Archive for June, 2006

A bird’s-eye view of the five-step plan…

* Decide Upon the Point
* Determine Whether It’s Appropriate
* Develop Examples of What, How, When, Where It Works
* Restate the Point With a Plea for Action
* Work up an Interest Getter

Now the speaker is ready to arrange his material in the order in which he will deliver it. This can be done simply by moving the interest-getter from the bottom of the list to the top.

Why the five-step plan is so effective?

The foregoing five-step plan works wonders! It places enough emphasis on the one main idea so that the audience remembers it. Many will take action, which is still more significant.
There’s another reason why this five-step plan is so effective. It’s based on consideration of the audience and automatically answers questions that may arise in the minds of the persons listening.

How audience reaction is taken into account?

For example, when a speaker is introduced, some people in the audience are indifferent. They ask themselves, “Why should I listen to him? Hope he doesn’t talk too long. Isn’t there something else I should be doing?” But the speaker’s interest-getter crashes through the barrier of indifference-it makes the audience want to listen.
When their attention has been captured, they start wondering, “So what? This doesn’t affect me, does it?” The point answers such questions. It pins things down and gives listeners the specific idea for which they are now ready.
After the point has been made, people want reasons or justification for it. They’re thinking, “Why? Why should we do that, or why is that true-just because he says it?” So it is logical to give reasons for the point. The reasons help sustain interest and sell the major idea.

By this time the audience is thinking, “Sounds okay so far, but how would it work in actual practice? Is it just theory, or is there proof of it?” The speaker holds the audience by giving examples which answer their questions. He supplies the who, where, when and how-the information the audience wants.

At this point the audience knows what to do and how to do it-All that’s needed is the inspiration to take action. By returning to the point and closing on a high note, the speaker climaxes the speech in a manner that inspires action. Thus, the audience is left with a feeling of completeness and satisfaction. Listeners are given the information they want at the right time-from the beginning of the speech to the close.

Simplicity makes it easy to use

Many items for the home are delivered in factory packaging and must be assembled by the purchaser. The instructions for assembling often state “So simple that even a child can do it.” But most of us aren’t children. Maybe that’s why we sometimes have trouble! Or perhaps the assembling is sometimes not simple at all, any plan should be so simple that people can use it. That’s another feature of this five-step plan for organizing a speech. It’s quite simple. People speaking at one of your sales meetings can learn how to use it in no time at all.

Keywords: Sales, Marketing, Business, Sales Training

The speech is now complete except for the beginning. This means that the opening statements are prepared last. There’s good reason for putting first things last. The main point deserves prior consideration because it is more important. The opening remarks merely serve in getting people receptive to the point of the talk.

Many speakers begin their talks with jokes. It’s true that a few funny stories will soften the audience. Jokes help settle everyone down, including the speaker. Usually, though, some humor should be saved for the body of the talk. To put all the humor in the first minute or so, is amateurish. The audience expects a light and enjoyable presentation, only to be disappointed.

Questions are sometimes used to begin a speech. They “open” the mind. Other speakers use something loud, dramatic, or unusual. Any type of opener can be used, provided two requirements are met . . . The beginning of the talk must (1) command attention, and (2) lead smoothly into the point.

Rarely will an opener automatically lead to the point. The speaker must make it connect. He will build a bridge from the interest-getter to his main idea. He can easily do this with such words as, “Perhaps you’re wondering what this means and how it applies to you. Well, here’s the whole idea the one big point I’d like to make. It means that . . .”
All five steps have now been covered. Since these five steps are important, here they are again in brief:

Keywords: Sales, Marketing, Business, Sales Training

The speaker has decided on a point, has convinced himself that the point is a good one, and has developed examples to show how it works. Now he’s ready to prepare the close. When closing, the speaker restates his main idea. He returns to his point briefly but convincingly and makes a plea for action. This last step is begun with such words as, “So I say”; “So be sure to . . .”

A speaker at a Sales Executives Club Meeting concluded his talk on positive thinking with: “Therefore, let’s think positively. Negative thoughts are poisonous. Whereas, positive thoughts produce sales. Think positively about your job, think positively about your merchandise, and think positively about your salesmen. Then you have a right to think positively about your future. “This type of close clears up any misunderstanding about the main point. Also, it leaves the point uppermost in the mind of everyone. The audience knows what is expected as a consequence of the talk. In short, it “wraps everything up in a neat package.”

Keywords: Sales, Marketing, Business, Sales Training

Once he has selected a point he can justify, the speaker develops examples. These examples are the meat of the talk. They show how the point works, where it works, when it works, for whom it has already worked. At least half of the entire talk is devoted to examples. The audience is told exactly how to employ the one major idea.
Typical examples are:

“This idea was first used about a year ago, and has since worked quite well.”
“Then Bob Stevens used it. He found that it worked with every customer.”
“It’s good to use where the sale. . . .”
“And it’s especially effective when utilized as. . . .”
“Further, the time for using it is now, when you. . . .”

