conference speaker

‘Stop presenting, start conversing’

Delivered as a 45-minute conference presentation or a 2-3 hour workshop, ‘Stop presenting, start conversing’ is packed full of practical ideas and techniques to help anyone communicating (on any platform), to transform their message into a story that will grab and hold attention.

Paul Tomes has been creating and delivering presentations for over 25-years. Here’s a taste of his thinking and the content he has packaged into his latest presentation.

Stop delivering presentations your way.

One of the most common pitfalls people fall into when they present, is to tell the audience what they want to tell them, in the sequence they want to tell them. What if you presented the other way round? Tell the audience what they want to hear … they way they want to hear it.

Find stories to support your content

Most people believe they aren’t natural story-tellers and prefer to play it safe in presentations. Invariably we find that they have misinterpreted what constitutes a good story in a presentation. There are simple devices that can be used to add more spice to presentations, bring content alive and make sure the overall message sticks

Being the best you, you can be

This sounds like a cliché … but in reality, this is the key to successful presentations. Many people go into ‘presentation mode’ - developing what they believe is a appropriate presentation voice, posture and mannerisms. Invariably, the audience sense this is not the real person, and as a result they disengage.

Getting people to re-engage simply requires us stop presenting and start conversing ... rediscovering our natural ability to deliver a compelling story.

Paul’s presentations are interactive, practical, with models and templates, and designed to create a positive change in the way people communicate in presentations.

If you’d like to know more ... click here

Stop thinking presentation. Start thinking compelling story.

Think of your all-time favourite movie. Can you remember how you first got to hear about it? What was it that the convinced you that this was something you had to watch?

Big name actors and film directors are certainly a drawcard, however some of their films have turned out to be box office flops. It’s more likely that your decision to watch was triggered in just 2 minutes and 30 seconds … the industry prescribed length of a movie trailer.

The people who script and compile trailers are for me, the unsung heroes of the movie industry. Imagine being handed the footage of a $300 million dollar production, with the instruction … ‘make this sell’

No pressure! Simply take a big story and turn it into a short story, big enough to sell the big story.

I believe we face a similar challenge, creating and delivering presentations. How do we turn a big idea, into a short story ... that sells?

You might not be selling a product or a service, but you are constantly selling your message, to achieve a positive reaction from your audience. Plus, you are also selling yourself, the value you add to the enterprise you are involved in, and let’s not forget your personal integrity!

Audiences have changed. Most prefer information faster, in a more conversational style. Presenters who fall into the trap of ‘presentation Karaoke” (simply reciting what’s on the slide), don’t cut it any more. The solution, is to turn clinical, dry information into stories that ignite a person's imagination, less wordy and more visual … and above all, harness emotion.

Ignite peoples’ imaginations