MARKETING ACTUARY: presentations

Showing posts with label presentations. Show all posts

May 15, 2014

FIVE STEPS TO CREATING A POWERFUL, ENGAGING POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

work-in-progress on a new slide deck (replacing bullets with visuals)

Creating a presentation is easier if you’re familiar with the topic. What if you aren’t? What if you’re creating an all-new presentation? That’s the situation I’ve been in when preparing my talk for The Global Change Initiative on how to profit from doing what’s right.

This five-step process helps. It also works if you’re familiar with a topic.

1. Create An Outline

You may already have many ideas. A mind map helps you capture and organize them. I especially like iThoughts HD for the iPad. I haven’t found a comparable choice for Android.
When your mind map is with you, you can capture fresh thoughts as they strike you (provided you’re not driving!).

With your mind map, you can brainstorm.

As with a speech, a presentation has a beginning (hook), middle (details) and ending (call to action). As your ideas gel, you can arrange your points in a suitable structure with branches and sub-branches. Your presentation is now taking shape.

You may have too much content. That’s fine since you don’t need to use it all.

2. Collect Information

Once you’ve got your outline (and perhaps while you’re creating it), look for information. You can add links to your mind map. That’s what I used to do. Now I’ve started using Evernote to capture web pages. There’s an excellent plugin for your Chrome web browser. Evernote lets you categorize the information, which is very useful. The free plan is a great way to start.

You’ll likely have too much information. That’s fine because it’s organized and might prove to be useful as your presentation evolves.

3. Draft A PowerPoint Presentation With Bullets

Yeah, we know about death by bullet points but they are helpful in drafting a presentation. They’ll be removed later. Bullets are quick to create. The slides are easy to move around to create a good flow.

4. Replace Bullets With Visuals

Bullet points are boring. You won’t win an audience that’s snoring. Now’s the time to add images and move the bullet points to your speaker notes.

Finding the right visuals takes time but isn’t your audience worth the investment? I generally get free photos at everystockphoto.com and often use screenshots taken with Snagit. I also use Snagit to resize the images (e.g., to 960x540).

5. Refine

This part can be the most time-consuming. You’ll see what works and make adjustments. This is the phase where you work on your speaker notes and how you’ll transition between slides (visually and with your words).

It’s tough to remove a visual or segment you like. I’ll put them at the end of the slide deck in a section called Outtakes. That lessens the pain and preserves the content in case you find a need (perhaps for another presentation).

Do record yourself to check the timing. Listening to the playback helps you remember your content.

Bonus

We can’t be objective about our own presentations. Practice in front of a test audience, if possible. A Toastmasters club is ideal since the members know how to give feedback. If that’s not possible, ask for feedback on segments from people whose input you value.

Links

PS How about recording your presentation and posting it on YouTube? That’s a nice memento for your digital tapestry.

January 14, 2014

DITCH THE SPONSORS AT YOUR EVENTS

Here a sponsor. There a sponsor. Everywhere a sponsor, sponsor ...

Sponsors bring gifts but take compromises. In effect, you’re selling (or renting) them your audience. Who wins?

When attendees cover the costs, you know who you’re serving. You have much more flexibility, though less money.

A Word From Our Sponsor

Sponsors want attention. That might mean the likes of

mentions on PowerPoint slides that loop during breaks
mentions at the microphone by the host
mentions on the handouts, signage and event promotional material
a few minutes at the microphone for an infomercial

These interruptions are small, common and perhaps even expected. That doesn't make them welcome.

Attendees pay a much higher price if a sponsor gets a speaking spot. The speaker and content might be good. but now you’ve lost an opportunity for great.

Self-censorship

Sponsors influence the topics presented. For instance, would a bank support a talk about the pitfalls in mortgage life insurance or other products they sell? A subtle form of self-censorship takes place when you make your event sponsor-friendly. You might not even realize that you’re compromising. The result is less for your attendees, which may reduce the audience size and satisfaction.

Prudence

When attendees fund the costs, you need to be more careful about expenses to keep ticket prices low. That’s good. Constraints encourage creativity which helps set you apart. For example, maybe you reduce the catering costs by picking a venue which allows you to bring in your own refreshments.

Speed

Without sponsors, you make decisions faster since you don’t need their approval. You get to focus on what's best for your attendees rather than on what the sponsors want for their investment.

Stand Out

Recently, I saw an event model that looked interesting. You attend for free and donate what you think the event is worth to pre-selected charities. That looks fair, even worthy. A closer review showed three catches for attendees:

Lots of sponsors
Sponsors as speakers
Presentations promoting what the sponsors sold

The result is that attendees pay a very high price since the event is designed for the sponsors.

How often do you see events without sponsors? You stand out if you don’t have any and say why.

Links

PS Here’s an example of a no-sponsor event.

December 17, 2013

10 TIPS FOR USING A WEBCAM FOR BUSINESS

We live in a visual world. Mastering your webcam is important and growing more important. You can use your webcam for video calls (Skype, Google Hangouts) and making videos.

I've been reluctant to use my webcam because I haven't liked the setup in my office. I've been working on that. Here's what I've learned. The steps are in order.

1. Put the webcam at eye level

You probably have your notebook computer on your desk low enough for typing. That’s too low for video. You risk showing more neck than face, which may not be flattering. Mind those nose hairs too!
How do you get your webcam to the right height?

If looks don’t matter, the easy way is to put something underneath your computer like a box or stacks of printer paper. You’ll want to make sure your stand is stable. If you plan on typing, an external keyboard and mouse help (and are worth having anyway).

It’s now easier to pretend you’re talking to a real person.

