Software Tips & Tricks View Results of Calculating Selected Cells in Excel Status Bar

By Laura Noble

The Status Bar in Excel displays the formula result of selected cells without you creating a formula.

In the sample above, the Sale amounts for Charlotte Web have been selected. The result of the sum of the selected cells (1400) is displayed in the Status Bar. It is not necessary to select the cells containing text (i.e., Web and Charlotte) as Excel ignores the cells with text, but often it is easier to identify numeric values.

Right-mouse clicking on the Status Bar will open a short-cut menu where a different function can be selected to calculate.

Stay tuned to Networking Today in the coming months for more Software Tips & Tricks from Noble Software Solutions.

Laura Noble is the owner of Noble Software Solutions. Laura can be contacted at 519-680-2689 or by e-mail at lnoble@noblesoftwaresolutions.com. www.noblesoftwaresolutions.com

Published in Networking Today, February 2004.

Publicity Campaigns: How Many Hours...How Many Months?

By Todd Brabender

When it comes to generating publicity for a product, business, or Web site, one of the hardest decisions entrepreneurs have to make is whether to launch the campaign themselves. What makes it tough is trying to determine the amount of time it might take to launch and maintain a successful publicity campaign. This article will help address a couple of those critical elements: the length of your publicity efforts and; the respective number of hours it may take to get the job done effectively.

In my PR career, I have launched campaigns that needed the blast of just a few weeks of publicity and I have also maintained lengthy campaigns that generated media exposure for years. From my professional experience, I can tell you that a single distribution of a media release is rarely effective. Most times, editors and reporters are working on multiple stories at once and need some time to consider your pitch. Although your release may indeed be interesting and newsworthy, the editor may simply not have the space to use your pitch at that point in the media outlet’s editorial calendar. So make sure he/she sees it again when that editorial calendar opens up a few weeks down the line. Keep in mind also that because media outlets receive so many media releases and story pitches these days, it can sometimes take them weeks before they actually get to something you may have sent their way. That’s why it’s important to conduct extensive media follow-ups over the course of several months to ensure media reception, proper media digestion, and hopefully media acceptance of your release or pitch

I tell my clients, “No PR agency or publicist in the world can FORCE the media to use their releases, but they CAN make sure that by the end of the campaign, the media has seen or heard about your message in one form or another – which will lead to solid media coverage.”

One of the keys to determining the length of a successful campaign is knowing when you have fired all your publicity bullets; when it’s time to re-pack the chambers with new ammo; or when you should move onto other marketing targets. Over the past several years, here’s how the campaign lengths have broken down for my clients:

1– 2 month campaigns: 9%
3 – 6 month campaigns: 46%
6 – 9 month campaigns: 29%
9+ month campaigns: 16%

• 1 –2 month campaigns are most often timely, date-sensitive campaigns – a release or message tied to a current event that may be outdated in 6 to 8 weeks. A while back, one client of mine quickly produced a Web site aimed at stopping Napster’s file sharing services. We launched a campaign a few weeks before the Supreme Court ruling and generated some great spot coverage in newspapers and TV news shows nationwide – the site and the campaign were finished in 6 weeks.
  
  
• Most new product publicity campaigns are best suited for the 3 to 6 month time frame – allowing for the often drawn out lead-times of some media outlets. Having said that though, some product campaigns can be extended for several more months based on media reaction and subsequent consumer interest. For instance, the “scooter” product publicity campaign likely started out as a six-month program, but that was stretched out over a year because of the sales fervor and popularity of the product.
  
  
• The longest campaigns are for those clients whose businesses or expertise are “evergreen and regenerative” – meaning they are not tied to the shelf life of a new product launch; aren’t linked to a specific date; and can be re-stoked for a new round of media interest every few months. One of my longtime clients is a “tradeshow specialist.” Her expert advice is newsworthy anytime of year and can be covered editorially year after year – especially in business and trade magazines. That lends itself to multiple articles and features month after month in a wide array of media outlets. Remember – creativity and media pitching ingenuity can help add months of success to your publicity campaign.
  

