THE BARD GROUP, LLC

OBJECTIVES

Be credible and likable to your client.
Say it so the client can easily listen and understand.
Align your body language with what you are saying to create congruency.
Strengthen the connection between you and your client because they make decisions based on emotion and only use facts to justify their emotional decision to buy.

CHALLENGES

Your clients are making assumptions about you right from the start. These assumptions are based on the patterns they have seen in countless presentations they have sat through before. You want them to see you differently.
The brain gets tired and bored easily. Your audience will suffer fatigue and boredom, and when this happens, they stop listening.
Your client does not want to work too hard to understand what you are trying to say.

A WORD ABOUT AUTHENTICITY

Above all else, you want to be authentic. You want to show up as YOU, not as the person you think they want you to be. Their radar is on high alert, and they will sense if you are not genuine.

Be natural, and they will like you.
Be sincere, and they will believe what you say.
Be empathetic, and they will believe you care.
Be vulnerable and honest, and they will trust you.

None of this feels easy in a business setting, but these techniques will help you be authentic and greatly improve your likelihood of a successful meeting outcome.

TECHNIQUES

Most people think about communication in terms of the words we use. But we communicate in ways well beyond what we say. How we show up (authenticity), how we say what we say (verbal skills), our body language (nonverbal skills), our materials (visuals), and how well we tune into our audience (listening skills) all convey messages to your client. Let’s take a closer look at techniques you can use.

A. WHAT you say and HOW you say it

1. Don't talk too much.

You are a wealth of knowledge, but this doesn’t mean the client wants you to share it all. Use your knowledge wisely and refrain from sharing too much or going too long. When you talk too much or for too long, they will lose interest. You may even lose your focus.

Talk in short paragraphs.
Be selective about what you share. Focus on what is of the greatest concern and interest to the client and their situation.
If their body language is telling you they have checked out, this is a good sign you have been droning on for too long, and you need to engage them.
Use questions to break things up and encourage dialogue.

2. Slow down your tempo.

The speed at which you talk has a significant influence on how the audience perceives you and your message. Speak slower than you usually would in a one-on-one conversation. Speaking slowly lets your client keep up with your message.

Pause and smile at the audience for a moment before beginning to speak. This sets the pace and shows you are happy to be there.
Shoot for 120-150 words per minute on average but vary your speed to keep what you are saying interesting and easy to listen to.

Speak slowly to communicate the importance of a point or to deliver complex information. Slow says: “Listen, you need to know this!” But too slowly will bore them.

Speak more quickly to communicate passion, urgency, and excitement in short bursts. But know that after 1-2 minutes, this rate will become overwhelming.

If you run short on time, condense your message. Do not speak more quickly to get it all out. Speeding up will hurt your credibility and does not help them absorb your message.

TIPS: 1. Never run over on time without the client's permission because it is disrespectful and is likely to annoy them even if they do not show it. 2. Never acknowledge that your time is up but keep going anyway. For example: “I know we have run out of time, but I wanted to make sure that...” This is a red flag that this meeting was really about you not them.

3. Use Pauses.

Pause between subjects or after sentences. Think of a pause as the space between paragraphs as if you were writing it out or reading aloud.

Pauses serve important functions:

They give your client time to absorb what you've said and a chance to jump in with a question without feeling like they have to interrupt. Remember, you WANT them to ask questions because when they do, they are engaged.
A pause tells the listener that you are now moving on to another subject, like the space between paragraphs.
After a powerful statement, a pause alerts them that something very important was just said. This can even be a dramatic pause lasting four seconds or more. They will make a mental note of whatever you just said because your pause cued them to do so.
A pause allows you a moment to “read” the audience, to notice their body language, and engage them if they have checked out.

4. Modulate Your Voice.

Increase or decrease how loudly or softly you speak. And change your pitch to emphasize important words and phrases. Newscasters are experts at this. Varying your pitch and voice projection will keep people paying attention.

Sometimes, the most important things are said more quietly and slowly. Sometimes, they are repeated. “Let me repeat that…” tells the client this is very important.

5. Be Emotive.

Buying decisions are largely based on emotion. So let your excitement, passion, and energy show because it will have a mirroring effect on your client. They will begin to feel your excitement and share your passion.

Be emotive about the things that you think are exciting, make you proud, make you different, and are important to your clients. It will come through in your energy and voice patterns.
Use emotive words like “ideal, great, strong, perfect for…” You want them to know how you feel about this and why it matters to them.
Use stories to bring your point to life. Make the client feel like they are there with you, that they can see, touch, and feel exactly what you are describing. Think through real-life examples that prove the point you are trying to make and ‘take them on a tour’.

6. Use Verbal Grabbers

A Verbal Grabber is a strong word or phrase that is used as a prelude to what you are about to share. It pulls your client back from wherever their mind was wandering and lets them know what you are about to say is important.

Examples:

“One of the MOST IMPORTANT issues is…”
“What is TRULY AMAZING is…”
“One of the SIGNIFICANT keys to all of this is…
“What is REALLY CRITICAL is…”

Verbal Grabbers put a spotlight on the information you really want them to hear and remember, like when a teacher says, “This will be on the test!”

