Ford Harding has lifted his pen to engage with me on a subject of profound importance to sales professionals, leaders, and anyone who seeks to influence others. That subject is the emotional sea on which all decisions float. FUD (fear,… Read More »Presentation Training: FUD, GOG, Ethics and Rhetoric
No one likes to be pulled from a warm bed and thrust into a cold shower. And many people I’ve met feel the same about being plucked from the blanket of everyday life to stand alone on a stage with… Read More »Fear and Loathing of Public Speaking
I just returned from an engagement during which I was asked to give partners in a professional service firm 10 minutes to pitch the firm to a brand new prospect, played by another partner sitting across the table. Most partner/presenters… Read More »Presentation Tips: Listener-centric Messaging
Like that moment in bowling, when your ball leaves two pins standing far apart, there are times when your audience is divided into two camps. One half is knowledgeable about your area of expertise, while the other half is green. … Read More »Public Speaking: Split Shot Audience
During the Clinton/Obama debate from California, Barack Obama seemed to get off to a good start, making his point (“I am the future, she is the past.”) at the end of his opening remarks. As I listened, I was made… Read More »Public Speaking Skills: Hillary vs. Obama
Let’s call her Sheila. Like many in the financial services industry, she sells with the aid of a pitch book, printed in landscape format and containing information about the history of her firm, her team of colleagues, their range of… Read More »Sales Presentations: The Biggest Mistake