The Presentation This is it, big moment when you tell your audience what a clever person you are and have them leap to their feet in thunderous applause. Okay, let's step back a bit - if you want their applause then you're going to have to work for it. Right from start your delivery needs to grab their attention. Don't start by saying - "Good morning, my name is Fred Bloggs and I'm from Bloggs and Company." Even if your name is Bloggs, it's a dead boring way to start a presentation. Far better to start with some interesting facts or an anecdote that is relevant to your presentation. Look at audience as individuals; I appreciate that this can be difficult when some of them are downright ugly. However it grabs their attention if they think you're talking to them individually. Talk louder than you would normally do, it keeps people in front row awake and makes sure those at back get message. Funnily enough, it's also good for your nerves.

PowerPoint And for those of you who haven't heard of it, it's a software programme that's used to design stunning graphics and text for projection onto a screen. As a professional speaker, I'm not that struck on PowerPoint. I feel that too many speakers rely on it and it takes over presentation. After all, you're important factor here. If an audience is going to accept what you say then they need to see whites of your eyes. There needs to be a big focus on you, not on technology. Use PowerPoint if you want but keep it to a minimum and make sure you're not just person pushing buttons. Why not get a bit clever at using faithful old Flip Chart, lots of professionals do.

Passion This is what stops audience in their tracks. This is what makes them want to employ you; to accept what you're proposing and make them want you to marry their son or daughter. Couple this with some energy, enthusiasm and emotion and you have makings of a great public speaker. Just think of our old friend Adolph Hitler, boy could he move an audience to action. It's just too bad he was selling something that wasn't to everyone's liking. Give your presentation a bit of oomph and don't start telling me - "I'm not that kind of person." There's no need to go over top but you're doing a presentation to move people to action, not having a cosy little chat in your front room.

That's P's finished with so let's look at Q's.

Questions Decide when you're going to take them and tell people at start. In a short speech it's best to take questions at end. If you take them as you go then you may get waylaid and your timing will get knocked out. Never - never - never finish with questions; far better to ask for questions five or ten minutes before end. Deal with questions and then summarise for a strong finish. Too many presentations finish on questions and whole thing goes a bit flat. When you're asked a question, repeat it to whole audience and thank questioner. It keeps everyone involved, it gives you time to think and it makes you look so clever and in control.

Quit Quit when you're ahead. Stick to agreed time; if you're asked to speak for twenty minutes, speak for nineteen and audience will love you for it. Remember, quality is not quantity. One of most famous speeches ever - "The Gettysburg Address", by President Lincoln, was just over two minutes long. Right, that's my cue to quit when I'm ahead. Public Speaking will never be easy for most of us but we can all do it a whole lot better.

=========================================================== Discover how you can generate more business without having to cold call! Alan Fairweather is author of "How to get More Sales without Selling" This book is packed with practical things that you can do to – get customers to come to you . Click here now http://www.howtogetmoresales.com/Without%20Selling.htm

==========================================================

**Attn Ezine editors/Site owners** Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place, do not modify content and include our resource box as listed above. If you need additional articles, check out my article archive for fresh, new content you can use on your website or in your ezine - FREE http://www.howtogetmoresales.com/Free%20stuff.htm ============================================================

When you notice an employee doing something you do like, tell them about it. When you notice something you don't like, tell them about it. Do it as soon as possible. Acknowledging a job well done is not much good six months later. Also, if you don't immediately call someone's attention to something you're not happy about, then they'll assume its okay. Either that or they'll think you didn't notice or you don't care. Do it in private. Why is it some managers still feel its okay to reprimand someone in front of their colleagues? Even mildest rebuke can have a negative effect on morale.

When you do speak to person use "I" messages. Say things like "I liked way you did that" or "I'm unhappy with way your reports are always late and I'd like your views on why this is". Avoid "You" messages such as "You're doing great". That can come across as patronising or insincere. "You're doing that all wrong" may cause conflict, lower morale and may not sort problem.

Focus on one or two things. Don't run off a whole list of attributes or misdemeanours. Also be specific about job behaviour, focus on what person did or didn't do, don't make a personal attack. Employees will feel happier if they perceive their employer or manager as a reasonable and fair individual - someone who is quick to praise but also says when they're not happy about something.

When we start to look at what motivates people at work, it's important to realise that we all have different needs. It's easy to fall into trap of believing that all our staff are motivated by money. However, research conducted over years into what motivates people at work suggests some other factors.

Money is important however people are more likely to be motivated firstly, by work itself. Secondly, by being appreciated for what they do and thirdly by a feeling of being in on things.

The message is - if you want motivated staff then make their work interesting, give them feedback and give them feeling that they're involved in business.

We can make job more interesting by giving people more responsibility, assigning projects and by training and developing them. We need to regularly give people feedback on how they're doing; focussing on what they're doing well rather than on what is not so good. To meet their need to feel involved we should regularly communicate both formally and informally. We could also involve staff in meetings they might not normally attend.

These steps will take time and thought however they'll make a huge difference as to how employees feel about their work. If they feel good and gain satisfaction from their work then they're less likely to find a reason to "take a sickie".

=========================================================== Discover how you can generate more business by motivating your team! Alan Fairweather is author of "How to get More Sales by Motivating Your Team" This book is packed with practical things you can do to get best out of your people . Click here now http://www.howtogetmoresales.com/Motivating%20Your%20Team .htm

========================================================== **Attn Ezine editors/Site owners** Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place, do not modify content and include our resource box as listed above. If you need additional articles, check out my article archive for fresh, new content you can use on your website or in your ezine - FREE http://www.howtogetmoresales.com/Free%20stuff.htm ============================================================