Great Speaking Coach: Get Close to Your Customers

Get Close to Your Customers

You're giving a speech or presentation to a roomful of prospects, clients, industry experts, other stakeholders--how can you possibly "get close" to them?

99.5% of the time, someone has asked you to speak. (The other .5% you invite the audience yourself.) First step to getting close to your cusotmers is to have an enlightening conversation with the person asking you to speak. Second step is to call some of the people who will be in the audience. This is all part of your preparation for your appearance. Do not shirk this duty!

What do you ask these people? Three specific questions--asked in a conversational tone--will help you craft your speech or presentation so that you really speak to that audience.

Please describe the three biggest challenges that your company/organization/audience is facing right now in reaching its business goals.
Please describe the three outcomes you’re most interested in bringing about as a result of your asking me to speak.
What do you want to see happening differently in your company/organization/audience six months from now?

Listen to the answers (don't presume you know them). Incorporate the answers to #3 into your Call-to-Action. Make the answers to #2 your key points. Use the answer to #1 to help you select your leading materials.

If you don't know what the Call-to-Action, key points or leading materials are, request a complimentary copy of my Write a Speech Now system.

Posted by Susan Trivers on January 21, 2010 at 09:13 AM in Marketing and Lead Generation, Sales Presentations, Tips on public speaking | Permalink

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Books that Inspire Me

John Medina: Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School (Book & DVD)
This book was written for business speakers--the 12 brain rules support every BEST public speaking practice and exlpode the worst myths. You'll have no doubt that audiences crave creative and interesting presentations. You'll learn why death by power point is inevitable if you think slides are the only presentation technique you need. The author provides a great example himself--a serious scientist who presents his research and his life's work in a way that keeps you turning the pages. (*****)
Timothy Ferriss: The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
What I love about this book is the concept of putting a dollar value on your time and skills. Then you ask yourself each time you face a new task: is this work deserving of highest and best value of my time and skills? If the value of the work is less than the value of your time and skills, you MUST find someone else to do it. Otherwise you're losing money and the oppportunity to work on something else that is worth the time and value of your skills. The next time you're asked to give a presentation, perform this valuation exercise: are the benefits you'll derive from the presentation equal to or greater than the cumulative value of the time and skills you'll have to invest in the presentation? If so, go for it! If not, decline the invitation or turn it over to someone else. No hesitation here--Tim would approve. (*****)
David Meerman Scott: The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly
If you're blogging then you're already applying one of the new rules of marketing and PR. My number one take away from this book is that we must communicate directly with our buyers. Spend time creating detailed personas of your buyers--start with just 2 or 3 and do a great job. Write blog content, news releases and web pages that speak to the characteristics of these buyers. They will be attracted to you and will seek you out. Don't rely on publicists who reject the new rules. They're protecting their turf. Invest your reseources--time and money--working with the new rules and enjoy a powerful return on your investment. Read this well-written, eye-opneing book today! (*****)
Stephen Denning: The Leader's Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative
Lots of scholarship about problems leaders face and how they devise soltuions. Business stories are an important part of the approach. Not so much a one-time read book as a reference book. (***)
Malcolm Gladwell: The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
I like the way Gladwell brings viral marketing to life. Just a few people spreading the right words can make a huge difference. That's what Great Speaking is all about. (*****)
Jim Collins: Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
Two important lessons: 1) Good enough isn't good enough 2) Greatness happens with people (****)