The Best Salepitch in the World – Sincerity
Whether we like it or not, there will always be an instance in our lives wherein we will have to make a sales pitch. If you check Wikipedia, a sales pitch is defined as the communication made by a salesperson to the prospective client or existing client for developing the business. This can apply in both professional and personal aspects of our lives.
When you're presenting a report or an idea, when you're trying to convince a friend to watch your preferred movie instead, when you're explaining to your parents why it's better to buy a laptop instead of a desktop, when you're blogging about something you're very passionate about, or when you're proposing to this one person you want to spend the rest of your life with, it's all a sales pitch. And the best sales pitch in the world is Sincerity.
Be sincere, be honest, be true. This is the way to give a sales pitch. Don't pretend or try to bluff your way out of the situation, because more often than not, it won't work. And if it did once, I doubt if you'll be able to repeat it again. Also, being sincere doesn't only mean being true to others, it starts by being true to yourself. Be sincere, it will do wonders in your life. After all, honesty is not only the best policy, it's the policy of the best.
Remember, Remember the Fifth of November
Hehehe, I know, I know, it's a re-post of what I wrote in my other blog but it summarizes my November. Check out the link above and read my busy November (I got to attend the 20th Philippine Ad Congress!) and the various talks I went to.
One thing I didn't mention there is I had the chance to present to broadcast journalist veteran Ms. Tina Monzon-Palma. She's Program Director of ABS-CBN Foundation's Bantay Bata and we're doing something for them in helping them maximizing their presence online to help their organization's activities. She's a very kind and pleasant lady and it was fun and an honor to present and explain to her about e-commerce.
If you remember, there was a time when Ms. Tina Monzon-Palma (hehehe, I just had to complete here name) was the face of Philippine news. Her pleasant face coupled with her deep, clear voice, eloquent manner of speaking and confident, straightforward reporting was the country's source of what's happening in and around the country. I'm sure her career was a source of guidance and inspiration to many of this generation's broadcast journalists and definitely, we have learned a thing or two from her on what it means to present.
A Story to Tell
Whenever you present using Powerpoint, don't ever let the slides dictate what you'll say next. As the presenter, it should be you controlling the flow of the presentation and not your slides.
I have sat through a lot of presentations wherein the person talking basically just followed his points as displayed in his slides, bullet by bullet, slide by slide, while the rest of the audience did something else instead of listened.
How do you prevent your slides from controlling you? Have a story to tell. Know what you're going to say and have a storytelling aspect in the way you present it. You use MS Word to present all the possible information about your point, but when you simply wish to make a point, you use Powerpoint to present it. And to present it concisely and effectively, communicate it through a story.
Watch the Drink
If you ever had the opportunity to present before a group of people in a board room, and most likely this group of people would be the decision makers, the big bosses (CEO, President, SVPs, EVPs, Board of Directors, etc.), more often than not something to drink will be served during the meeting. Usually it's water, but it can be coffee, iced tea, maybe even soda.
There's nothing wrong about drinking water or other forms of refreshment during a meeting in a board room, but during the course of your presentation, you can make this a gauge of how well you're presentation is going. If your audience leaves their drink untouched or barely takes a sip from it while you are presenting, then that means you have their attention and you've got them hooked to what you're saying and showing. Otherwise, if your audience has been consistently drinking and their glass or cup is now almost empty then it's about time to inject something to break their boredom and carefully try to get them hooked to what you are presenting. If they have just re-filled their glasses and again have been constantly taking sips as you continue to present, then it's quite possible you are boring them to death. Either that or they are just very, very thirsty. 
Spreading the Good News this July
This month of July brings more opportunities to spread the good news of technology and the web to help out small and medium enterprises. One of them was held last week already but I'll post it still. Please check out the other talks and hopefully it will help in your own ventures:
- Junior Entrepreneurs' Marketing Association, De La Salle University-Taft, July 11, 2007 - E-Marketing Seminar: Get Wired!
- Chinese Filipino Business Club SME Week, Sky 1 Tower, Binondo, Manila, July 18, 2007 - How To Set Up An Online Store
- Philippine Trade Training Center, Gil Puyat Ave., Manila, July 25, 2007 - How To Set Up An Online Store
- Ateneo Marketing Forum, Ateneo Professional School Bldg., Rockwell, Makati, July 28, 2007 - Internet Marketing: The Yehey! Experience
I will have other opportunities to talk in the coming month of August and will keep everyone posted on the updates. Also, since this post is about presentations, check out my post in my other blog, Power Points to Ponder. It's entitled "Making Presentations Like An American Idol" and you'll find some interesting points on presenting that you'll actually learn by watching American Idol. 