HOW MANY HOURS:

A large number of hours will be spent planning and shaping your publicity campaign for the media market. The preparation of the media market research and the polishing of the media release may seem painstaking, but when done right, they are well worth the effort. After the initial launch of the campaign, be prepared to spend at least an hour or two each day maintaining it: conducting numerous media follow-ups and making new media pitches, (emails, faxes, mailings, and phone calls); fulfilling media requests (forwarding product photos, media kits/product samples, arranging interviews) and tracking/clipping articles and features.

Here’s a brief rundown on the number of hours that may be involved in a typical campaign:

(These hours are averaged estimates. Many PR specialists might be able to get the work done more efficiently for you.)

CAMPAIGN LAUNCH
Media Release Writing/Editing: 10 hours
Media Market Research: 15 hours
Media Distribution: 10 hours ------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL LAUNCH HOURS: 35 hours
CAMPAIGN MAINTENANCE: 30+ hours /month
(3-Month Campaign) (90 hours) -------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL CAMPAIGN HOURS 125+ work hours

If you have the time, staff, and expertise to launch your own campaign, then take advantage of the media and get your message to them. But if your expertise lies in another area, and you or your staff lack publicity generating skills (or have little or no experience in dealing with the media) it might be best to hand it off to someone who can make sure it’s done right – the first time. Ask yourself these questions when deciding whether you can handle your own publicity campaign:

• Do I have the expertise and time to get it done effectively without hampering my current workload or that of my staff?
  
  
• Do I have the writing capabilities to put together a media release or feature pitch to which editors, reporters, and producers will respond?
  
  
• Do I have the resources to conduct the media research and distribute my release to those media outlets?
  

If you answered “yes” to all, not just some of these questions, then perhaps you can benefit from launching your own publicity campaign. Best of luck!

Check back in March for PubliCity Outside Your City: Outsourcing for More Affordable Publicity Services and in April for Mastering the Media...What to Do When the Media Comes Calling.

Todd Brabender is the President of Spread The News Public Relations, Inc. His business specializes in generating publicity & media exposure for innovative products, businesses, experts and inventions. http://www.spreadthenewspr.com todd@spreadthenewspr.com (785) 842-8909

Published in Networking Today, February 2004.

Caution: Unfair Boss May Be Hazardous to Your Health

By Barbara Bartlein

Working for an unfair boss may not only be unpleasant, it may actually be hazardous to your health. A new study demonstrates a higher risk of heart attack or stroke over the long term for those who work for bosses that are considered unreasonable in their demands.

In a new study, published in the current issue of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, researchers asked 28 female health care assistants to rate the style of their nurse supervisors based on whether they agreed with statements, such as “I am treated fairly by my supervisor,” and “My supervisor encourages discussion before making a decision.”

The assistant’s blood pressure readings were then taken every half hour for 12 hours over three working days. The study found that the subjects experienced a 15 mmHg rise in their systolic pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) and a 7 mmHg increase in their diastolic (the bottom number) on the days that they worked for an unfair boss versus the days they worked for a boss they admired and favoured.

Researchers found that the more unfair and unreasonable the boss was perceived, the higher the blood pressure readings of the participants. Interestingly, blood pressure actually dropped on days that the assistants worked for bosses they liked.

“Supervisors are in a position of relative power within the working environment. Their interactional style may have the potential to influence their supervisees’ well being, either positively or negatively,” writes researcher N. Wagner.

This additional workplace stress could be significant for worker’s health as an increase of 10 mmHg systolic and 5 mmHg diastolic blood pressure is associated with a 16% higher risk of heart disease and a 38% higher risk of stroke.

While this was one of the first studies to look at how the workplace affects overall heart health and cardiovascular risks, it is not likely to be the last. As health care costs continue to escalate, employers can no longer ignore the tyrant supervisor who creates a toxic work environment.

Employees also need to take steps to protect themselves. Some steps you can take:

• Never work for someone you don’t admire and respect. Not only is there no opportunity to learn, it will be an exercise in frustration. If you have no choice but to stay in a negative environment due to economic factors, at least seek out a positive colleague and mentor who can serve as a resource.
  