2. Look Directly At The Webcam

Your webcam is likely above your screen. It’s tempting to look at the screen whether you’re recording or Skyping. That means you’re looking below the webcam. This is less than ideal but less of a problem once your webcam is at eye level.

When you’re having an in-person conversation, you don’t look at the other person the whole time. You’re allowed to blink and shift your gaze. If you’re also taking notes, you’ll need to do this. You can do this when using a webcam too.

3. Have lots of light

Webcams work in low lighting but not very well. You’ll see a similar effect when taking photos with your smartphone. The apertures which let in light are much smaller than with a camera. This means you need more light.

Since the best lighting simulates daylight, why not use natural light? I face a large window in my office. That provides excellent light during the day. If you want more control and consistency, you can use artificial lights. I've been experimenting by putting lights I already have near the window. That means I can record with the lighting coming from the same general area.

If you want to get fancy, you’ll find lots of lighting options available.

4. Heed the background

What's behind you makes a big difference. What does your webcam see? You want to make sure that nothing confidential shows. You also want to create a good impression. Doors aren’t especially appealing on camera. What if someone enters the room?

If your office is messy, can you keep a portion tidy?

5. Dress appropriately

Video cameras see differently than we do. They seem to like blue but not stripes. You’ll find more details at Videomaker and Real Men Real Style.
You don’t want to look too formal or too casual. When recording video, you might want to wear the same things every time, for consistency and branding. I haven’t figured out what to wear.

6. Get an external webcam

Built-in webcams have improved but don’t have the quality of an external webcam. They can’t match the flexibility either.

An external webcam that mounts on a tripod gives you flexibility. You also get quality since only the high-end models offer this connection (e.g., my Logitech C920 or the Microsoft LifeCam Studio). You don’t need a fancy tripod since you won’t need to make many adjustments besides height and placement.

7. Stand up

When you put your webcam on a tripod, you don't need to sit down. When you stand, you still want the camera at eye-level. When you stand, the mess in your office is less likely to show. Clever huh?
Standing give you more energy. I tend to stand even when making phone calls and make notes on my whiteboard.

8. Be creative

You don't have to use your webcam like the masses. What's a good style for you? Standing can help set you apart. Having a practical (but real) backdrop can too. I have a nice oak whiteboard. That lets me write and gives me an incentive to keep the whiteboard clean.

I’ve setup my webcam on a tripod facing the whiteboard, close enough to show what's on the board without zooming. The wide angle of the camera, shows me too. I am at the left of the whiteboard, which is ideal because we read from left to right. In my case, the lighting comes from my right hand side too.

9. Get a good microphone

The microphones in webcams aren’t very good. They'll do when you’re starting out but you'll get much better results with an external USB microphone. I've been using a Samson C30U with a shock mount and stand since 2009. There are probably better models now but I've had no reason to upgrade. Get quality and you’re set for years.

You simply set up your computer to use video from the webcam and audio from the USB microphone.

10. Get better video editing software

Basic video editing is easy if you have a good quality recording. You might want to trim the beginning or end, and perhaps add titles. As you get more experienced, you may find the video editing software that came with your webcam or computer isn’t adequate. There are lots of options for upgrading. I’ve used Adobe Premiere Elements and switched to Cyerlink PowerDirector.

You don't have to do everything at once. Start by getting a webcam that mounts on a tripod. Next get a tripod and finally get a USB microphone.

October 29, 2013

FOUR CLEVER WAYS TO SLASH NO-SHOWS AT YOUR FREE EVENT

When you're organizing a free event, how do you get the people who register to show up?

That’s tough since there’s rarely a penalty for registering or skipping. Both are easy to do (or not). Incentives guide behavior and “free” messes them up.

There's no such thing as a free event. Even if attendees don't pay with money, they pay with time. Since time is precious, not going is cheaper.

Here are four ways to deal with no-shows.

The “Will You” Strategy

The fourth universal principle of influence is Consistency. We tend to behave in ways that match what we did in the past, especially when others can see us.

A restaurant reduced no-shows from 30% to 10% by adding two words to their confirmations. When making reservations, guests were asked “Will you please call if you have to change or cancel your reservation?”

Your registration form could have an extra question: “Will you please email if you are unable to attend?”

Your event reminder emails can have a similar message. Isn’t this making cancellation too easy? Perhaps, but you’ll get a better sense of how many are attending. That’s valuable too. By encouraging cancellations, you’re implying there’s demand for the seats. Scarcity is another universal principal of influence.

The Public Commitment

We’re more likely to do what we say in public. Eventbrite lets your Facebook contacts know that you're attending. Meetup does too. Others may even attend because of you. Now cancelling is tougher.

Eventbrite lets organizers show the names of the registrants. That may also help get more registrations and higher attendance.

Refundable Deposits

Since people are loss averse, you can use the power of money as an incentive. Although your event is free, you can charge a deposit to reserve a (general admission) seat and give a refund to those who show up. The no-shows are then the only ones who pay. That seems fair.

The penalties may not be enough to cover the costs for refreshments. You could ask attendees if they would like to donate their deposit to help fund the event. That gives attendees an opportunity to help if they are willing and able. As an extension, you could ask for donations to get money from people who support the cause but can't participate.

Overbooking

“… it is our policy to overbook. In case of a full program, your reservation may not guarantee admission. Unclaimed reservations will be released to standby customers ten minutes prior to the start of the program. We recommend that you arrive early.” --- Toronto Public Library Appel Salon

As you hold similar events, you'll get a sense of how many people don't show up. You can then overbook and encourage people show up early to save their spot. For a popular event, you may have to turn people away. The rejected ones won’t be happy, but they have an incentive to arrive earlier in the future.

Links

PS Maybe you make tickets available in pairs?

