Chapter 6

Style: Becoming a “10”

YOU ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN YOUR PRESENTATION. It is not the multimedia computer program, the nine-screen slide show, or the $60,000 video. It is you. This chapter will help you to develop a winning style. Since image is based on perception, you will learn what it takes to become a “10” in the eyes of the audience.

52. Remember That You Are Number 1 With the Audience

I once listened to a presenter who had the ultimate in high-tech computerized graphics. He could produce all sorts of tricks on the screen—fades, progressive bullets, sounds and horns to announce a new topic. He could even pipe in 350 different theme songs while his fingers danced on the elaborate keyboard. His razzle-dazzle show didn’t skip a technological beat. He really knew what he was doing. There was only one problem: The customer did not buy the product he was selling.

Why? The audience was mesmerized by the computer show, but the presenter forgot one vital component: himself. People buy people. People buy people they like. The presenter did not develop any kind of relationship with his audience. They were unresponsive to him, to his ideas, and to his product. He didn’t realize that the presenter is number 1 with the audience. Nothing can take the place of the personal relationship.

Another presenter was delivering the keynote address at a convention. There were approximately 750 people in his audience. One hour prior to the program, the speaker was in the room waiting for the first person to arrive. He stood at the doorway and greeted everyone personally. He shook their hands and chatted with them briefly. During his presentation, he often referred, by name, to members of his audience. He would also include tidbits that he had learned about them: “Joe Blonsky, the production manager at the East Peoria plant, told me . . ., Mary Charles had an interesting experience last night at Chez Parfait . . . , Ted Morris explained that the biggest thing in his life is that new baby due next week. . . .” The audience was in awe. This presenter had a special talent for remembering names and minute details. By personalizing the talk, he won the audience, and the business. He was number 1 with them.

53. Look Like a “10”—for Men

You are the number 1 visual in your presentation. Your appearance is extremely important.

Audience Considerations: Think about your audience. Match their values in appearance. Then dress one step above that level. Also, ask this question: “What would the audience expect me to wear?”

Business Casual: In many companies casual business attire is the norm. Look at how top management dresses, and use that as a guideline. Even when a pair of slacks and denim shirt is the norm, wear your very best on the day of the presentation. You can still be outstanding in terms of color and quality.

Colors: Choose colors that make you look good. Pay attention to the research on “power colors.” Best bets: gray or navy suits for maximum confidence. Black is very formal. Choose cotton shirts in light blue or white.

To create a professional, yet friendlier impression, choose a sports jacket in place of a suit. Also, tweeds and herringbones are good here. Brown tones are acceptable (but not as striking).

The darker your skin, the more important it is that you have a light color near your face. If you compare two black men, one wearing a burgundy shirt and the other wearing a light blue shirt, the one with the light blue shirt will show up better. His face tones will be complemented by the light blue color.

Ties: Wear a conservative tie with a dash of red in it. This will make your face stand out.

Quality: Buy the best quality you can afford. It shows. Have your clothes tailored.

Shoes: Choose conservative styles, and see that they are polished. Avoid trendy and casual shoes (such as penny loafers).

Jewelry: Wear conservative rings on ring fingers only. A watch, tie bar, and lapel pin are also in good taste.

Glasses: People who wear glasses are perceived as intelligent. Keep glasses fairly conservative. Be sure they fit the size of your face. They should be larger rather than the tiny round wireframe look. Medium tones such as tortoiseshell are good. Some darker wire frames are fine. If you have a problem with appearing unfriendly, take your glasses off occasionally. If you have a problem with inexperience or looking too young for the job, wear your glasses. However, it is difficult for the audience to see your eyes when you wear glasses—it decreases the effectiveness of your eye contact. Therefore, if contact lenses are an option for you, give them a try (but only if you can wear them comfortably without constant blinking).

Hair: Match that of your audience. Short, conservative styles are dependable.

People with beards and mustaches are often perceived as lacking in credibility. If you choose to wear a beard or mustache, be sure to keep it neat and trimmed. Being clean-shaven is the safest bet.

