Creating Your Vision for Your Event

Before you start planning your event, take the time to write your vision for your event. Your vision should describe your event as vividly and specifically as possible. It should inspire you, excite you, and guide you through the journey you’re about to take. The vision for my first event, when written, was three pages long. I read my vision each day. As I read it, I would visualize what the event would look like, who the participants would be, what it would be for them as they entered the room, how I would feel standing before them, and the breakthroughs they would experience.

Creating and reading your vision daily as you plan your event will help you take your dream and make it real!

The One Thing You Must Say at the End of Your Talk

The one thing you must say at the end of your talk and you’re probably not saying is the “Call to Action.” If you’ve given a great talk with great value, the audience will be interested in what’s next. Your “Call to Action” is what you want your audience to do next. Your “Call to Action” is your Special Offer. Do you want them to sign up for a complimentary session with you, your upcoming workshop, receive your free report? Often speakers end their talk by saying, “If you have any questions, I’ll be here for a while to answer them.” That’s all they say. Then they’re so disappointed when only a few people come to see them. I invite you to set aside time the next time you speak to present your “Call to Action.”

Handling Questions

You’ve given the best talk of your life, but if you’re not in control of handling questions, all credibility is lost! The final impression audience members remember is the way you handle questions.

After you’ve finished your talk, raise your hand and say, “Are there any questions?” When speaking to a large group, repeat or rephrase the question to the audience. The reason you do that in a large group is to make sure everyone in the room has heard the question.

When repeating or rephrasing a question, avoid saying, “The question is,” or “That’s a good question.” If you credit one person with asking a question, you have to credit EVERYONE for asking a question. You don't want people to feel their question was not as important. It’s best to avoid getting yourself into this situation so you don’t sound repetitious.

Finding Places to Speak

Looking for places to speak? If you want to share your message with the masses, you have to get out there and speak. There’s many places to speak. Here are some places where you can find speaking engagements.

Business Networking Groups

There are many business networking groups always looking for speakers. Some well-known groups are Business International Network (BNI), Le Tip and Meetup groups. Also, do an Internet search for “business networking groups” in your city to find when they meet and visit them to see if they bring in speakers.

Local Service Clubs

These service clubs are in every city and meet on a regular basis. They are the Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club, Lions Club, and local Chamber of Commerce. The Rotary Club is always looking to fill their meetings with content. This is a great way to get out there and present your message.

Special Interest Groups

There are many different interest groups out there. Whatever your interest is, there’s probably a group for you to speak at. If you go online and check out Meetup.com, you’ll find a variety of special interest groups.

Social Media Groups

Everyone’s on social media these days. Check out Facebook, LinkedIn, and Eventbrite.com for events that are happening. You can search online by topic and geographic location. I suggest you visit these events to see if it’s a good fit for you.

What to Charge to Attend Your Event

A common question that comes up when planning your event is, “What do I charge to attend my event?”

In the past, many of the well-known people leading events charged a big upfront fee to attend their events. With the shift in the economy, that has changed. They’re now charging a lower upfront fee and delivering a lot of value, such that the attendees want to sign up for their higher end programs.

When deciding on the fee you want to charge to attend your event, check within yourself to make sure you can stand behind the fee you’re charging. You must believe in the value you’re delivering.

Investing in Your Event

There is an initial investment you will make upfront before sales start coming in. It’s important to understand you will be spending money upfront. If you plan wisely, you will make back the money you invested plus more at the end with people signing up and buying programs and products.

Some of the upfront costs are paying for the room, creating the program and product materials, administrative assistance, outsourcing, etc. If you hire an event planner, he or she will be able to provide you with all the costs. If you’re planning your event yourself, look at all the costs involved so you’re completely clear on what your investment is.

Questions for Designing a Powerful Event

As you begin to create your event, there are questions to ask yourself that will help you design a powerful event.

They are…

• What is the topic?
• What is the information you want to teach?
• Who is your target audience? How will you find them?
• Where, when, and how long do you want the event to be?
• How much do you want to charge?
• What special bonuses will you offer?
• What Early Bird Specials will you offer?
• Do you want to have guest speakers?
• Do you have programs and/or products to sell at the event?
• Do you want to hire an event planner?
• Do you need to outsource more of the planning and to whom?