October 1, 2013

REFLECTIONS ON #TEDxTORONTO 2013

When you face border guards, be careful about what you say because you may not get in.

The delegates for TEDxToronto get selected through an undisclosed process. Perhaps that’s why the Twitter stream at #TEDxToronto overflows with praise even for the weaker elements. Besides, the hard-working TEDxToronto team consists of volunteers.

It’s tough to give genuine feedback. What if you think the hosts were better last year and that next year you'd prefer David Newland over Maestro Fresh Wes?

Overall

The purpose of a geography-based TEDx event is to highlight local speakers and encourage discussions. The real magic happens in the halls during the breaks and afterwards. There was lots of discussion at TEDxToronto, which is a solid sign of success.

Perfect

Over the past five years, TEDxToronto has found things that work. Here's what doesn't need to be changed:

the venue: Koerner Hall in the Royal Conservatory of Music has three floors and feels just right. Last year's Sony Centre allowed more attendees (about 1,300) but didn't feel special. For some reason, conversations where more difficult to start. This time, there was more congestion, which made bumping into random interesting delegates easier. For instance, I spoke to Brian Goldman whose 2010 TEDxToronto Talk on the mistakes doctors make is well worth watching.
the delegates: last year, I talked to several people who didn't even know what TEDx was. One had never even seen a video on TED.com! Why were they there? This time, I met many first-timers who were eager to attend.
the printed program: last year we got program and notebook separately. This time, both are combined. There’s space to write beside the speaker's bio. The thick covers reduce flex. The only challenge is the lack of lighting in the hall. Maybe next year we can get pens with a soft glow at their tips?
the ambassadors: some returning delegates were ambassadors and got special black name cards. They were to start conversations and answer questions. This was my 7th TEDx event (third TEDxToronto) and I got selected. Normally I'd talk to fewer delegates longer. Given the role, I spoke to more delegates for shorter periods. The biggest "mistake" I saw delegates make was huddling with colleagues and talking about work. Split up and talk to strangers!
the timing: the doors opened at 9:30 AM for registration, coffee and mingling. The talks started at 11 AM. This gap was ideal — a nice, relaxing way to start the day.

The Speakers

The speakers were well prepared and spoke about topics they cared about. Some of that passion transferred to the audience.

Overall, the speakers were a tad depressing. I kept waiting for happy, inspiring outcomes. Here are examples of downers:

failing to get a prisoner of conscience out of prison (try selling that to Hollywood)
a suicide survivor (I wanted to know about the man who made the choice to stop him from jumping from an overpass, and how he’ll raise his 5-day old daughter)
challenges facing aboriginal people
violence against women in video games
dying children

These topics are difficult to discuss, which makes them easy to forget in our busy lives. The speaker selectors made brave choices but I would have preferred more good news.

Show us

Telling doesn’t work as well as showing. Some speakers lost the opportunity to make a bigger impact.

a blanket with embedded sensors is interesting but we only saw slides. Why not a live demo? Imagine the drama if someone is under the blanket onstage and we don’t know why until the end of the talk when we see the actual sensor readings.
three inventors from Thalmic Labs showed how the Myo gesture-controlled armband tracks electrical patterns emitted by our bodies. We also saw the previously silent man in the middle fly a model helicopter using the armband.
Rosie the hospital robot: Dr. Ivar Mendez controlled mobile robots in three locations across North America (Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and California).
Steve Mann wore what we might mistake as Google Glass. Could we have been shown what he sees in real time? Steve was thought-provoking though, contrasting surveillance (done to us) with sousveillance (we have the cameras).
Matthew Good created live music and told a story which felt more genuine than rehearsed. A nice way to end the day.

You can't top the anticipation of a genuine live demonstration. The speaker makes the choice to show more courage by taking more risk.

Which One?

There are now lots of TEDx events around the world (see calendar). While each is different, there is also overlap. For instance, Toronto has three TEDxWomen events over two days in December.

Despite the choice, TEDxToronto stands out because of the volunteers, delegates and amazing videos.

Links

PS I’m looking forward to seeing what changes next year … if I get in.

September 24, 2013

HOW TO FIND A FREE VENUE FOR YOUR EVENT

When you’re running a non-business event, finding a free venue is a challenge. We’re using Toronto as the example but the ideas apply elsewhere too.

You’d think you could get free space at taxpayer-funded locations like libraries or community centres. Unfortunately, the nice ones often charge user fees. In Toronto, nonprofit and charitable groups can get free space if sponsored by a city councillor.

If your group doesn’t qualify, you can meet at a coffee shop but you’re not guaranteed seating. Some locations are large or have a separate room. Just don’t count on getting a whiteboard, privacy or silence.

You might get space in a restaurant or bar if your group makes minimum purchases. I was once invited to debate in a semi-private restaurant room on a slow evening. The attendance was great (50+) but there was a party at tables nearby and we didn’t have microphones. Good for the restaurant. Not so good for us.

Corporate Space

You might be able to get free space at an ING DIRECT Cafe (might change now that Scotiabank bought them).

“The Thompson Block as well as the ING DIRECT Café space are available at no charge to community groups for public meetings and events every day of the week.”

What if you’re not a community group? What if you want to hold regular meetings?

Nontraditional Ideas

Can you meet in the evening? There’s lots of space in cafeterias and food courts outside of lunch time. I wouldn’t pick the mall food court but a nonprofit like a university, college or hospital may work. If they’re large, they are likely relatively quiet.

Maybe you can commandeer a study room or lecture hall at a university or college. Again, evenings are best. Unless they check ID or have overzealous security, this might work. Advertising the location may be a problem. The gathering group could attract questions.

If you don’t want to be a trespasser, the safer option is to pay for reserved space. You don’t need to ask for permission. You’ve got a guaranteed spot.

