“I want everybody to fully understand and embrace the new strategy.”

OK …

“I want everyone to leave fired up and energized.”

Uh-huh …

“I want to build an esprit de corps and foster a greater sense of teamwork.”

Nice …

“I want the audience to have faith and trust in senior leadership and our direction.”

Got it.

And then it happens. All of the above perhaps but something else, too – nothing. After your high-energy, whirlwind, glad-handing and back-slapping, four-day-three-nighter-of-a-conference, everyone dashes to the airport – TSA lines, flight delays, baggage fees and all – and returns to the office … only to pick up where they left off.

You blew it. Sorry, you did.

All that time, effort and money spent on flights, ground transportation, hotel rooms, food and beverage, staging, production, staffing, amenities, activities, entertainment and custom-logoed pillowcases and mirror static clings in the restrooms and … nothing changed.

And that’s on you, Mr. or Ms. Event Owner. You failed to tell them what they needed to do differently when they got back to their offices. Or maybe you did, and it got lost in the humdrum of talking heads, or buried in some double-stuffed, twice-baked PowerPoint imagery.

Anybody relate? Yeah, thought so. We’ve all been there.

So, what can we do to turn this busted model on its ear and actually achieve all of those noble desires stated above and spark behavioral changes that have a positive impact on your bottom-line? After all, isn’t that the point? Here are seven strategies for adding more “Oomph!” to your next all-important meeting or event; specifically, making information easier for the audience to grasp, retain and put into practice so your bottom line trends in a steep, northerly direction.

Map Out a Communication Strategy for Your Event – There are three phases to any event – pre-program, onsite and post-program. Think hard about how you can pre-package visuals and learning materials to be pushed out in advance so your invitees can learn on their own schedule prior to your gathering. “Set the stage” with the pre-work and save the most important stuff for delivery from the mainstage or in breakouts. Finally, follow-up after the program ends. I said, follow-up. Did I mention following up? Momentum will not sustain itself.  You’ve got to continue to breathe life into new information and expectations long enough for them to grow into changed behaviors. You wouldn’t lay new sod then walk away and never water it if your goal was a lush, green lawn. Same is true for business learning. You have to nurture it until it takes hold in your organization.

Visualize the Impact of Your Visuals – When sitting down to build your presentation, ask yourself, “What do I need for them to do differently when they get back to their daily responsibilities?” … “What changes in behavior need to take place in order to achieve goals and objectives?” … “What’s the best way for me to demonstrate the tactical steps and how they’ll pay off?” Once you’ve envisioned the successful outcome or result, back your way into your presentation with the answers to those questions in mind.

What You See Is What You’ll ‘Get’ – Visuals, visuals and more visuals. And not just any visuals. Beautiful visuals with crisply written text and high-resolution, gorgeous photo art that amplify your message. Make your audience want to enjoy what’s onscreen and look forward to the point you’re building toward. Guide them along an info trail that’s eye-opening, mind-expanding and, most importantly, memorable and actionable. Memorable and actionable … two very, very important considerations.

And while we’re talking visuals, a professional graphic artist is worth your investment. I don’t care how good Sally or John down the hall are when they dabble in PowerPoint or Keynote, there’s a difference between really good amateur efforts and work done by a true pro.

Mix It Up! – We live in a Max Headroom blipvert, visual world. Smart devices, video games, 500+ cable channels, on-demand, streaming, etc. have made “eye candy” king. Seek ways to incorporate still imagery, infographics, animation, video, livestreaming, etc.  The candy store carries many more treats than it used to. Use ‘em!

Audiences are skewing younger and younger and, more often than not, you’re presenting to young women and men who’ve been raised in a visual era. They demand visual engagement, or they tune out. Accept this truth and work within it.

Don’t Put 10 Pounds of Stuff in a Five-Pound Bag – If you overload your PowerPoint and/or add too many minutes to your presentation times, your audience will remember perhaps a third of what’s communicated when they trudge out of the ballroom. (There’s a reason why the no-more-than-18-minute-long TEDTalks are a global sensation.) One week later, that retention rate drops to 10%, or less. And that assumes your speakers were actually pretty engaging when onstage.