  
• Evaluate your energy level when you enter the building. Do you feel eager and excited when you enter the building to go to work, or does the life go out of you as soon as you walk in the door? Pay attention to how you are feeling and it can be a good indicator whether the supervisor and even the job is the right fit.
  
  
• Counteract negative stress by an exercise program. Engage in cardio activity at least three times per week. It not only improves cardiovascular health, it will reduce your stress level and increase your energy. It’s easy to make time…you just schedule it like everything else.
  
  
• Avoid toxic people. At work and at home. It’s easy to know if you are around “energy suckers,” as the longer you are with them the more exhausted you feel. They are often chronic complainers and see the negative side of life. Cultivate relationships that are energizing and fun. Life is too short.

Sign up for Barbara's FREE email newsletter at www.barbbartlein.com.

Barbara Bartlein is the PeoplePro™. She helps businesses sell more goods and services by developing people. She can be reached at 888-747-9953, by email at: barb@barbbartlein.com or visit her Web site at www.ThePeoplePro.com.

Published in Networking Today, February 2004.

Stress Doc's Tips for Becoming a Healing Humorist

By Mark Gorkin

Around a table at a recent Social Work networking dinner two familiar questions surfaced. A colleague who had attended one of my workshops wanted to know, "How did you develop an ability to use humor in your presentations?" And, "Were you always a comic or class clown?" An occasional public presenter herself, the implicit message was clear: "How can I use humor more effectively; can I learn to be more funny?"

Reasonable questions: while there is a funny bone, I don't believe there is a funny gene. (And as a youngster I lacked the needed confidence and brashness to be class clown.) While we may not replicate the manic antics of Robin Williams, the outrageous portraits of Richard Pryor or capture the delightful absurdity of former Saturday Night Live star, Gilda Radner, because of the powerfully poignant nature of our work, social workers are poised to be healing humorists. As the pioneering comedic film genius, Charlie Chaplin, observed: A paradoxical thing is that in making comedy, the tragic is precisely that which arouses the funny…we have to laugh due to our helplessness in the face of natural forces and (in order) not to go crazy.

And one of the world's great humanitarians, the undaunted perceptual trail blazer, Helen Keller, beautifully captured, if you will, a social work humor mission statement:

The world is so full of care and sorrow that it is a gracious debt we owe to one another to discover the bright crystals of delight in somber circumstances and irksome tasks.

So, how can individual professionals as well as social work organizations embark on a healing humor quest? For transforming darkness and heaviness into lightness or enlightenment, consider these "Four Key Healing Humor Skills and Strategies":

1. Distinguish Humor and Wit.
   
   a) Humor recognizes the absurdities in situations and playfully embraces our fears and foibles. It often has a silly, non-verbal component exaggerating voice tones, facial gestures, and body movements. I liken it to letting the air out of a blown up balloon, and watching it crazily circle, sputter, and plop.
   
   Try this: To impart healing humor share a story with a client that involves embracing and gently laughing at your own flaws and foibles. Of course, the motive should not be gaining acceptance or sympathy from the client. When self-effacing humor comes from a place of integrity, you will simply seem less perfect and more accessible in your audience's eyes. Not only are you speaking the language, but also you're walking your client's talk. And you are being a model for greater self-acceptance. (See my rapping experience below.)
   
   b) Wit quickly and imaginatively expresses the connection between things improbable or contradictory. America's original humorist, Mark Twain, said it best: "Wit is the sudden marriage of ideas, which before their union were not perceived to have any relation." Wit is highly verbal with a sudden, sharp edge (which, alas, can easily go over the healing edge into hostility or ridicule.). As Shakespeare noted: "Brevity is the soul of wit." Think of wit as sticking a pin into that inflated balloon (or a puffed up ego). An example of concise wit, perhaps, is my self-invented title of "Psychohumorist." ™ (Of course, I let folks decide where to place the emphasis on this word.)
   