Affordable

If you’re part of a real nonprofit, you may be able to get lower rates. For instance, the Toronto Public Library rents rooms starting at

$20.40/hour for nonprofit groups
$122.40/hour for commercial use

If you’re an insider or can connect with insiders, you might get lower rates (or even free space). For instance, the University of Toronto rents rooms starting at

$8/hour for internal groups including audio-visual equipment (seats 80)
$26/hour for external groups plus audio visual equipment (seats 25)

Rent a room at the University of Toronto (click to enlarge)

Ryerson University has a history of hosting many free community-based events like Podcamp Toronto. However, their normal rates look pricey (minimum half-day plus setup fee).

Example

I’ve been looking for a proper spot for a campus for Krypton Community College (see a genuine innovation in free lifelong education). Here “proper” means a room with tables, a whiteboard and a door.

Overall, the University of Toronto looks like the best place after work. The classrooms are affordable (under $10 a week based on 10 attendees). There’s subway access (north/south and west/east lines). Parking is plentiful and relatively cheap. The environment feels right. There’s lots of space outside the room. Perfect.

Picking the right venue helps attract the right people. Maybe they're the ones willing to pay for the room?

Links

PS Do you know of amazing free or low cost venues?

June 4, 2013

WHY BOTHER SEEING A SPEAKER LIVE?

I’m more likely to watch a movie on a tiny tablet than on the big screen in a movieplex. Thanks Netflix. The experience is different but the convenience and flexibility more than make up for the small screen. No travel time. No parking hassles. No lining up.

I’m more likely to see a speaker for free online than live at a venue. This is scary because I’m a speaker too and want people to see me in person. I’m also starting a term as area governor for six Toastmasters clubs in west Toronto. These speakers need audiences too.

Quiet And Decisive

The nature of professional speaking seems to be changing.

Chip Heath and Roger Martin (Rotman 2013-05-27)

Consider Susan Cain, author of Quiet. I’ve seen her TED Talk about introverts, listened to the audiobook and read interviews. She has a free live video chat on June 5th through Goodreads. I’ve got no strong desire to see her live in person. That’s not because I’m an introvert (though I am). It’s because I’ve already had enough.

Decisive is the new book by the Heath brothers. I saw Chip at Rotman last week. I already watched Dan's book launch webinar (see the WRAP on Decisive) and listened to Chris Brogan’s interview. Dan Pink interviewed both brothers on Office Hours. That's enough. I’ve got the book. My next step is to read it and apply the lessons.

What’s Missing

In a live audience, I want interaction instead of a canned speech. Here’s a formula with appeal. I want to see speakers who show their contact information and reply to sensible emails.

I want to see speakers who have built a community (not a sales funnel). For instance Seth Godin started noncommercial Linchpin Sessions and Icarus Sessions to help us meet the like-minded locally in 1,000+ cities. I’ve found great connections there.

All-Day Speaker Events

There are day-long events with speaker after speaker. You get a big name or two and filler. Examples for Toronto are

The Art of Marketing (Jun 5, 2013; $449+): Biz Stone, Seth Godin, Jonah Berger, Charles Duhigg, David Usher
A Passion for Life (Jul 24, 2013; $329+): Tony Robbins, Robert Greene, Chip Heath, Loretta LaRoche, Joe Plumeri, Desiree Rogers

I’ve attended several times in the past but am not going this time.

Local Heroes

You can see local speakers at local TEDx events. This is often better because you can also forge relationships with people in your community. That’s often the real value. The schedule has frequent long breaks to allow interaction.

Cheaper Options

Sometimes speakers are in major cities for low cost events. For instance, Rotman attracts many speakers. Last week Chip Heath. Next week, Mitch Joel. The admission price is roughly the list price of the book — and you get a copy of the book. It’s as is the speaker is free, as in a webinar or interview. Plus, you often get to talk to the speaker.

One + None

I’d rather see one speaker for longer.

For instance, Tony Robbins is excellent live. You can see him for five hours in Calgary for $289+.

You can see Seth Godin for a full day of Q&A in New York for $955+. In 2010, I attended The Linchpin Session, in which Seth presented in the morning and did Q&A in the afternoon.

What Still Works

If I can’t talk to the speaker, I’m not interested. If the speaker doesn’t provide contact information afterwards, count me out. If there isn’t a good chunk of time for Q&A, I’ll stay at home.

I still like attending live events in the audience or on stage. I’m much more selective and demanding, though. Do you feel the same way?

Links

PS Who’s the last speaker you saw live and in person?

April 23, 2013

WRITE A WORKBOOK INSTEAD OF A BOOK

Workbook cover - How To Earn Public Trust by Promod Sharma

I’ve been planning to write a book on trust and perhaps others. I even have multi-page outlines and thousands of words written. But I’ve stalled. Maybe you have too?

Writing a book is a time-consuming process with unclear results. You get to say you're an author but is that enough anymore?

Instead, consider writing a workbook that goes into a nice binder and gets used in a workshop you deliver.

Consumption

You probably bought books you haven’t read. Contrast that with a workbook. You’re forced to read portions during the workshop. You’re encouraged to complete exercises and often participate in group discussions. The personalization makes the workbook yours. You’ve personalized it. You have a reason to keep it (even if you don’t refer to it as often as you planned).

Price

If a book typically sells for $10 or $20, yours will too. It doesn’t matter how brilliant, well-expressed or life changing your ideas. Put that same content into a binder and now you have training. Your workbook can now sell for hundreds as part of your exclusive workshop.

Length

A “proper” book seems to run about 200 pages. An amateur’s book run might run 100 or less and have more white space to mask the paucity of content.

