THE POWER OF SHARING THE POSITIVE

As an MC and speaker, I rely on PCOs kindly recommending me to their clients to get work. Unfortunately, it is rare for it to work the other way around, as the PCO is always appointed to an event before someone like me is brought non board.

As a result, I do feel guilty that I don’t get to be as helpful to others in the industry as they are to me.

However, a couple of weeks ago, I was absolutely thrilled to have potentially played a role in providing work for someone who has been a generous provider of work to me.

I would like to share briefly how it happened … because one of the lessons I think that can be learned from it is that sharing positive news has the potential for wonderful (and sometimes surprising) flow-on effects.

So I wouldn’t be heeding my own lesson if I didn’t share this with you. So … here goes:

GRIN & TONIC REELS 2023: Jul - Dec

When the world turned negative last year, I made a decision to consciously try and promote positive things to the industry. To be a source of a smile now-and-then.

Hence my weekly Grin & Tonic reels (click on the link to the right to gain access to the entire collection) ……

MC'ING IN THE AGE OF SELF-ISOLATION

… the short film I made with my kids about being an MC During Isolation (there’s a link to the right, if you’d like to see that)

… and my Positive Post e-newsletter.

With that in mind, a few weeks’ ago I gave a Shout-Out on LinkedIn to Ruth Hirst and the sensational staff at Synergy Effect, who run a mind-blowingly awesome virtual conference platform called e:volve (to see some of the amazing sets and capabilities, check out the highlights Synergy put together of an event I MC’d for them which used it by clicking here: https://youtu.be/FIkP_RBUmpE ).

I knew about e:volve because Ruth had asked me to MC some of the demonstration reels they were making (and I’m always happy to help PCOs out gratis for projects like that).

Anyway, my Shout-Out was seen by another wonderful PCO, who made contact with Ruth and there is now a strong possibility that they will be collaborating on a future project, using the e:volve system.

It was a wonderfully refreshing feeling to be facilitating a business opportunity for someone else, rather than being the one receiving the benefits.

So, what’s my point?

As I mentioned earlier, the side-effects of speaking positively about people in your network are unknown. They could be anything from inconsequential to quite significant. You NEVER know in advance.

But, if you are NOT spreading good vibes about others, you DEFINITELY know that there are no potential benefits.

So, let’s get to work helping each other get to work. Tell your network about the great services you’ve encountered within your network.

I can tell you from personal experience, it will not only make the people you’re talking about feel good … but you get a quality buzz from playing a role in other people’s successes.

Darren Isenberg is one of Australia’s most booked and re-booked Corporate MC’s and Presenters. He also speaks to groups on how to improve their Positive Influence and the Presentation Skills.

You can learn more about him by heading to www.dipresents.com.au or by asking his kids.

HOW TO BEGIN YOUR NEXT ONLINE PRESENTATION

The first two to three minutes of ANY presentation are crucial, but at a virtual event they are even more critical.

This is because, at a live conference you may have some or all of the following advantages:

a)       Your audience is in an unfamiliar (and therefore more mentally-stimulating) environment

b)      Sitting in a conference room makes people mentally prepared to listen and learn

c)       Conference audiences view speakers with a great deal of patience and sympathy, as they know (in the main) they would not want to swap places

d)      The ten seconds before you begin your presentation the room fills with applause, laughter and maybe even music, creating a mood in which people are more predisposed to enjoying themselves

In a virtual conference, unless they are using a skilled Master of Ceremonies, it is unlikely that anything close to that sort of atmosphere can be created.

If anything, when people see your face on the screen, they don’t have the same level of sympathy that they do for someone climbing a stage and heading to a lectern.

For all intents and purposes, your audience is in TV-Watching Mode … a situation in which they are used to being entertained and engaged … and have breaks every ten or so minutes.

So their default setting is to have rather high expectations.

So, to ensure a virtual audience wants to listen to you, you need to ensure you’ve given them evidence of these two things in your opening minutes:

i) YOU KNOW SOMETHING THEY WILL WANT TO KNOW

ii) YOU WILL BE SOMEWHAT INTERESTING TO LISTEN TO

So, let’s look at how we can accomplish each of these goals.

i) YOU KNOW SOMETHING THEY WILL WANT TO KNOW

I know your presentation title may give an indication of what you will be covering.

