Developing Your Executive Presence (When you Don’t Wear Black Turtlenecks)

Steve Jobs raised the bar on public speaking and executive presence for all of us. Even acclaimed Irish actor Michael Fassbender felt unequal to the task of portraying the legend in the film, Steve Jobs, telling his driver on the way to rehearsals: "You should slam it. It should cause

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What’s Your Sales X Factor? 5 Questions to Find Out!

Yes, it’s the name of a popular television show, but it’s also an extremely important quality that salespeople need to have in today’s competitive marketplace. X Factor, def: “A variable in a given situation that could have the most significant impact on the outcome.” What is the Sales X Factor?

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Tom Hanks, Credibility and Sales

Describe a film as a “Tom Hanks movie” and everyone knows what to expect:  A highly likable, regular guy who gets caught in extraordinary circumstances but rises to the top due to his true good character. It’s this credibility that has landed Tom Hanks at the top of the list

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5 Proven Acting Tips for More Confident Presentations

“Show confidence!” This was one of the least helpful pieces of advice I received before delivering my first sales presentation.  Not only did it lack practical tactics or steps, I didn’t want to just appear confident.  I wanted to feel confident. Confidence is vital in sales. Prospects want to feel

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7 Presentation Myths – Busted! Get the Facts Before Your Presentation

A lot of advice on giving a presentation has been floating around since fax machines and uninformed buyers roamed the Earth.  Some of these presentation myths are urban legends, and some have simply reached their expiration date. Regardless of their source, these practices are capable of derailing your presentation, damaging

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A Wake-up Call for Presenters from The Ig Nobel Prize

Imagine being just two minutes into your presentation and someone in your audience announces, “Please stop, I’m bored.” Prize winners have 1 minute to present before being interrupted by an 8 year-old saying, “Please stop, I’m bored.” This is precisely what happens each year at the Ig Nobel’s ceremony at

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The 2 Secret Sales Weapons You Already Have (and aren’t using!)

Question:  Two actors are auditioning for one role.  Both are equally qualified and both read from the same script. Yet only one actor wins the role while the other goes home empty handed. Why? Answer:  You may have answered something like:  “the winning actor brought personality to the role, he

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Can you handle the truth? A sales lesson from actors on taking feedback

Hardly anyone likes being told that the way they’re doing something isn’t working.  For salespeople and performers alike, there’s a certain vulnerability that comes with stepping into the spotlight and taking feedback.  Feedback can feel like a personal attack if not handled properly, but just like any other competitive performance,

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What’s Your Drop the Mic Moment in Your Presentation?

Good presenters have a clear central point.  Great presenters make that point in a compelling and memorable way.  In other words, they have a Drop the Mic Moment. Too often I see salespeople bury a profound statement in a load of information, rush too quickly into their next point, or

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Is your presentation built to persuade? The anatomy of a persuasive presentation

Presentations, like movies, television shows, and speeches typically follow a basic three-act structure invented by Aristotle: they have an opening, a body, and a conclusion. There are many variations on that structure and each serves a different purpose – whether it’s to entertain, inform, or inspire. As a salesperson it’s

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