Do you talk too much? I know I can. Give me a day to present and there is no shortage as to what to say. But give me one minute to be concise - well, that is difficult for most anyone.
Here's what I try to do to keep an audience engaged - learned from some of the top experts in presenting. Ready?
Think of threes.
In presentations, we have an opening, a middle, and a summary.
Most religions utilize the number three - Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in Christianity. There are 3 Patriarchs in Judaism. The Three Jewels in Buddhism.
When presenting, we say, "Tell them what you'll tell them, then TELL them, then tell them what you told them."
So keep it simple. Offer three key points:
"I'm here to share with you three key reasons why......"
"I'd like to get a discussion going on the three points about...."
You get my drift.
Why three? Let me give you three reasons:
1) Most adults can't remember much more than that. In fact, when someone is talking, we retain less than 20% of what it is that they say. Amazing, isn't it?
2) We confuse people when we offer too many choices or too much data. This is the best way to slow down progress in selling.
3) By giving 3 points and no more, you keep things simple. There is less supporting documentation, landing pages, fliers, or other marketing materials of your choice.
So keep it simple next time - present three clear points. Open, share the points, and then summarize. If you do that, you'll see an increase in understanding, clarity, and revenues.
This idea is so successful we created a whole program around it, called Selling in Threes - the basis of our frontline sales training and will be featuring more of that content in upcoming posts.
Lori Richardson is recognized as one of the "Top 25 Sales Influencers for 2012" and one of "20 Women to Watch in Sales Lead Management". Lori speaks, writes, trains, and consults with inside and outbound sellers in technology and services companies. Subscribe to the award-winning blog and the “Sales Ideas In A Minute” newsletter for sales strategies, tactics, and tips in selling.