The bio you sent through for the on-line conference brochure might also mention your topic.

There might even be an MC who sets the scene for your presentation with a bundle of skilfully sculpted sentences.

All of those are nice, but the one thing they lack is, they are not being delivered to the audience BY you.

There is little that is more compelling than hearing a speaker say:

“By the end of my time with you, you will know the answer to How To Use LinkedIn as a Sales Tool”, or

“In 40 minutes’ time, you will know FIVE REALLY HELPFUL NEW PIECES OF INFORMATION about Compliance”.

So make it clear at the start in what ways the audience will be better off from having listened to you.

For example, if you are a CEO delivering the annual results to your management team, don’t just say, “This information is important for you to know to keep you in the picture”.

Instead say, “By the end of my update you will each have the information you need to make the greatest contribution possible to the future of our organisation. I’m really looking forward to sharing this with you.”

This really connects your presentation to a desired outcome in your audience’s mind. That helps make you compelling, no matter what your topic.

ii) YOU WILL BE SOMEWHAT INTERESTING TO LISTEN TO

This does NOT mean you need to “put on a show” or be an exuberant TV-style talk-show host. You need, more than anything, to be you.

But you need to show your audience that, REGARDLESS OF YOUR TOPIC, you will be interesting to listen to. This could involve any or all of the following tactics:

• Starting with a ‘DIS’

• Starting With Humour

• Starting with Audience Interaction:

a) Starting with a ‘DIS’

This is using a thought-provoking question or a confronting comment that leads to your audience feeling one or more of the following:

• DISagreement

• DISbelief

• DISpute

• DISapproval

• DISmay

• DISturbed

• DIStressed, or

• DISarmed

If you can achieve that, then they’re not going to be thinking, “I’ve heard all this before”.

For example, what do you think would happen if you began a presentation to a group of financial advisors with the words: “I don’t like money”?

If you pause for a moment (to allow people to digest a very unexpected collection of words) I guarantee EVERYONE is going to want to know what you say next.

Isn’t that how you want your audience to be feeling?

By the way, have you thought of what you might say next? Here’s some tips (which may help you work out the right words to say no matter what your topic is):

It could be something as simple as:

“Don’t get me wrong. I like HAVING money. I just don’t LIKE money, itself”

“I like OTHER people’s money”

Or

“Money, that is, that is lazy and NOT working hard for its owner”

You could even go on and point out how money is difficult and stressful to deal with … how it makes some people behave irrationally (and so on) … before, right at the end saying, “These are the reasons that I don’t like money. I LOOOVE it!”

b) Starting with Humour

Laughter is the fastest way to connect with someone, and to make them interested in what you’re going to say next. It is also the most effective way to grab attention.

But some people are hesitant to use humour because they don’t think they’re funny. Or they’re worried that it could backfire. Or they don’t think it is appropriate with certain audiences.

Let me address each of those concerns briefly:

1. SOME PEOPLE ARE HESITANT TO USE HUMOUR BECAUSE THEY DON’T THINK THEY’RE FUNNY

These are the people for whom humour works the best. It is the serious person who unexpectedly says something even mildly funny that gets the biggest laugh.

2. SOME PEOPLE ARE WORRIED THAT HUMOUR COULD BACKFIRE

Yes, humour has risks. So does business. So does leaving the front door of your home. The key is to minimise the risk.

So, if you’re not good at telling jokes, here’s a tip. Don’t.

But EVEN IF you have a reputation for being surly, grumpy, difficult or serious … in fact, ESPECIALLY if you have that reputation … you can still use humour in a gentle and highly-effective way. Here’s an example:

“To be honest, I was REALLY struggling to figure out how to begin my presentation to you today. So, I went for a walk through the local park to clear my mind, as you do, and I was watching a couple of kids playing with a frisbee … and then it hit me.

So, after yelling at them I realised I should start by telling a completely made up story”.

