How knowing when to talk can impact your bottom line.

The power of silence.

Gotta keep in mind that it’s not all about you.

How many presentations or meetings have you been in when “the boss” or some type of expert gave a presentation?. You know, the painful kind. Very painful. Because like the guy pictured in the cartoon, they spent an inordinate amount of time talking about their favorite subject.

Themselves.

Their impressive experience. How skilled They were. Their success. Their management style. Their leadership. Their self-importance. Often ignoring anyone who had the audacity to interrupt with a question.

It can be and frequently is, the Kiss of Revenue Death.

I’ve seen prospects get up and walkout of a presentation because of it. It’s when I would envision placing a Cone of Silence over the head of a former boss (along with some strategically-applied duct tape). Turned out those feelings were not only shared by prospects, but with clients and colleagues as well.

There are important clues to look for during presentations and meetings. Indications whether they are face-to-face, or virtual meetings, that will help provide opportunities to listen and learn the interests and needs of your audience.

First of all, it’s assumed you’ve done the necessary preparatory work for the meeting to ensure your delivery will be informative, relatable, enjoyable, and memorable. Things like presentation physics regarding timing, message delivery, pregnant pauses, and rehearsals.?

It’s also important to remember, that no matter what the format or the audience, to keep one thing in mind. Whether it’s a product, a service, or an idea, in one way or another, everybody is “selling” something. Your objective is to create a convincing environment that encourages receptivity to your ideas and recommendations. Providing your prospects and clients with quantifiable reasons to buy something from you and your company. A platform that will help position you as a problem solver, someone who understands their needs, being able to address those needs, and capable of providing quantifiable value to them.

Knowing when and how to be silent is the key component to making that happen.

For face-to-face meetings and presentations, you need to “listen with your eyes.” To be aware of nonverbal clues like body language and facial expressions. Maintaining eye contact, observing the audience’s focus of attention, indications of agreement and disagreement, subtle and not-so-subtle reactions to what’s being presented and discussed.

Those things are more difficult to do in virtual meetings. But you'll still be able observe the physical clues of those who joined the meeting by video. In either format, you can create an opportunity for listening and encourage interactivity by asking questions, anticipating questions in advance, and having answers ready. Repeating or paraphrasing any questions that were asked demonstrates that you’re paying attention to the people asking the questions. Subtly establishing a foundation for an interactive relationship. You can also measure the pulse and receptivity of your audience by asking, “What else would you like to know that we haven’t already discussed?”

The Takeaway.

As Will Rogers said, “Never miss a good chance to shut up.”?

Pretty smart guy, Will Rogers.?

Communication is the most important Soft Skill in business. Being strategically silent and actively listening is a crucial component of communication. When done well, it can be an excellent Catalyst for Conversation, Relationship and Business Development.

And you won’t have to tell prospects, clients, and colleagues how great you are. ?

They’ll know.

Side note: In keeping with the current political advertising environment in the U.S.: “I’m Bob Musial and I approve this message.”

#communication #businessdevelopment #presentationskills #startups