Blair Singer

Sales equals income.  We all know that.  Without sales, there is no business.  However, most presenters who have something to sell shoot themselves in the foot, by killing their chances to use their presentation as a masterful platform for showcasing their offers. 

I learned a long time ago that in order to sell something, I had to instill trust, respect and credibility in the eyes of a potential buyer.  Best way to do that is to give value first before you sell.

 We have all signed up for webinars that somehow peaked our interest. We also knew in advance that we were probably going to be offering something. But you go  anyway because you think you’re going to learn some good material. Instead what happens is you sit there through a 90 minute sales pitch in which you’ve really learned very little. While the program may have been dynamic did it really add any value to you as the listener?   Hmmmm?

This is where the law of reciprocity comes into play. The law of reciprocity says; …” if you give, you shall receive…” Taking that into the world of sales and presentation, that means giving first, serving first and adding value first.  This is also one of golden rules of business and negotiation.  Serve first.

In other words, make sure that your presentation adds value to the lives of your audience before you sell.  Allow them to have an experience of what you are capable of.  For me, I have always gone by the motto…Teach, then sell.  Let them see the real you and how you operate and give them real information that they can act on that will make a difference in their lives or businesses. 

Even when the group knows that this is simply just a sales presentation,  Still find a way to add some value first.   It could be findings, discoveries, opportunities for growth, leverage points and even case studies. . Showing that these could make a difference in their business shows interest, professionalism and care.

So….Give something before asking for something.

There is a lot more to learn about adding value first.  Check out my video on how you can do it. Click the link below to watch the video in full.

Remember, Be Awesome!

The worst thing that can happen to you as a trainer, presenter, leader or facilitator is that you do not get your message, your information or your service out to the world. 

Why?  Two reasons:

First because the world will not have the opportunity to better their lives through what you offer.  Second is that you will not gain the wealth, resources and accolades you deserve for what you could potentially give them. 

And that would only happen if you succumb to one of the core fears most would-be-presenters, and even pro’s have.  It’s the fear of public embarrassment which can show up by: being made to look like a fool in front of others, being embarrassed publicly because someone wants to push back or give you grief because they don’t  agree with what you’re saying, or because they are simply being a bit of a butt-head. 

This is called “The Heat” and you need to know how to handle this heat properly and not bend beneath it. This fear alone keeps numerous people from presenting or doing any kind of public speaking on line or off line.

There are a few things you’re going to want to remember. One of which is to not avoid the heat. If you’re prepared for it, chances are it won’t actually show up. If you’re not prepared for it, if you’re acting a little bit arrogant and full of yourself it may show up. Especially if you’re pushing the envelope on your opinion rather than giving facts. Don’t worry this will be addressed later in this series.

If a participant is getting aggressive with a question or complaint don’t avoid it. Don’t  say that you will address it offline or in a side conversation or that you won’t be handling it right then and there. All that is going to do is kill your credibility in front of everybody. It’s going to make the antagonist even more upset and your presentation will go down in a fiery crash…which you don’t want. Believe it or not, in this instance you have the opportunity to be a hero. (and to even turn the “enemy” into an “allie”.

There are some clear steps you can take to navigate this kind of heat. I will warn you that it takes a bit of practice.  Check out my video on YouTube and I will step you through it.  You see, when you assume a position on the zoom, on the camera, in front of any group….you are now a leader whether you like it or not.  Having coached thousands of people to create magic with groups of all sizes, I can tell you that the “way” you show up to present and the “way” you operate in front of a group is more important than whatever information you are delivering to them.  Never doubt that. 

You can click the link below to watch the Video in full for more information.

If you’ve been watching and practicing from the previous videos you’re sure to have noticed some changes in your presentations already. While things may be a little awkward right now, trust they will get easier.

These lessons and advice continue in this next episode. I am talking about the biggest mistakes that most teachers, presenters, trainers make that blow up their programs. Not in a good way either!!  This also affects their sales and prevents them from being the rock-stars they can be.

Question: “How was the presentation?”

Answer: “It was okay.” 

As a presenter of anything, you NEVER want to hear that feedback!  That comment is like a knife being thrust into your heart.  (at least for me)   If you get it, it is probably because you were BORING.  Perhaps your content was great, but the impact was….”eh”

Why does that happen? Its because you descended into the abyss of talking “at” people instead of “with” them.

People come to learn, not to be told. Stop telling people what to do rather than engaging with them. Whenever you are in front of people, no matter what the reason, they’re not there for you to tell them how great you are. They are there to learn something. Make it enjoyable.  Make it easy for them to remember. However, don’t make it feel like they’re in school. Most people have bad memories from school, and will subconsciously check out.

Don’t  drone on and on about yourself, your accomplishments, and why they should heed your advice. (more on how to do this later)  That’s a trap that most speakers get into. Then they wonder why they don’t get the results they were looking for. Even if they think they are doing well, they truly are not. If, by the end of your presentation, there are no questions or remarks from the group….that is NOT good.  That means they weren’t interested or intrigued and certainly not inspired.

Getting them engaged is key.

Once they are physically engaged and even asking questions, they will be hooked. Have them do activities, get involved, share with other people, create visuals to drive home your points.  

People don’t like to be preached at, so don’t!

Use dialogue by continually asking them questions. Teach lessons through stories that they can relate to…stories about you or even better, stories about others.  This isn’t to glorify them but to further dramatize what you’re talking about.

In this less than 11 minute video, you will learn lots of other lessons that will help further your understanding, your skills and never be boring again. If you want to learn more please watch the video below.