Ideas that sell — advice from my mentors
A while back, I was teaching a User Experience course, and a part of the curriculum I received was focused on presenting and “selling” your ideas.
The curriculum was interesting but it felt like it was not enough. I remembered a few pieces of advice from my mentors, their real hands-on experience, something you may not necessarily find in textbooks. I remembered how much that information helped me at different times in my career. I shared it in class, and want to share it here.
“Opportunities to improve,” not issues.
Before I go into details, I want to tell a short story. It was a meeting I’ll never forget, although it happened many years ago, early in my career. We were presenting to a large group, and there were people from my team, our business partners, and managers of different levels. I thought I was well prepared — we ran extensive research and gathered great insights. I talked about various product issues we discovered during testing… surprisingly, the meeting didn’t go well, and the information wasn’t received positively.
One reason was the terminology and phrasing I used. If I did it over, I would rephrase how I talk about “issues.” I would not even talk about “issues” but “opportunities to improve.” And it was one of the first great pieces of advice I received in my career.
When providing feedback or pointing out something that not entirely meets the expectations — put it in the perspective of “opportunities to improve,” not “issues”. It will make a big difference in the way the information is received and on the outcome as well.
Situations that could put you at a disadvantage and impact the outcome of your presentation.
1. When you’re different.
If you ever enter a room where you’re the only kind (either by gender or by age, the color of your skin, cultural background, or professional level — anything), you know it can sometimes be challenging and uncomfortable. That difference might make it harder to present. It is because of the subconscious bias every human being has, and those can play a significant impact — you might be perceived as less competent, credible, or capable, which may influence how people respond to your ideas, designs, or products.
In these situations, two important steps could help:
- Find a supporter or ally in the room. Having somebody supporting you and your ideas can help to overcome biases and create a more positive environment. Most importantly, it will help you feel more confident.
- Highlight your qualifications and relevant experience to build credibility.
2. When you don’t have a chance to know your audience in advance.
When you understand your audience’s interests and backgrounds, you can tailor your presentation to meet their needs and ensure your message resonates with them. But it might not always be possible to learn about people in your audience in advance.
If you realize you don't know anybody in the room:
- Take a deep breath before you start talking.
- Connect. Introduce yourself, make eye contact, ask questions.
- Use humor. There is a great article written by John Zimmer, an international speaker, and trainer — “Using Humour in a Presentation — It’s No Laughing Matter”. In this article, the author talks about how humor helps the audience remember your points and you.
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
- Maya Angelou, American Poet.
3. When the information you present is entirely new to everybody in the room.
Imagine you’re walking into a room ready to present a new idea. You’ve been preparing for this meeting for days and feel confident and ready to present.
I was in a situation like this, but to my surprise, the meeting didn’t go as expected. The idea was good and I was prepared; the demo was done simply and logically. But many participants in the room had their own perspectives and opinions, sometimes opposite from each other. And the discussion went on endlessly without coming to an agreement.
One great suggestion I received after that meeting:
If you know the people who will attend the presentation and who need to agree on an idea or make a decision — try to introduce that idea to each of them time before the meeting. When people are familiar with the content, and you know their opinion, possible questions, and concerns, you can prepare answers in advance and manage the discussion more effectively.
When people are familiar with the content, and you know their opinion, possible questions, and concerns, you can prepare answers in advance and manage the discussion more effectively.
4. If you feel nervous…
It’s a phenomenon, but your audience will immediately pick up and channel your mood (worries, anxiety, lack of confidence). This phenomenon is known as “emotional contagion.” (This phenomenon has been widely studied and is now recognized as an essential aspect of social interaction.)
Also, when people feel nervous, their speech pattern changes; they might speak too fast and not very clearly, giving off that unsure vibe. And your audience will likely feel less engaged and less receptive to your message!
If you feel nervous, the first piece of advice is to breathe. (I took a fun voice coaching course last year and remembered this very simple but very effective exercise. It is called 4×4 breathing; all you need to do is to inhale for four counts, hold for four counts, exhale for four, and hold for four. After you repeat the cycle four times, I guarantee you will feel less nervous (or, at minimum, hyperventilated :)).
5. Most importantly — know when to stop.
I remember how my mentor shared their story and mentioned that almost everybody had a similar experience at some point in their careers: imagine you present to a group of stakeholders, finish your line and hear silence in the room. Feeling unsure, so many of us tend to fill pauses with talking.
In reality, repetitiveness and rambling can undermine your credibility.
The advice is simple: “When you deliver the line, stop and allow time for people to process the information and ask questions.”
When you deliver the line, stop and allow time for people to process the information and ask questions.
If you’ve read to this point, here is one last tip:
Follow up.
Communication and collaboration don’t stop after the meeting. If you received a comment or a question that you were unsure how to answer during the presentation, always follow up.
Following up to resolve unanswered questions or other situations is important in business and life because it shows you’re responsible and that you care. It can also prevent possible misunderstandings and mistakes and improve outcomes for everyone involved.
Thank you so much for reading this article - I wish you great success with any presentation!