However, an artful combination of precisely the right words and carefully selected images that fit into a brisk timeslot will increase retention by 50% or more. It’s worth the time and effort to labor over your words and visuals to make the most of your assigned presentation time.

Lighten Up and They’ll Light Up – Business is serious stuff, but it needn’t be to a fault. Seek ways to have fun, mix in humor, tell personal stories, use props, bring someone onstage to help make a point (without embarrassing them), catch the audience off guard with something that comes out of left field and helps illustrate the point you’re making. Your audience will appreciate the change of pace. The element of surprise is a good one.

Give ‘em the ‘Gangplank Thoughts’ – I have a friend who did a high-level program on a chartered cruise ship once, and all presenters agreed to end their onboard presentations with Gangplank Thoughts. Essentially, they told the audience, “If you only remember 3-4 points from my presentation, these are the ones I want you to take with you when you disembark the ship. And here’s what you need to do with them to be better at your job.” People enjoy success and achievement, and they particularly appreciate having the secrets to greater success shared with them. Seize the opportunity to do that!

CONCLUSION – For decades, business meetings have been treated like information dumps. In reality, today’s programs should be seen as opportunities to change behavior in positive ways. And when it comes to sparking behavioral changes, “going big” isn’t necessarily the only option. Don’t discount the power of many people making minor changes or fixing small problems simultaneously. In a recent LinkedIn article, Novartis CEO Vasant Narasimhan said, “Everybody can fix one thing … they can change one behavior. If every one of our 120,000 people starts to fix one thing, you start to see a movement happen.”

Start by taking a fresh look at your speaker-support visuals and develop a sharp focus on how you’re going to inspire new behaviors that yield greater results for your organization.

Cheers,

The post 7 Strategies For Empowering Your Visuals And Inspiring Positive Change appeared first on dynami.

Post-miraculous-recovery, young Malala has continued her fight for educational rights for all, speaking to audiences around the world. Two years ago, she became the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize at the way-tender age of 16.

Needless to say, Malala was inspiring at the WBF! And she-who-shall-remain-nameless came home deeply moved and motivated to do her part to change the world.

Which brings me to my point – Are you doing your due diligence when researching, booking and managing your keynote speakers? Or are you simply buying “off the shelf” and taking whomever a speaker bureau happens to recommend?

Identifying and securing the perfect speaker for your next event needn’t be complicated but it does require some quality thinking before inking a contract.

Here are 6 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Keynote Speaker …

1. Set Your Conference Speaker Up for Success! 

When your attendees discover a guest speaker is on the agenda, they expect to hear something of great interest. They don’t want to be bored, they want to learn something. By the same token, your speaker wants to deliver on that expectation – but unless they’re already an expert in your industry and/or your organization, you owe them guidance and insight so they can be on top of their game when they reach the dais.

Schedule a meeting, conference call or Skype session to fully brief your keynote speaker in advance of the event. Share audience demographics, your company’s recent performance, key messages to be delivered by senior leadership, issues and “hot buttons”, industry trends, upcoming initiatives and priorities, etc. And by all means, explain to the speaker why they were selected. Clearly articulating expectations will help them hone and shape their message so it’s received by your audience as a speech written only for them.

2. Identify Ways You Can Avoid the “Revival Tent” Drop-Off. 

How many times have you been juiced and jazzed by a powerfully delivered keynote and you were ready to change the world? How long did that last?

It’s a common challenge country preachers of old faced when they conducted tented revivals in open fields on sizzling, steamy summer nights when funeral home-sponsored hand fans were a thing of necessity. Congregations were moved and inspired by the words and the message but all that quickly wore off as they jockeyed for position in the dusty parking lot with some stubborn S.O.B. who wouldn’t let them in the line of cars to exit.

Seek ways to keep the elevated spirit alive long after the keynote speaker has earned his or her standing ovation. Give some quality thought as to how you can sustain and build on that momentum.

