Using Fire Pits in Business Presentations

Adding fire pits to your business presentations is fun and unique way to engage your audience and keep their undivided attention. Everyone who has any public speaking experience knows how difficult it can be to break through to you audience and get them to lower their guard enough to deliver your message effectively. Although there are a number of key factors that you are in control of such as body language and eye contact that you can use to keep your audience engaged, there are also some other things that you can use to your advantage. Fire pits provide an interesting way to capture your audience’s attention and imagination during a business presentation.

In recent years, medical experts have discovered that the physical setting that a person is immersed in has a huge impact on their ability to learn and retain information. This is because the cognitive processes that drive memory and attention are directly influenced by the parts of the visual cortex that are dedicated to what is known as contextual process. Contextual processing is how the mind processes the physical setting that a person is in, and it is hardwired to focus on certain types of objects, such as faces and the fire in fire pits. The mind perceives fire in a unique way that relaxes the body while peeking a person’s interest in what is going on around him or her.

In fact, people have been giving presentations of one sort in front of fire pits for thousands of years. From Native Americans and other indigenous groups to stories told around a campfire, there is something about a fire in a pit that makes an audience settle down and take whatever a speaker has to say very seriously. As a result, people have been using fire pits to impart important cultural traditions or discuss defense strategies for thousands of years.

Everyone has been in a position where he or she has had to sit through endless business presentations that were given by boring speakers who were clearly just phoning it in. You owe it to your audience to give them a business presentation worth listening to, and using fire pits in your presentation is a great way to show your audience that you take yourself seriously. While it may take your audience a minute to get used to the idea, you will find that they will be taking about your presentation and the fire pits for long after your performance.

Know the Basics of Nutrition and Calories Present in Fast Foods

Fast food is one of the most common food choices for an average busy individual. This will hardly come as a shock to anyone, that fast food calories are perhaps the biggest health offenders. It is easy to blame fast food for many of our miseries as most of them are high in calories, fat, carbs and sodium. There was a consumer survey recently which showed that most people considerably miscalculated the fast food calories, especially in restaurant foods.

When nutrition information is available it has an influence on the consumer’s food choices. After going through the nutrition facts of fast food you may be able to order foods which do not have too many calories. The problem of fast food calories has gained a lot of importance nowadays. The era of fast food has distorted our tastes resulting in poor health and weight gain. There are an ever increasing number of overweight individuals and thousands of people are suffering from other conditions like diabetes, cancer and heart problems. People have a longer life span today but they aren’t necessarily living healthier.

Nutrition is a multifaceted and fast developing science which deals with the different aspects of food and its composition. In fact nutrition plays a very important part in every family’s health. It guides us in the food we consume as well as supplements for health, development growth and energy. It is true that fast food calories are harmful but that does not mean depriving yourself of the foods you love. You can eat all you like if the calories consumed balances the calories eaten. The question is how does one know the nutrition and calories present in the foods we eat.

There are several devices which help in calculating the amount of calorie and nutrition present in the food and drinks we consume. CalorieSmart Mini is a handy nutrition calculator which will allow you to know the nutritional value of the food you plan to eat immediately. It helps make better choices and you may even be able to have some of your favorite fast food calories! CalorieSmart Mini is a tiny nutrition calculator aiding you to achieve your health by knowing the nutrition details.

It is also ideal for monitoring diabetes as well as weight loss. It is possible to get calorie details anytime, anywhere and you won’t have to guess the facts with CalorieSmart Mini. There are nutrition details of more than 50,000 foods. You can personalize it by adding up to 500 of your favorite food items. It has an LCD screen for viewing convenience. The best part it, it is easy to carry and can fit in your purse or pocket.

Healthy eating is all about feeling good, having more energy, and staying healthy. You can achieve all this by getting to know the basics of nutrition and integrating it in your diet. Select the foods which better your health and stay away from empty fast food calories. Take the help of nutrition calculators to create a satisfying and healthy diet.

Monica Kosann is an expert author on health and fitness related topics and currently working for Coheso, Inc. Coheso makes handheld devices and diaries for diabetes management and weight loss. Track3 is a small customizable handheld carb and calorie counter that helps individuals self-manage their diabetes. CalorieSmart is a handheld calorie counter that helps people tailor their weight loss plan.