B. Your body language

People react to visual clues as much as they take in verbal messaging. Body language includes facial expressions, eye contact, posture, gestures, and other movements.

1. Eye Contact

Eye contact is a critical skill that is a strong determiner of your success. It means connecting with each person in the room so that person feels like you are just talking to them.

Why is eye contact so important?

Your eyes communicate confidence and conviction, so your clients will be more likely to believe what you are saying and agree with you. Eye contact makes you vulnerable and accessible, more human to your clients, more relatable and likable. Eye contact is an invitation to engage. When your eyes connect, your client feels like you are interested in them, and you care about their reaction, so they are more likely to talk.

Do not make fleeting eye contact, wandering around the room but never really landing on any individual. Instead, stay with an individual for an entire thought, through to the end of a sentence. This will calm your nerves, and your tone will become more conversational.
Keep your eyes up at the end of the sentence. You will be tempted to drop your eyes so that you can look at your notes or slide but wait a moment before doing so.
Look down as you transition to a new page or new content. This is a signal to the client that you are moving on.

2. Hand and Arm Gestures

Keep your gestures within the Power Sphere, a circle that is the width of your arms, and from your belly button to the top of your eyes.
Make the movement appropriate for the room — large-scale in an auditorium, less so in a smaller space.
Underscore your important points with natural gestures.

Examples:

Count on your fingers when you say, “If I’d want you to remember only 3 things from today, they are 1…2…3…”

Hold your hand wide apart if you are talking about “large”.

Raise your arms as you talk about things increasing or rising.

3. Body Movement

Studies show that a nonverbal style that is animated, has broad open movements, a forward-leaning body, and outward hand motions is most effective at pulling in the client.

When standing, stand tall with shoulders back. Expand your chest. Lean slightly toward the audience.
When sitting, sit upright with your forearms or elbows on the table. It is shown to improve one’s energy level.
Either standing or sitting, project energy. Keep things lively. Use your body to convey your confidence and passion.

‍4. Mirroring

Mirroring body language happens instinctively without us being aware of it. When we like someone and feel like we are connecting with them we copy their facial expressions or body language.

Observe your client’s body language. When you see them mirroring you, know that you are connecting. This may start with a smile but will move to bigger, more noticeable signals.
When they are talking, do not try to mirror them. Let it happen naturally because only then will it come across as authentic. Our brains are wired to mirror others when we feel connected, so no need to force it.

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C. Your visuals

Visual communication is the third type of communication alongside verbal communication (speaking) and non-verbal communication (tone, body language, etc.).

Your presentation deck is a visual tool to support what you are trying to say. When designed with fewer words and more images, it helps your clients remember what you said because of how our brains work. Images are stored in long-term memory, as opposed to words and text which are stored in the brain’s short-term memory.

To learn more, refer to Designing the Optimal Presentation.

D. Questioning and listening

How well you ask questions and listen are also core communication skills. Engaging your clients is as important as what you say to them. These skills are so crucial they warrant lessons of their own.

To learn more, refer to Asking Questions, and Listening and Responding.

ADVANTAGES TO YOU

You will demonstrate confidence and conviction.
You will surprise them and shatter any assumptions that had coming in.
You will connect with them — mentally and emotionally.

ADVANTAGES TO THE CLIENT

They will understand your message and see your value.
They will remember you and want to work with you.

EXERCISES

1. CALCULATE YOUR SPEAKING RATE

Speaking rate = total words per minute. There are a few ways to calculate your speaking rate, so you’ll know whether you need to adjust up or down.

Option 1

Select a passage from a book or newspaper and familiarize yourself with the content. Time yourself reading it aloud as if you are speaking to a live audience. Count the words, then divide the total words by the minutes.

Option 2

Use voice dictation in Google Docs.

Create a new Google Doc then select Tools > Voice typing.
Time yourself by setting a timer (use your smartphone timer).
Click the microphone (it will turn red) and start speaking or reading.
Do not be afraid to pause and think about what you are saying — Google will wait for you.
Once you are done, note the time and click the microphone again to turn off the service.
Select Tools > Word Count and divide total words by the minutes.

2. RECORD YOURSELF

Record yourself delivering a presentation using your smartphone and then listen to WHAT you say and HOW you say it:

How fast/slow are you speaking?
How varied is your speaking rate?
Are you talking in short paragraphs or are you too verbose?
How effectively do you use pauses?
Are you monotone or do you vary your pitch and volume?
Are your feelings about what you are saying coming through or are you emotionally detached (in which case your clients will be too!)

3. ROLE-PLAY

Find a colleague who is willing to role-play and give you feedback on your body language. Ask them to note what you do well and what you can improve:

Are your eyes darting around the room or are you making strong contact?
Are your hand and arm gestures within the power sphere? Are they distracting from or supporting what you are saying?
Are you standing or sitting tall with your shoulders back and openly projected?
Are you projecting the right amount of energy?
Does your colleague find him/herself mirroring you because they are emotionally connecting with what you are saying?