Fingernails: Keep them short and clean.

Role Model: Choose someone whose style and level of success you admire. Then pattern your clothing choices after theirs. My choices in the male category are Tom Brokaw and Stone Phillips, the NBC commentators, for the full-blown professional look, and Bill Cosby (great sweaters) for the casual, more relaxed look.

54. Look Like a “10”—for Women

You are the number 1 visual in your presentation. Your appearance is extremely important.

Audience Considerations: Think about your audience. Match their values in appearance. Then dress one step above that level. Also ask this question, “What would the audience expect me to wear?”

Business Casual: The trend in business dressing is becoming more casual. Always choose clothes that flatter you in terms of style and color. Jackets, even casual ones, will usually enhance your look. Take your cues from the management in your company. How do they dress? Remember to draw attention to your face through accessories and makeup. For presentation purposes always err on the side of caution.

Colors: Choose colors that make you look good. Pay attention to the research on “power colors.” Best bets: Suits of medium blue, navy, gray, white, or some shades of rose/red/ burgundy. These colors work for most skin tones. Avoid pastels when you need to look powerful. For blouses, choose solid colors such as white and light blue. Avoid pronounced patterns, or florals.

A suit gives you maximum credibility. There are many style choices in suits, ranging form conservative to designer looks. Choose a style that makes you look good. Short jackets look fine on thin people; longer jackets are very flattering. I recommend designer suits in the standard power colors, such as navy, black, and burgundy. That way you can express your uniqueness and still look confident. Avoid sexy looks, such as slits, flairs, and short hemlines. Pantsuits are acceptable for less formal situations. If men in the audience are wearing suits, you’ll need to wear one. The best dress will never equal a suit in terms of power.

Quality: Buy the best quality you can afford. It shows. Choose wools, wool blends, gabardines, silks, and cotton blends. Buy wrinkle-free fabrics. Have your clothes tailored.

Skirt Length: Make it between two inches above the knee and two inches below the knee.

Contrast: Think about the size of your audience. The larger the audience, the more contrast you will need in color and accessories so that attention is drawn to your face. Use maximum contrast in color between jacket and blouse (such as a French blue suit and a white blouse), then add jewelry that will stand out (such as a bold gold necklace and large earrings).

Jewelry: Wear a large gold, silver, or pearl necklace. Again, the larger the size of the group, the larger the detail. Do not wear mid-chest necklaces. That’s not where you want the attention. Silk scarves, pocket scarves, and large pins work well. Earrings should be the size of a quarter or larger. Avoid dangling styles. Wear conservative rings on ring fingers only.

Shoes: Choose conservative styles, with closed toe and closed heel and no decorations, and see that they are polished. Avoid trends. Heels should be approximately two inches. Comfort is important.

Glasses: People who wear glasses are perceived as intelligent. Keep them fairly conservative. They should be larger rather than the tiny round wire-frame look. Medium tones such as tortoiseshell are good. Some darker wire frames are fine. If you have a problem with appearing unfriendly, take your glasses off occasionally. If you have a problem with inexperience or looking too young for the job, wear your glasses. However, it is difficult for the audience to see your eyes when you wear glasses—it decreases the effectiveness of your eye contact. Therefore, if contact lenses are an option for you, give them a try (but only if you wear them comfortably without constant blinking).

Hair: Shorter hair—above the shoulder increases the appearance of credibility. Straight or slightly wavy hair looks more confident than curls. Choose a style that is flattering. Also, choose one that does not get in the way while you are speaking (such as side bangs that constantly droop over your eyes). Long hair worn in upswept styles is very attractive. Hair should be a natural-looking color. Avoid bleached blond and streaked looks.

Fingernails: Keep them clean and neat, and no longer than medium length. Nail polish should be subtle.

Makeup: Yes! Wear makeup. It should be natural-looking. Again, with a larger audience, you’ll need more makeup. Blush, lipstick, mascara, and earth-tone eye shadows will enhance your appearance. Avoid bright-colored eye shadows.

