Archive for the 'Events' Category

What can Nordic design teach us about influencing skills?

I recently attended Nordic Innovation Week and was especially impressed by an event around what Nordic design is, how it’s regarded and how it can be used in China. As I listened to the three speakers, there were some good takeaways from an influencing and communication perspective :

Here’s what I observed:

 

Speaker 1: Lars Falk, VP of Design, China, Volvo.

Lars was talking around the context of building a design centre in China.

What he did well?

1. He made a human connection in the opening

Lars started by building rapport.

He showed his enthusiasm for the topic.

Shared his personal journey as a timeline.

He quoted Confucius “ wisdom is what you don’t know”

He contrasted the tastes of the Chinese consumers in 2011 and 2013.

He compared design tastes of different counties visually using their flags.

 

2. He set up the main content with a connecting question

So what does China want?”

This gets the audience thinking along the right lines. He answers the question in a nutshell (great material and exterior design) and then moves onto the body of his content.

 

3. Good structure for the main content

Lars divided his content into three parts; Proportions, Dimensions and Interior Design.

He used impactful visuals to make his points in each section.

 

4. Attention grabbing close

Lars used a powerful but simple pie chart showing how 96% of a car in China should be on par with the best in the world. While the final 4% should be something special for China. This one chart really summed up nicely his topic. Then he closed it out with a quote from Einstein.

 

Speaker 2: Henrik Larsson, Head of Architecture of Inter IKEA Centre China.

Henrik’s talk was around implementing Scandinavian design in China through the eyes of IKEA’s real estate developments.

 

What he did well?

1. Set the context

Henrik briefly described IKEA’s approach to building around their stores to create a more complete retail presence and their current projects with shopping centres in Beijing, Wuhan and Wuxi.

 

2. He had a clear overarching structure

Why we do it

What it is

How to do it

This helps to keep the audience’s direction on track through the 30min talk.

 

3. Soundbite messages

Henrik used short and snappy messages throughout his talk.

We unify

We save

Design makes a difference

 

4. Used a clear visual style for slides

When running through the “What is it” section, Henrik used various characteristics to explain Scandinavian design (human, modern, functional) and had a clear visual for each point. The consistency ran through the characteristics. A large picture with key words dominated each slide. Each picture was a metaphorical representation of the big idea.

 

5. Closing in reality

After abstract (and highly interesting) discussions around Nordic design, Henrik came back to reality and showed some plans from current developments. We learned about the anchor layout, how multiple attraction points are developed and key traffic pullers in each development. It was a good way to show how the principles are applied.

 

Speaker 3: Olle Carlbark Director SCA Innovation Centre in China, SCA.

Olle’s talk was based around introducing SCA and a case study of launching a product in the baby diaper market In China.

 

What he did well?

1. Set the journey

Olle opened with a quick slide showing the agenda clearly. Four sections:

This is SCA

Innovation

Relaunch Sealer

China insights

 

2. Keep self-directed information short

I was interested to learn about SCA but sometimes company profiles can drag on. Olle kept it short and used visuals to show the wide range of brands his company covered. His message “Europe’s largest forest owner” was a nice soundbite.

 

3. Case study

A case study on relaunching a product with some innovative safety features and package design that catered to local needs was capped off with a video TV commercial. Using a mixture of media is a good way to break up your delivery. All media used should be relevant and consistent in quality and message.

 

4. Close with clarity

Olle finished with a slide showing main innovation drivers in China. Three points.

 

 

Conclusion

All speeches were well structured, included personal touches and generally had very clear impactful visuals. It helped make the experience of learning about Nordic design and how it’s applied in China enjoyable and easy to digest.

