If you’re like most business owners, you’ve seen many presenters at various seminars, workshops and events. And I’m sure you’d agree that these presenters or speakers come into three broad categories:
- The WOW! presenters
- The okay presenters and the
- The ‘I’d-rather-be-at-the-dentist-right-now-than-listening-to-you’ presenters
At some point in your business career there may come a time when YOU are required to speak to a group of people, even if it’s only a 5 minute talk at a networking event. So it’s good for you to be prepared and know some of the things that will help you fall into the first category above rather than the third one!
I’m not going to go into a lot of detail in this post but after hearing a highly respected professional business coach speak (and fall disappointingly into the third category) earlier this week, I thought I’d share what I believe to be his biggest downfall … his inability to read the crowd.
There’s no doubt that this speaker had spent a lot of time preparing his spiel. In fact, he seemed to have memorized every single word – and joke – and I’m sure he spent countless hours rehearsing. While it’s great to prepare your presentation and to practise it, the problem was that he wasn’t reading the audience at all. Or if he was, he had no idea what they were silently telling him nor how to adapt his presentation to remedy the issues at hand.
As I looked around the room I saw the majority of attendees sitting with notepads and pens on their laps … but virtually nobody was writing anything down.
Many were sitting with their arms crossed and in such a way that they were telling him, “We don’t believe you. We’re not sure that we agree with what you’re saying. Show us why we should listen to you, let alone sign up and pay to be coached by you.”
Others were fidgeting, sighing, wriggling or whispering to the person next to them … these people were bored or not interested.
Then he really came unstuck when he asked for some audience participation and he didn’t get it. Although he pushed and pushed for it, the audience didn’t want to participate and the speaker appeared at a total loss as to how to continue.
I don’t think he’d planned for this, yet their participation was crucial to the point he wanted to make. So in pushing a bit more for that audience participation … he snapped and his frustration showed. I strongly suspect that raising his voice to criticize his audience probably didn’t win him any fans.
Now the thing is, it’s natural to be nervous when speaking in public, especially if you’re very new to it. But this guy promotes himself as a professional speaker with years of experience so I really did expect more.
For the average business owner who needs to do the occasional presentation, I highly recommend you read up on body language and learn how to read your audience. Then have a few strategies up your sleeve as to how you might encourage them to warm to you, show them that you’re credible, get them to participate and so on.
An excellent book for this is The Definitive Book Of Body Language by Allan and Barbara Pease.
You’ll find that understanding body language can help in your day to day interactions with others too.
And while it’s important that you plan and rehearse what you’re going to say, don’t be so stringent that you can’t be flexible too.
The other day I was recommeded a book and decided that I wanted to have it. And of course, it was one of those times when you know you want something … and you want it NOW! But I wasn’t able to get to the shops for at least a few days and it was driving me crazy.
So I thought perhaps I could buy it online.
Sure enough, it was available online and if I ordered it straight away it should arrive within 10 days. But I couldn’t wait 10 days!
As luck would have it, the book was available on Audible. Now don’t get me wrong … there are times when nothing beats holding a physical book – especially if you’re lazing on the beach or by the pool. But when you want quick, easy access, you can’t beat the simplicity of logging into your Audible account, clicking a few buttons and downloading your book. All done within 5 minutes.
The Secret To Creating And Sustaining A Successful Business
I’m currently reading a book that a friend gave me recently – The One Minute Entrepreneur by Ken Blanchard, Don Hutson and Ethan Willis.
This is a nice, easy read with lots of short chapters, each reinforcing a number of simple points that are worth remembering if you’re a business owner.
Here are some tips that are given to the main character of the book, Jud, when he’s considering starting his own business and looking for advice from an expert:
“…there are only four things to remember to be a successful entrepreneur.
First, your sales have to exceed expenses. A lot of people, when they start a business, want to get fancy stationery and business card, and a nice office, and they don’t have any customers. That’s a formula for disaster.
