On my very first day as an undergraduate at New York University, I attended the orientation session for incoming freshmen in a state of suspended animation. I had left behind the camaraderie and the cinder-block walls of a New York City public high school, and now, alone and apart from my close friends of four years, I entered the marble halls of NYU’s Gould Memorial Chapel. I was a solitary speck in a sea of strangers, all of us intimidated by our imposing surroundings and further humbled by our requisite freshmen headdress: bright violet beanies.
My awe was heightened when a procession of austere deans and professors, clad in black academic gowns, entered and took their seats on the stage, looking down at us lowly frosh. As each of these august sages stood in turn to address us, their stentorian tones and crisp articulation echoed off the domed ceiling of the chapel. I was struck by how different they sounded from my high school teachers, whose hardcore New York accents were marked by a strident twang and staccato pace. I was still in the same city, but I might as well have been at Oxford or Cambridge.
Finally, the most impressive and most articulate dean of the group rose to speak. “Gentlemen,” he began (for there were no women at NYU at that time), “by now you realize that your life here at the university is going to be vastly different from high school. However, there is one high school practice that we have carried forward. We take attendance.”
At that, he reached under his gown, into his coat pocket, and pulled out a set of what looked like business cards. “These are your attendance records,” he said. Then, as if holding up a bridge hand, he fanned out the cards in one hand and, with his other, reached forward and plucked one of the cards. Reading from it, he said, “Suppose you’re Jerry Weissman . . . ”
Imagine my reaction. I couldn’t have been more stunned if I’d heard the voice of God intoning my name from the dome.
I wasn’t the only one to react. Several other freshmen sitting nearby, whom I’d just met, turned to look at me, and their stirring rippled through the audience like a wave.
I later learned that the dean’s selection of my card was completely accidental and arbitrary, but that he always picked an actual card from among the members of each new audience. I also learned that that same dean happened to be the chairman of the Speech Department.
In time, Professor Ormond J. Drake proceeded to become my mentor. Later still, he became my supervisor when I served as an instructor in his department, my sponsor when he gave me a consulting assignment at a Wall Street brokerage house, and my colleague when I produced and directed an episode of his talk-show series for CBS Television. But to this day, what I remember most about Professor Drake is the startling Aha! he gave me when he spoke my name in the middle of the welcoming speech he’d given to generations of entering freshmen.
That’s the power of Customization.
Many business presentations contain information that must be conveyed repeatedly, to multiple audiences. For example, a salesperson may have to present a new product to many different groups of customers, or a human resources manager may have to explain the new company benefits plan to dozens of small groups of employees. In the world of IPO road shows, company officers must make their presentations to many, many groups of investors. Typically, they give 60 to 80 pitches over a period of two to three weeks, often six to eight presentations in any given day.
Under these circumstances, it’s difficult to keep your presentation fresh and vital. In part, this is a matter of energy and focus. When you have to make the same points for the third, or tenth, or fiftieth time, it’s hard to feel the same sense of enthusiasm, spontaneity, and excitement as the first time. It’s all too easy to become bored with your presentation and let your attention flag. When you go into autopilot, however, your presentation comes across as “canned,” and the result is an audience that is uninvolved, unmoved, and unconvinced.
The challenge for the presenter is to find ways to overcome this downside, to achieve “the illusion of the first time.” This phrase comes from the glossary of stage actors, who often have to perform the same role in the same play hundreds of times (if they’re fortunate enough to have a role in a hit production) while conveying to each new audience the sense that every speech and every action is completely spontaneous.
Contrast the theatrical approach to that of the world of journalism. In journalism, an article that can run any time in any edition of a publication is called an “evergreen.” This relegates the content of the article to mere filler. Never, ever make your presentation an evergreen. As Shakespeare had Hamlet say, “Suit the action to the word, the word to the action.” Create the illusion of the first time, every time.