 

10 Warning Signs Your Leaders Lack Executive Presence

Future business success depends on having leaders who can drive change. If you observe any of these signs, your top team is probably under-performing and it’s time to take action.
Executive presence is the hallmark of every successful leader. The ability to think, act and communicate like a leader is grounded in polished communication skills. Executives with presence deliver higher performance. They are vital to the leadership team. People want to work with them. Through enrolling and engaging the best resources, they deliver superior results time and again. Consider successful executives such as John Chambers, CEO of CISCO since 1995. Chambers overcame childhood dyslexia and today his enthusiastic communication style, which conveys can-do optimism, has helped lead CISCO to the top of a tough, fast-changing industry and Chambers was selected in Harvard Business Review’s Top 5 most valuable CEOs in January 2010.
Executives without presence fall short as leaders. Their low-energy performances display a lack of confidence and cause audiences to tune out within minutes. They can’t think on their feet or compose clear, compelling and motivating messages. Their communication style frustrates senior managers, so their ideas are ignored and resisted. Without executive presence their credibility suffers. They are less effective in their role as they struggle to get buy-in from important stakeholders. They must work harder to make change happen. Doubt, frustration and insecurity creep in.
Look for these 10 warning signs. When leaders lack executive presence, they:

1. Are nervous and shaky in front of senior managers

People judge you when you speak. They make assumptions about your capabilities based on how effectively you express yourself.
While this may not seem fair, it’s a fact of life – even more so at the executive level. Executives who seem nervous are labeled less effective. How many times have you seen someone with superior communication skills promoted ahead of a peer who has better technical knowledge? Giving halting and uncertain answers to senior managers impacts credibility, while confident executives who rise to the occasion of a high-pressure meeting are marked as future leaders.
A recently-promoted general manager of a technology firm found it difficult to hold his own with overseas managers in management review meetings. The managers started to question his promotion. By arming him with several quick-thinking tools, we enabled the executive to become better prepared, thus increasing his confidence.

2. Speak without a clear message

Executives from technical disciplines, such as finance or engineering, often have a misconception that technical ability is more important than communicating effectively. The very skills that make technical experts successful actually prevent them from being promoted to senior management. They focus too heavily on process and small details when the situation requires something more concise. Unlike junior managers, a senior executive’s main role is to communicate a clear and compelling message.
Executives with presence understand how to tell the story behind the numbers, correctly balancing big-picture with small details. The best executives, such as Steve Jobs, communicate effectively using simple and concise language that conveys powerful and memorable messages. Jobs has honed this skill over the years and his product launches contain such gems as, “Today, Apple reinvents the phone” from the 2007 iPhone launch. This ability to express a situation in its simplest terms is often overlooked by technical executives. However, all effective executive communicators have mastered this art.

3. Put audiences to sleep

Voice makes or breaks a presentation. A monotone voice puts people to sleep and a whispering voice is a liability when attempting to persuade senior managers. Great presenters have honed their vocal variety. They are able to attract an audience’s attention and keep it with a full range that combines pace, tone, resonance, rhythm, emphasis and pause to add impact to their messages.
Many senior executives are introverted and reluctant to speak out, like a recent banking client who had a limited vocal range. After working through a range of exercises, her vocal range expanded and she began to make a better impression on conference calls and in presentations.

4. Dump data rather than connecting

Facts are interesting, but they don’t motivate anyone to change. But many executives still think data wins the day. Despite almost one hundred years of research into what motivates people, many executives still blast their audiences with data-heavy presentations. Then they are surprised by the lack of engagement and change that results. Executives with presence are able to connect and engage people on multiple levels by understanding why people are motivated to act.
A CEO of a fast-growing retailer was missing opportunities to get buy-in on strategy from his more than 500 senior managers at quarterly meetings. Using a three-step process, we helped him identify the underlying message beneath all those facts and figures and he delivered a memorable talk that stuck with the management team long after his speech. This was a great improvement from his previous approach of reading statistics from index cards.

5. Think presenting is PowerPoint

Many executives waste time making weighty slide-decks instead of the one preparation tool that’s truly effective: rehearsal.
Executives who rehearse by making and reading slides at their computer deliver dull, mundane and forgettable presentations. The best executives combine whole-brain thinking in their presentations with story-line, flow and anecdotes along with appropriate facts, figures and slides.
A general manager with a strong technical background realized he needed to break bad habits built up over decades. He stopped using slides for three months– a major leap of faith. Then he focused on his message and got comfortable speaking with just a few well designed slides that were visual and memorable. The change was dramatic and he became a role-model for other managers.