The Power of Telling Your Personal Story

When crafting your signature talk, I encourage you to start off by sharing your personal story with the audience. Your personal story is what will have the audience instantly connect with you.

Here are (4) tips to help you craft your personal story:

1. Show Your Vulnerability: Be willing to open your heart to the audience and be authentic. This shows the audience you’re just like them. They will quickly connect to you as they will see themselves in you.
2. Share Your Journey: Let the audience know what it took for you to become the person you are today. Your journey will inspire them to follow their dream.
3. Tell Your Story Vividly: As you share your story, share it with enthusiasm and emotion. Be as specific as you can as you tell your story. Speak as if it’s happening as you speak.
4. Be Present: Look out at the people in the audience as you share your story. Be right there with them in the moment and not in your head.

Sprinkle Seeds of Interest

There is a subtle, proven way to sell your products or services when you’re giving a talk that doesn’t come across as “salesy.” It’s called “sprinkling seeds of interest.”

Right from the beginning of your talk and during your talk, let the audience know that although you only have limited time with them, you do have other resources they may be interested in, which you’ll share with them at the end of the talk. So when you come to the end of your talk and share with them your other offerings, they’re curious and ready to hear what you have to offer.

5 Valuable Tips to Draw the Audience to You Like a Magnet

If you want to draw the audience to you like a magnet, there are (5) valuable tips that will keep them engaged and wanting more!

1. Create a compelling memorable story. People are interested in “YOU”! By sharing a memorable story, you’re connecting with the audience at a more personal level. They now will feel more related to you and what you have to say.
2. Engage the audience throughout your presentation and make it interactive. Check in with them by asking questions.
3. Throughout your talk, share other stories about people who you helped and the results they got. People love to hear real-life stories of triumph and success.
4. End your talk with a “call to action.” What do you want as an outcome for your talk? What action do you want the audience to take?
5. Stay in touch with your audience. If you want to stay connected with them, offer to send them notes from your talk or give away a gift if they give you their business card.

Create Titles That Grab Attention

People often buy books because of their covers, or at least they are attracted enough to take a closer look at the book’s content because the cover has caught their attention. It’s the same with writing the title for your presentation. If your title is the typical type of title, it will probably be ignored.

One of the best ways to come up with ideas for a catchy title is to walk through bookstores and peruse the shelves, reading the titles of books. Notice the words of titles that quickly grab your attention. Titles are like headlines in newspapers and magazines. You buy the publication because the headline promises you information you need or are interested in.

As you create the title of your presentation, think about what matters most to your audience. What’s their pain? What can they gain from my talk? Write a title that points out the problem and implies your material contains the answers the audience is looking for.

4 Tips to Sell Your Product or Service When Giving Your Presentation

Have you ever given a presentation hoping to sell your product or service at the end, yet sadly, you leave empty handed?

Leaving without having sold any of your products at the end of your presentation can be so disappointing. I understand because I’ve been there too.

In today’s video I’ll share with you (4) tips to selling your products and services at the end of your presentation that will put more money in your pocket.

Click here to view video.

Keep on Time

Let the audience know at the beginning of your presentation how long you’ll be speaking and when the presentation will be ending. This shows that you respect their time and in return you’ll have their full attention. Often times new nervous speakers don't watch the clock, then end up rushing as they finish, trying to wrap up and answer questions. Not only does this look unprofessional but you will lose the respect of people in the audience who have their own schedules to keep. When you don’t end on time, no matter how great your presentation was, it doesn’t matter… you’ve lost their trust. Always remember to keep on time!

Don’t Overwhelm

No matter how long your presentation is, be sure not to overwhelm your audience with too much information, however valuable. When they feel overwhelmed, they’ll tune out. As you design your 30-60 minute talk, cover no more than (3) or (4) points. At the start of your presentation let the audience know what the agenda is and how long you’ll be speaking. By doing this, you’re respecting the audience’s time and you’ll then have their full attention for the entire presentation.

It’s Time to Share Your Story

Do you know one of the fastest ways to draw the audience to you as a speaker is by sharing your personal story? When you’re willing to open up your heart and reveal who you really are, people instantly feel connected to you.

In this week’s video, I share with you five tips on how to share your story in a way that will grab your audience’s attention.

Speak Like a Pro and Make Money Doing It!

