | | excited, get their trust etc". Put your audience |
| etc. In short Persuasive presentations most of | | | | first. Start thinking how you can connect with |
| the time allows us to MAKE MONEY! Let's look at | | | | them, not what to put on your first slide. |
| the 5 principles of Persuasive Presentations | | | | 4) Target the Audience's Decision Making Process |
| 1) "For Every Action, There is an Equal and | | | | A persuasive presentation seeks to change how |
| Opposite Reaction" | | | | the audience feels and think. Hence it must be |
| A persuasive presentation always comes with a | | | | strategically planned and delivered so that you are |
| competitive option. Don't think that if you are | | | | able to touch the "nerve" of the decision making |
| selling an idea or getting a budget approved, there | | | | brains of the audience. You must be able to |
| is no "competition". As long as you are looking to | | | | appeal to them so that they can be moved into |
| change how the audience thinks or feels, you | | | | action. Without understand of your audience |
| have entered the competitive world. With every | | | | decision making process, your goals and |
| persuasive presentation there are products, ideas, | | | | objectives of your persuasive presentation will not |
| which if accepted, will prevent your audience from | | | | be realized |
| accepting yours. | | | | 5) Persuasive Presentations ask for an Order. |
| 2) A Persuasive Presentation should engage your | | | | All presentation must have a goal. A persuasive |
| audience, not dominate and overpower them. | | | | presentation is no exception. If your goal is to sell |
| You should not at your first slide come across as | | | | something to your audience, then you must ASK |
| "hear every word, see every word and believe | | | | for an order at the end of the presentation. After |
| every word I say". If that is the case the | | | | appealing to their decision making nerve, asking |
| audience will automatically shut down. Remember, | | | | for an order would allow you to make that sale! |
| each and every person in that audience has a | | | | Many a times, presenters tell me that they are |
| unique make up. To change their collective heart | | | | shy or afraid to ask. No wonder they do not |
| and mind you need to constantly read them, | | | | meet their goals. |
| adjust your presentation pacing, tone and content | | | | |