6. Appear evasive and uncertain when asked questions

Some executives tend to ramble around a topic before expressing their opinion. This propensity gets worse when faced with a very direct, aggressive questioning style designed to intimidate the executives, who are often answering in their second language. Executives who cannot handle this pressure suffer from stress, anxiety and a breakdown in confidence. Executives with presence are able to handle difficult questions and deliver sharp, concise and punchy answers to even the toughest questions.
A finance director at a leading specialty chemicals firm, despite being an expert in his function and industry, was overwhelmed when global executives fired questions at him. Using media techniques, we helped him stay calm and composed while in the spotlight.

7. Choke during important presentations

Executives are expected to step up and perform during important meetings. Unfortunately, many executives let stage-fright drag them down. They forget their message, hesitate and stutter through their presentation, and freeze while answering questions. In the eyes of their senior-level audience, they come across as unprepared, unconvincing and uncertain.
A CEO recently used one of our rehearsal techniques, which shifted him away from what could go wrong and allowed him to focus on his key purpose. This enabled him to better cope in high-pressure meetings and stay on track.

8. Blame culture and language too often

Even successful executives make excuses. Common excuses among China-based multinational executives are that cultural differences and language ability cause ineffective communication. Without doubt, culture plays an important role in communication. However, it is often overused as the cause for misunderstandings among senior managers. Executives with presence are able to weigh the cultural aspects before a presentation and allow for them without diluting their message or tone.
As China-based specialists, we frequently support executives, such as country managers, in getting out of this rut. Many of them humbly believe that their language ability or lack of overseas study is the main reason why they cannot get their message across to senior managers, but often have similar issues in their native language. We then focus on the underlying communication skill that can help the executive become more vocal and proactive.

9. Are unaware of their communication impact

When executives are unaware of their communication style, they are deaf to the world. They come across as rigid because they stick to one style for all settings. This causes friction among the leadership team and delays important decision-making. Executives need to be versatile to the subtleties of each occasion.
A CEO for a manufacturing multinational used to turn his back to the audience during important presentations while he read his slides. This lowered the executive’s credibility among senior managers. Intense feedback and video work helped the CEO become more aware and adopt more effective speaking postures.

10. Are low-key to the point of invisibility

Senior executives can underestimate the power of meetings to enhance their credentials. Executives’ days are full of meetings; regular weekly calls with line managers, monthly conference calls with senior management, and quarterly business reviews. These are often missed opportunities to showcase their potential as a high-performing executive with the capabilities to drive the business forward. Successful executives take every chance to enhance their reputation in the eyes of their peers and superiors.
A senior partner in a professional services firm needed to increase his visibility in important meetings with the global management team. His qualities were not coming across clearly during these meetings and, although a capable executive, he was unable to project his opinions with confidence. We helped him adopt a more assertive role which improved his reputation. His ideas got more air time and his recommendations were more quickly accepted.

If you have read these warning signs and thought “that sounds like an executive on my team”, then it is time to contact us. We specialize in supporting senior executives in overcoming these and many other challenges as they learn to speak with executive presence. Give us a call so we can help you find the best way forward.
o o o

About Warwick John Fahy

I support senior executives working for multinationals in Greater China who lack the executive presence to effectively influence key stakeholders. While these executives are very smart, very knowledgeable and highly capable, a key piece missing. Their executive communication skills need polishing.

I help executives build a strong foundation in executive communication so that they are able to better think, speak and act like a leader to set and implement strategy.

Our Speak with Executive Presence Program which systematically helps executives think, speak and act like a leader, can be found here.
To see if this program is for you, call Warwick to book a complimentary Executive Presence Strategy Session on +86 21 6101 0486. The purpose of this session is to help you gain more clarity on where you want to go and challenges you are having getting there. We’ll also discuss the services I have to offer and determine if what I do can help you get you where you want to go.