If your goal is to say you wrote a book, you save time if you make it short. You can then write more books. (If you don’t care about trust, you can pretend you’ve written Speaking Of Success with Ken Blanchard, Jack Canfield and Stephen Covey.)

Readers expect results from a workbook. They want quality without fluff. Shorter can actually be better. You can create a shorter initial workbook and continue to add content later.

Freshness

By the time you publish a book, the content may already be stale. This is especially true of nonfiction books by major authors using traditional publishers: the gap between writing and publication gets measured in months.

In contrast, you can easily update your workbook whenever you want. You can tailor the content for different groups and different session lengths.

Ease of Creation

Writing a book feels daunting. You can’t ship it until everything is done. Observant readers don’t pardon mistakes easily. We expect perfection. You might take time learning to use a specialized app like Scrivener.

Writing a workbook is much easier. You can’t be sloppy but the expectations aren’t as high. Your workshop attendees can point out mistakes and make suggestions.

You can use Word (or another word processor) and work on the key sections first. The learning curve is small. You get professional results if you print on good quality paper with a laser printer. You can even print in colour.

Proven

A book is a time-consuming experiment that can easily fail. What’s the ROI on your efforts?

Publishing costs money. You need a proper editor and a cover designer. There are multiple steps in the creation of the master files for the paper book and ebook. You can outsource for a price but if you don’t have a reasonable understanding of the process, you might not get your money’s worth.

Marketing

Books don’t sell themselves. You need to market them. The best way is to start before you write by gauging if there is demand. Seth Godin ran a Kickstarter campaign.

A workbook is often designed for a workshop. You know if there’s demand if you get an audience (free or paid). You can also test via webinars too. Your audience can become part of your marketing plan. They can give you testimonials.

The Last Step

If you start with a workbook, you can always write a book later. Now you have the structure and know what works with live audiences. You’re earning money along the path. If you start with a book, you don’t get these advantages.

Links

PS Writing a blog helps you write a workbook.

March 26, 2013

THE WRAP ON ‘DECISIVE’, THE NEW BOOK FROM CHIP AND DAN HEATH

Every book by Chip and Dan Heath is worth reading. They’ve show us ways to make messages memorable (Made To Stick) and make difficult changes (Switch). In Decisive, they tackle the way we make decisions.

Decisive goes on sale today. I saw a webinar with Dan Heath yesterday and listened to a podcast with Chris Brogan. I saw Dan on the tour for Switch.

The Decision Process

Here is the four step WRAP process:

Widen your options
Reality-test your assumptions
Add distance before deciding
Prepare to be wrong

We’ll focus on widening options. This is difficult. We have limited time. Considering many choices is a recipe for indecision or substandard decisions. We also suffer from the confirmation bias.

Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias is probably the biggest problem in business, because even the most sophisticated people get it wrong. People go out and they’re collecting the data, and they don’t realize they’re cooking the books.
— Dan Lovallo

You likely have opinions on

the existence of global warming
the attention spans of kids today
the merits of fluoride in drinking water
the need for guns at home
whether iOS beats Android

We have our world views and find data that supports our thinking. Our blinders impair our thinking and decisions. We might not see what we're not looking for. In a recent Harvard study, 83% of radiologists failed to see a gorilla waving a fist in a stack of CT scans (Toronto Star, Feb 2013).

Thinking “outside the box” isn’t easy when we are the box. One way is to build a diverse network or team and consider differing opinions early in the process.

An Example

I've found there are strong opinions about the merits of social media marketing. For instance, “YouTube is now averaging 1 billion monthly users who are streaming a stunning 4 billion hours of content every month” (Forbes, Mar 21, 2013). Is that a call to create video or remain on the sidelines?

The ROI question also arises. Coca Cola finds that online buzz doesn’t lead to online sales — even now, television is more effective (Ad Age, Mar 18, 2013). That’s a “stunning admission” for the #1 brand on Facebook with 61.5 million fans. What conclusion do you draw? Are the results meaningful for what you sell? Is there a trend?

What we want to believe may not be what what's comfortable or true. For years, we’ve been told to Question Authority. Now it’s time to Question Biases too.

Decide

I’m confident that Decisive will have solid, practical content that’s easy to apply. It’s on my reading list.

February 19, 2013

BUILDING TRUST WITH NETWORKING

The company disappeared.

I was the product actuary and reported to the Senior Vice President. He was about to retire. This created wonderful opportunities — or would have ... but the company disappeared. The parent decided to “harmonize” operations. I lost my team of 10 and corner office. This was 2004.

I was spared but worried about next time. What would happen then?

crude

I decided to become known by strangers. That has made all the difference. I started blogging in 2007. I even decided to do the unspeakable ... start networking. That’s not easy if you’re introverted and don't know many people. In my usual way, I started to learn the techniques.

I found the advice obvious or self-serving. For instance, give before you ask (and be sure to ask). The stories were entertaining — like the ones in get-rich-quick schemes. I met this stranger and now I have a private jet.

Maybe the ideas worked yesteryear when networks were hidden in private Rolodexes. The Internet makes valuable what's visible — networks included. The transparency showed that too many networking experts lacked congruence. Too often, a quick Google search showed that their words on stage and did not match their actions in real life. That chasm destroys trust.

I discovered three keys to networking in today’s interconnected world.

Act like a host
Stay visible
Nurture

Act Like A Host

Pretend you’re hosting the event and want to make sure your guests enjoy and benefit — even the introverts. Introduce yourself. Introduce people the people you’re meeting to each other.

As a host, you have permission to talk to anyone there. What's more, you have the obligation to talk to some guests, even if you’d rather not.

General questions like these help start conversations:

How did you find out about this event?
Why did you decide to come?
What other events do you attend?
How do you like this event?

