Add Hollywood to Your Online Presentations

"The number one challenge salespeople face when presenting online is being able to engage their audience," says Tom Drews, founder and president of WhatWorks! Communications, a training, speaking, and presentations consulting company. "If you’re like the vast majority of presenters, there’s a good chance you’re putting your prospects to sleep. And, if you aren’t getting the attention of your audience, then you are most certainly not selling your product or service. You might as well send them a brochure."

To captivate your online audience, so they’re not adding a date to their BlackBerry or text-messaging, try adding some Hollywood. Here Drews, who spent some time in Hollywood himself, offers us the secrets to weave in a little glitz and glamour:

Shift your perspective. Instead of thinking of yourself as a presenter, see yourself as a creative genius where you are the writer, producer, director, actor, prop master, extra, and everything else, advises Drews.

Tell a story. "Every Hollywood movie, sitcom, or reality show will tell you a story," says Drews. "A great story is what keeps us interested and wanting more. Whether it’s a personal story tied to your value, or it’s a business story tied into your prospect’s needs, you will keep them interested and wanting to learn more. Grab your audience’s attention from the very start," he explains. "Rather than starting with an amazingly boring agenda, present a provocative question, the prospect’s most painful challenge, a quote, a testimonial, or a customer success story."

Meet their needs. "The most successful Hollywood movies will meet the audience’s most important needs," says Drews. "Whether it’s to escape from the world, to laugh, or to cry, we go to the movies for a reason. Before you even think of delivering a presentation online, you absolutely must know what is most important to your prospect. If you can find that out, and really drill down on their situation, the problems they face, the impact that has on their business, and their ultimate needs, then you are guaranteed to get their attention and have a much better chance of winning their business."

Use visuals to add support and interest. "Instead of presenting a PowerPoint presentation loaded with hundreds of bullet points, tell a story with photos and graphics," says Drews. "If you can find some images that will help to tell your story and drive home your points, then you will be well on your way to adding Hollywood to your presentations."