One Minute Nugget: In 2011, what is the most difficult problem facing business presenters?

This is a business themed collage. It illustra...

Technology when used well can enhance your message and credentials, but the problem is that most presenters are lazy and make the technology the message. Technology, while a great tool, does not necessarily lead to better presentations.

A bad movie is a bad movie whether it’s played on DVD, HDTV or 3D. If you cannot deliver an effective presentation by simply standing up and speaking to an audience, then using a slide-deck, playing a video or using an iPad is not going to make you a better presenter. In fact, it is more likely to either confuse your audience or make the technology the centre of the presentation.

The main purpose of any presentation – whether in a face-to-face meeting or on a conference call is twofold.

Firstly, there is the communication aspect, like informing the team of a new procedure, persuading your manager that you need a new resource or influencing a existing client to expand their business with you. It’s a good idea to write down what you wish to achieve before you start to prepare your main message or slides. This will give you a focus and something to check against as you develop your presentation.

The second purpose is to enhance the credibility of the presenter in the eyes of the audience. Think about the best speakers you know in your company, they tend to be regarded with a golden halo because they have good speaking skills. When you get to a senior level in an organisation the person who gets promoted to the executive level is likely to have the better soft skills, which means highly effective speaking and presenting skills. Have you asked whether your last presentation enhanced or detracted from your credibility. Many business presenters brush over the importance of their weekly ‘routine’ presentations which they make to their teams or line managers. But over time these interactions have a significant impact on how you are regarded inside your company.

So, in 2011, make a commitment to use technology less and bolster your presentation skills more. Attend a workshop, get a coach, or simply grab a book and rehearse the tips that are in the book. Record yourself, playback, critique and go again. Give yourself the edge when it comes to taking the next opportunity in your business and personal life. Have a great 2011!  Whatever you do and wherever you are, I sincerely wish that your life improves and you take great strides forward in reaching your dreams!

About the Author

Warwick J Fahy

“I work with high-potential senior executives who need to be more confident and influential with their key stakeholders. I help the executive quickly and powerfully express their opinions into message based presentations – even when under pressure.”  Learn more about who I help here.

Warwick is the author of “The One Minute Presenter: 8 steps to successful business presentations in a short attention span world”.

Now available on Amazon.com.

Sign up to “52 Tips to more confident public speaking” newsletter at www.warwickjohnfahy.com

Toastmasters: 1001 Ideas for Speeches: Your Life Inventory

Survey resultsIf you are stuck for a speech topic, you will enjoy this presentation which sets the challenge of finding the source of 1001 ideas for speech topics.

I conducted a survey among Toastmasters before the speech and include the results below. You can also download the handout which will give you quick access to the ideas in the presentation.

Download the results from the survey here. Download the 19min presentation here in MP3 format (17.8MB). Delivered on 6 Dec 2010 in Talent Discovery Bilingual TMC in Shanghai.  I have made a special handout summarising where you can source the 1001 ideas for your speech topics here. (478kb, PDF)

Warwick John Fahy is a Distinguished Toastmaster with almost 10 years experience as a Toastmaster delivering speeches in both English and Mandarin. Warwick was awarded the Presidential Citation in 2007 for his leadership in doubling the number of clubs in China and helping China move to district status.Warwick is an executive speech coach working with senior executives in multinationals across Greater China to help them become more influential with their key stakeholders.

Other Toastmasters trainings:

Why Invest in Face-to-Face Meetings? Look to Neuroscience.

Based on a recent research report, three business goals that are best met through face-to-face gatherings:
1. Capturing attention
2. Inspiring a positive emotional climate
3. Building personal networks and relationships

Learn more with a summary of these findings at Corporate Meetings & Incentives or ask me for a copy of the original whitepaper.

The One Minute Presenter interviewed on Real Coaching Radio Network

Enjoyed my interview with Steve Toth from Real Coaching Radio Network. You can see the show notes here. You can download the interview here.