In To Sell Is Human (a book you need to read), Dan Pink suggests asking “Where are you from?” That simple question leads to a range of conversation starters such where they were born, where they work or where they live.

You can also ask questions specific to the event. At an alumni gathering, you might ask fellow attendees

When did you graduate?
What are you doing these days?

Maybe you volunteer to join the organizing team. You are then a real host and make connections with the organizers. That's valuable.

When you act like a host, you’re giving. People want to stay in touch because you helped them and the event. Let them.

Stay Visible

A great first impression that doesn’t mean much if you don’t stay in touch. Out of sight …

Follow-up matters. The process is simple but rarely done well or consistently. Since anyone can follow-up, the ones who don’t sink and disappear. After all, life is busy. There are often substitutes.

Even if you create a so-so first impression, maintaining contact increases your impact. Maybe your 20th impression matters more than the first or second.

Meeting in person is ideal but may not be possible often. What happens in between? You can phone or text, if the other person welcomes that form of contact.

These days, staying in touch is especially easy via social networks. If you don’t feel comfortable talking or get your best ideas afterwards, that’s okay. With social media, your communications are asynchronous. You have time to think and edit before you click Send. This gives introverts an advantage.

When you want to stay in touch with someone you’ve met, exchange business cards (you have business cards, right?). Ask if they’re on LinkedIn (usual answer: yes). Ask if they’d like to connect (usual answer: yes). Send them an invitation within the next few days. If they accept, thank them. See how you can help without them asking. I’ll often give a tip on how they can improve their LinkedIn profiles.

Some events have “celebrities” (say as speakers). You can probably chat and have photos taken with them but that doesn’t mean they want you in their networks. You have a better chance of staying in contact with “regular” attendees.

Nurture

These days, your network is visible. You’re judged by the company you keep and how you help them. It’s tougher to maintain false impressions over time. Incongruence is easy to spot.

Networking is like gardening. Besides planting the unmarked seeds, you must nurture and be patient. You can’t tell what will grow or be in demand. Plant a diverse crop. Connect to “good” people outside your niche. You don’t know who knows who. You don’t know know who needs what when.

As a steward, you have the responsibility to protect, grow and strengthen your network. Help without expecting a direct or immediate payback. You will get rewarded. Your network notices your ongoing generosity if you share online. As your digital tapestry improves, you’ll make stronger impressions on each new connection.

People connect to you for various reasons. They aren’t necessarily ready to become a customer. If your contact looks self-serving, you’re harming the relationship. My primary network is on LinkedIn, where I post regular updates of value and pay attention to my connections.

Rewards

You never know when you’ll need help. In 2009, the corporate world thought they could do without me.

What would I do next? This time, I had a solid, diverse network in place. I got an unexpected suggestion.

There’s a growing and unmet need for insurance literacy. The products are complex and advisors vary in skill. I've become an insurance literacy mentor with free services at Riscario (blog, wiki) and paid services at Taxevity. My growing network vouches for me and invites clients.

Transparency has changed networking. The benefits in both directions are unpredictable and immeasurable when you focus on consistent persistent generosity.

Links

PS This post is based on a speech to graduates of Woodsworth College at the University of Toronto. The opportunity arose via networking. Feel free to forward to people who needed to attend but didn’t.

January 22, 2013

ADD WEBINARS TO YOUR MARKETING MIX

If you only make presentations in person, you face limitations

time: travel, parking, setup (shorter online)
geography: you can’t be in two places at once (you can online)
audience: members from different firms may avoid going to the same event (how would they know online?)
facilities: sometimes squishy, with obstructed views, poor acoustics (you control the environment online)
health: do you want to catch or give the flu? (online attendees can watch without worries)
weather: adds uncertainty (online you can continue with those available and have a “rain date” for the ones who can’t attend)
cost: no room rentals, screen rentals or refreshments

Webinars look like an ideal addition to your in-person events. I haven't been a fan because too many are boring or salesy. That's not a criticism of webinars but how they’re used. Webinars are a quick, low cost way to extend your reach. Here's what you need:

a compelling presentation
an engaging voice
basic technology

The Presentation

When you're speaking live, you have the advantage of your physical presence. When you're remote, your slides become more important. Are they simple and engaging? Do they build by element or do you show everything at once? If you use a video clip, will your audience be able to see and hear it properly? Are you telling stories?

Tip: Practice, ideally with someone watching remotely.

The Voice

When you're not on camera, your audience only sees your slides and hears your voice. Think radio. You need more energy than usual. Try speaking a little faster (or a little slower if you normally talk fast). Enunciate clearly. Sit straight in your chair. Breathe deeply and regularly.

You need to adjust for time lags in transmission and reception. Some animations may be too fast for your audience to see. Some words may cut out as happens with mobile phone calls.

Tip: Record yourself and watch the playback. Repeat until you're comfortable with the results. Now get others to watch. What do they think?

The Technology

You'll want a fast, reliable Internet connection and a high quality microphone. If your mobile phone can create an Internet hotspot, you have a Plan B.

You'll find many services which let you host webinars from your web browser. Here's what's ideal.

a well-featured always-free version: lets you experiment (likely ad-supported)
recording capability: lets you practice, allows replays
webcam option: lets you appear on the screen at least part of the time (much more engaging)
fixed web address: looks more professional than having “no fixed address”
registration which captures contact details: lets you stay in touch with your audience, including those who were unable to attend
monthly plans: saves money since you may not have events every month
option to charge: you may want to sell tickets

For some reason, most paid plans only allow 25 attendees. That may be realistic but doesn't seem like much.

