When we watch TED talks, such as Rory Sutherland’s on the power of advertising, or Hans Rosling’s on the power of data, we are watching two men who know their way around the presentation platform. Both speak without notes, use… Read More »Using speaker’s notes
Meghan called. She was a high school senior, my daughter’s friend and highschool classmate. She had a summer job selling for the CutCo Knife Company, and wanted to make a presentation to us in our home. I said, “Yes,” although… Read More »Sales Presentations: Selling by Doing
I’ve been introduced with fanfare, and I’ve been introduced with a kind of shrug in my general direction, as if to say, “Hey Sims. You’re on.” I like fanfare, pomp and circumstance. But when it’s touting my resume and puffing… Read More »Presentation Techniques: In Praise of Informality
In financial services, every firm has a process for making decisions about investments. The process is usually designed to ensure that there is due deliberation about decisions, and that no money manager is allowed to invest without periodic oversight from… Read More »Presentation Skills: Selling Your Process
Let’s call her Sheila. Like many in the financial services industry, she sells with the aid of a pitch book, printed in landscape format and containing information about the history of her firm, her team of colleagues, their range of… Read More »Sales Presentations: The Biggest Mistake
When transforming your house into a dream home, talk to three architects. When getting heart surgery to transform the quality of your life, talk to three surgeons. And to transform your sales presentations, talk to three consultants. I have three… Read More »Sales Training: The Five Don’ts of Sales Presenting