A lady messaged me the other day to ask me a question. She was actually a friend and knew that I had something to do with helping people present to audiences and wanted to ask a favour.
I got in touch and asked her:
“What’s on your mind?”
“Malcom, you know, I’ve done a few presentations about my new book, and everyone seemed to enjoy it, and I sell a few books at the end.”
(Never mind the book sells less than what the author paid to get it printed, but she was happy to offload a few copies.)
“It’s such a buzz having people interested in what I’ve written and what I have to say.”
This person, let’s call her Carol, had ventured to over 60 countries – are there any left? – and published her adventures in a diary-book form. She was getting to speak to a few small local groups like Rotary and at Community Library events.
“That’s great,” I said. I knew what was coming.
“Sure is. But I’d like to speak to a larger audience. I’d like to be asked to speak and to be paid to speak.”
The book sales are never going to turn a profit. Particularly as the print run was so low.
Carol needs to request a massive print run, she needs to be speaking to Corporate audiences – she needs to be in demand.
I went to one of Carol’s presentations to the local Apex Club. The group gathered in a corner of the RSL Club dining room and in between deliveries of their counter meals, Carol told her story.
It’s a great story!
This is where I can help. I’ve worked with facilitators, executives, keynote speakers, workshop facilitators, trainers – anybody who presents to an audience – and helped them improve.
Carol’s presentation needed a bit of technical polish (cover those trippy cables, Carol); the speech needed a coherent theme; and the slidedeck needed schmicking up.
Great that Carol was getting some flying time with different audiences.
But now it’s time to become a speaker in demand. Carol had the content. And to be honest, a fabulous style.
Now for some professional presentation tweaking.