6 Easy Steps to a Great Presentation

(This article originally appeared in the Feb 8th, 2013 edition of the Century City News)

by David Ackert

We’re advisors. We have advice to share. But if no one knows that, our intellectual capital sits in our heads collecting cobwebs.

Typically we demonstrate our expertise during a “free consultation” where we pitch our capabilities in an effort to dazzle a prospective client. But this kind of forum doesn’t provide much leverage. Presentations, on the other hand, are a great way for us to share our message with a large number of people, brand ourselves as experts, and generate new business prospects.

The introverts among us often shrink away from this strategy. Perhaps you feel that you don’t have the polish or the stage presence or the courage to stand in front of a group and put on a show. Fear not. Your next great presentation can be as simple as a free consultation in a group setting. Here are 6 easy steps that will unleash your wallflower power:

1. Introduce yourself
2. Pose a problem or challenge to the room that falls inside your area of expertise
3. Ask the audience to take a minute to write about a similar situation they’ve seen or experienced
4. Tell them to turn to the person next to them and share details about this problem
5. Call on one or two of your audience members to share what they just discussed with the person next to them
6. Finally, give your perspective on the problem

In just a few minutes, you’ve shown the audience what it’s like to work with you, while also branding yourself as an authority on a relevant topic. Now that they’ve seen you in action, they’re much more likely to come up to you after the meeting with a request for your help (with the problem they just identified in your presentation). The best part is, they did most of the work. All you had to do was do what you do best: advise.

6 Easy Steps to a Great Presentation

(This article originally appeared in the Feb 8th, 2013 edition of the Century City News)

by David Ackert

We’re advisors. We have advice to share. But if no one knows that, our intellectual capital sits in our heads collecting cobwebs.

Typically we demonstrate our expertise during a “free consultation” where we pitch our capabilities in an effort to dazzle a prospective client. But this kind of forum doesn’t provide much leverage. Presentations, on the other hand, are a great way for us to share our message with a large number of people, brand ourselves as experts, and generate new business prospects.

The introverts among us often shrink away from this strategy. Perhaps you feel that you don’t have the polish or the stage presence or the courage to stand in front of a group and put on a show. Fear not. Your next great presentation can be as simple as a free consultation in a group setting. Here are 6 easy steps that will unleash your wallflower power:

1. Introduce yourself
2. Pose a problem or challenge to the room that falls inside your area of expertise
3. Ask the audience to take a minute to write about a similar situation they’ve seen or experienced
4. Tell them to turn to the person next to them and share details about this problem
5. Call on one or two of your audience members to share what they just discussed with the person next to them
6. Finally, give your perspective on the problem

In just a few minutes, you’ve shown the audience what it’s like to work with you, while also branding yourself as an authority on a relevant topic. Now that they’ve seen you in action, they’re much more likely to come up to you after the meeting with a request for your help (with the problem they just identified in your presentation). The best part is, they did most of the work. All you had to do was do what you do best: advise.