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Have you got "The Patter"? Do you need it? I think not!

Some food outlets, almost all point-of-sales call centres and even many specialist sales organisations have well defined scripts that they require their staff to stick to. You know them when you come across them; you order a coffee, spelling out the myriad of combinations you want,

"Large cappuccino to go, extra shot, skinny milk and hold the chocolate". Sorted! But then it starts: "Is that to drink here or to go?" "To go", "Do you want an extra shot with that?", "Yes, please", "Full fat or skinny?", "Skinny please!", "Chocolate on the top?". This is why coffee shop counters all have teeth marks along the edge! By now you know three things:

• They were simply not listening to you after they had imparted the ritual greeting (which as far as they were concerned could have been in Lactin!)
• Their company doesn't care enough about your business to train their staff adequately - having a script is OK, but it should be a guide to make sure the bases are covered, not some terrible litany that has to be slavishly, and counter-productively stuck to come hell or high water!
You should have stuck to tea!

But it does not have to be like this. As I said, having a script, even a check list of points that do have to be covered is OK, but that is only the start of the matter. Training in presentation and communication is essential. The only place I used to go back in the face of this type of brain dead, zombie like droning was in airport lounges - what choice did I have? I know it can be so different, if you ever get the chance visit Caffe Nero in Truro and watch the serving staff there - they are SO professional! Tell them Ian sent you -I'm no commission!

What it comes down to is that presenting is just as much about listening than speaking!

Jonathon Eastwood from Eastwood Design and Marketing gave a fascinating presentation to Falmouth Business League this morning. He talked about defining a business's key features and benefits. The "Why" in "Why should I do business with you?". This is a topic very close to my heart as it so frequently disappoints me to see how little some companies recognise and work with those features that should be providing their cutting edge - the difference between coming first and getting the business and coming second and getting - nothing.

Every business, no matter how small or large must be able to tell their customers what it is that makes doing business with us so special. First you have to define those features and benefits, the key differentiators then you have to be able to deliver that message - sometimes without even appearing to!

Jonathon can help you develop your message, I can help you and your team deliver it! Send me an email to set up a call.

I am hard at work revising ("cramming" if you are in the US) for my own accreditation under the BSIF's FIT2FIT scheme.  Over the last few months I have been developing training material to help people prepare, but even so the amount of study I think I need to accommodate has come as something of a surprise! 

The syllabus will call for something innocuous like " demonstrate familiarity with paragraphs x - y in HSG53", but when you read these paragraphs you find that they call for knowledge and experience of say EH40, or maybe COSHH regulations- that alone runs to 137 pages!

Just a wee bit scary - and the 18th November is not that far off! As a long term friend and colleague STILL says - "Ok, Back to it!"

If you work in sales then you should already know the value of concise presentations. If you work in transactional sales, say low (relatively speaking) value point-of-sale transactions usually completed over a couple of phone calls or a short visit, or say you work in a shop or restaurant, then how long do you think you have to get it right? Only a very few moments probably. Relational selling takes place over a longer time frame (and trying to over-shorten it is the fastest way of losing a sale!) and maybe you have longer to create the right impression, but equally, that gives you lots more opportunities to foul things up.  

OK, you knew all that didn't you? Of course you did! But how well do you plan for these considerations? How well do you prepare yourself before going in? How much practice do you do on those first few, so vital, moments? When did you last consciously stop just before you went in and make sure you could tick all the boxes? When you walked across the restaurant to that new group at the big table were you practicing your openings or simply wondering why you had been lumbered with the group of 10 duffers who would most likely run you ragged then leave you a £1 tip!

Preparation and mood setting - you only get the one chance to make a good first impression make sure you get it right.

Go to www.tbdpresentations.co.uk for more tips on presentation skills