The presentation gives you the opportunity that you need to secure prospects and customers.  The presentation can envelop customers and clients and hold them firmly while you show value and solutions. The most important aspect of this is your recognition of who this presentation is for…. the attendee. Let’s take a look at some ways that you can fulfill your etiquette responsibilities.  Whether you have a solid presentation or not, everyone notices the things you do wrong from an etiquette standpoint.

An ‘I’ Problem

Years ago I was in a presentation for financial products as a potential customer. The seminar/sales presentation was entitled “Retirement Moves You Should Make Now! It took place at a local hotel, and there were three speakers.  Each of them was noted as an expert in the field of retirement products, strategies, and investments. The three of them spoke for approximately 15 minutes each, and it was evident to me that they were all experts in their subject matter as they had been billed.  I quickly learned that two of them were ‘experts’ on themselves and felt it necessary to tell us over and over.  The other was a great speaker. It got a little sickening hearing them talk about all of the people that they ‘saved’ and how they were preeminent and what others did that could not compare.

They also did some other rather annoying things.  There were presentation slides with little wording and  numerous presentations featuring cartoons. One of the presenters dined on a piece of hard candy during his whole talk and could not keep it quietly in his mouth. I considered this actual presentation rude and a waste of time given the fact that I was supposed to be there to hear how their products and strategies could help me be able to have a happy and fulfilling retirement. What did they do wrong?  Based on the title of the seminar (and the fact that I understood that it was sales related.  The problem lies in that I just got a basic ‘bait and switch’.  The did not tell me how I could retire well, unless the answer to that is just to turn it all over to their operation.

What Are the Rules?

Here are some things that I am going to suggest that will help you as simple guide to the most vexing etiquette issues:

• Write or display your name prominently
• Establish eye contact
• Be Prepared
• Never waste a customer’s time
• Dress “up” at least one level
• Speak clearly and with intent
• Do not read slides or copy to your audience
• Get rid of the ‘uhs’, ‘ums’, and ‘you knows’
• No candy or gum
• Mind your time
• Take questions with a smile

Above all, remember that the presentation is not for you, but for the audience.  The quickest way to lose the audience is to forget this important point.

Write your name prominently – Always include contact information.  Some people are hesitant to ask questions as they forget the name of the presenter or do not know how to contact him/her.

Establish eye contact – Then you will want to keep it.  If you are going to read or focus on your slides then send it to everyone in an email.

Be Prepared – Prepare and practice, then make sure that you have prepared for the presentation and the things that go wrong such as overhead projector bulbs, media that does not work, and compatibility issues with others equipment.  Your audience deserves better.  Have paper copies ready.

Never waste a customer’s or prospect’stime – Avoid useless material, cartoons, and novelties.  Realize that the fewest slides and the most meaningful content is what you need, and what your customers deserve.

Dress ‘Up” a level – Presenters should be properly dressed, which means that they should be dressed that when every one else is casual, a tie should be the mode of dress.  Your appearance is important.

Speak clearly – No one is going to ask you more than once to repeat yourself.  They will just tune you out and begin to doodle.  Speak clearly and with intent for all to hear.

Do not read slides – The rudest action of all is to read slides or text to your audience. You might as well send the content to them and let them be read it for themselves.

Get rid of the ‘Ums’, ‘Ahs’, ‘like’, and ‘you knows’- nothing, I repeat nothing drives an audience mad like the chorus of these three phrases.

Lose the candy or gum – This one is easily self -explanatory.

Manage Your Time – Proper breaks and adherence to the schedule is in your audience best interest, and remember, “It is all about the audience”.  If you need to, assign someone in the front row to help you manage time.

Always leave time for questions – Did I forget to advise that, “It is all about the audience?” Advise them of the format for questions and honor it. Leave ample time for questions.

Have Your ‘I’ Checked

As I spoke of in the practical example, the last thing you want to have is an “I” problem.  That is of course when you start talking about yourself and don’t know when to stop.  If you are selling a product or service it cannot be about you.  You will alienate many, and not sell anything. Tell your qualifications and credentials quickly, and then deal with what you are there to do.  Keep it short, and give a link to a bio if they want to get assurance that you are the real deal.

Remember, the best presenter is the one who gives the audience what they need.

Be the best.

Your comments are welcome.

While taking a short break for mental health, I will reintroduce this post from 1/3/2011 as it talks openly about politics in the workplace.  Please take a moment to reacquaint with it, or if you did not see it, read it for hte first time.   I think you will agree with me that there is better fodder for conversation, that will not put the Black sales professional in jeopardy after reading this.  I will rejoin you on the 31st with a tantalizing post.

As a Black sales professional in a white business world, you have plenty of chances to interact at work and socially, with coworkers and management. In many cases this interaction can either help create, or destroy, the persona that you want to project.

The 3 Unmentionables

No matter what your level of comfort with certain topics, I suggest you avoid discussing these three topics, even when prompted:

• Politics

• Religion

• Race relations

Politics can go nuclear at any moment. There’s a good possibility that just as your race may be different, your politics will vary widely also. This was obviously a big issue during the campaign of the first Black president.  Do not be baited to discuss politics with your co-workers unless you are prepared to have that same conversation with management.  Word about diverse views spreads fast.  Your views are your own, and unless you have some other motive, they are best left that way. “Red state” versus “blue state” issues do not generate fodder for a conversation that you need to open a door to.

Religion is a ticking time bomb. It is as personal as any subject could be, and it is dangerous for a workplace discussion, even if you are of like color with those you work with.  I would avoid discussions of religion for all the right reasons, so you know how I feel about this when you are of a different race and religion. Besides, it is frankly none of their business.

Race relations are undoubtedly the 800 pound gorilla in the room. You see, no one believes his or her stance on race is an issue, until it butts up against another person’s stance. At that point the other person stance is perceived to be the issue.  I think you get my drift.   By the time the discussion starts the relationships can be damaged. At the root of this is the 3P’s (Preference, Perceptions, and Prejudice), his/hers and yours.

I’m sure that I don’t have to dive to deep into any of these illustrations; many of you have lived this for years. Recognize that it is easier to stay above some of these dangerous conversations than to think you can change someone’s perspectives. Additionally it is easier to avoid these conversations than to try to repair the aftermath. Everyone you work with is not your friend so you have no obligations here. Besides, you have important sales to make.

Discussions about religion without empathy, tolerance, and an open mind will drag someone down an abyss. Discussions about politics are polarizing.  One’s politics are one’s own business. Don’t put your business out there.

A Special Word on Discussions About Race Relations

Before I close on this topic, I do want to focus for a moment on the topic of race relations. This topic can be radioactive. There are friends that cannot have a gentle discussion on this topic.  With so much at stake, you cannot be assured that the discussion is sincere or an effort to pull you into the ‘rip-tide’ of controversy.  So with that in mind, leave that one for relatives and those people you have a close and sincere relationship with outside of work. Since it is impossible to ‘put toothpaste back in the tube’, this is an unmentionable.

We can strengthen the ill effects of the 3P’s with some of our actions. The impact of preference, perceptions, and prejudice can be made rockhard when our stances are the opposite of those people who can have an effect on our employment future.

I certainly look forward to your comments. Please take a moment and share them with us.