Learn more about Steve Toth at LinkedIN here.

Download free samples from The One Minute Presenter here.

Buy The One Minute Presenter here.

iPad product launch: What Makes Steve Jobs a Great Presenter?

ipad
The new iPad
by Rebecca Hong

Steve Jobs is my favorite presenter for his ability to get his message across so clearly and effectively. I love listening to his commencement speech in Stanford University entitled “Stay Hungry Stay Foolish”. This morning I listened to Steve’s iPad product launch presentation. Steve Jobs proves himself to be a great presenter again. I would like to evaluate his presentation from a presentation skills perspective. I won’t touch upon the technical side even though I am fully sold that iPad is a phenomenal gadget.

Let me tell you why I think Steve Jobs is a great presenter.

1. Well-designed Structure/Organization

A great presentation starts by having a well designed structure/organization. So let’s first look at the structure of his presentation; the opening, body and closing. Please pay special attention to some very good transitions in between points.

Opening

Steve Jobs first overviewed of the company status-mainly good news about product sales and the large customer base. Then he threw out a question: “Is there a 3rd category device between a smart phone and a laptop?” The answer is: iPad.

Body

  1. Overview of what iPad can do.

Transition: “So that gives you a little overview of what the iPad can do, but it’s nothing like seeing it. So I’d like to show it to you now.”

Demo of what iPad can do.

– web surfing: New York Times, Buy movie tickets, National Geography

– emails

– photos

– calendar

– address book

– maps: Google Map

– video: Youtube, TV, movies,

II. Hardware features of iPad

III. 3rd party software features of iPad: App Store (presented by Scott Forstall, Apple Senior VP of iPod Software)

Demo of online game

Demos from several 3rd party software developers/content providers

IV. New App: iBooks (Steve Jobs back to present)

Overview

Demo

Transition: “Now, something very exciting: the iWork.”

V. App: iWork for iPad (presented by Phil Schiller, Sr VP Product Marketing)

Overview

Demo

– Keynote

– Pages

– Numbers

VI. Sync with iTunes (Steve Jobs back to present)

VII. Wireless networking in US and internationally

VIII. Pricing

First gave the product benefits: what iPad can do, Apps, iBook App, iWork App.

Then gave a price in pundits’ opinion: $999

Then shows the actual price: $499 and the more expensive models with higher capacity

IX. 3 Accessories

– a dock to view photos

– a key board dock

– a case for protection and serves as stand

X. Video of iPad

Closing

Echo the opening

Call for action: get your hands on it to feel it.

2. Subtle Salesmanship

Steve Jobs utilized this product launch opportunity not only to introduce the new product but also to persuade the audience to own it by adding many salesmanship lines. Let’s see how he made his sales pitch subtle but effective.

Example 1. After the demo of what the iPad can do, Steve said, “I have to say, though, watching it is nothing like getting it in your hands and feeling it right underneath your fingers.” This is to tell the audience that you need to own this gadget to really feel its charm.

Example 2. When it’s time to unveil the price of iPad, Steve first recapped the product benefits: what iPad can do, Apps, iBook App, iWork App. Then he didn’t tell the price right away. But to build some suspense and also contrast, he gave a price in pundits’ opinion: $999. Of course, the actual price is much lower: $499 for the most basic model and higher prices for other more advanced models. Here Steve used two skills. The first one is to mention benefits before the price so that buyers are reminded of the wonderful benefits of this product first and then are more likely to accept the price. The second skill Steve used is to give a higher price first and then the real lower price. This contrast of prices naturally makes the buyer feel the actual price is really low and it’s a great deal to get it at this price.

Example 3. At the end of the speech, Steve called for action to own this product. “So we’ve got a hands-on area next door, we’d like to get you to get your hands on an iPad because when you feel all this power, and this much fun and the internet in your hands, you will never want to go back.” This call to action is effective because it is not a hard sale. Rather it appeals to the emotions: the desire to feel, to have fun, and the need to try something cutting-edge.