Powerful Presentations

Powerful Presentations are not reserved for just listing and buyer appointments. Presentation skills should be utilized in any conversation you are having with consumers.

Today’s consumer has a new sophistication level and expects their real estate professional to be as forward thinking and savvy as they think they are. Presentations to the consumer must be powerful and straightforward without misrepresentations and your message clearly communicated. The consumer of today wants convenience combined with a new level of service for less, in addition to a number of other components that drive the bid to win customer care.

If you feel you are losing potential listings or buyers, then it’s time to make some alterations to your approach. Since we only get one chance to make a first impression, it’s important to avoid blowing it. Many agents deliver a communication style they feel is effective when it actually isn’t. Some agents feel they are showcasing an enhanced level of professionalism that should give the potential client confidence to work with them only to discover someone else has just listed their house. If this sounds familiar, then it’s probably time to work on your ability to actively listen and effectively communicate.

Meeting the needs of the consumer by providing the information they think they desire to understand the home buying and selling process can be tricky. Many consumers are not really sure what they want. So, when making your presentation, it becomes a platform for highlighting your value in a way the consumer is interested in building a relationship with you. Many potential clients want to know you care and showcasing your concern by sharing the information they really need to know is the best way to get there.

The consumer can typically see a phony baloney from a mile away. One of the best ways to build confidence is by being yourself and providing them with the facts of what lies ahead. Don’t hold back… tell them the truth and help them sort through it. If they want to list their house at an unreasonable price, discuss strategies to minimize the risk of hurting their marketability and ultimately themselves. Suggest they secure an appraisal so they get an expert opinion. Telling them the truth while leaving room open for alternate opinions is a great way for you to lead them while they maintain the control they need.

Let’s go through 8 key business boosting elements in preparing for a memorable presentation:

1. Have a Story and a Mission Statement. Letting others know why you do what you do as well as the Stories to illustrate your experiences in business and life brings your prospective client closer to you more quickly. It’s all about building that strong lifelong relationship. If you need help with ideas for your Story line, visit ted.com or Craig Worthmann’s video on “What’s Your Story”. Get them wired to listen to stories. Be contagious!

2. The Simile. Clear communication comes from a variety of skills. One of those skills in better understanding between you and your prospective client by using Simile’s. This helps others see what you are saying more clearly. For example… Q: How did you like the painting contractor selected to get your house ready for sale? A: He was like the Leonardo Da Vinci of Painters for his gifted quality and style. Similes help people understand what you do when using the words “like” or “as”.

3. Layout. People respond to color. When you make your decision on a PowerPoint or Google Slides or whatever means you select, be sure to use researched color. My favorite is always blue because research has shown it tends to be a good trust color. Some agents opt for an outline or checklist. Whatever keeps you on track and keeps the consumer engaged is great. You just want to make sure it’s your style and not someone else’s.

4. Questions. Asking questions and listening to the responses is a fabulous way to build that rapport. Too many agents are preparing their comeback instead of actively listening. Start asking questions from the time the interview is booked. You will learn a lot about how to craft your presentation so it is a home run.

5. Motivation. Find out what is motivating them to buy or sell. Do they really want to move, are they being forced because of their job, and specifically where their emotional state is on the topic. This knowledge will help you achieve better results through better understanding and handling of their emotions while securing their trust and confidence. You don’t want to walk in for a listing appointment with a happy face thinking about that big commission assuming they are happy when they are miserable about moving the kids again.

6. Active Listening. Understanding how the consumer thinks is a key ingredient to a successful presentation. You can find out how to communicate with your client just by listening to them. People want to be heard and most salespeople are on send rather than receive.

7. Less is more. One of the biggest issues with presentations is the overkill. Trying to cover too much ground or include things like graphs and technology that the consumer has no understanding or real interest in can be a deal killer. Plan your presentation by framing it properly and focus on your delivery.

8. In their shoes. In order to connect with different types of clients, real estate agents need to understand the different generations of people today to remain relevant. From Gen X to Millennials to Baby Boomers, you have to know who they are so adjustments can be made in your approach. The younger client uses tech devices to communicate. Many only want to receive texts or emails. In order to remain current and compliant, we need to learn new methods to understand how to work with everyone.

Get out there and practice your Powerful Presentations!