I was considering join.me ($20/mo for 25 attendees) but it lacks basics like recording and webcam support. I'm currently investigating AnyMeeting ($18/mo for 25 attendees, $70/mo for 200 attendees). The free ad-supported version allows 200 attendees. I'm impressed so far.

When's your next webinar?

Links

PS If you think you have to be physically present to achieve your call to action, maybe you can strengthen your content and delivery.

December 4, 2012

ARE YOUR EVENTS FREE OR PAY-AT-THE-DOOR?

Big business can afford to host free events and advertise them. They often have their own facilities. If not, they have the budgets to rent space and provide refreshments.

You may not.

A free-to-attend event is not free to run. If you don't have a good estimate of how many will show up, life gets stressful.

Estimates

You can use an event organizing system like Meetup or Eventbrite to collect RSVPs (LinkedIn Events shutdown last month). You still won't have a good idea of how many will really attend. If you host events regularly, you'll develop estimates. Perhaps 70% attend. If your room holds 70, you can overbook and allow 100 registrations. Airlines and hotels have mastered this process.

But

The difficulty arises with newer or less frequent events. Attendance might fluctuate even if you registrations are relatively constant. As an organizer, the waiting gets nerve-wracking. If you have free speakers, it's unfair to them if the attendance is low.

I’ve organized events. My most embarrassing experience was with THE Social Media Workshop in 2011. The speakers were excellent. Since members prepaid for the year, they could attend for free. Yet attendance was low. The speakers say they forgive you --- the right people attended. Maybe that's true but low attendance is embarrassing just the same.

The Solution

You've probably guessed the solution: charge in advance. You then get solid facts. If you're going to be disappointed, you might as well find out early. Even a small ticket price boosts the commitment level. Otherwise, excuses like the weather get in the way.

You could have different prices:

early bird: limited quantity, limited time [could be 2 for 1, rather than a discount]
regular: ending 1-2 days before the event
at the door: have a surcharge to entice pre-purchases

You then encourage early registrations --- a nice way to reduce stress. Eventbrite and Meetup let you show how many have registered and how many tickets remain. There are costs for using those services but peace of mind has value too. You could boost prices, to offset the service charges.
If you don't sell enough tickets, you have advance notice to cancel or reschedule.

Cachet

Free events raise suspicions. What are the organizers selling? Even if the answer is nothing, you may get too few of the right people (and too many of the wrong).

Besides increasing commitment, charging increases the perceived value. The ticket price needn't be high. If you're not aiming to make a profit, you could use the money for catering or donations. You could even give refunds at the door.

If you're worried that paying attendees will expect a better event, good. You'll now have even more reasons to give attendees value.

Refund Policies

If you cancel the event, you'd give refunds. If a registrant cancels, do you refund the ticket price? Maybe not. Make the ticket transferrable instead. That way you maintain attendance numbers. Isn't that what you want?

Why Bother?

Why are you organizing events in the first place? Maybe you team up with other organizers to create bigger happenings. Isn’t that a win for all?

Links

PS If you're creating a big special event, you can use Picatic, crowdsourcing for events. Besides collecting money, you’ll gauge interest early.

June 26, 2012

CASE STUDY: WOULD YOU PAY TO SEE THIS SPEAKER?

This can't be the reaction they intended.

I got invited to a webinar on a boring topic (computer security). The speaker has impressive credentials ... and sells security-related services. No surprise. The presentation probably shows us all the things we're doing wrong and offers solutions ... for a price.

Normally, you get sales pitches for free with refreshments as bait. This hour-long webinar costs $25.

Where is the money going?

The speaker is probably free. Running a webinar costs very little:

AnyMeeting: $0 (ad-supported) or $70 (ad-free) for 200 attendees
Meetingburner: $0 for 15, $40 for 50 or $100 for 1,000
Go To Webinar: $99 for 100

All these options are cheaper than renting a room and buying nice cookies. Perhaps the host organization is raising money or creating an impression of value by charging.

Google Says

Too often, technical speakers have content which is dull and overly-complicated. The delivery may be less than riveting ...

I did a web search for the speaker, expecting to find an impressive digital tapestry. As a minimum, I thought there would be media mentions, a blog and tweets. I was hoping for a live clip from an actual presentation. Instead, the only information available is from the speaker. That's not credible.

There are warning signs on LinkedIn

no photo
little detail
no recommendations given or received

Google also shows that this speaker does free webinars on this topic.

"Free" Offer

The first 25 tickets to the new event are free but the registration form shows no free option. Apparently you pay and get a refund later if you qualify. That’s unsatisfying.

A cynic might conclude there are two outcomes

free for all: everyone is free (there’s no real cost for an extra attendee)
all paid: everyone pays since there were no "free" tickets in the first place

It's easy enough to have tickets in different classes with different prices and quantities. You can with Eventbrite and Meetup.

There’s probably nothing underhanded in the ticket selling process. The speaker might be reasonably good. Even so, would you bother with the webinar even if free?

Your Clients

You might not evaluate speakers the same way but is my process completely crazy? (You're free to leave a comment below.)

Your potential clients evaluate you in their own ways. They may not even notice how. Yet they make decisions.

You can't tell how clients will find you or what they'll value. Since time and attention are limited, the first impression could last mere seconds. The safe solution is to be easy to find and have stuff worth finding.

May 8, 2012

HOW TO GET YOUR AUDIENCE’S CONTACT DETAILS

When you speak, how do you collect contact information from your audience?

Your audience knows you want business. You can pursue them, or let them pursue you.

Pursue

Put your business card in the basket to win. And there are no losers because you'll all receive my wonderful newsletter filled with sales pitches.

You've probably seen that approach. How did you feel? I rarely enter. Privacy is too important to squander on trifles.