   
2. Learn to Reframe. A key humor technique is the ability to look at life events the same as everyone else and see something different. For example, the early 20th c. French novelist, Anatole France, examining himself in a mirror, upon turning 75, observed: "Mirrors just aren't what they used to be." (And if you can gently poke fun at yourself you've enhanced the "higher power of humor" effect.) Consider these two reframing examples – one is interpersonal, the other organizational.
   
   a) Interpersonal. As a mid-'90s Stress and Violence Prevention Consultant at a large US Postal Service Processing & Distribution Plant, walking the work floor was commonplace. (Believe me, humor was not a luxury.) One day I came upon a couple bantering, seemingly playfully, if not a bit seductively. A collegial chorus was also present. The banter turned a bit provocative and the woman suddenly mouthed the "f u" expletive while throwing her antagonist the proverbial finger. The onlookers quickly warned the couple about me: "Be careful, this guy is the 'Company Shrink.'" Then the guy egged me on: "Now what do you think about what she just did?" With tension building, I nervously paused, then rallied: "What do I think? I just think she thinks you're # 1," and walked off with collective laughter behind me. (A vital humor skill: learn to playfully nip the hand or hands that feed you!)
   
   b) Organizational. Years back a Federal court was automating its record keeping system and was getting resistance from a number of employees. This was especially true for those most affected by the change in a key form. Not surprisingly, employees had not been consulted about the change. Instead of only focusing on employee resistance to change, I challenged management to examine their one-sided decision-making process. I also thought employees were grieving, that is, experiencing feelings of loss, both of a familiar mode of operation as well as the loss of job control and sense of professional autonomy. After discussing the managerial missteps, I shared a "pass in the impasse aha!" with court leadership: "Let's have a 'forms funeral.'" All employees would have a chance to bemoan the loss of the old, express concerns about new procedures, and most important, criticize authority for not initially seeking group input. Not surprisingly, this novel, perhaps somewhat absurd, communal catharsis broke through the barriers both to accepting change and to participatory decision-making. We also began healing some organizational wounds.
   
   
3. Be Aware of Context, Play with Content. Sensitivity to your audience is vital, especially if wading into provocative areas, like sex or religion. For example, when I moved from, "devil may care" N'Awlins to Washington, DC, I had to rethink carrying over a stress workshop closing punch line: "They say laughter is the best tension reliever and sex is second…so if you're having funny sex you're probably in good shape!" Politically correct audience discomfort eventually led to a different close. I now stress the importance of "The Serenity Prayer": "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know where to hide the bodies!" (Okay, so you can take the boy out of "The Big Easy" but not the irreverence from the boy.)
   
   
4. Be Vivid and Visual, Surprising and Self-Effacing. In my "Practice Safe Stress" workshop (a clever witticism, in my humble opinion), after presenting "The Four Stages of Burnout," there's a decided heaviness in the room. To uplift the group mood, I unexpectedly put on a Blues Brothers hat, black sunglasses and pull out a black tambourine. I then announce that I'm pioneering the field of psychologically humorous rap music, calling it, of course…"Shrink Rap" ™ Productions. Once the groans subside, I counter: "We'll see who has the last groan," and suddenly belt out, while prancing about the room:

   When it comes to feelings do you stuff them inside?
   Is tough John Wayne your emotional guide?
   And it's not just men so proud and tight-lipped
   For every Rambo there seems to be a Rambette.

   There's more, but I'll spare you. The crowd goes from bewildered to bowled over. After the laughter and applause dies down, I revert to self-effacing form: "That's okay, I've been doing this long enough. I can tell when an audience is applauding out of relief." I also reassure them it only takes two hours for the effects of my rapping to wear off. Clearly, being joyfully on the edge, providing some witty lyrics while poking fun at my own absurdity is a great way to break down barriers and bond with an audience. And, remember, people enjoy and are more open to a serious message when it's gift-wrapped with humor.
   

So, hopefully, you now are inspired to pursue some luminous lunacy, to explore the role of healing humorist and, of course, to…Practice Safe Stress!

Mark Gorkin, "The Stress Doc," is a licensed Clinical Social Worker and a national speaker and trainer on stress, communications, team building, creativity and HUMOR. He is the "Online Psychohumorist" (TM) for the major AOL mental health resource, Online Psych, and for AOL's Business Know How. Check his Web site, recently featured as a USA Today Online "Hot Site," at www.stressdoc.com or email StressDoc@aol.com.