Keywords: Sales, Marketing, Business, Sales Training

Unless a speaker has had special training, his talk may be poorly planned. The natural tendency is to jot down various facts on the subject, making little effort to organize these facts. Then a few funny stories are added, usually at the beginning. The humor probably could be tied into the rest of the material, but often it is not.
When delivering his talk, the speaker tries for a laugh or two. Then he plunges into a maze of unorganized information. The result of it all is a poor speech.

Enough of the wrong way-here’s the right method. Here’s the way speakers at your sales meetings can organize their speeches …

How to collect material for a talk?

Subjects should be assigned well in advance. This enables your speaker to collect his material. He first should consider researching it. Does he have complete information or can he learn a great deal more about it? Should he “read up” on it? Should he ask others about it? Can he better acquaint himself with it through actual practice?
From time to time, pertinent facts will come to mind. Your speaker should not trust his memory. He should write down these thoughts as they occur. Over a period of several days, many ideas can be collected. It’s difficult, on the other hand, to dig all the ideas out of the subconscious at one time.
If he must do heavy research, you’ve probably picked the wrong man. Most speakers should investigate their subjects, however. Mere reflection will produce ideas but is not always adequate.

How to decide upon the point of a talk?

After collecting material on his subject, the speaker should decide what point he wants to make. The point is the one main idea. It’s the most important part of the talk and other parts merely serve in clinching the point.

To determine his point, the speaker considers the interests of his audience. Who will attend? What are their interests in the subject? Exactly what are their needs in that connection? How can a speech help them? Specifically, what should they do as a result of the speech? What’s the point to be made the thing they should do after it’s all over. For example, if the speaker wants more enthusiasm shown then his point might be, “Let’s have enthusiasm!”

Inexperienced speakers often try to make too many points. Unless the talk is lengthy, one point is all that can be put across. The speaker is going after “big game.” Therefore, he should use a powerful rifle instead of a scatter gun. It’s better to drive home one good idea than to mention several points without clinching any of them.

How to determine whether the point is appropriate

Having decided on the point to be made, the speaker then determines whether he can justify it.
He asks himself why the point is correct. Why should the audience accept it? What will it do for the audience?
Then he makes a list of these things. By reviewing the list, the speaker can decide whether he’s sold on his point. If he’s not fully sold, he should select a different point. He could never hope to sell his audience if he cannot even sell himself!
Reasons for the point might include such things as:
“It will save you time.”
“It will make your job easier.”
“It will enable you to get more customers.”
“It will help you make bigger sales.”
“It will put dollars in your pockets.”

Keywords: Sales, Marketing, Business, Sales Training

A conversational tone is used in talking with another fellow. It won’t keep his attention very long, however. His mind wanders sooner or later. Finally he interrupts with a thought of his own, proving that normal tone and volume are inadequate.

Since a normal speaking voice isn’t enough to keep the interest of one person, it certainly won’t keep the interest of a group. Yet the novice speaker uses a conversational tone before an audience. He talks as if only one or two people were listening. Before long there are only one or two people listening. The others have lost interest! To keep the attention of a group, the speaker must project himself. He must extend his personality. His voice and his words must be strongly planted in the far corners of the room. He must leave his “shell” to capture the imagination of the people sitting in the last row.

This is done through dramatics, particularly voice projection. A professional trainer said, “Anyone who wants to speak convincingly before large audiences must learn voice projection. You absolutely cannot be forceful without it.”

How a speaker can project his voice?

Anyone can project his voice by using greater volume. He concentrates on the people in the rear of the room. If they can get the message, everyone can. He depends less on the public address system, backing away from the mike to avoid deafening the audience. His words are spoken more slowly than usual. He forces out phrases and sentences as if they’re the product of profound thought. He’s both deliberate and distinct.

The tone of his voice is higher than usual. Yet it’s far from shrill. Speaking from the chest instead of his throat, he produces a robust quality. His talk becomes a declaration. When he really gets hot, it sounds like an ultimatum!

When to use voice projection?

Voice projection should always be used with groups exceeding 50 people. It helps overrule distractions. The speaker becomes more dynamic, more penetrating. Each member of the audience feels that the message is more personal is intended for him. It’s like magic!

A good example of voice projection can be found at the national political conventions. The politicians really extend their voices! Instead of starting with, “Mr. Chairman,” they say, “M-I-S-T-E-R C-H-A-I-R-M-A-NM” When arranging a large sales meeting, show your speakers how to project their voices. Have them try out under your supervision. All practice efforts should be without benefit of a p.a. system, because this will condition the speakers to use ample volume.

Advise them to “let go!” The speaking platform is no place for self-restraint.

How to use speakers to best advantage

* Minimize the Amount of Speaking
* Select the Right Speakers
* Rotate Speaking Assignments
* Schedule Short Talks Instead of Long Ones
* Place Your Strongest Speakers at Crucial Spots
* Keep the Subjects in Logical Sequence
* Produce a Change of Pace Get Your Speakers to Prepare Help Those Who Will Accept It
* Assist in Reducing Fear Encourage Voice Projection

Keywords: Sales, Marketing, Business, Sales Training