Role Model: Choose a clothing role model. Mine is Connie Chung, the TV newscaster. Her style is ultra-professional, with a designer influence. When I shop for presentation attire, I look into the mirror, and ask myself the question, “Is this something Connie Chung would wear?” If the answer is yes, I buy it!

55. Communicate Eyeball to Eyeball

Several years ago I went to see a presentation by Tom Hopkins, the famous sales trainer. The room was packed, wall to wall, with 1,500 people. I’ll never forget how Tom—from forty rows away—made me feel as though he were speaking directly to me. He looked me right in the eyes many times. His eyes made a direct, steady connection.

Eyeball-to-eyeball eye contact was Tom’s secret. You can use it, too, once you learn the trick. Look into the eyes of one individual for a steady three to five seconds. Think of carrying on an individual mini-conversation with that person. Then look at another person for three to five seconds, finish your thought, and move on to another. You’ll actually sense that their eyes are responding to yours. Distribute your eye contact smoothly and deliberately in various areas of the room. Really see the people. Let your eyes periodically sweep the room while you give the audience a “hug” with your eyes.

This is not as easy as it appears. Be aware of these pitfalls:

Great eye contact is one of those special skills that is a really big deal. People who use eyeball-to-eyeball connection are perceived as trustworthy, confident, friendly, and caring. It’s a valuable skill to perfect, not only in presentations, but in everyday life!

56. Take Up Space

The more space you take up, the more powerful you look. Think of being in the center seat on an airplance. Who dominates the armrest? Look at a man sitting and a woman sitting. Who takes up more space?

When making presentations, take firm and energetic command over the space in the room. Don’t lock yourself in a single position. Move it! Move around the room. Move at least two steps at a time. If you move only one step at a time, it will look as though you’re rocking or doing the cha-cha. Give yourself some reasons to move. Go over to a flip chart or overhead projector. When I speak, I like to have a small table on my right side for notes (that’s my “note station”). Then I use a flip chart (my “flip chart station”). Finally, I have an area close to the audience where I make important points, answer questions, engage in discussions. This is the “just-you-and-me station.” It’s a special place that lets me connect heart-to-heart with the people in the audience. By having specific places to go in the room, I can walk around with both energy and purpose.

Your hands and arms need to take up space. Get your armpits out, elbows away from your side, and gesture like you really mean it (not limp and floppy). One of my clients’ most frequent concerns is, “What should I do with my arms?” People usually have no clue as to what to do with those appendages. Tall people, especially, are very reluctant to gesture. Their long arms make them feel as though their wings will be flapping if they use large gestures.

My solution for gesture paralysis is to use “hallway gestures.” Imagine that you are standing out in the hallway talking to your buddy about last night’s game. You’re probably using natural, expressive, uninhibited gestures that convey your true feelings. In presentations, too, feel the message. Let the message penetrate into your fingers and toes. The gestures will follow.

57. Don’t Get Stuck

Here’s a hit list of frozen positions that will detract from your message and your look of confidence. Avoid them.

Note: If you find yourself in one of the above positions, it’s best to let your arms hang loosely by your side. This is the most powerful-looking neutral position. Also, if you don’t let your hands touch, you’ll usually stay out of trouble.

If you choose to use a lectern or podium, can you still look dynamic? The answer is yes, if you pretend that it isn’t there. Continue to gesture above the podium and to the side. Don’t clutch the podium. However, the only benefit of the podium is as a place to hold your notes (especially for tall people). Don’t think that you can hide behind it. Pivot your body from time to time to look at various parts of the room. Your eye contact needs to be especially strong to overcome the physical barrier of the podium. Removal of the podium will increase the perception of friendliness. I don’t like podiums. They create a wall between a speaker and the audience. My preference: Get rid of the podium.

58. Avoid Fiddling, Fidgeting, and Flagrant Fouls

Most speakers are guilty of some distracting mannerisms from time to time. Be aware of your potential pitfalls and correct them on the spot. Keep the audience focused on you and your message, not on distractions. Audiences report that these distracters are so annoying that they can detract from your presentation (sometimes to the point that their interest is completely lost).