3. Echo between the Opening and the Closing

When you first listen to the opening of the presentation, you might think that it seems a bit irrelevant to the main topic of this presentation, the iPad launch. But when you listen to the closing of the presentation, you will realize that actually the opening is well structured to serve as a set up for the closing. The opening’s main message of Apple having a massive customer base links to the closing message that this massive customer base is exactly the customer foundation for iPad and why iPad will take off strong in the market.

Let’s have a close look of how the opening and the closing echo with each other.

  1. Opening: “Everybody uses a laptop or smart phone… Is there a room for the 3rd category of device in the middle? Something between a laptop and a smart phone?”

Closing: “So let’s go back to the beginning. Do we have what it takes to establish a 3rd category product, an awesome product that’s in between a laptop and a smart phone…We think we got the goods. We think we’ve done it.”

  1. Opening: “A few weeks ago, we have sold our 25millionth iPod.”

Closing: “Because we’ve shipped over 75million iPhones and iTouchs, there are over 75 million people already know how to use the iPad.”

  1. Opening: “A few weeks ago, we announced that a user downloaded the 3 billionth application from the App Store.”

Closing: “Users have downloaded 12 billion products from these stores (iTune, iApps and iBooks), so we are at scale and we are ready for the iPad.”

  1. Opening: “We’d like to kick off 2010 by introducing a truly magical and revolutionary product today.”

Closing: “Now the iPad, if you can sum it up, is our most advanced technology in a magical & revolutionary device at an unbelievable price.”

4. A Strong Tagline

A good speech, no matter how long or short it is, should be able to be crystallized into a sentence or even a phrase, which we call a tagline. Steve Jobs gave this iPad a clear and strong tagline:

iPad is a truly magical and revolutionary product.”

(Short version, used in the opening)

iPad our most advanced technology in a magical & revolutionary device at an unbelievable price.”

(Longer version, used in the closing)

This longer version tagline perfectly crystallized the features of iPad: advanced technology, magical, revolutionary and the affordable price.

However, I do have some recommendation to make this tagline stronger. The problem with the current tagline is that it puts the focus on the most advanced technology, which is too technical oriented. I would recommend to change it to focus on its emotional appeal:

iPad is a truly magical & revolutionary device with our most advanced technology at an unbelievable price.”

(recommended tagline)

The changed version puts the emotional appeal of “a truly magical & revolutionary device” as the focus in this tagline to make it more user oriented rather than technology oriented.

5. Well Paced Speed and Great Use of Pauses

If there is one thing that differentiates Steve Jobs from other great speakers, it is his speaking speed. Steve’s speaking speed is about 100-120 words per minute while a normal English speaker’s speed is about 210 words per minute. This means Steve is 50% slower when he speaks. Why does Steve Jobs speak slowly? Because he enunciates each word clearly and he takes time to emphasize the key words and messages. The effect of his slow pace is that audience will feel very comfortable following him without being rushed or missing anything he said. As a result he gets his message across successfully.

Here is an example of how he uses pauses effectively. When he made the statement that “Now the iPad, if you can sum it up, is our most advanced technology in a magical & revolutionary device at an unbelievable price”, Steve puts three pauses in this sentence to let the audience hear and get the three features clearly:

Now the iPad, if you can sum it up, is our most advanced technology [pause] in a magical & revolutionary device [pause] at an unbelievable price [pause].”

6. Beautiful Selection of Words

Listening to a speech with beautiful words is like listening to a masterpiece of music. Steve Jobs is one of the speakers who carefully selects his use of words. He uses many adjectives in his presentations and metaphors to create mental pictures in audience minds.

Example 1. “This is around 18 months since its inception, 3 billion applications from App Store.”

Example 2. “The e-book app. Amazon has done a great job of pioneering this functionality with Kindle and we are going to stand on their shoulders and go a little further.”

7. Show of Emotions

A good presenter connects with the audience on a personal level by expressing his own emotions. Steve Jobs is such a presenter. Here is a good example: “We just ended our holiday quarter, our 1st fiscal quarter of 2010, with $15.6 billions of revenue. I don’t even believe that!”