And if you REALLY want to impress the audience, add this:

“[Holding a frisbee up] And I kept their stupid frisbee”

3. SOME PEOPLE THINK HUMOUR ISN’T APPROPRIATE WITH CERTAIN AUDIENCES.

Unfortunately, they’re right. However, they’re much LESS right than they think they are. Most of the instances in which humour fails, it is not the audience that isn’t appropriate. It’s the humour.

If you name any event or audience that you think humour would not work for, I could promise you in almost every case that it would.

So, for groups that are stereotypically conservative (like accountants)? They LOVE gentle humour. They’re SO not expecting it (and they really enjoy being treated like people with emotions for a change!).

For conferences in industries that deal with serious issues (like the funeral industry, work safety)? The content of their presentations is SO heavy and SO serious that a little SUITABLE humour is a welcome relief.

It becomes a much-appreciated injection of warmth and colour. A breath of fresh air.

Sometimes, what matters isn’t so much whether you get a laugh or not. It’s that the audience is now expecting unexpected things … which really keeps them listening.

So, there’s no need to be a stand-up comedian. But a little wit or word play can go a long way to KEEPING PEOPLE LISTENING.

c) Starting with Audience Interaction:

The third possible way of engaging your audience at the start of your presentation is to do something that gets them involved.

It may be to get them to stand. Or to face away from the screen. Or select an item from their desk that best represents their mood at the moment. Or to draw a picture that represents the topic you’ll be discussing.

Or you may ask a question that requires a hands up response. Or a thumbs up/down response. Or a written response on the chat function.

It could be a question about the topic. About a current event. Or absolute trivia. Or it could be canvassing their opinion about something.

There are SO many simple ways of making people feel from the get-go that they are part of the presentation.

The advantage of using this strategy is that it makes people feel that they may be called upon at any time to get involved. As a result, they pay more attention.

By the way, if you’re talking to a small audience (one in which you can see everyone on your screen at the one time) check in with people every now and then (by asking individuals questions). That is the ULTIMATE way of keeping your audience on their toes.

SO, THE CONCLUSION ABOUT YOUR BEGINNING

Early engagement of your virtual audience makes a HUGE difference to how effective you can be as an online presenter. This is primarily because of the enormous difference between the dynamics of being in the same room as your audience (as at a live conference) and everyone being scattered around (as in an online event), often surrounded by many tempting distractions.

If you make sure you apply at least one of the above recommended strategies in the very early stages of your next presentation you will have:

- Formed a connection with your audience

- Created a compelling reason for them to stay attentive

Do something that connects with the emotions of your audience (whether it is laughter, anger, dissent, amazement, curiosity … it doesn’t matter which one).

Because, If your presentation doesn’t affect any of their emotions, it will struggle to affect any part of them at all.

DARREN ISENBERG IS ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S BEST-LOVED MC'S AND A SPEAKER ON POSITIVE INFLUENCE. CHECK OUT HIS WEBSITE AT www.dipresents.com.au

THE 30 CONFERENCE STATISTICS YOU 100% NEED TO KNOW

I love statistics.

Which is a surprise because, at school, my statistics teacher told me I was average which, when you think about it, was mean.

Thank you. A little maths joke, there.

Also, as far as my work is concerned, I’m a words kind of guy but whilst it IS true that 43.7% of all statistics are simply made up on the spot, they also can illuminate … and illustrate … and instigate intriguing conversations.

So I present below a series of conference and event related statistics which I hope will illuminate, illustrate and instigate intriguing conversations.

Despite the fact that they fall within the 43.7%.

Enjoy. There’s a 94.3% chance that you will.

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0

The percentage chance delegates are listening to what a speaker is saying when they put up a PowerPoint slide with eight new bullet-points on it.

Also, the percentage chance delegates are listening to what a speaker is saying when they put up a PowerPoint slide with long paragraphs of content on them.

Also, the percentage chance delegates are listening to what a speaker is saying when they put up a PowerPoint slide with a very large and detailed table, graph or flow-chart saying, “You probably can’t read this up the back”.

Also, the percentage chance delegates are listening to what a speaker is saying when they put up a PowerPoint slide and read its contents word-for-word.