The key to creating that illusion is to make a deliberate effort to focus your energy every time you present. If the thought of repeating the same material over and over again makes your spirit wane, remember the example of baseball immortal Joe DiMaggio. A reporter once said to the Yankee Clipper, “Joe, you always seem to play ball with the same intensity. You run out every grounder and race after every fly ball, even in the dog days of August when the Yankees have a big lead in the pennant race and there’s nothing on the line. How do you do it?”
DiMaggio replied, “I always remind myself that there might be someone in the stands who never saw me play before.”
In the same way, treat each and every iteration of every presentation of yours as if no one in your audience has ever seen you present before. Make your 80th iteration as fresh as the first . . . and with Verbalization, the first as polished as the 80th.
The equivalent of running out every grounder and racing after every fly ball is to generate your enthusiasm and pump up your energy every time. However, energy alone is not enough. To create the illusion of the first time you must modify your presentation for each new audience. Fortunately, as a business presenter, you enjoy a freedom that stage actors don’t have: You can reshape your script and give every performance a new dose of freshness and spontaneity. Does this mean that you have to change your recurring presentation each time? Not at all. You can customize the core material with the following techniques; all but one of which involve only your narrative. Customize with your words. Use these very same techniques to customize a one-time-only presentation, as well as every presentation you ever give to every audience.
While the Internal Linkages in the previous chapter bond the components of your presentation, it’s equally important to bond your presentation (and you, as the presenter) to each specific audience. You can achieve that with External Linkages: words, phrases, stories, and other materials that you insert throughout your presentation to make it fresh. There are seven External Linkages:
- Direct Reference. Mention specifically, by name, one or more members of your audience.
- Mutual Reference. Make reference to a person, company, or organization related to both you and your audience.
- Ask Questions. Address a question directly to one or more members of your audience.
- Contemporize. Make reference to what is happening today.
- Localize. Make reference to the venue of your presentation.
- Data. Make reference to current information that links to and supports your message.
- Customized Opening Graphic. Start your presentation with a slide that includes your audience, the location, and the date.
Let’s consider each External Linkage, along with illustrative examples.
A Direct Reference is a specific mention, by name, of one or more members of your audience. This is the technique that Professor Ormond Drake used during my orientation at NYU, and its effectiveness is attested to by the fact that I still recall the moment, decades later.
There are several ways to incorporate Direct References. One is to refer to audience members to illustrate your key points: “Our services can help reduce the amount of time you spend traveling on business. Take Steve, here, as an example. Steve told me that he’s been on the road 12 days this month. With our services, Steve can . . . ”
Another way is to tell a story related to the audience or to specific audience members: “As some of you may know, I’ve worked with your firm before. Last year, Sharon and I developed a joint plan for launching a new program . . . ”
“During the break, I was speaking with Howard, and he told me that your company is about to move to new headquarters. You’ll be interested to know that our product can help streamline the process . . . ”
Be careful to make all Direct References positive and noncontroversial. Only quote statements or tell stories that reveal the audience member in a positive light. And, of course, never violate a confidence.
A Mutual Reference is a reference to a person, company, or organization that is in some way linked to both you and your audience. Think of a Mutual Reference as a tasteful, appropriate form of name-dropping. For example, in pitching your services to Company A, you might want to describe the work you did for Company B, which has a close business alliance with Company A; or the work you did for Company C, whose CEO sits on the board of Company A; or the work you did for Company D, which is Company A’s largest and most respected industry rival.
Before using a Mutual Reference, however, check into the politics of the three-way relationship. Avoid stumbling into a personal or business feud that you didn’t know existed. Be certain that your audience will view every connection as an affirmation.
While a question is effective as an Opening Gambit, you can also use the same technique at any point in almost any presentation. By addressing a question directly to one or more members of your audience, you create an effective External Linkage.
There are several ways to use questions. One is the Scott Cook approach of polling the audience. This is a quick way of gauging their interest in or receptivity to a particular concept in your presentation: “How many of your companies plan to increase spending on information technology during the next year? May I have a show of hands? Quite a few, I see. Our new software system can help you get the most out of any new technology you do purchase. Here’s how it works . . . ”
If you do use this technique, however, be prepared for all contingencies: all of the above, some of the above, and none of the above. Be prepared with a follow-up to each contingency.