8. Repetition of Key Lines

Steve Jobs knows the power of repetition to strike his main messages in the audience minds. Here are two examples:

Example 1. “By revenue, Apple is the biggest mobile device company in the world now… Apple is the #1 mobile device company in the world.”

Example 2. “Now the iPad, if you can sum it up, is our most advanced technology in a magical & revolutionary device at an unbelievable price.” (repeated once)

9. One Message per Slide

In all Apple’s presentations, you will see what it means to have one message per slide. Besides, the most important message is put in bigger font while narratives in smaller font. Here is one example:

Sample slide:

50,000,000

Visitors last quarter

10. Never Forget to Promote the Company/Brand

Steve Jobs smartly utilized the product launch opportunity to promote the company and build up its Apple brand. Here are two examples.

Example 1. In the beginning of the presentation, Steve Jobs gave a positioning to Apple: “Apple is a mobile devices company. That’s what we do.” If you think Apple is just a digital appliance company, then after listening to this speech, you know that to be specific, Apple is a mobile devices company.

Example 2. At the end of the presentation, Steve Jobs reiterated the competitive advantage of Apple: “We’ve always tried to be at the crossroad of technology and liberal arts, to be able to get the best of the both.” This is what differentiates Apple from other technical companies.

So the above ten skills were demonstrated by Steve Jobs in his 1.5 hour iPad product launch presentation. Steve is a role model as a highly effective technical presenter. But only seeing is believing. So go to www.apple.com to see it with your own eyes and listen with your own ears.

Anecdote to Long PowerPoint Presentations : Ignite

5 minute presentations

5 minute presentations

I am sure you have all sat through many teeth-grindingly long presentations with 89 PowerPoint slides. But what if the presentation was only 5 minutes long, with 20 slides and each slide automatically rotated after 15 seconds. Sounds great!

There are a number of new events springing up which ‘force’ presenters to be concise. I think this is a great thing. It is much harder to be concise and still remain compelling, but the philosophy of The One Minute Presenter is just this. With today’s short-attention span audiences, it is becoming more and more important to be concise.

If you cannot get along to one of Ignite’s events (Wiki page) – try this method when you are preparing for your next presentation. It will help you deliver a to-the-point message and finish on time.

Do you want to turn your expertise into credibility and increased income? (Who wouldn’t?)

If you haven't heard of terms like "knowledge
 worker" and "info-preneur", check out wiki!

Today you are paid for what you know. Applied knowledge. One man spends his time on world trips as an advocate for a new business model which he calls, “The New Book Model”.  Ideal for knowledge workers, consultants, speakers, and coaches, Dan has a very practical and systematic approach to turning your know-how into a book and a whole host of other products.

If you are writing a blog and wondering how you can turn this into an income stream, you may be interested to learn that you are closer than you think to producing a credibility-boosting high quality book or information product.  Dan has presented to thousands of audiences in many lands and always leaves high take-away value.

Professional Speakers of  China presents a workshop in Shanghai which is designed to give you the know-how to become a expert in your field.

Dan Poynter – internationally known as the Self Publishing Guru – is coming to Shanghai to deliver a workshop titled, ” Turning Speeches into Books: Writing, Producing & Promoting your Book”.

November 1 2009 1-5pm

Booking:  To book your seats, email Professional Speakers of China here.

Other links:

See an online presentation from Dan talking about the new world of e-book publishing.

See Dan’s “bible” on Amazon
Dan Poynter’s Self-Publishing Manual, 16th Edition: How to Write, Print and Sell Your Own Book (Self Publishing Manual)

The One Minute Presenter is available worldwide on Amazon!

Help make boring presentations a thing of the past with this perfect gift!  (Okay so maybe I am biased!)

The One Minute Presenter is now available everywhere you can find a computer.

See http://www.oneminutepresenter.com/buy-book for the link and if you want to buy multiple copies for your company, we are offering some great discounts.  Your team will appreciate it and your presentations will certaintly benefit!