One of the fastest ways to attract clients is to become known as the expert by speaking to groups. Yet, most people would rather be pushed from an airplane than get up in front of a group and speak. No one was ever born a natural speaker. When you watch dynamic speakers, it may seem as if they deliver their speech effortlessly. The ease with which they deliver their speech is the result of many hours of preparing and rehearsing.
I spoke and lead two workshops at the International Window Coverings Expo. I loved speaking to the business owners, sharing my sales and marketing strategies to help them grow their businesses. Believe me; it wasn’t always this way for me. It wasn’t too long ago that the thought of getting up in front of a group paralyzed me. I laid awake many nights worried about how I’d come across. What would they think of me? What if they’re not interested in what I have to say? What if I forget what to say? After years of practice, preparation, and training, my confidence increased and I became an effective speaker.
Let’s take a look at the world of speaking and what the benefits are to you.

• When you become a speaker, you immediately elevate yourself in the eyes of the audience. They see you as the expert and this establishes instant credibility.
• You’re reaching more than one person and that increases the chances of more people interested in your service or product.
• Your confidence increases. As your speaking improves, the most powerful benefit is the improvement in your general confidence and self-image.
• Research shows that in selling, a speech demonstrating your services is 50% more effective than the most glowing testimonial. You’re showing the audience first hand how you think and work.
• When you’re speaking, the audience has come to you rather than you having to find them.

What makes a great speaker?
I saw Suze Orman, the financial guru, speak at a conference. As soon as she walked on stage, she connected with us. She was down-to-earth, funny, and knowledgeable. She shared her own personal story of growing up in Chicago, working as a waitress for several years making only $400 a month. Although she has achieved great success and fame, she had her ups and downs just like you and me. Because she shared authentically from her heart, she had us all sitting on the edge of our seats listening to every word she said.
Here’s 10 valuable tips to draw the audience to you from the beginning to end of your talk.

1. Know who’s in your audience before you speak. Call the event or program planner to find out the profile of the people attending.
2. Arrive early before you speak and walk around introducing yourself to some of the people. This helps to relax you and get you related to them.
3. If you’re speaking for a half-hour to an hour, your talk should cover only 3-4 points. The audience can only retain a limited amount of information in a short period of time.
4. Let the audience know at the beginning what you’ll be talking about and how long you’ll be speaking.
5. Speak to only one person at a time for about 4-5 seconds. Don’t look over their heads. Speak to them. This helps to reduce nervousness, increase confidence, and connect with the audience.
6. Create a compelling memorable story. People are interested in “you.” By sharing a memorable story, you’re connecting with the audience at a more personal level. They now will feel more related to you and what you have to say.
7. Engage the audience throughout your presentation and make it interactive. Check in with them by asking questions. It’s much more fun when you include them.
8. Throughout your talk, share other stories about people who you helped and the results. People love to hear real-life stories of triumph and success.
9. End your talk with a “call to action.” What do you want as an outcome for your talk? Do you want the audience to take an action step? Do you want them to buy your product or service?
10. Capture your audience. If you want to keep in touch with them, offer to send them notes from your talk or give a gift if they give you their business cards.

Here’s a story from a person who took my tips and the results he achieved.

“I was preparing to enter the ‘final exam’ interview step with a new company—the position was for US Sales Director—and I had to give a presentation on how I would construct their sales organization. I had to sell two things: my ideas and ME. I took Rochelle’s ideas to heart and revised my presentation. The presentation went very well and they made me an offer when I was done! Two major points my audience commented on were the opening story and that I asked them questions throughout the presentation. The other candidate didn't engage the audience, he just talked straight through. Guess what? The first task the President has given me is to work with the Market Development VP and create a presentation to launch the product to physicians. Rochelle's stuff works!”

If you liked what you've read and want help in applying these steps to your business, I invite you to take your first step by signing up for a Breakthrough Strategy Session with me. If you're stuck in your business or frustrated you're not bringing in more sales, please stop suffering and call me. There is a solution! I will walk you through a step-by-step process that will give you clarity about the direction of your business, create a 180-degree turn around in your thinking about sales, and move you forward quickly. I will personally give you my one-on-one breakthrough strategies that fit you and your business. Click here to learn more.
© All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission from Rochelle Togo-Figa, Professional Sales Coach, is prohibited.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit www.SalesBreakthroughs.com.