Also, the percentage chance  … You get my drift? PowerPoint is a fabulous presentation tool … but when it is misused it can be an almost total distraction.

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0.001

The percentage chance at a networking function that the NEXT glass of wine will be the one that makes you charming enough to make some fantastic new business contacts.

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1

The number of people at a conference that are delighted when they see all the PowerPoint slides have used the same template.

That one person would be either the Brand Manager or the Marketing Manager. Everyone else will simply be frustrated at how boringly similar all the slides are looking.

Seriously, if your brand is SO unmemorable that you feel you need to remind an audience what it is on EVERY single slide, then it’s not a template you are needing.

If you truly want people to learn at your conference you’ll certainly understand the value of visual variety on the big screen.

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2

The average number of presentations at a conference in which the presenter will refer to the Charles Darwin quote: “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change”.

Yes, there is a certain irony in people using the same 160-year-old quote to illustrate how important change is to surviving.

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3

The number of people on any conference committee of six or more people who are either superfluous or slowing your decision-making down. Identify these people and remove them.

ALSO, the number of conference delegates still posting photos on the Conference App’s Social Feed on Day Three of any conference.

ALSO, the seemingly industry-standard number of cocktail tables per 100 conference delegates in an Exhibition Hall or Ballroom Lobby  that are available to eat at AND place dirty plates on during a conference lunch.

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4

The maximum number of people you should have on a panel session at a conference.

Related Statistics:

10 – minimum minutes per panelist you should have for a panel. This doesn’t mean each panelist should speak for 10 minutes [see below for why not]. It simply means, if you have three people on a panel, have it run for at least 30 minutes to allow enough input from each person.

0 – the maximum number of minutes a panelist should be allowed to give a presentation in. The beauty and benefit of a panel is that it gives delegates a break from listening to presentations. Asking panelists to present for even five or ten minutes each turns a panel into a series of presentations … which was the very thing the panel was trying to avoid.

Yes ... one of my biggest conference bugbears is the rampant misuse of the word 'panel'!

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5

The number of people, usually lonely middle-aged to older gentlemen, who suss out where in the pre-dinner drinks area the finger-food trays are entering from and plant themselves there.

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6

The average number of hours per day a conference delegate is inside a conference room listening to someone speak. Importantly, this is more than the average number of hours per day a conference delegate spends at a conference meal.

So why does it seem way more time, effort and resources are devoted to ensuring the high quality of what is being served at meals?

Things like the presentation skills of your speakers, the professionalism of your MC, the technical prowess of your AV team … these all determine the quality of what is being served INSIDE the conference room … and they should be at least as important to your event as the choice of menu, wine and banquet room decorations.

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7

The percentage of amazing things shown in a “Next Year’s Conference Destination” video that the delegates will get to see when they attend the actual conference the next year.

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8

The percentage of time in a conference buffet line you will arrive at the bain-marie to find just two satay sticks in it (which happens to be exactly the number you were wanting to eat) ... and now you have to quickly decide whether you take both and satisfy yourself, or just one, enabling the person behind to have one as well ... and then you realise that if you do that, the person behind won't be aware that you really wanted two and therefore won't appreciate how nice an act you were performing ... and, hey! ... who are they to jump to such conclusions about how selfless or not you have been??!! ... Damn them! ... Why don't you just have the last two and Mr Quick-To-Judge behind you can just make do with none! Hah! There. You now have your two satay sticks and are off to find a place to sit ... but let's take one last, smug look back at Mr No Satay Sticks as you go and ... Wait! Wha?? ... Is that a whole NEW tray of fresh satay sticks that has just arrived??? Damn! Cos you'd REALLY wanted three.

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9

The percentage of time a sponsor video, shown as part of a sponsor’s presentation or as a “Welcome Back To The Conference Room” video, helps enhance a sponsor’s message.

Just in case this point is unclear, that is a VERY poor return on time. Discourage sponsors from showing their promo videos. They usually make their sponsor spot run over time, they repeat things the sponsor already said and no-one watches them anyway.

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10

The average number of centimetres MORE THAN is ideal that a conference presenter stands away from a lectern microphone. Curiously, this number INCREASES as the number of decibels the speaker emits DECREASES.

