GIE Today: DOGGONE Communication

Nearly 50 landscape contractors were on hand at 8:30 a.m. Thursday for the Communicating with Confidence seminar sponsored by Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS), Baltimore, Md. The featured speaker was Melody Templeton, president of Templeton Consulting, Kimberton, Pa. Attendees came to gain skills they could apply while giving sales presentations, training programs, speeches at trade shows and for more confidence when speaking in general.

According to Templeton, the first thing most people do when they hear they have a presentation to give is try to get out of doing it. That is followed by panic before the presenter actually starts to prepare.

The first action a person should take after finding out he must give a presentation is to sit down and brainstorm for 15 minutes and take notes, Templeton says. “The thing is, your brain continues to work on it even though you don’t realize it,” she says.

She continued outlining the three things integral to all great presentations: preparing yourself, preparing your material, and the big day. She also told the audience that no matter how much you prepare, something will go wrong, so be ready for it. For Templeton’s own presentation, the projector for the PowerPoint presentation did not arrive, so she overcame the setback by using an easel with oversized paper.

PREPARING YOURSELF. Templeton uses an acronym to help people remember the steps they should take in preparing themselves to overcome anxiety – DOG GONE.

• D – Don’t memorize. She says that when a speaker has a presentation memorized, it usually comes out fast and sounding rehearsed, which loses the audience’s interest. Instead, she recommends using bulleted points for notes. “Know your material, but don’t say the same thing every time,” she says.
• O – On stage immediately. Getting started into the presentation is the hardest part for most people, according to Templeton. To help relieve the tension, train yourself to be “on” as soon as you walk into the room where you will be speaking. She urges speakers to start talking to audience members before the presentation to help warm up.
• G – Go to the balcony. Sometimes during a presentation, typically in the question-and-answer session, speakers should mentally remove themselves from what they’re doing. To do this, she says to envision yourself in the balcony. Look back at yourself and ask, “How would a good presenter respond to that question?”
• G – Got milk? Watch what you eat and drink before your presentation. Milk will coat your throat and coffee can give you the jitters. Pop may make you gassy and anything acidic may give you heartburn. Templeton recommends only drinking water before a presentation. A twist of lemon can help a scratchy throat. She adds that doing some simple isometric exercises prior to your presentation may help you relax.
• O – Optometrist. Remember to make eye contact with your audience and visualize yourself giving a successful presentation. “If you can change your positive mental attitude, your chances of giving a truly great presentation are a lot better,” she says.
• N – Nonverbal. Improve your credibility and confidence by practicing good nonverbal communication. Templeton says that only 7 percent of a speaker’s credibility is directly related to the words he or she speaks. Thirty-eight percent comes from how the speaker sounds and 55 percent is attributed to how the speaker looks. Some of the points she made in this area include:

– Watch your hand gestures. Use them, but don’t over use them.
– When not using your hands, let them hang at your side. Do not fold them in front of you in an authoritative pose. Instead, hold them behind you in “parade-rest” fashion, clasp them in front of your chest like you are praying, or hold them together low in front of you in what Templeton calls the “fig-leaf” position.
– Moving while speaking is good, but don’t pace, and watch out for nervous stutter stepping or involuntary line dancing.
– Don’t cross your legs while you’re standing.
– Nodding your head is fine while making a point, but don’t become a bobble-head doll.
– Never point. In some cultures, it is an insult and it is generally rude. Rather than pointing at a person who may have a hand in the air, gesture to him with an open hand, palm raised.
– While podiums may be necessary in some instances, try not to use them. It puts a wall between the speaker and the audience and can make the speaker appear too authoritative.

• E – Exhale. Nervous speakers tend to talk rapidly. Remember to take the time to breathe and exhale without speaking once in a while.

PREPARING MATERIAL. Templeton says that when preparing your material, it’s important to include what your audience needs to know, but not to waste time filling in all the minute details. By allowing time for questions, audience members can ask you about the intricate details they are interested in. “Know what they want to know and what they need to know and stick to your timeframe,” she says.

Additionally, she says to stay away from vague words and phrases like a lot, seldom, usually and almost never. Use specific words when working with your audience. “If you have 95 percent of your customers who are happy, that’s what you want to say,” she says.

Also, keep in mind that your audience can’t remember more than five main points. Templeton says it’s best to stick with three. She says to start with an introduction that grabs attention, stick to three main points, and provide a conclusion that ties back to your introduction.

If you are using a PowerPoint presentation, Templeton says it’s best to leave the slides vague. Provide only the main point so your audience is listening rather than reading.

THE BIG DAY. On the big day, make sure your hygiene is impeccable so you not only look your best, but you feel your best. If you are a person who sweats heavily in these situations, wear clothes that will not show it.

Next, review the DOG GONE points and stick to them.

Finally, assess the location where you will be giving your presentation. If you will be sitting at a table with your audience, make sure you are sitting where you will have direct eye contact with the decision-maker. She says that sitting across the corner of a table or beside that person at a round table is optimal. You don’t want to have a big table separating you from the person you are trying to influence.

Templeton provided another acronym to help speakers get through the big day – YIPPIE.

• Y – You’re important.
• I – I’m the one. Be yourself.
• P – Proxemics. Don’t invade the personal space of your audience members. Remember 18 inches to 4 feet is intimate space. Four to 8 feet is as close as you should come to your audience.
• P – Please listen politely to your audience.
• I – Inquiry. Be prepared for questions from the audience.
• E – Excitement. Be excited and excite your audience to involve them in your topic.

For more information on increasing your public speaking confidence, contact Templeton Consulting at 610/933-9775.

The author is Contributing Editor of GIE Today.