When You Open Your Heart, the Clients Will Come

In a teleseries I led one of the topics that made the biggest impact for the group was how to powerfully share their personal story with their audience.

As I thought about this topic, I realized sharing your personal story is not only for when you speak to an audience, it has the same powerful impact when you're meeting with a prospect or a client. When you're willing to open up your heart and reveal who you really are to people, they feel instantly connected to you.

We all have a personal story to tell about our journey through life. Many of us had to deal with challenges at different times in our lives. Your personal story has made you who you are today. The people who inspire me the most are the ones who freely share their personal story of struggle and victory with us.

Oprah Winfrey has openly shared about the struggles and abuse she overcame growing up to become one of the most powerful women in the world. We listen to her story and what she’s accomplished, and we’re inspired to follow our dreams.

Sometimes we cover up our story because we want others to think we have it all handled. But most of us have had to overcome something along the way. In fact, the challenges we’ve had to deal with make us the person we are today.

When you’re willing to share the struggles and challenges you’ve faced, people are quickly drawn to you because you’re being authentic. They can easily relate to you because they see you’ve had similar challenges.

One of the most powerful assets you can use to attract more clients is sharing your personal story. When you share your personal story about how you overcame your challenges, you provide them with inspiration that THEY can do it too!

The easiest and fastest way to draw people to you is when you authentically share yourself. Start your talk by sharing a personal story of how you became who you are today. When you share something personal about yourself, they feel more connected to you. You’re showing them you’re no different than they are. They can relate to you more quickly through your story and that’s going to draw them to you.

Show your vulnerability by speaking about your struggles, how you overcame your challenges, and the life lessons you learned. We’ve all had to deal with personal and professional challenges in the course of our lives. When we hear true stories of courage and victory, we’re inspired and believe we can go after the things we want too.

They listen to your story and what you’ve overcome, and say to themselves “If she or he did that, so can I!” I’ve had many people come up to me after I’ve shared my personal story of overcoming breast cancer and how it changed my life, and tell me how it’s inspired them.

Tell your story vividly and specifically. As you tell your story, speak in the present tense. Share your story as if it’s happening right now in the present moment. Convey excitement and enthusiasm using gestures, facial expressions, and inflection as you describe your story. What leaves the strongest impression is how you look and sound. People will walk away remembering what they’ve seen and heard.

I saw Suze Orman, the financial guru, speak at a conference. As soon as she walked on stage, she connected with the audience. She was down to earth, funny, and knowledgeable. She shared how she grew up in a poor Chicago neighborhood, worked as a waitress for several years making only $400 a month. She shared her personal story with such authenticity. She had everyone sitting on the edge of the seats listening to every word she said. And, after she spoke, there was a long line of people waiting to buy her products.

I invite you to start writing your personal story now, and start sharing it with others.

Remember it is...Your Story!

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

What’s Your Authentic Selling Style?

When we think about selling, for some of us the image of the stereotype pushy salesperson comes to mind. The first thought we have is someone is trying to get me to buy something. None of us likes to be sold. We become distrustful and will quickly say, “I’m not interested.” Do you have to be like the pushy used car salesman to be successful in Sales? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

We all have different selling styles.

Have you ever watched someone speak and find yourself listening to every word they say? You don’t know the person, yet there’s something about them that draws you to them. It happens because they’re being genuine and real. They’re being themselves.

Before I identified my authentic sales style, I wondered what other successful salespeople were doing that I wasn’t? I was working really hard and producing average results while they seemed to be bringing in the sales effortlessly.

Then, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I had no choice but to slow down and let go of trying so hard. When I slowed down, I became connected to my true self. The more natural, spontaneous, authentic, and from the heart I was with people, the more I began to notice things starting to come to me with ease.

It was almost magical. I became genuinely interested in people and started listening to what they said. I created a relationship with them based on trust and they responded to this. I began to attract more clients and close more sales. I had found my authentic selling style!

Being successful in sales doesn’t come from being slick or pushy, or copying someone else’s selling style. That never works because people can sense you’re not yourself. The key is to let go of trying to be what you’re not and trust yourself.

As you begin to trust yourself and let go, you’ll feel more confident, relaxed, and have fun! You’ll see how attractive this is to the people you meet.

