Did you attend the Breakthrough Ideas in Training webinar that Patricia Fripp gave for Tortal Training this summer? If not, don’t worry. The tips that she gave in the webinar for giving powerful presentations were so terrific that we’re reporting some of them in today’s blog post. Better yet, you can click here to download and own the complete webinar series.

Patricia’s First Tip: “Be Your Own Warm-Up Act”

Stand at the door of the room, greet people and shake their hands as they arrive. When the room is nearly full, go to the front of the room, take the microphone and circulate while you chat with people. All the while, you’ll be warming up your body and voice. You’ll also be extending yourself to your audience, making people more receptive – and making yourself a lot more approachable.

Second Tip: “If Possible, Have Someone Else Introduce You”

Another person can say more compelling things about you than you can say about yourself. If there is no one available, say, “I usually like to have someone else introduce me . . . ” Then introduce yourself as though you were another person. Use humor and invite the audience to applaud afterwards. Then when you switch back to being yourself and start your presentation, move to a different location and start fresh with a different attitude. Another option is to show a video of someone introducing you.

Third Tip: “Come Out Punching”

Patricia states that the first 30 seconds and the last 30 seconds of any presentation have the most impact. “Most audience members are thinking, `so what, who cares, what’s in it for me?’” she explains, “So you need to connect at once, grab their attention.” That takes energy and a clear message.

Fourth Tip: “Use `You-Focused’ Language”

Using “you-focused” language (“You will learn . . . you will hear . . . you will experience . . .”) wins attention faster than using “I-focused” language (“I am going to tell you . . . I am going to show you . . .”).

Fifth Tip: “Use Dialogue to Explain Concepts”

Patricia states, “All trainers can improve the quality of their presentations if they deliver dialogue . . . it drives your speech forward.”

Instead of saying, for example, “Paul was only getting 15% of his salespeople to take his training,” you can deliver that information in a dialogue that goes something like this . . .

Paul met he at the elevator when I arrived at his company that day. He was looking glum, and he said, “I’m worried.”

“Why?” I said, “What’s the problem?”

“Our salespeople are not taking advantage of our training.”

“Aren’t any of them taking it?” I asked.

“Well, actually some are,” Paul said, “but only 15%!”

“What?” I said, “What’s going on?”

Sixth Tip: “Understand and Focus on the People in Your Audience”

Take time to understand and talk about the specific issues that are on their minds. What problems are they worried about or trying to improve? “Focus on what is on your audience’s mind, not what is on your mind,” Patricia explains.

She is right. Trainees aren’t interested in learning about you. They want to know what you can do for them.

And One More Tip . . .

Patricia recommends having someone transcribe the recording of a presentation that you have given so you can read it. Then study it from start to finish, looking for areas where you can improve in the future. Did you engage in unnecessary asides, repeat material, or lose focus? Investing time analyzing your past sessions is an excellent way to improve your future presenting and training.

About Patricia Fripp . . .

Patricia Fripp is a Hall of Fame keynote speaker, author, presentation skills authority, sales training expert, and in-demand executive speech coach. Meetings and Conventions Magazine calls her “One of the 10 most electrifying speakers in North America.” She is President of Fripp Virtual Training and the creator of frippvt.com training.