Listen in private–to the radio, TV, phone conversations, speeches, presentations and write down only key words.

Although you’ll be working live and in front of groups, the privacy of a phone call is just too compelling.

No one can see you. You have a live source of unexpected comments, key points and spontaneous dialogue.

Make every use of the call. Get a headset if you don’t have one. Set up a chart or easel near your phone. Get busy capturing. This is an incredible opportunity.

If your group starts challenging you to be a drawing “queen”…leave that challenge on the table.

Your focus in creating charts or whiteboard diagrams is to express and support the conversation.

You aren’t there to be a clown. Or a “draw-on-call” performer.
Even if you can do it…it’s better to leave that challenge. Move on to the more important issues.

Remember when you thought you couldn’t even draw…now don’t get lost in being able to. Ask yourself,

“What is the key point?”

Stay focused on why you are making a chart in the first place.

Watch what you wear. Watch what other people wear. Notice where you see colors in advertising, design, and in nature. Tune in to how different colors evoke specific emotions, associations and feelings.

Keep a log of what you notice about color.

What seasonal variations do you notice? Are certain colors in fashion now…and what are the colors for the coming season?

What color can you bring into your session or workshop that you’ve never used? What color do you use all the time…

and can you add more variety instead of relying on this one?

Walk through the grocery store. Look fro graphics, icons and logos in packaging. Watch especially for use of color and the wide variety of banners.

Check out the cereal section. Visit the wine aisle. Examine the soda bottles. Notice the milk cartons. Explore the potato chip section. Each product is dealing with a very limited space.

How do they use the space to convey a message? What is their choice of color? How do they get maximum benefit in a limited amount of space?

What is one idea you can apply in your next poster?

Be A New Yorker Fan and you’ll see all kinds of inspiration and diverse styles.

Find New Yorker magazines–old and current.

Look at the diverse styles of cartoons. Trace and copy to get a feel for the style. I am not suggesting stopping here. You don’t want to be a copycat or risk a lawsuit.

Use this technique to expand your comfort zone. Get inspired. Have a good laugh. Explore and develop your own style.

It’s not about drawing like someone else. It’s about finding your own true sense of expression.

Quote your clients and you get instant credibility. Much higher than what you can achieve by saying the same thing. Here’s what I mean…“I was recently asked to present three different topics to a group of hospital CEOs from Canada. It was a very important meeting and I wanted to “get this right”, so I used the Storyboard Worksheet to gather my thoughts together. Using that format helped me to easily see if I was being redundant.

I got my message across using LESS slides than I ever used before. The team from Compass Group Canada said it was the best session they’ve ever hosted!”
—Bruce Key
Director, International Services
Morrison Healthcare Food Services

See how that works? So I bet you’re wondering, how did I get that quote? I asked for it.In nine times out of ten, when you ask a client for a quote on their experience in a training or with your product, they are happy to speak out.It helps to keep track of things that people say in conversation…in person, on the phone and in email. It just takes a moment to ask, “Can I quote you?”
If you’re new to business or to presenting, make sure that asking for quotable feedback is part of how you do what you do.

One of the fastest ways to build your treasure chest of quotes from clients is to take notes. Write down what they say verbatim. Then write a quick note with the exact words they said. Ask them if you have permission to quote what they said.

With that said…let me know how you’re enjoying the Fearless Presentation Tips. And guess what I’ll ask you next…”Can I Quote You?”

To get buy in with your audience …you must do one thing. You have to ask for it!

What’s the fastest way to do this? Give your audience a chance to speak up. Ask them what their problems are. Ask them what their goals are. Find out in their words what will help them do their job faster, more easily and with less pain.

Once you start asking, it’s easy to see that any of your questions are variations on only one question. “What’s In It For You?”

Really, every presentation starts with answering why your audience should bother to listen to you. Why should they care?

If you can answer that…then you’ll have an easy time delivering presentations that people value.

So, look for the earliest opportunity to pop the question.

Here’s a hint: don’t wait until you start your presentation. In advance talk to participants, people in the industry, people in the business who have similar concerns and needs. Find out what they are looking for–and then design your presentation to answer those needs.

You’ll find that when you do ‘pop the question’ in your presentation, you’ll be prepared and have a pretty good idea of what’s coming. That makes it a lot easier to embrace asking the question!

Illustrate what’s already part of your life.Take notes in your day-timer, calendar, to-do list or journal. If you illustrate what you’re already doing — you aren’t adding to your workload. It doesn’t take any extra time. Your “to-do” list is not growing. Instead–you’re just making what you have to do much more interesting.

Work Large and Small!

Practice on large charts and small in journals or even scratch pads.

It helps to practice large on flip charts because that is closest to what you’ll be doing in front of a group. Work closely to how you plan to apply it. This means that the way you rehearse is as close to how you plan on actually performing.

Your body remembers. Your movement is similar. Your stance is similar. There are fewer variables that will change. This is where you can get the closest simulation of how it will be in a session.

But it is also helpful to practice small. Copy your own sketches. Trace over your own drawings. Even working small, you can develop the physical, muscular memory of drawing a particular icon.

If someone you know…a friend, coworker, teacher or student knows how to draw something and you don’t…ask him or her to show you.

If they show you something that is too complicated–take it home. Analyze the lines and work with it. Reduce it down to the absolutely fewest number of lines needed to be recognizable.

Take the time to simplify whatever they show you. Make it work for you. The simpler it is, the more likely you will use it on your next chart.