A client came to me because she felt she had lost her focus in her business. She wasn’t closing as many sales as she had the year before and wasn't feeling confident. Unsure of what steps to take, I had her narrow down her focus to three goals, clarify who her ideal client was, and identify her authentic selling style. As she began applying these steps, she felt less overwhelmed, had clarity on who she wanted to work with, and increased confidence selling her services. This came across in her interactions with prospects, and in less than a month she closed 2 big sales.

Sales success begins with being yourself. It really is as simple as that. The prospect will come to you because they’re attracted to your authenticity. When you’re being real, your honesty and trust shines through, and people are drawn to you.

Let’s define what selling really is. Once you begin to uncover your own authentic selling style, you’ll start closing more business faster and with ease. Here are 9 ways to get you started:

1. Selling is no longer being the slick, aggressive, and pushy salesperson.
2. Selling is being more interested in the prospect than in what you have to say.
3. Selling is creating a trusting and honest relationship with the prospect.
4. Selling is being a keen listener and listening for what’s most important to the prospect.
5. Selling is thinking of ways of helping the prospect.
6. Selling is going the extra mile and doing the unexpected for the prospect.
7. Selling is showing you genuinely want to help them get to where they want to go.
8. Selling is making yourself easily accessible to your clients either by phone or email.
9. Selling is trusting who you are and being yourself. Remember, you are unique and special just as you are, so let that shine through!

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

It’s Time to Share YOUR Story

I’m leading a teleseries to an amazing group of entrepreneurs and coaches who are learning how to powerfully speak to groups. One of the topics that have made the biggest impact is teaching them how to share their personal story with the audience.

And, as I thought about this topic, I realized that sharing your personal story is not only for when you speak to groups, it has the same powerful impact when you’re meeting with a prospect or a client. When you’re willing to open up your heart and reveal who you really are, prospects and clients feel instantly connected to you.

We all have a personal story to tell about our journey through life. Many of us had to deal with challenges at different times in our lives. Your personal story has made you who you are today. The people who inspire me the most are the ones who freely share their personal story of struggle and victory with us.

Oprah Winfrey has openly shared about the struggles and abuse she overcame growing up to become one of the most powerful women in the world. We listen to her story and what she’s accomplished, and we’re inspired to follow our dreams.

Sometimes we cover up our story because we want others to think we have it all handled. But most of us have had to overcome something along the way. In fact, the challenges we’ve had to deal with make us the person we are today.

When you’re willing to share the struggles and challenges you’ve faced, people are quickly drawn to you because you’re being authentic. They can easily relate to you because they see you’ve had similar challenges.

One of the most powerful assets you can use to attract more clients is sharing your personal story. When you share your personal story about how you overcame your challenges, you provide them with inspiration that THEY can do it too!

The easiest and fastest way to draw people to you is when you authentically share yourself. Start your talk by sharing a personal story of how you became who you are today. When you share something personal about yourself, they feel more connected to you. You’re showing them you’re no different than they are. They can relate to you more quickly through your story and that’s going to draw them to you.

Show your vulnerability by speaking about your struggles, how you overcame your challenges, and the life lessons you learned. We’ve all had to deal with personal and professional challenges in the course of our lives. When we hear true stories of courage and victory, we’re inspired and believe we can go after the things we want too.

They listen to your story and what you’ve overcome, and say to themselves “If she or he did that, so can I!” I’ve had many people come up to me after I’ve shared my personal story of overcoming breast cancer and how it changed my life, and tell me how it’s inspired them.

Tell your story vividly and specifically. As you tell your story, speak in the present tense. Share your story as if it’s happening right now in the present moment. Convey excitement and enthusiasm using gestures, facial expressions, and inflection as you describe your story. What leaves the strongest impression is how you look and sound. People will walk away remembering what they’ve seen and heard.

I saw Suze Orman, the financial guru, speak at a conference. As soon as she walked on stage, she connected with the audience. She was down to earth, funny, and knowledgeable. She shared how she grew up in a poor Chicago neighborhood, worked as a waitress for several years making only $400 a month. She shared her personal story with such authenticity. She had everyone sitting on the edge of the seats listening to every word she said. And, after she spoke, there was a long line of people waiting to buy her products.

I invite you to start writing your personal story now, and start sharing it with others.

Remember it is...Your Story!

© All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission from Rochelle Togo-Figa, Professional Sales Coach, is prohibited.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit www.SalesBreakthroughs.com.