Each time I see myself on video, there is usually some type of mannerism that I need to wipe out of my repertoire. Once I was bobbing my head like a little football player doll on the back ledge of someone’s car. Another time I was rising up on my toes like a ballerina each time I made a point. Once I became aware of the offense, I could put a halt to it.

Here are some distracters that have been identified in my audience research:

59. Show Your Glow (Smile!)

Often I’m asked this question: “I’m not saying anything funny, so should I still smile?” The answer is simple: yes! Smiling when you’re tense and concentrating on your message is not easy. However, it’s one of the most important things you can do. It’s a big deal to the audience. Smiling lets the audience know that you’re friendly, that you like them, and that you care about the topic. That’s big stuff!

Johnny Miller, the famous golfer, had difficulty relating to the gallery. In fact, many of his fans deserted him. Johnny admitted that he had a hard time concentrating on his game and paying attention to the crowd at the same time. He was advised to wave and smile as he walked down the fairway and after he holed every putt. Instantly, the crowd warmed up to him. They responded and applauded, and his galleries grew. By the way, it didn’t hurt his game, either.

Beyond smiling, animate your face. Use your eyebrows, eyes, cheeks, mouth, lips, nose, neck, and teeth to express emotion. Often, before a presentation, your face will feel very tense. If that’s the case, find a place where you can hide, and do some “face aerobics.” I call this Comedy and Tragedy (after the famed theatrical symbols). First, stretch out your face as far as it will go and laugh heartily (comedy). Then scrunch your face and pretend that you are weeping (tragedy). Alternate between the two for about thirty seconds: comedy . . . tragedy . . . comedy . . . tragedy . . . You will be surprised at the release of facial tension. When I first start this exercise, my face feels as though it is going to crack, the muscles are so tight and tense.

A few years ago I worked with an executive who wanted to change his stiff and stuffy image. He wanted people to see him as a friendly person. Smiling was something that he had to consciously think about, so he pasted “happy face” stickers throughout his presentation notes.

60. Stretch Your Style

My natural presentation style is very lively and outgoing. I walk around a lot, use a loud voice, and gesture almost constantly. If I spoke with that intensity all day, I would surely exhaust the audience (and myself, too). Therefore, I like to add variety to my style by calming down, speaking more slowly, using just a few gestures. Maybe I’ll even sit down for part of the presentation to lower the intensity. This gives both the audience and me a very welcome rest. It also heightens their attention, because I am unpredictable.

Another way to expand your style is to use a variety of audiovisual aids. Use props, the flip chart, an overhead projector, charts, handouts, videos. Each time you change the method of visual presentation, the audience becomes more attentive. There’s nothing worse than a presenter using an overhead projector for two hours straight!

After I work with people in my two-day Speakers Training Camp, they always want to know how they can continue to improve. My advice is to pick one or two things that will make the most significant difference in your presentation style. Then monitor yourself on how you’re doing. You can write cue words in the margins of your notes as reminders. You might have the words LOUDER! or EYES! or SMILE! or ENERGY! or MOVE ARMS! Another great way to change your behavior is to put your watch on the opposite wrist. It will act as a great memory trigger. Remember that it may take months to completely incorporate one of these skills into your natural repertoire.

Even if you present frequently, always take an honest look at yourself. Maybe you’re a trademark storyteller. That’s great, but start pushing yourself. Add more humor, props, or other devices. Target a few areas in which you can expand your style. Monitor yourself (sometimes with audio and video recordings). After each presentation, rate your target area on a scale of one to ten.

61. Evaluate Your Style

You can become your own best coach. Give your style a frequent checkup. The best way is to tape a presentation or practice session with a video recorder and then analyze the results. If you don’t have someone to operate the camera, that’s OK. You can set the camera up on a tripod in the back of the room and then just let it roll. During your review of the tape, use the following checklist as a guide.