Consider “repurposing” your speaker. Have them speak one day then conduct a workshop the next. Ask them to conduct a post-speech Q&A session or lead a panel discussion. Another thought is to have them lead a VIP session of event sponsors or your highest-achievers. Bringing together an elite group of 10-12 is an opportunity for special recognition and a great way for honorees to get some “up close and personal” time with the featured keynote. When you use your speaker in multiple ways, you not only reinforce their key message(s), you achieve greater “bang for your buck”.

And work with them to develop a customized curriculum that can be delivered to your people in the weeks and months following their speech. In most cases, motivational speakers are charged with helping to change the behavior of the audience for the better. This typically takes more than 45 minutes on a stage.

3. Invite a Customer, a User, a Patient to Be Your Keynote Speaker.

If your company sells a product or service that improves the quality of people’s lives, use your keynote speaker slot on the agenda to showcase a meaningful success story. Have a customer or a user – whomever is the beneficiary of your company’s offerings – take the stage.

For instance, if you sell a software, bring in a representative of a non-profit to share how they benefited from it. Or, if you work in the medical arena and sell topical wound-care dressings, ask a patient (or the parent of a patient) to join your conference and share their story.

Delivered from a first-person perspective, this can be very powerful and remind your audience that what they do in their day-to-day jobs is meaningful and important. There’s no substitute for that kind of inspiration!

4. Consider Booking Multiple Speakers for Your Event. 

Assuming your agenda has room for this, as well as your budget, consider booking more than one speaker.

An example: For a three-day conference, have an industry expert (university professor, respected business commentator, etc.) address your group on Day 1. On Day 2, slot in a futurist who can identify emerging trends for the next 3, 5 and 10 years. On Day 3, your wrap-up day, have someone truly inspiring and motivational who can bring your audience up, up, up and close the conference on a soaring note – then seek ways to sustain and build upon that as we mentioned earlier.

5. Be Kind to Your Keynote Speaker. 

Your keynote speaker wants to give you his or her best so be kind to them. Carefully read their talent rider and ensure you’re, at a minimum, honoring their stated needs. Have someone greet them at the airport and/or at the front of the meeting venue when they arrive. Room-drop a personalized note letting them know how excited the audience is to hear them speak. Be sure to schedule a few minutes for them to get “the lay of the land” and walk the stage. If payment is expected upon arrival, personally hand them a check for their speaking fees, and thank them for being an important part of your program.

6. Generally Speaking, Keynote Speakers Shouldn’t Be General.

If business events existed only to deliver entertainment, booking a keynote speaker would be a breeze. But if your company or client is investing $15k, $20k, $25k or more, you can bet there’s a clear expectation your speaker will deliver a poignant and insightful message that will have a meaningful and measurable impact on your sales and marketing efforts.
With that in mind, you should seriously research speaker options to find someone who can speak knowledgably about your industry, social/business/government trends affecting it, and deliver tips and solutions that can re-energize your efforts when you return to your job.

In closing, if your attendees leave the event venue after the keynote noticeably wiser and better equipped to do their jobs, your speaker has done his or her job. Keynote speakers don’t have to be world-changers but they do need to be difference-makers!

CONCLUSION

Booking your next keynote speaker needn’t be complicated … but it does require some quality thinking.

Related Post

• Navigating The World of Keynote Speakers

P.S. One more thing! Never, never, never book a keynote speaker during a meal event. Audiences don’t like it and your speaker doesn’t want to compete with clinking glasses and hustling wait staff. In a word, it’s disrespectful to all.

The post 6 Key Notes About Your Next Keynote Speaker appeared first on dynami.

Charismatic speakers, by virtually any measure, are more engaging, passionate, and persuasive. They utilize proven communication techniques: reasoned logic, personal and moral credibility, and emotional appeal.

But charisma is innate, a special gift only a few possess, right—either you have it or you don’t? And if you don’t have it, you are forever destined to attempt to persuade by sheer force of your will or your words, by overwhelming your listeners with facts, logic, and reason.