Speak Like a Pro and Make Money Doing It!

One of the fastest ways to attract clients is to become known as the expert by speaking to groups. Yet, most people would rather be pushed from an airplane than get up in front of a group and speak. No one was ever born a natural speaker. When you watch dynamic speakers, it may seem as if they deliver their speech effortlessly. The ease with which they deliver their speech is the result of many hours of preparing and rehearsing.

I spoke and lead two workshops at the International Window Coverings Expo. I loved speaking to the business owners, sharing my sales and marketing strategies to help them grow their businesses. Believe me; it wasn’t always this way for me. It wasn’t too long ago that the thought of getting up in front of a group paralyzed me. I laid awake many nights worried about how I’d come across. What would they think of me? What if they’re not interested in what I have to say? What if I forget what to say? After years of practice, preparation, and training, my confidence increased and I became an effective speaker.

Let’s take a look at the world of speaking and what the benefits are to you.

• When you become a speaker, you immediately elevate yourself in the eyes of the audience. They see you as the expert and this establishes instant credibility.
• You’re reaching more than one person and that increases the chances of more people interested in your service or product.
• Your confidence increases. As your speaking improves, the most powerful benefit is the improvement in your general confidence and self-image.
• Research shows that in selling, a speech demonstrating your services is 50% more effective than the most glowing testimonial. You’re showing the audience first hand how you think and work.
• When you’re speaking, the audience has come to you rather than you having to find them.

What makes a great speaker?

I saw Suze Orman, the financial guru, speak at a conference. As soon as she walked on stage, she connected with us. She was down-to-earth, funny, and knowledgeable. She shared her own personal story of growing up in Chicago, working as a waitress for several years making only $400 a month. Although she has achieved great success and fame, she had her ups and downs just like you and me. Because she shared authentically from her heart, she had us all sitting on the edge of our seats listening to every word she said.

Here’s 10 valuable tips to draw the audience to you from the beginning to end of your talk.

1. Know who’s in your audience before you speak. Call the event or program planner to find out the profile of the people attending.
2. Arrive early before you speak and walk around introducing yourself to some of the people. This helps to relax you and get you related to them.
3. If you’re speaking for a half-hour to an hour, your talk should cover only 3-4 points. The audience can only retain a limited amount of information in a short period of time.
4. Let the audience know at the beginning what you’ll be talking about and how long you’ll be speaking.
5. Speak to only one person at a time for about 4-5 seconds. Don’t look over their heads. Speak to them. This helps to reduce nervousness, increase confidence, and connect with the audience.
6. Create a compelling memorable story. People are interested in “you.” By sharing a memorable story, you’re connecting with the audience at a more personal level. They now will feel more related to you and what you have to say.
7. Engage the audience throughout your presentation and make it interactive. Check in with them by asking questions. It’s much more fun when you include them.
8. Throughout your talk, share other stories about people who you helped and the results. People love to hear real-life stories of triumph and success.
9. End your talk with a “call to action.” What do you want as an outcome for your talk? Do you want the audience to take an action step? Do you want them to buy your product or service?
10. Capture your audience. If you want to keep in touch with them, offer to send them notes from your talk or give a gift if they give you their business cards.

Here’s a story from a person who took my tips and the results he achieved.

“I was preparing to enter the ‘final exam’ interview step with a new company—the position was for US Sales Director—and I had to give a presentation on how I would construct their sales organization. I had to sell two things: my ideas and ME. I took Rochelle’s ideas to heart and revised my presentation. The presentation went very well and they made me an offer when I was done! Two major points my audience commented on were the opening story and that I asked them questions throughout the presentation. The other candidate didn't engage the audience, he just talked straight through. Guess what? The first task the President has given me is to work with the Market Development VP and create a presentation to launch the product to physicians. Rochelle's stuff works!”

If you liked what you've read and want help in applying these steps to your business, I invite you to take your first step by signing up for a Breakthrough Strategy Session with me. If you're stuck in your business or frustrated you're not bringing in more sales, please stop suffering and call me. There is a solution! I will walk you through a step-by-step process that will give you clarity about the direction of your business, create a 180-degree turn around in your thinking about sales, and move you forward quickly. I will personally give you my one-on-one breakthrough strategies that fit you and your business. Click here to learn more.

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