Second, collect your bills. There are all kinds of people who go out of business with people owing them money. Be reasonable, but don’t be your customers’ banker.
Third, take care of your customers. They pay your bills and write your checks. Remember: You work for them.
Fourth, take care of your people. I’m amazed at the number of entrepreneurs who abuse their people and then expect them to take care of their customers. As you build your business, your people are not your company’s most important asset. They are your company. When you shut the doors at the end of the day and your people head home, your business goes with them.”
That sounds like some pretty good advice to me 
Over the weekend I decided to re-read one of my favourite business books – an oldie but a goodie, The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About it by Michael Gerber.
I must admit, this is one of those books that I don’t think I will ever tire of reading. It contains so many good ideas that I make a point of going over it every year or so.
In The E-Myth Revisited Michael explains that there are fundamentally three different ‘hats’ that a business owner will wear – the Entrepreneur, the Manager and the Technician. In other words, the business owner – the person who has all the ideas and sees the big picture; the business manager – the one who implements the ideas and sees that everything is running smoothly; and the mechanic who makes the products or provides the services.
As new business owners we often try to fill all three roles ourselves, but in reality we’re not doing ourselves or our business dreams any justice in doing this. We need to determine which of the three roles we are best suited to and then source partners, staff, contractors… others who can help fill the other two roles. Often it is necessary for a start-up micro-business to fill all of these roles initially however it’s a good idea to do so with a plan in place to fill the other roles as you are able to.
This book also talks about the importance of having systems in place so your business runs like a well-oiled machine and he outlines ways to help develop your venture into a turn-key business.
There are other topics mentioned in this book such as the various stages of business growth, however the two points mentioned above would have to be the main points that I have taken from The E-Myth Revisited.
In case you hadn’t already figured, The E-Myth Revisited is a book that I highly recommend every business owner or prospective business owner read at least once.
Not everyone will want their business to operate like Michael Gerber’s suggested model but it’s certainly worthwhile knowing this information.
Here’s to your success in business…
Donna-Marie
A dear friend of mine, Leonie Featherstone, has just published a fantastic book, A Way With Words… Release the Genie Within.
If you’ve ever found yourself staring blankly at the inside of a card, wondering how to put your thoughts and feelings into words… then this is the book for you.
Leonie has filled this book with verses for us to use when we’re writing inside cards… from birthday wishes to christening; moving house to bereavement; even words to say ‘thank you’ for friendship or guidance. Plus, there are lists of verbs and adjectives at the back of the book to help you to change some of the words in the suggested verses to something that seems more appropriate for the person you are writing for. Leonie’s thought of everything here!
The best thing about it for me is that they’re the type of words that I can see myself using.
If you’re interested in this book, please email Leonie. It’s only $19.95 (AUD) + $2.50 for postage and packaging of one book in Australia. It makes a great gift idea too.
Here’s to your success in business…
Donna-Marie
I just read about Books, Glorious Books on The Modern Goddess’ blog about how much she loves reading and I just had to share this with you. In the introduction, Nicole boldly and proudly states, “I am a self-confessed book-a-holic. I have a habit of buying more than one book at a time and then stock-piling them in the corner, gathering dust while they wait patiently for me to read them.”
I’m with you Nicole… I couldn’t have said it better myself. I have a pile of books waiting their turn in the ‘to-be-read’ pile, then another virtual pile on my hard drive of all the eBooks I intend to read. Then there’s the magazines, mostly business related, that I keep in my car for those times when I’m waiting for someone. Magazines are great in situations where you may only get short burst of reading time.
What’s more, my Mum and sisters are all avid readers too so we tend to pass books on from one to another, sometimes forgetting who they originated with to begin with.
If Nicole doesn’t mind, I’m going to borrow a leaf from her book (no pun intended ) and start reviewing books here regularly.
Stay tuned for more… and if you’ve read a great business or personal development book that you can recommend (or a not so great book that we shouldn’t waste our time with), please share it here.
Here’s to your business success…
