1: Most of the advice about delivering an excellent presentation focuses on how to present, how to speak in public, or how to overcome being anxious.
“The truth is that none of those things matter very much,” Brant Pinvidic writes in his book The 3-Minute Rule: Say Less to Get More from Any Pitch or Presentation.
“Whether our delivery is confident or nervous, whether or not we use our clients’ names over and over, whether our tie is blue or red, all the audience really wants is the information.”
Brant is a Hollywood producer who has sold more than three hundred TV and movie projects. His advice?
“Abandon all preconceptions about language, tactics, phrasing, or technique,” he writes. “People want to know what it is you are offering, how it works, why it’s good, and how they get it.”
Which is why Brant’s “3-Minute Rule” for presentations is so effective.
“If you get that out quickly and concisely, you’ll have an engaged audience looking for more.”
Say less. Get more.
“‘Confused people don’t buy anything’ is a well-known concept from Robert B. Cialdini‘s 1994 book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion,” he writes.
“When we simplify the process for people, those who might have been confused are not confused any longer, and those who instantly understood it feel confirmed in their assumptions.
2: What is the #1 mistake people make when preparing their presentation?
“Combining information with engagement,” Brant observes. “It is a very easy mistake to make, and it makes pitching and presenting so much harder and less effective than it should be.”
Ever heard a presenter say, “Yes, I’m getting to that in just a minute”?
It’s because they were using engagement information too soon in the process.
Our goal for our 3-minute presentation is to inform first. Then, engage.
“When building the ideal 3-minute pitch or presentation, we need to lead our audience through the information and build the story.
“By simplifying our message in this way, we are really feeding our information in statements and stages that allow our audience to form a core understanding of the value of the proposition.”
We tend to lead by presenting facts, figures, logic, and reason to explain our value proposition.
“But facts, figures, logic, and reason require context to be effective and credible,” Brant observes. “Context requires a foundation of understanding.”
A better plan? Begin by building a solid premise. People must first understand our offering, what we do, and why it exists.
“This must be in the simplest of terms,” he writes. “It must stand alone and allow the audience to fully grasp the concept.”
The next step is to share how what we do relates to the audience’s needs. We must answer the “How will this help me?” question.
“Once they conceptualize and contextualize our offering,” he notes, “they will look for how to make it real: How do I take action? How can I make it happen? How is this going to be executed? Who will deliver it? What does it cost?”
3: This is the framework for Brant’s 3-Minute pitch: Conceptualize-Contextualize-Actualize.
Which maps onto the WHAC questions we explored last week:
CONCEPTUALIZE:
W—What is it?—This is the core of our product, service, or opportunity. What are the most valuable and riveting elements of our proposal so our audience will understand exactly what we are offering or asking?
H—How does it work?—Next, we outline the specifics and details for how we deliver on the opportunity. How it works. Why it’s possible. We explain the unique or compelling statements that define why we believe in our product, business, or service.
CONTEXTUALIZE:
A—Are we sure?—We provide the necessary information so our audience can verify our statements and claims. We share the facts, figures, and logic behind our offering. Now that we’ve explained what it is and how it works, we can now provide the supporting evidence.
ACTUALIZE:
C—Can we do it? Here, we address our ability to deliver, which may include our background, experience, or unique capabilities.
Here are Brant’s suggested amounts of time to spend on each stage:
0:00-1:30–Conceptualize
1:30-2:30–Contextualize
2:30-3:00–Actualize
More tomorrow!
_____________________
Reflection: As a presenter, is it possible to deliver a persuasive pitch in 3-minutes or less? What would have to be true for this to happen?
Action: Discuss with a colleague.
What did you think of this post?