Last month, I saw a touted speaker use the Draw Ploy. The session was ho hum. We weren't told what the prize was. I entered to see what he’d do. The next day, I started getting weekly emails I did not request. That’s spam, Bye bye trust.

A slightly better way is get permission. For example, ask them to write “newsletter” on the back of the card or make a mark.

Sometimes there are attendance sheets with columns for name/email address and checkboxes for "add to mailing list", "request free ebook". The legibility of the handwriting can be a problem and contact information gets seen by others who sign up.

Maybe you offer an ebook or other enticement in lieu of a prize. Either way, you're buying attention with a lure. You’re also creating extra work for yourself.

Pursued

When you speak well, your audience pays you with attention, applause and business. There are lots of them but only one of you. Value comes from scarcity (the #2 principle of influence). Who needs who more?

You don’t need to give a prize. Worse, you're wasting valuable time with the draw. Speak well and interested audience members will want to approach you afterwards. Save time for this.

While chatting, you can exchange business cards and ask if they'd like to connect on LinkedIn. That’s a low key to stay in touch even if they don’t need your services at the moment. If they don’t invite you within a few days, you can reach out to them, Once connected, their entire network knows about you.

Coaxing

Provide easy ways to reach you. You can put your contact information on your final slide. You can have a business card placed at each seat. You can have a one-page summary that includes your contact information as a handout at the front of the room after you’re done.

Better still, reach your audience without collecting business cards or sending emails.

Let the organizers do the work. They already have the tools and permission to send emails. What do you have that your audience might want? How about your slides, a video recording and other resources? Tell your audience what you’re making available and how. You’re supporting the organizers and helping your audience. You’re planting seeds for reciprocity.

Bonus: the organizers can reach people who didn’t even attend. You can’t.

Destination

I usually create a web page with a copy of the slides, a video and additional resources. I send the organizers a link to share. No email accounts get filled with unwanted attachments. I can make changes or add more content. Also, I can track visits with Google Analytics. Here’s the most recent example. Next week, I volunteered to show the unemployed how to earn trust. Here’s the page.

A destination gives you another huge advantage. You're adding to your digital tapestry.

Have you ever seen lousy speakers? The organizers booked them on faith and got duped. If you build a page showcasing your presentations (like this), they can see what you’ve done with their own eyes. You reduce their risks immensely.

A-List

Some top speakers don't give their contact information. I asked one why. Because he's findable online. He said he wasn’t interested in anyone too lazy to do a Google search.

Instead of contacting your audience, give a great presentation, be inviting and be findable. Let them contact you. We value what we earn over what's handed to us. Be the one they want.

Links

PS Do you pursue or get pursued?

February 28, 2012

MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION BETTER THAN A TED TALK

TED Talks deliver valuable content in an engaging way in 18 minutes or less. This raises audience expectations for “normal” presentations too. Yet still presenters under-deliver.

TED Talks have a drawback.

There's no opportunity for a group discussion after the speaker. That's where magic can happen. Theatre seating isn't designed for interaction and TED audiences are too big. Besides, there’s a schedule to follow. There’s time for discussions during the generous breaks but that’s not the same.

Allocation

As a presenter, let's say you have an hour for your session and a smaller audience where attendees can't easily hide. Let's also say they are attending voluntarily and can leave anytime.

Here's a proposed allocation of your time

presentation: 12-14 min
group discussion: 39-42 min
conclusion: 1-2 min

That's 55 minutes, which means you're done ahead of time. If there are delays in getting started, shrink the group discussion time to compensate and still finish early. If you’re given 30 minutes, you’ve still got time for your message and questions.

I've used this allocation as my primary format since 2011. It works well but is scary because the bulk of each session is unscripted. I watched Seth Godin field diverse questions for three hours the afternoon of The Linchpin Session. I was amazed at how quickly (and sensibly) he answered. I felt the magic in the room. You can’t get that with a fully scripted presentation.

Awkward Silence

If you don't get your audience engaged, they're prone to sit rather than participate. The solution isn't to revert to prepared hour-long presentations. Instead, add zing to your content and delivery.

You have help. If you're a guest speaker, your hosts want the session to succeed and will likely ask questions to spur others. If you're the organizer, you may have a helper in the group to get the discussions flowing.

If you talk to the early arriving audience members, you build rapport. Some may reciprocate by asking questions. You likely know what questions usually get asked and can ask yourself questions.

Sometimes I’ll show popular questions on the screen as a guide. I’ll also leave gaps in the prepared section to prompt questions.

If you don’t know the answer, audience members might. Invite them. This is effective even if you know the answer.

Boring

Routine presentations are boring for today's audiences. If your session doesn't require audience interaction apart from clapping, do us a favour. Record your talk. Upload to YouTube. Save our time and yours.

Warning

Preparing a shorter presentation takes more skill since you'll need to edit ruthlessly. You can't include content just because you like it.

Group discussions rely on the audience for success. The uncertainty can be unnerving. To practice and get insightful feedback, join a Toastmasters club (as I finally did in Dec 2010).

Rewards

A dynamic session benefits everyone. There's a reason to attend since the audience gets more than a canned presentation. There's a reason to attend more than once (depending on the topic) since each time is different. Like a Springsteen concert.

You also show your expertise. You're a pundit instead of a parrot. Isn’t that exactly want you want? Authority is the third universal principle of influence. You also have more fun ... once you're comfortable with interaction.

You learn what’s on your audience's mind. That's valuable. You may not be Springsteen (though if you are. leave a comment!), but you can make your presentations alive.

Links

PS Years ago, I did Ask An Actuary sessions for advisors. They could ask any question in this safe environment. I didn't know all the answers but sometimes other attendees did. If that failed, I could research afterwards. There was a solid reason to get invited back.