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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!

Research should be the foundation of any business presentation. But what is the best way to go about researching — especially when you’re short on time?

Contrary to popular practice, you don’t have to do all the research before you plan your presentation. In fact, if you’ve been using this method, it could be contributing to why you haven’t seen your family and don’t remember what a weekend at home is like.

Many professionals make this common error: doing ALL the research before they begin to plan their presentation. It’s a faulty process that could be costing you your personal life and ruining your marriage.

Instead of getting lost in endless hours hunting up data, switch the order of your preparation. This may sound odd at first, but give it a try before you write it off as foolish.

Tip 1: Plan Your Story First

What is the story you want to share with your audience? If you have a clear and compelling message, you will be able to insert the research data into your story.

Focus on how you will announce your story, plan the flow, and summarize for impact. The fastest way to do this is working offline with a Presentation Storyboard.

Researching and planning your story without a storyboard is a lot like putting the cart before the horse. You can have the best cart — but you won’t go anywhere without a horse to pull it. Use a storyboard and you’ll go the distance. 

Tip 2: Limit Research Time

Instead of giving yourself unlimited time to scour the Internet or company findings, set a time limit. This encourages smart research habits and focused productivity.

If you have the staff, share this work with multiple researchers. If you don’t have a large staff, consider training an intern. This creates a powerful opportunity for someone to learn how to do important research. Plus, it frees up your time.

Different people will find unique information and provide you with the data you need. By delegating, you can have a better and more complete picture of the research findings.

Tip 3: Confirm Data Last

Much of the data for critical information is constantly changing. If you hunt down your final data weeks in advance, chances are you’ll have to recheck the data at midnight before your final presentation.

This is clearly redundant. Instead of doing all the work again and again, use a placeholder for the data while you plan your story. Then, confirm the final data close to the time when you are delivering your presentation. You’ll have the security of knowing you have the most accurate and up-to-the-moment facts.

By switching the sequence and timing of how you research, you can devote your time to areas of your presentation that will directly influence your effectiveness.

Develop your research habits and presentation skills so you can communicate effectively to your audience. Using proven facts and powerful visual stories, you can reach more customers and grow your business. 

I will soon conclude a 3-year term as president of a 125-year-old private membership organization whose mission is social. I’ve been a member for 15 years and a Board member for 10 years. I’ve found the experience to be tremendously rewarding. I’ve made friends. I’ve further developed and refined my leadership skills.

I’ve been fortunate to preside over a Board that is comprised of top-drawer members who are committed to the organization and who’ve work diligently to develop strategies and plans that will sustain the group over the short- and long-term. I’m proud to say that throughout my presidency, I encouraged Board and Committee members to do their best work and then I got out of the way and let them do it.

To become an organization leader is to become its public face and unifying symbol to the members. Public speaking is part of the job. It is often necessary to offer words of inspiration and encouragement and verbally demonstrate that you as the leader embody the vision, mission and values of the organization. There will be impromptu speaking “opportunities” that arise and surprise! Someone asks you to say a few words.

Likewise, in the professional sector, one will be asked to speak ex tempore about business products and services. These speaking obligations may be unscheduled, but they are not completely unexpected, since one attends certain events with the desire to meet and greet peers and prospects and talk business. Still, how does one successfully make an unrehearsed speech and manage to sound reasonably informed and eloquent?

Finally, there are scheduled speaking opportunities, when one steps up to the podium and formally addresses an audience.Three types of speaking opportunities: how can you stand and deliver?

I. Let’s start with the easiest, the business meet and greet. This is where your elevator speech is delivered. You must decide which version to roll out. Are you being introduced to someone and asked what you do? Then your elevator speech will be conversational and limited to what the business provides, your role or title and the name of the organization. Give a general description of the outcomes or benefits of the service you provide or products you sell. Formulate a sentence that describes the business function and your role, with a focus on benefits and outcomes. Provide more information only if the person seeks more information. Make the encounter a dialogue by asking questions of your own, to determine whether this individual has a need for your products and services, or if you can refer this person to another of your colleagues and create a new relationship as you do.

2. I’ve unexpectedly been invited to address my organization members and I’ve done a good job. How did I do it? Primarily, I was fortunate to have a very good set-up introduction and beforehand, I was smart enough to listen and make note of key phrases on which I could launch a quick little speech. I’ve recognized good tag lines and themes that I could spin into a three-minute talk. The moral of the story is, a leader must anticipate public speaking obligations. Keep your antennae tuned for anecdotes or observations made by members or others that can be used as the basis of a quick talk.

3. Regarding scheduled presentations, I pass along to you my interpretation of a Power Point presentation template developed by Bahar Martonosi of Princeton University. You may find this template useful when auditioning for a prospective client or delivering a report of findings during a consulting assignment:

• Your name and the business name (1 slide)
• Project outline: work that the prospect would like performed (1 slide)
• Rationale: why is the project or problem important to the organization ( 1 – 2 slides)
• History: what has been done before (1- 2 slides)
• Method: your firm’s approach to the project or problem (1 – 3 slides)
• Results: the body of the talk. Present the key results and findings. Do not present all results or findings. (2 – 6 slides)
• Summary: (1 – 2 slides)
• Back-up: prepare slides that answer expected questions (1 – 3 slides)

Keep things simple and focus on a few important points. Repeat the key insights. Know your audience and adjust the presentation as needed. The post-presentation informal Q & A is very important.

Make eye contact, be approachable and it’s OK to smile (but this is business, not social, so know your role). Make your audience want to learn more.

Thanks for reading,

Kim