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He frankly admits he did terribly when it came presenting pitches because he had no idea what he was doing. He was glib, did little or no research on his audience, winged it and expected to storm in, dazzle, and storm out. It was a frantic, and exhausting, win some, lose some strategy.
After l0 years, Neil's business was bought by advertising giant Clemenger. He then joined Holt Public Relations. Holt packed him off to New York to do an advanced management course. One section of this course was run by Rogen Presentation Skills. In the space of just three hours the lights went on and Neil realised that there was a science and a system to presenting, using real tools to connect with and impress your audience.
On his return to Australia Neil continued to study and apply the techniques he had learnt on that course. He would win pitch after pitch after pitch and doubled the company’s size in two years.
Peter Rogen, the founder of Rogen Presentation Skills, came out to Australia and over breakfast told Neil he was looking for an Australian business licensee. Neil presented to Rogen three days later and after a three week wait for the result, he was appointed to the position.
Peter Rogen was a master communicator but lacked the business skills to take the company further forward. So they merged. With Peter’s presenting expertise and Neil’s business acumen, Rogen International expanded it’s presentation and leadership programs to nine countries with 14 offices and 160 consultants, with a turnover now at $50 million.
Among their credentials is the successful Sydney 2000 Olympic Bid.
Neil shares with us how to seal the deal with emotion stirring presentations.
Whilst facts and figures are important, being able to tune into the client's vision and needs will make your presentation stand out the most.
This is the fundamental attribute that makes the difference to Neil Flett’s training organisation, Rogen International.
Amongst his valuable business and presentation insights are the following:
1. Train someone with a clear advantage. Look for a person in your company who is a natural speaker and naturally persuasive. Train that person.
2. Match your presenter to your audience. A young dynamic audience will respond best to a young dynamic presenter.
3. Research, research, research. Find out about the company, your audience, the vision, their needs, anything that may enable you to hook into their needs with your pitch.
4. Good delivery skills in themselves are not enough. Have a structured presentation with a beginning, middle and an end. Know what you want the outcome of the presentation to be.
5. Use evidence to back up your presentation and give it credibility. Here are some examples:
- Strong visual aids
- Demonstrations
- Statistics
- Irrefutable facts
- Case studies
- Analogies
- Expert testimonials
- Hypothetical examples
6. The difference between a good sales person and a brilliant sales person is a genuine caring about the needs and desires of the client. The best sales people succeed because they manage to convince the client day after day that they are there for them.
7. The cost of not being a good presenter, with the ability to impart confidence, can be dramatic. It can affect share prices and your company's attractiveness to venture capital. Conversely, a good presenter can inspire great confidence and lift the whole image and value of a company.
8. Know when to step to one side and let the bright ones through. Succession planning doesn’t have to be traumatic. Rogen International now has a group of partners running its global offices.
Source: Neil Flett interviewed by Paul Buckingham for the Small Business Mentor Club
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