Another question technique is to invite audience members to share ideas, reactions, or stories, which you can use as a springboard for further discussion: “Think back to the last time you had a negative experience with airplane travel. What was the problem? Any volunteers? Okay, Reggie, tell us about it . . . ”
Yet another technique is to use questions to point the audience toward a predetermined conclusion: “What sort of features would your company need in a new communications system? Where on the list would you rank reliability? . . . And why is that? . . . What happens when your system is down? . . . To address that concern, let’s look at some independent data on the reliability of our latest system . . . ”
Asking questions is an excellent way of engaging your audience. Getting people to think about issues and discuss them aloud turns your presentation from a one-way transmission into a two-way interaction, increasing your audience’s interest and involvement.
Getting people to think about issues and discuss them turns your presentation from a one-way transmission into a two-way interaction.
However, questions do inject a note of unpredictability. It’s possible that an audience member’s response to one of your questions may raise an irrelevant issue or jump ahead to an idea you will cover later in the presentation. Avoid such detours by politely defining the parameters of your topic.
Preplan the questions you will use, and phrase them carefully. Don’t make them heavy-handed and obvious. Based on your knowledge of the audience, word the questions to maximize your chance of eliciting the kinds of answers you want.
This technique involves making a reference to the most current of events, what is happening today. When you Contemporize, you make it very clear that you have specifically tailored your presentation to your present audience. You send the message that all your information is up-to-the-minute and highly relevant.
Contemporizing is favored by many entertainers, especially stand-up comedians. No monologue by Jay Leno or David Letterman is complete without an assortment of one-liners playing off the day’s headlines.
But the technique is equally effective in business presentations. Did the stock market take a sudden nosedive or make a remarkable rally yesterday? Consider linking the news to an explanation of how your company offers its customers increased financial security. Did a local sports team win a major event last night? Consider referencing the event and drawing an analogy to the competitive environment in which your company is operating. In each case, be sure you make the current information link clearly to your main idea.
You can also Contemporize right up to the minute. Refer often to prior speakers, to statements they made, to earlier questions from the audience, or to moments that occurred from the time you entered the presentation environment: the conference room, the auditorium, the office, or even the building. Weave these references throughout your presentation at every opportunity. This technique is the zenith of contemporizing in its immediacy and potency. It is also the easiest to do. All it takes is concentration and memory, and it keeps you fresh every time.
Localizing involves referencing the venue of your presentation. As with contemporizing, it’s a favorite among entertainers. Many rock concerts begin with a localized greeting like, “Hello, Philadelphia!,” which never fails to draw an appreciative roar in response.
You can Localize your presentation by finding facts about the venue that relate to your message. For example, you can talk about a particular client or customer of yours located in the same city, and then go on to illustrate the benefits your company provided to that client.
You can cite an interesting fact about the city or state that supports your message: “Last year, over 500 patients in this city’s hospitals died from drug interactions. Many of those deaths could have been prevented with our automated drug dispensing system.”
Or you can refer to a noteworthy local person, landmark, or incident, drawing a connection to your offering:
“It’s good to be here in St. Louis, where one of America’s favorite treats was invented over a hundred years ago. An ice cream vendor at the St. Louis World’s Fair ran out of paper cups on a sweltering afternoon. Desperate for a way to keep serving his customers, he got together with the waffle vendor next door . . . and the ice cream cone was born. Today, we’re presenting a new product that embodies the same kind of entrepreneurial creativity . . . ”
You can also create an External Linkage by citing current Data that links to and supports your message. The more up-to-the-minute and closely linked the Data is to your specific audience, the better. If the Data you mention is news to your audience, they will be impressed by the depth and currency of your information. If your audience members are already aware of the Data, they will be quietly pleased that you are as knowledgeable as they are. Either way, you create a positive link.
To add a touch of emphasis, use the source of your Data as a prop: “Have you seen today’s The Wall Street Journal?” (Hold it up.) “There’s a striking graph on the front page that shows just how serious our industry’s infrastructure problems have become.” (Quote the most relevant number.) “This is exactly the issue our new system has been designed to address.”
