Christian Businessman Magazine

What many people fail to recognize is this: whenever you are talking to others, you are making a presentation of sorts and you are being judged.

We may not like that, but it is true. We might not be consciously aware of how intently we study others when they are addresssing us. We do it automatically and very subtly. We are aware of eye contact, firmness of grip, ability to speak clearly and distinctly and many other things that go into the overall total opinion we are making about that person. I believe every individual should make a dedicated effort to improve and develop their presentation and communication skills. This principle has a vital application for Christion business people who want to be an effective witness for Christ in the business community.

To improve your presentation and communication skills, there are 7 Foundational Secrets™ that need to be followed. The hightlights are as follows:

The 7 Foundational Secrets™ to Great Presentations

Secret 1: The Funneling Process- This is a process that helps you uncover and clarify the real objectives of your talk. You should know clearly who your audience is, and what actions you want them to take as a result of hearing your message. If you can’t identify the clear objectives, you won’t be able to accomplish them very easily. There are specific steps you can take to process what you know about your audience and use that information to design, create and deliver a more effective presenter and communicator.

Secret 2: Four Subconscious Tensions- Every audience (even an audience of one) has four stress factors that potentially can inhibit your presentation. The first is tension between themselves and others (listeners). The second is tension between themselves and the speaker/presenter (you). The third tension exists between themselves and any materials being used. Lastly, the fourth tension is between themselves and the physical environment of the presentation. Effective presenters know to diffuse these tensions so that people can really hear the message.

Secret 3: Trust Transference- Without trust it is hard to get buy-in. An effective presenter must know how to accomplish what I call Trust – Transference to create a higher level of acceptance for their ideas and words.

Secret 4: Business Entertainment™ – If your audience isn’t captivated, you can’t be assured of their full attention. Without their attention, you can’t be very effective. People like to have fun, and they are more likely to respond favorably when they are having fun.

Secret 5: Verbal Surveying- With this skill you will be able to get useful feedback during your entire presentation. It involves learning how to simply ask your audience some critical questions as you speak with them. Their answers will help you better direct your presentation and insure your message is on the target for them.

Secret 6: Targeted Polling- This skill helps you decrease nervousness. It is more effectively used in groups because it requires you to recruit and establish advocates from those who are attending your presentation. Many presenters miss the opportunitu to talk one-on-one with audience members. Doing this before your presentation, or during breaks helps reduce audience tension, nervousness and gives you a better understanding of what your audience members are really feeling, needing and wanting.

Secret 7: Audience Closure- Proper closure means that you don’t overwhelm them with too much information before you go in to the next point or complete your task. People can only absorb so much. As a presenter, you need to help them by giving many mini-summaries throughout your talk.

Because people form opinions of us by the way we conduct ourselves, it is certain that we are judges on our ability to present and communicate our ideas. Remember, whatever the message, when it is transmitted clearly and effectively, the possibility that others will accept the message is much greater.