Published in Networking Today, February 2004.

Tips for Selling Your Home

By Dianne Conway

First impressions count – and nothing makes a stronger first impression than a spotless home in mint condition. If the first impression is outstanding, potential buyers will assume that every part of the house has been equally well taken care for – something which serious buyers will pay a premium for.

Start from the outside. Take a look at your house, as a stranger would see it. Do the windows need painting? Are the eaves troughs overflowing with leaves? Is the grass cut and edged? Should the hedge be trimmed? Is there a clear, unbroken path to the front door? These are all simple methods to entice the potential buyer to walk through your front door.

Inside, a little time and effort are probably all that’s needed to give your home the feel of move-in condition.

• Remove clutter from all rooms
  
• Ensure rooms are neat, tidy, dusted, and vacuumed
  
• Spend extra time cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms
  
• Wipe down the cupboards and door frames
  
• Make sure all windows and mirrors sparkle
  
• Tidy the closets (yes, potential buyers will look inside)
  
• Remove excess furniture that crowd a room
  
• Store children’s games and toys
  
• Keep the rooms smelling fresh, especially if you have pets
  
• Remove fragile items and valuables for safety reasons
  

Most buyers have certain requirements in mind when they shop for a house, whether it’s location, the number of bedrooms, the size of the yard, etc. Once you’ve met those basic requirements, the trick is to appeal to their senses to make your house feel like it could be their home.

• Set out fresh flowers
  
• Entice visitors with the aroma of fresh baked bread or cookies
  
• Have soft music playing in the background
  
• Display colour photos of outdoor views during different seasons
  
• Make refreshments available – iced tea in the summer or hot apple cider in the winter
  
• Light a fire if possible
  
• Turn on lamps
  
• Get out of the house during showings and open houses – if that’s not possible, keep a low profile
  

Make your home priced to sell. If you’re serious about selling, don’t price yourself out of the market. Overpricing is the most common error sellers make. Too high a price could turn away potential buyers before they even see your home. You’re better to stay firm with a lower price and negotiate by creating value in other areas, such as including window coverings, major appliances, or gardening tools. If your existing mortgage rate is lower than current market rates and your mortgage is assumable, you could offer it to your buyers for savings they can count on after closing.

Selling your home will take some work. Make a plan and work through the process. It won’t be long before you see the SOLD sign and you can move on.

Dianne Conway is Sales Representative with Sutton Group – Preferred Realty Inc., 181 Commissioners Road, West, London, Ontario. Phone: (519) 438-2222 Email: homes@dianneconway.com www.dianneconway.com

Published in Networking Today, February 2004.

Introverts, Extroverts, & Billy Joel

By Andrew Sobel

A few years ago, I found myself – unusually – at a popular bar in Boston's North End at nearly one in the morning. After a daylong meeting, I had gone out to dinner with a group of client executives, and afterwards they had insisted on visiting the North End, which is a charming, traditionally Italian neighborhood located near Boston's downtown waterfront. Among the group was my client's head of global sales, Jack. He is six foot eight inches tall, and one of the most extroverted, gregarious individuals I have ever known. As we stood at the bar, he grabbed my shoulder, and said, "Look there's Billy Joel." Sure enough, Billy Joel was leaning against the nearby wall, sipping a glass of red wine – alone.

If it had been up to me, the story would have ended there. Jack, however, called the bartender over and shouted, "A bottle of vintage Dom Perignon." He then had the bartender take a glass over to Billy Joel, with instructions to tell him we had sent it. Joel took the champagne, and came over to talk to us. Jack had no problem starting up the conversation with the famous pop star, whose greatest hits album alone has sold nearly 20 million copies. "So what are you doing in Boston?" asked Jack, with a big smile on his face. And we then proceeded to chat with Joel for ten or fifteen minutes.

Why was Jack able to engage a rock superstar in a Boston bar, while the rest of us acted like we had lead feet and laryngitis? Very simple: Jack was an extreme extrovert. He felt quite comfortable approaching a total stranger who was also famous. In fact, he couldn't possibly pass up the opportunity!

