Finding Your Presentation Voice

Having worked at 100+ agencies and trained or coached thousands of people in presentation skills, I have reached a conclusion that are plenty of different ways to a great presentation and just as many ways to do a poor presentation.  While this may seem counterintuitive, my point is that there is no one way to do it.

The problem is that when well-meaning people try to help others with their presentation skills, the end result is advice that basically says “do it just like me and you will be great.”  This creates many unintended consequences like having a group of people that all look the same or having many presenters that simply look out of sorts, trying to be something that they are not.

Everyone needs to find their own speaking style.  One that allows their natural personality to come through and accentuates their strengths.  For some, this style might be more measured and thoughtful.  That does not give that thoughtful presenter permission to be a sleepy presenter but it does give them permission not to be overly boisterous. 

Other presenters will naturally be more high energy.  They are the jolt of caffeine that interjects new life into the presentation. 

Just think for a moment what it would be like if everyone was the jolt of caffeine.  That would be a very difficult presentation to sit through.  Just like all clients sitting across the table from you are not alike, your pitch team should have similar diversity in their presentation styles.

While I am more than happy to give people a great deal of latitude in finding their presentation voice.  That does not mean that there are not some rules.  No ummmming and ahhhhhing your way through a presentation. No low energy presentations to the point of sleepiness.  No reading from notes.  Put the laser pointer down…you look ridiculous.  I could go on with the list but you get the idea.

Work to find your own voice.  Don’t try to mimic someone else’s voice.  It is fine to learn from watching others present but don’t abandon your own style in an effort to present like someone else.  Even if they are your boss;-)

Mark Schnurman

President -- www.filamentinc.com

The power of non-verbal communication

I am not one to place tremendous importance on non-verbal communication and body language but it is undeniable that it has an impact on a presentation. Since the difference between winning a pitch and losing a pitch is a collection of small differences between agencies, we can't ignore subtleties like body language.

The following article in forbes.com does a nice job discussing body language. 

Forbes article on body language

Ejnjoy...
Mark Schnurman
Co-founder
www.filamentinc.com

Loctite wins the Superbowl!!!

The general consensus seems to be that Fallon's Loctite Glue won the Superbowl. 
 See Loctite Glue spot.

The spot was funny and creative but as I walked through Home Depot the other day, I saw the Loctite Super Glue display.  $3.48 for a little bottle.  Assuming that Home Depot makes a $1.00 or so in mark up, that means Loctite needs to sell two-million or so bottles just to pay for the media (fuzzy math, not real math).

For a product that you only use occasionally, that seems like a tall order to me.  It is not the low price point but the infrequency of the purchase/need that makes it look like a curious choice for the Superbowl. 

I have read that Loctite spent what amounts to their entire marketing budget on the spot.  Time will tell if it was a wise investment.

Thoughts?

Mark Schnurman
Filament Inc.

David Droga thoughts on work ethic and creativity

I found a nice podcast by David Droga on work ethic and creativity.  It is interesting to hear his point of view on what he needed, and still needs, to do to be successful. 

My favorite quote from the podcast..."I wish creatives cared more about the ramifications of their work not just care about the creativity of it."  Very powerful.

Enjoy... http://drt.fm/david-droga/

Regards,
Mark Schnurman
Filament Inc.

Jon Steel, head of planning at WPP, give a great talk on communication, creativing and pitching new biz.

I have read The Perfect Pitch, by Jon Steel, and thought it was a great book on the new business process at ad agencies.  I just found a podcast by Jon covering a number of different issues from communication, creativity, how being "connected" 24 hours a day stifles problem solving and new business.  Clearly a very smart guy with some terrific insights.

Listen to Jon at  http://drt.fm/jon-steel/


Enjoy...
Mark Schnurman
filamentinc.com 

The Spark - Inspiring Better Presentations

While this blog is dedicated to winning new business part of the new business process is the presnetation.  Filament has launched a new blog (The Spark) dedicated to inspiring better presentations which looks  both withing advertising and beyond advertising to share lessons and thoughts on what makes for a great, compelling presentation.

Check out The Spark.

The following is a great blog post from The Hodges Partnership, a PR firm in Richmond VA.  I thought it offered great insight into life at an agency.

Eight things I’ve learned after one year at a PR agency

May 20, 2014 | by Kelsey Leavey

After turning my internship at Hodges into my first real job, no one has been able to scare me away, yet. During my first year working in an agency I’ve had a variety of experiences – writing pitches, helping to plan the office holiday party, creating social content for clients and keeping the supply of caffeine and sugar at an all-time high. Here are the eight lessons I’ve learned during my first year in PR:

1. Time management is important. Working at an agency means you’ll have quite a few balls in the air at one time, and it’s your job to ensure that none of them hit the ground. Turning in something late no longer means getting a bad grade, it means an angry client. Always ask for clear deadlines and break your habit of procrastination early.
2. Don’t be afraid to speak up. Your ideas are valid. At THP we do agency brainstorms twice a month and everyone is expected to contribute. Whether you’ve been in your job for five weeks or for five years, provide thoughtful input. Don’t blurt out all 50 ideas you have but don’t be afraid to share the ones you feel strongly about.
3. Ask for feedback. Create an environment where people feel comfortable sharing constructive criticism with you. Did you write your first pitch? Ask for honest edits and advice from a coworker. Asking for feedback now will help you to avoid developing bad habits that will be hard to fix later in your career.
4. Social Media will continue to change. In the past year Facebook redesigned its timeline and newsfeed, Twitter drastically changed the layout of its profiles and LinkedIn launched Sponsored Updates, changing the game for companies using the platform. Stay knowledgeable on these constant changes and be flexible to changing your social strategies.
5. Writing takes practice. There are major differences in writing the 15 page research papers you wrote in college and PR writing. Pitches and press releases should be short and concise, while also eye catching and interesting. Blog and social content should fit the client’s voice and tone. And if you’re writing for a B2B client, learning how to be a great technical writer will be important. Raise your hand for writing projects when they come up; it’s the only way to gain valuable experience.
6. Do your research on reporters. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about media relations during this past year, it is to spend valuable time researching who you’re pitching and know what they are interested in. Doing this won’t guarantee a story, but it increases the likelihood that they will acknowledge your pitch or keep your information for when they have a story that is a fit for your client.
7. Don’t be the last one to arrive and the first one to leave. There’s no such thing as homework in the real world, but there are times where there just isn’t enough time in your work day to get everything done. That means coming in early or staying late. Trust me, your coworkers and bosses will notice if you’re always the last one to arrive in the morning and the first one to leave.
8. Don’t be discouraged. There will be days where you send out the perfect pitch to a reporter that should jump at the opportunity to cover your client, and you’ll hear crickets. And there will be days where things just can’t seem to go right. Don’t let the bad days discourage you from working hard and doing your best work.

But hands down, the most important thing I’ve learned at Hodges is that the number of days without donuts WILL determine office happiness (read: that number needs to be low). If you’re in your first year in PR, share what you’ve learned in the comments below.

-- Great job by Kelsey at www.hodgespart.com sharing her thoughts on the industry.
-- Mark Schnurman
-- President www.filamentinc.com