It can also work in reverse, where the closer to the microphone the speaker's mouth is, the more they tend to shout.

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11

Maximum number of words that should be allowed in any conference presentation title. Any more than that and it can be argued that reading the title IS a conference presentation.

The same word-limit should apply to Speaker’s Job Titles. And it should always be remembered that, the more words in your job title, the less chance you understand what it is you do.

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12

The percentage of speakers at conferences who, when stepping up to a lectern with two microphones attached to it, peels one to the side for them to talk directly into.

Related Statistic:

100 – the percentage of AV staff who grimace when that happens.

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14

The percentage chance at least one Acceptance Speech at an awards night forgets to mention someone really, really important.

This number increases by 5% for each hour later in the program you get.

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16

The percentage of any given conference break that a delegate spends in queues.

This percentage zooms to 74% if they are queuing for a barista-made coffee.

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22

The percentage of time a video piece fails to play (or plays without sound) at a critical time in a conference program.

Curiously, this increases to 43% if a rehearsal was held minutes earlier where everything worked well.

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25

The percentage of Name Tags hung on lanyards with a single clasp that will be hanging blank-face forward at any one time.

Related statistic:

83 - The percentage of times this will happen when you are talking to someone whose name you know you know but can’t remember at that moment.

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27

The percentage of conference delegates that ask for special dietary requirements who actually medically need special dietary requirements.

The rest of you, come on, be honest. Ten years’ ago you thought ‘Gluten’ was the name of the President of Russia.

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28

The percentage chance of something spilling on your top during the Morning Tea, Afternoon Tea or Lunch break.

This increases to 63% if you are speaking directly after the break.

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34

The percentage of exhibitors at any event who complain that they are disappointed with the amount of foot traffic their exhibition booth attracted.

Related Statistic:

100 – the percentage of these exhibition booths that featured at least two of the following:

• a brochure stand

• a high-table with business cards, some old branded stress balls and a jar of Cadbury’s favourites

• a human catching up on their emails.

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41

The percentage chance that the one spelling mistake in 700 name badges or in the 60-page conference handbook is the name of the major sponsor, the CEO or the delegate who suffered from the one spelling mistake made at LAST year’s event.

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46

The percentage of conference delegates who volunteer to ask the first question in a Q&A Session that have a thick accent of some sort.

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49

The percentage of delegates in ANY conference group who are, by definition, below average. Keep that in mind when preparing your presentations.

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57

The percentage chance that a Politician who has been booked to deliver a speech at your conference, will be a last-minute no-show.  This rises to 67% if they are in Cabinet.

And 100% if they haven't checked their naturalisation papers thoroughly.

The chance that they will be forced to resign within 12 months of speaking at your event is 16%.

The chance of a politician saying anything that actually matters in real life … 4%.

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63

The percentage of all delegates who, when entering the conference room and encountering a completely empty row of seats, will plop themselves down on the aisle one, forming a human barricade that makes the seating process take twice the time it otherwise should.

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74

The percentage of all conference speakers who, when their PowerPoint slide doesn’t advance as expected, will hit the advance button on the remote clicker seven times in panic, taking the delegates on an express journey to their Thank-You Slide.

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78

The percentage of sponsor presentations at a conference that, through their being poorly-delivered or simply uninteresting to listen to, actually diminish the value of the sponsor’s brand.

Hey, sponsors! I’m not good at tinkering with things under the hood of my car, so I don’t do it because it will just make a bigger mess. If you’re not good at presenting to a conference audience, don’t do it either.

There are many ways to gain great recognition as a sponsor. Showing people that you aren't a good presenter is definitely not one of them.

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97

The percentage of things you're told at a conference by a speaker, AV person, client or venue person that will “Take just five minutes” that take longer than just five minutes.

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110

The percentage of the above statistics that were made up by me (but I assure you, they are probably not that far off the mark).

If you have any more you'd like to add, please feel free to send them through.

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Darren Isenberg is one of Australia’s best-loved Corporate MC’s and Speakers.

Check out his website at www.dipresents.com.au