In building client relationships, extroverts like Jack do have, sometimes, natural advantages. Particularly when it comes to the networking and sustaining (or "staying in touch") activities that are so important in building a client franchise, extroverts often feel more comfortable than introverts. I hear this in my workshops with business professionals: "I wish I were like..." and the name mentioned is typically a highly extroverted colleague who doesn't mind calling up old clients on the phone to see how they are doing. So what are some techniques for relationship building if you are not strongly extroverted – if, indeed, you are an introvert? First, let's define what we mean.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) provides a useful assessment of introversion/extroversion. MBTI is based on the work of Carl Jung, and it has been taken by millions of professionals. The first of the four Myers-Briggs categorizations is "I" or "E" for introversion or extroversion. According to the theory behind MBTI, extroverts tend to get their energy from being with people, whereas introverts tend to get their energy when they are alone or with very few people. Myers-Briggs doesn't say that introverts don't like being with other humans – rather, when an introvert has spent an evening at a big, crowded dinner party he or she needs to spend some time alone to "recharge." About fifty percent of the population consists of introverts, fifty percent are extroverts. Some, like me, are mildly extroverted – I'm just over the line, so to speak. So, how can you tell whether you are introverted or extroverted? Here are typical characteristics of extroverts:

• Sociable
  
• Outgoing
  
• Expressive
  
• Think out loud
  
• Enjoy parties and gatherings
  
• Like people interaction
  
• Get a "buzz" from being around people
  

On the other hand, here are some typical characteristics of introverts:

• Quiet
  
• Dislike crowds
  
• Enjoy talking one on one
  
• Enjoy alone time
  
• Entertain close friends at home
  
• Keep thoughts private
  
• Recharge their batteries through quiet or alone time
  

What follows are a handful of client development strategies for professionals who are introverted or only mildly extroverted. Remember, if you're an extrovert these are useful pointers for when you work with an introverted colleague or client.

1. Early in the relationship, structure interactions in an office environment around clear, solid content rather than through free-flowing meetings at the bar (as we did with Billy Joel!) or over a meal.
   
   
2. Lead with intellectual capital. If you're an extrovert, you may be quite relaxed about going in empty-handed to a client meeting, and then extemporizing and probing the client's issues. If you're more introverted, you may be more comfortable – and effective – if you lead with an interesting article, set of research findings, or case study to get the discussion going.
   
   
3. Try to align with clients who are similar to you. If you are highly introverted, and a client is the opposite extreme, it may be a difficult fit. You're going to prefer one-one-one meetings, while your client will want to go out with a group of people. An extroverted client may also interpret your quietness as a lack of boldness or enthusiasm rather than what it is – thoughtfulness!
   
   
4. Focus more of your personal time on small meetings with your clients. If you're in charge of a team, don't always bring everyone to meetings.
   
   
5. Team up with colleagues who are extroverted. This will greatly improve your chances of success with the client.
   
   
6. Always warm up a cold call. If you're meeting someone new, make sure that he or she knows something about you in advance. If you've been recommended to this person, or if they have read something by you or about you, you'll feel much more relaxed when the actual meeting takes place. Similarly, learn as much about the person as you can in advance. What are his/her interests? What has been the path of his/her career? And so on.
   
   
7. Practice saying it out loud. This technique is very effective in terms of making you more comfortable with uncomfortable conversations. You don't want to memorize a whole speech, but you might want to sketch out the first, exact 40 or 50 words, and then have an outline after that. Saying it out loud also helps you to refine your message – you'll find yourself stopping and thinking, "There's a better way to say that..." This is useful for calling past clients with whom you haven't spoken in years. Practice actually picking up the phone and starting the conversation.
   
   
8. If you're meeting a new person, try to have a brief phone conversation (or worst case, an email exchange) prior to the face-to-face encounter. This will greatly reduce your anxiety when the moment of personal introduction comes.
   
   
9. Take the burden off yourself by remembering that it's all about the other person, not about you. Unless you're giving a major keynote speech, no one expects or wants to hear you talk at length! Very often, all you need are a few well thought-out questions to engage the other person.
   

Remember, half of your clients are going to be introverts as well. You can be highly successful at client relationship building, whether or not you're comfortable talking to rock stars in public!

