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In other words, do you need to make sure that each time you talk about one of your ‘power’ topics, does it need to be custom fit to that specific audience?

Well, yes and no.

In other words, it depends. I’ve seen speakers that go to great lengths to make sure that they are relating to a specific audience.

For instance, when I saw Tony Robbins address the audience at the Natural Products Expo West a couple of years ago, his presentation had a lot to do with that specific industry. But he had a lot invested in it – financially. One of his companies had an interest in new FDA rules that might affect them, so his knowledge of the industry was extremely high. And because of that, his presentation was specifically tailored to the audience – even though his core message could have been delivered to virtually any gathering.

I’ve also seen keynotes that were ‘cookie-cutter’ and could have been virtually cut-and-pasted to any group without changing a single word.

Both went over quite well.

So what’s the answer?

In those cases, the audience was large – a few thousand at least. The speakers were well known, and the audiences quite receptive.

If you’re speaking to a smaller audience, your payoff will be worth it if you can tailor your presentation.

Let’s say you’re speaking to a group of fitness trainers. Before the presentation if you take some time to chat with some of the audience (either in person or with one of the organizers ahead of time) and learn a bit about the group, you’ll have some good ammunition to add to your speech.

For example, perhaps you speak with Carol, who’s been training and helping clients who are recovering from auto accidents. You tell her that an acquaintance of yours was in an auto accident recently and is in need of some direction. In your conversation you may uncover a couple of tidbits that might help your friend. If you find a way to work a few elements of that conversation into your presentation it does a couple of things:

First, it shows that you took the time to talk to and learn a bit about your audience. It shows them that you care.

Second, when you mention Carol’s name, several members of the audience will perk up a bit more because they’re sure to know who Carol is. So you’ve got them paying closer attention.

Both of those elements will make you more attractive to the audience as a good speaker. It wouldn’t surprise me if a number of them took mental notes and remember to call you when a group they’re associated with needs a speaker.

So all the way around, customizing your presentation – whether a full-blown speech written specifically for the group, or adding some elegant personalization touches – makes a lot of sense.

The dramatization, or showmanship, in your sales presentation allows you to appeal to as many of the client’s senses as possible. The more of his senses you can involve the more impact your product will have. Ask him to handle it, feel it, use it, if appropriate taste it, smell it or listen to it. Taste, touch, smell, looking involve the emotions. Build into your demonstration every opportunity for your client to become physically and emotionally involved with your product or service. While he is engaged with your product you can observe him and watch for signs of emotion, signs that he is believing, disbelieving, accepting or rejecting, the things you have said.

Remember only one third of what we hear is absorbed. The more senses we use in the learning process, the more information registers in the mind. Consequently the more you can use visual aids, the closer you will bring your client to the product. The elements, which make up showmanship are, Interest, Drama, Emotion, Excitement and Action.

Remember it’s your dramatic presentation that earns you the money that will make your life a success. Take time to study your approach, your opening of the sale, the way you present the benefits, backed up by the features of the product, the way you anticipate possible objections and how you counter them, and then how you close the sale. The Success Formula.

Initially I was taught to construct the sale around the word “IDEA” I = Interest: D = Desire: E = Enthusiasm: A = Action. Interest it is created by identifying a problem or a need that the client might have. Desire is stimulated by introducing your product as a solution to the problem. Enthusiasm is built up by emphasising the benefits your product will bring him through the features of the product.

Action is engaged in by making it easy to buy using your closing questions. EG: would you like the red version or would you prefer blue? Would you like to pay now or on delivery? This structure of a presentation worked well for me a number of years, until I learned of a new and better formula. This has since proved to be a far superior way of structuring a sale. The formula is DIPADA.

If you learn this structure and apply it, your presentations will flow more naturally to a close… D = Disturb: I = Interest: P = Proof: A = Acceptance: D = Desire: A = Action. D = Disturb your client by pointing out his need or his problem. It’s often the case that he is not aware that he has a problem. I = Interest him in the product by introducing it is as a solution to this problem. P= Prove that your product will be the ideal solution, get him to accept and agree that the product fits his need.

Proof and acceptance go together, Proof can also be provided by third-party testimonials or referrals to other satisfied users (especially if they are in the same line of business as himself.) A = Acceptance of the proof you give him is important, if he doesn’t accept the proof that your product or service will satisfy his need he won’t buy it. D = Desire is built by emphasising the benefits of owning your product which arise from its features. These might include the quality, price, safety, service or the guarantee, particularly those things that you notice have caught his attention. A = Action must be the close of the sale. This you can do at any point in the presentation by the use of trial closes.

To test whether the client is ready to buy you can ask closing questions: “What colour would you prefer?” — “Would you like the standard model or would the deluxe suit you better?” I used DIPADA to build up every kind of presentation I have made ever since. I even used it to construct sales letters. I have found the Proof and Acceptance area is the point at which you can introduce the common or standard objections yourself. When volunteered and dealt with in this way they disarm the client, which makes for a smooth flow through your presentation. By the end of your presentation the client is willing to buy and doesn’t feel as though he has been sold. It becomes a purchase rather than a sale.

When you consider how to read body language during a negotiation, what do you consider? When negotiating in person, do you focus on the other negotiator’s eyes, hands, feet, mouth? Or, are there other aspects to which you apply your attention? When negotiating on the phone and/or in social media, what do you look/listen for to gain hidden meanings to spoken/unspoken – written/unwritten words?

Being able to decipher undisclosed words and hidden meanings in a negotiation can give you great insight per what you should do to ensure you negotiate better.

Observe the following body language and nonverbal signals in your interactions with others to enhance your negotiation efforts and outcomes.

1. Face-to-Face Negotiations:
   1. When negotiating in person, note when the other negotiator faces you straight-on with his whole body (i.e. head, feet) versus when he turns slightly away. At the point when he faces you straight-on his body language is indicating that the two of you are more aligned with what’s being discussed. Note when he turns away (i.e. head or feet). That gesture indicates that the alignment has been broken. Take special note of when that occurs in the negotiation process to heighten your mindfulness as to what was said/done to make him turn away.
   2. Eyes – Observe when the other negotiator averts his eyes from yours. You should be mindful of such even if it occurs for a moment. It may be a momentary sign of discomfort. If it occurred as the result of something he or you said, it may be a sign that he doesn’t believe what he’s saying (lying) or what he’s hearing. It could also mean, he has something in his eye. Pose a question to verify what you’ve seen if you think it will impact the negotiation.

2. Email & Phone Negotiations:
   1. Be very observant as to when someone alters the pace of which they speak or write. In writing, such can be denoted by the variance seen in shorter or longer sentences. When speaking, such is denoted in the pace of speech. In either case, an alteration of either can indicate a shift in the negotiation.
   2. Be mindful of the tonality of your voice and that of the person with whom you’re negotiating. You can convey a more serious demeanor with a lower tonality. Such should be used when appropriate, and a softer tonality should be used when attempting to be airier and less serious. Also, be mindful of a changed tonality, that conveys the same tune. There may be deeper implications in that action.

Regardless of the environment in which you negotiate, take note of when people alter their demeanor as to why they may have done so. In order to make such a distinction, you should observe how they purport themselves in what is a ‘normal’ environment for them; doing so will give you a foundation from which to note changes. If you’re observant to such occurrences, you’ll be quicker to realize when a correction strategy may need to be employed. Such recognition will also allow you to negotiate better, which will lead to more winning negotiation outcomes… and everything will be right with the world.

Remember, you’re always negotiating!