Use Stories in Presentations to Persuade

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years teaching and coaching better presentations and sales, it’s this: Stories persuade. Using stories in presentations capture the audience’s attention. Stories engage our emotions. They make us want to take action. They make us want to buy: stories sell.

I’ve seen it time and again. My clients in the financial services industry love their numbers and understandably so. But the most successful presenters move beyond facts and figures which aren’t as memorable as narrative They … Read More

Putting Sizzle in Your Sales Presentations

The other night my husband and I enjoyed a delicious meal at our favourite restaurant, the Terra Cotta Inn. I ordered a steak and it was amazing. Here’s why: a yummy steak is a combination of good quality meat, careful preparation and beautiful presentation. It’s like that with our sales presentations.

I was recently providing coaching feedback on the pilot of a new high stakes product presentation that was being launched for a client. The observers in the room commented that the presentation felt dry and needed more ‘sizzle.’ Here’s … Read More

6 Persuasion Elements in Storytelling: Are you Using These Tactics?

Yesterday was the final ‘presentation showcase’ day for Pro Track Speakers Academy – a yearlong boot camp for emerging speakers at the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS). I had the privilege of evaluating the final presentations along with two of my esteemed CAPS colleagues Peri Shawn and Richard Peterson.

While we covered the gamut in our feedback critiques, the art and skill of storytelling was the prevalent theme that was woven throughout the fabric of the day. Everyone incorporated story and more than a few were masterful … Read More

Presentations That Persuade – Create Word Pictures

Storytelling is both an art and a skill. Our guest author Dr. Patsi Krakoff wrote about this in “Presentations That Persuade: Stories Drive Action,” last week.

For me, there’s nothing more compelling than watching a masterful storyteller in action. It is magical. Ever since primitive tribes sat around a fire to tell their adventures, we’ve become fascinated by stories. But how do your become skilled at this when making a presentation?

Here is one technique that will take your storytelling game to the next level … Read More

Presentations that Persuade: Stories Drive Action!

A guest post by Dr. Patsi Krakoff, author of the blog WritingontheWeb.com and writer/editor of Content for Coaches and Consultants.

Presentations can be really good and still not generate any action from the audience. Why is content marketing and persuasion so elusive, and what can you do drive results, to set people on fire?

When it comes to making a presentation, most professionals start from their point of view. Of course, who wouldn’t?

“We’ve got a state-of-the-art 128-bit secure site, offering the best rates on the Web.”

While this business … Read More