A research study that appeared in Harvard Business Review debunks that myth. It found that not only can you learn to become a charismatic speaker, you are also far more successful as a result. They define charisma in every speaking setting as the “ability to communicate a clear, visionary, and inspirational message that captivates and motivates an audience.”

In the article titled, “Learning Charisma: Transform Yourself Into the Person Others Want to Follow”, the researchers made a critical finding: Speakers who capitalize on what they describe as “Charismatic Leadership Tactics” (CLTs) are perceived as “more influential, competent, trustworthy, and leader-like in the eyes of others.”

How much more influential you might wonder:

“Overall, we’ve found that about 65% of people who have been trained in the CLTs receive above average ratings as leaders, in contrast with only 35% of those who have not been trained.”

So what are the CLTs you can learn to become a charismatic speaker and a more effective leader? Listed below are several speaking tactics that will have the greatest impact. You can utilize them in almost any context—formal presentations, one-on-one conversations, and team meetings. The goal is not to attempt to use every technique in every presentation, but to practice and prepare to use them until they become a natural part of your speaking style.

Truly charismatic speakers use most of these tactics most of the time.

• Metaphors: These are words or phrases used to suggest a likeness or analogy. An excellent example is Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream Speech where he proclaimed that America had given African Americans a “bad check,” one that had come back marked “insufficient funds.” A bounced check is a metaphor that will resonate with anyone, a concept that makes the point crystal clear.
• Stories: When children say, “tell me a story,” they are begging for entertainment, not instruction. Audiences also crave stories. Stories unquestionably enhance every aspect of a speaker’s message: credibility, recall, connection, and engagement. Steve Jobs’ most famous presentation to the graduating class at Stanford in 2005 was set up with these words: “Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.”  More than 24 million people have viewed that presentation on YouTube and the message—conveyed with poignant stories—is as fresh today as it was eleven years ago. Stories are essential mental hooks. (see article on Sticky Stories)
• Contrasts: Contrasts add clarity, help the listeners distinguish alternative positions, and often strike an emotional chord with the audience: “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?” “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” “Everything you need, nothing you don’t.”
• Rhetorical Questions: This is an excellent way to engage an audience and convert a monologue into a dialogue. A leader speaking to his employees might provoke them with a series of questions: “What makes us the right choice for our customers? What makes us the best choice? What makes us stand out?” Rhetorical questions, delivered correctly, cause the audience to pause and think—ideal goals for every presentation.
• Three-Part Lists: Lists of three always resonate with an audience: Three blind mice, three wise men, three little pigs. Lists of three provide key takeaways—benefits—to the audience. Moreover, the Harvard researchers concluded that “most people can remember three things, and three is sufficient to provide proof of a pattern. Three gives an impression of completeness.” It is also much easier for the audience to track the message when the speaker announces “There are three steps that will get us there: First . . . Second . . . And  third . . . .”
• Conveying Confidence: Some people speak like they have the backbone of a banana. If you want to be seen as a leader, you have to look and sound self-assured from the moment you begin to speak. You may have learned to “never judge a book by its cover” but in practice, that is exactly what every audience is doing every time you speak. You need to look, sound and act decisive, poised, and focused.
• Gestures: Gestures are signals to your listeners, and your audience trusts their eyes before their ears. In my latest presentation skills book, Present Your Way to the Top, I wrote: “Your gestures should match your emotions and accentuate your message: more restrained if your message is informational, more animated if you are selling or persuading. . . . Purposeful and commanding gestures will enhance your presentation and convey your emotions in a way words alone cannot.”

The key finding of the Harvard researchers is one every speaker should capitalize on:

“If you think you can’t improve because you’re just not naturally charismatic, you’re wrong. The leaders with the lowest charisma ratings in our studies were able to significantly narrow the gap between themselves and their peers to whom the tactics came naturally . . . these CLTs can make you more charismatic in the eyes of your audience and invariably make you a more effective leader.”

Got charisma? Pour on the charisma whenever you speak and reap the rewards!

Related article: Sticky Stories

Until next time!

The post Got Charisma? appeared first on dynami.