Andrew Sobel is the leading authority on client relationships and the skills and strategies required to earn enduring client and customer loyalty. He is coauthor of Clients for Life: How Great Professionals Development Breakthrough Relationships (Simon & Schuster). He can be reached at (505) 982-0211 or by e-mail at andrew@andrewsobel.com www.andrewsobel.com Published in Networking Today, February 2004.

Twenty-Four Ways to Connect With Your Audience

By Karen Susman

If you want to get your message across to your audience members, you have to connect with them. Making a connection with your audience doesn’t happen just during your actual presentation. Here are twenty-four ways to connect before, during, and after your presentation.

Connect Before:

1. Do your homework on your audience. Plan your presentation from their perspective. You can’t feel their pain if you don’t know their pain.
   
   
2. Get to your presentation early to check out the physical and emotional atmosphere.
   
   
3. Visit with audience members before your presentation. You’ll learn what’s going on and you’ll build friends in the crowd.
   
   
4. Listen to and observe events and speakers that come before you. If you’re scheduled to speak at 8:15 PM and the meeting starts at 7:00 PM, arrive at 6:30 PM. (Earlier if you have to test audio/visual equipment.) Be ready to adapt your remarks depending on what you hear, see, and feel.
   
   
5. Weave what goes on before your presentation into your presentation. Refer by name to the speaker before you. Ask permission of an audience member to use his name in reference to your topic. For instance, “As Jim in engineering said…”
   
   Connect During:
   
   
6. Use your body. Pause before you begin. Walk toward the audience. If you can’t walk toward the audience, lean in. Use eye contact. Move meaningfully with each point you make.
   
   
7. Observe your audience for their reactions. Respond. Repeat. Shift gears. Don’t be on automatic pilot.
   
   
8. Use appropriate energy. The larger the audience and the room, the more energetic you have to be. Animate your face, too.
   
   
9. Use your voice range, volume, and speed to emphasize and energize your remarks.
   
   
10. Gesture. The bigger the group and room, the bigger the gesture.
    
    
11. Be prepared to be spontaneous. This sounds like an oxymoron, but being able turn on a dime in response to your audience's needs is vital. Remember, your speaking is all about them.
    
    
12. Let your personality shine through.
    
    
13. Don’t read your remarks. Don’t read from slides.
    
    
14. Enliven your remarks with stories, quotations, examples, analogies, metaphors, and unusual visuals.
    
    
15. Don’t overuse PowerPoint. Less is more.
    
    
16. Use pictures in your visuals. Put people, faces, animals, your family, etc. in the pictures. This gives your audience an emotional zap that lodges your points in their brains.
    
    Connect After:
    
    
17. Stick around after your presentation. The good questions come up during breaks and after your bow.
    
    
18. Be available. If you’re rushing or packing up your equipment, anyone who wants to speak with you will feel disregarded. Really listen to people. If you have to vacate the stage quickly to make room for the next speaker, tell fans you’ll meet with them in the hall or at the reception.
    
    
19. Place yourself by the exit doors at the end of your presentation so you can visit, smile, shake hands, and make eye contact.
    
    
20. Offer to send bonus information via mail or email to audience members. Ask them to specify the requested information on the back of their business cards.
    
    
21. Follow through by promptly sending out requested material.
    
    
22. Request the mailing list or cards of attendees. Send them a reminder note within two weeks of your presentation.
    
    
23. Offer to sign them up for your e-newsletter or an email follow up.
    
    
24. Write an article for the audience’s newsletter.
    

Take advantage of the time before, during, and after your presentation to make a connection with audience members. You’ll boost your message’s effectiveness and longevity. You’ll be remembered. And, if you are interested in selling products, services, or yourself to your audience, you’ll maximize your success.


Karen Susman speaks internationally and coaches individuals and groups on power presentation skills. Her special report, 53 Ways To Involve Your Audience, is available at www.karensusman.com/products/htm for just $7. For a free tip sheet on Eleven Ways To Keep Your Audience Interested, e-mail Karen at karen@karensusman.com.

Published in Networking Today, February, 2004.