The final and simplest type of External Linkage is the Customized Opening Graphic. Begin the visual portion of your presentation with a slide that shows the audience, the location, and the date of your presentation. At the start of every Power Presentations program, I use such a slide. In fact, I also include the logo of the company I am coaching.
A Customized Opening Graphic may seem like a small item, but it has a powerful effect on both the presenter and the audience. For the presenter, it forces a final double-check to avoid the embarrassment of the wrong slide. It’s also an up-front prompt that gives an impetus to the style and content of the rest of the presentation.
For the audience, it sends the message that you’ve prepared this presentation especially for them . . . that it is not a generic recitation, but rather a custom-made work, tailored to their needs and interests. Thus, the slide launches the presentation with a clear stroke of Audience Advocacy, promising in effect that you are there to serve them.
Roger McNamee, a managing director and cofounder of Elevation Partners, is one of the most influential investors in the technology sector, and one of the best presenters I know. He is always in great demand to offer his unique views at major industry conferences. Roger carefully crafts each speech in advance and is keenly aware of the importance of Customization. Here’s how he puts it:
Speaking engagements are great branding opportunities, but only if you do a good job. You can do enormous harm to yourself by not understanding the opportunity. It’s a crime to give the “windup doll” speech, one that should be punishable by more than just not being invited back.
If you don’t feel some level of affinity for the community you are addressing, don’t do it. If you do, you will only lessen the value of your brand. A speech is like a shark. It can’t sit still; it either is building or destroying your brand.
Personal brands have a life of their own, dependent on the perceptions of others. It’s like cartoon characters who run off the edge of a cliff: They keep running in space until they realize there is nothing supporting them, at which point they plummet. A brand is the same: It’s at the moment when everyone comes to believe that there is nothing supporting you that your brand collapses. Public perception is everything.
It’s death if you give a speech or a presentation that sounds like a prerecorded announcement. Odds are that you don’t understand the critical success factors in your business well enough if you don’t understand this truth.
Roger heeds his own advice by starting each speech from scratch, but his words are applicable to every iteration of every presentation.
To customize your presentation, arm yourself with useful information and materials. Begin this process during your preparation period, days or even weeks before the presentation, and continue right up until the moment you approach the front of the room. Here are some steps you can take:
- Research your audience. Learn all you can about who will be attending: their knowledge level, key interests and concerns, and personal or professional biases.
- Learn the names of some key audience members. Know the names of several key influencers in the audience. Learn the names of the highest-ranking company officer, the most respected technical expert, and the manager with the most authority to make decisions.
- Get current on industry news and trends. During the run-up to your presentation, diligently search out news and media stories and Internet items related to the company and the industry to which you’ll be presenting.
- Customize your Opening Graphic. Produce an initial slide that names the audience, venue, and date of your presentation, and tee it up to launch your program. Microsoft PowerPoint has a specific function that changes the date automatically. (On the toolbar, click Insert, and then click Date and Time, and then click Update automatically.)
- Search for ways to Contemporize your presentation. When you awaken on the day of your presentation, watch the morning business channels on television, read the daily newspapers, and log onto the Internet; browse all these sources to find items relevant to your presentation and your audience.
The New York Times runs a daily feature called “This Date in Baseball” with memorable milestone events. Since competitive sports are an excellent metaphor for business, you could choose one of the events to analogize and illustrate your situation.
On a broader scale, a website (www.scopesys.com/today/) lists significant events on any given date in history. On the day you present, find an event that parallels your story, and incorporate it to add dimension to your presentation.
- Prior to your presentation, mingle with your audience. Go into your audience and chat with several individuals (this is known as “schmoozing”). Choose strangers as well as people you know. Ask them questions. Listen to their conversations. Gather valuable information as well as names and facts you can incorporate into your presentation.
Don Listwin, now the founder of The Canary Foundation, a nonprofit organization promoting early detection of cancer, was for many years the Executive Vice President of Cisco Systems. I first met Don when he was a junior product manager at Cisco. You’ll recall from the Introduction that after Cisco’s IPO, Cate Muther, then the Vice President of Corporate Marketing, required that all her product managers take my program. Don was in the first wave, and he was a most diligent student. Before long, his advanced presentation skills earned him a plum assignment: He was chosen to announce the launch of a major new Cisco product alongside then-CEO John Morgridge.
This was a highly mission-critical task. Since its inception, Cisco had been engaged in a fierce competitive battle with Wellfleet for leadership of the router market. In 1992, Cisco produced a new integrated router that would strike directly at the heart of Wellfleet’s strength, hardware, and exploit the vulnerable underbelly of Wellfleet’s weakness, software, which happened to be Cisco’s special strength.
Don crafted his presentation for the media using all the techniques in the Power Presentations program, and then spent the weekend before the scheduled Tuesday launch Verbalizing in front of a mirror 40 times. On Monday, Don did a trial run in front of an internal Cisco audience, and went into autopilot. His presentation had become dry and robotic.
He called me and said, “Jerry, I’ve gone stale! What do I do?”
I reminded Don about the Customization techniques, and he seized upon Direct References and Questions. The next day, just before his presentation, Don went into the audience and chatted with several people, asking them what they were hoping to hear from Cisco. Then he stepped up to the stage and began his presentation. Right after his Opening Gambit, Don looked at one of the people with whom he’d chatted and addressed him by name. The man smiled, and Don felt the spark of recognition radiate through the crowd. In turn, Don felt in control of himself and his audience. (Later, Don likened this effect to what happens when a student is called on by a professor, although I had never told him the story of Professor Drake.)
Then Don raised one of the questions someone had asked him during his schmooze, “Will Cisco continue to upgrade the performance of this new router?” Don promptly answered it by describing how Cisco planned to migrate the new product forward. Once again, Don could feel the energy from the audience, and it energized him in turn. He rolled forward with a full head of steam.
Less than a year later, Cisco’s new router product was the clear market leader, and a year after that, Wellfleet disappeared in a merger.
Several years later, I was delivering my program to a group of new product managers at Cisco. When I got to Customization, I referenced Don’s example. One of the men in the group exclaimed, “Oh yes! I was with Wellfleet at the time, and I was in the audience for that prezo.” He shook his head ruefully. “After I heard Don speak, I knew that the game was over.”
Don still practices these techniques to this day to keep his presentations fresh and to connect with his audiences.
Customizing your presentation is an art, and, as with any art, it takes practice to perfect. Try your hand at Customization the next time you present, and practice it every time you make a presentation in the future. The time you invest in making each presentation unique will pay handsome dividends in the form of greater audience involvement, and many more priceless Aha!s.
The same techniques that make your presentation more timely, relevant, and compelling to your audience can also make preparing and delivering it more creative, spontaneous, and stimulating for you. The entire process serves as a feedback loop to invigorate you with the same kind of hustle Joe DiMaggio exhibited.
I practice what I preach. I’ve been delivering the same core material to my clients for 20 years. If I were to deliver it the same way every time, I’d be on full autopilot by now. Instead, I simply open the air vents of my mind, take in data about my audience, and then circulate it back out to them. It makes them feel involved, and it makes me feel energized.
While many of the External Linkages require considerable but worthwhile prior effort, the most effective Customization requires no preparation at all. It all takes place “live and in person,” and is the ultimate form of Audience Advocacy: Concentrate on your audience during the presentation. This means weaving in many Direct References to members of your audience and making many Contemporizing references to moments that have occurred since your presentation began. All it takes is concentration: Be in the moment. When you are in the moment, you will feel a connection with your audience, just as Don Listwin did.
Of all the many presentation methods I’ve given my clients over the years, the Customization techniques are implemented the least. Yet they provide potentially the biggest bang for the buck. They provide the most powerful ways to differentiate your presentations from the routine, impersonal, one-size-fits-all, plug-and-play presentations we see all too often. Learn these techniques, and implement them the most.
Professor Drake’s lesson inspired me and has stayed with me all this time. Let it become the big bang for your buck.