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Once a month I do a free work shop teaching BNI members how to improve their “Sales Manager Minutes”, aka 60 second presentations. As a BNI Director and business consultant, I get the privilege of helping people fix their word of mouth marketing mistakes. During these monthly training sessions I am asked lots of question about how do create and deliver great 60 second presentations. My sessions always start out with this question. Let me hear what you’re doing now. This evaluation process allows me to help them focus on eliminating any of the 20 most common mistakes I hear.

This article is the second installment of a four part series. In this segment I will discuss 5 more of the 20 mistakes that I often see. Reading all 4 articles will give the reader the cure for all of these so common aliments. Eliminating a few of these mistakes from your 60 second presentation and you will start to see real results. Eliminate them all and the referrals will come rolling in. So let’s get started on segment 2.

Mistake #1 is NO Pain! I often see 60 second presentations where the person does a good job of describing their product or service but leave out the potential customer pain. I try to include 2 or 3 customer pains in all my infomercials. Adding the customer’s pain to your description of your product or service, really make the message pop. It helps clarify the “why” for your listener and clarity produces power. What kind of power you ask? It gives them the power to act; it motivates someone to take action on your behalf.

Mistake #2 NO Emotion 60 Second presentations need to be delivered with feeling in order to be perceived as genuine. Without passion, you come across as fake. Emotions’ help the listener empathize. They are more likely to listen and get involved if the believe what you say. Saying things with emotion and passion gives you this credibility. If you come across without passion and emotion your message will be flat and your listeners’ will be turn off and will tune out.

Mistake #3 Poor Delivery This can be related to not being passionate about your subject but it can also be just a poor delivery. What I am talking about here is your pace, intonation and volume. Going to fast or going too slow can turn off your audience. For some, going too fast carries the connotation of “of a disclaimer”. Going to slow carries the connotation of being boring. Being too loud, equates to obnoxious, too quiet, being timid. A good deliver is varied in pace, intonation and volume. When you speak with emotion and passion this often automatically happens. Remember that presenting has many elements of acting in it. These techniques can be master through practice. Take the time to “rehearse your lines”. Once they are fully memorized, you can then start to work on the other elements of the presentation. Remember to have fun while you’re being serious. This will help you be more authentic and being authentic can help sway your listeners.

Mistake #4 Leaving out “Door Opener” Door openers are statements used to catch a person’s attention. Door openers are word hooks like “on sale, limited offer, free and guaranteed”. Most people automatically pay more attention to these words because most people want to take advantage of or at least know of these “specials”. Using “attention getting words”, gives your referral partners the ammunition to get your foot in the door. Use them and you will get more referral and more sales.

Mistake #5 Using Profanity I don’t often hear profanity used in presentations but when I do, WOW, it doesn’t make the presenter look good. Even using phrases like “stuff happens” brings you close to being in a bad place. You may hear laughter when it is used but it will never increase your credibility or make you look more professional. I have even seen great 10 minute presentations totally destroyed because they used one bad word during their presentation. One word out of several thousand and their presentation was remembers for the one bad word. Never use profanity in your 60 second presentations. It will destroy your entire effort. It may be good tool for comedians working the adult’s only circuit but its bad news for your 60 second or 10 minute presentation.

My next article, (segment 3), will discuss 5 more common mistakes made during 60 second presentations. Each segment will help the reader eliminate 5 possible mistakes that they may be making, until we have covered all 20 possible mistakes. Eliminating any of these mistakes improves your ability to communicate effectively. Each new attempt will bring improvements, focus and message clarity. Look for Segment 3 covering 5 more common mistakes to be out real soon. Until next time, work hard to eliminating the 5 mistakes covered here. Doing so will move the reader closer to their first perfect 60 second presentation. Until next time.

Is your Christmas present shopping done yet? No? Me neither! If you are still looking for clever and stylish presents for the women in your life, I will share with you the results of my research of the best ideas to give to Mom, grandma, to sisters, aunts and cousins alike.

The first idea for a gift that will be appreciated and welcomed by 100% of females is a gift of flowers, plants or a gift basket. There are so many options and variations for the perfect custom Christmas gift basket that you can easily and quickly buy online or on the phone for all the women in your life.

For me, I love to send Christmas centerpieces especially when I know the person, such as my mom, loves to entertain and will proudly display her centerpiece during the whole Christmas season. Centerpieces can last from 1 to 3 weeks! So can Christmas plants…

A poinsettia is the classic Christmas plant of course but did you see what your local florist can do in the way of twisting the tradition to include candy cane poinsettias, burgundy sparkly poinsettias in arrangements with white chrysanthemum, frosty branches, pine cones, berries and big bows.

All I’m saying is that you can’t get florist quality and style in a large department store. And for the person who doesn’t like fresh flowers (is that possible?) or for the allergic woman in your life, just get her a gift basket. There are as many gift basket ideas as there are stars in the sky….ok, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit but you get the picture….

From fruit baskets, gourmet baskets, tea & coffee baskets, chocolate baskets, fruit & cracker baskets to pamper me please baskets, lavender and vanilla beauty product baskets and chef’s baskets, the possibilities are endless… You can order flowers, plants and gift baskets online easily and get your order delivered in the next few days in the city of your choice. Of course, if you are rushed for time and like visiting local businesses personally, you can also order these items at your local flower shop.

The other obvious gift idea for the special woman in your life, is jewelry. What woman wouldn’t like a new pair of earrings, a necklace or a bracelet? If this is a special year and you want to get a gift that will be treasured daily for years to come, get your Mom, your grandma or your sister a birthstone ring. Just determine if she wears gold or silver and order a precious keepsake customized to her birth month.

Finally, for the book lover, the reader in your life, the ideal gift is an e-reader. This is a perfect gadget for the woman in your life who likes to keep up with the times, who travels or who just plain old loves reading. I was always thinking it was better to have paper books until this past summer. Don’t get me wrong…I still love the feel, the smell and the sensations that come from devouring a new book!

Just before my trip to Nashville this year my whole book bag got soaked before leaving (I won’t go into the details, let’s just say it involved a tap dripping…) Anyways, let’s just say I don’t have the problem of bloated and discolored books anymore nor will I have the problem of lugging heavy books now that I have an e-reader. If the women in your life already has one, you can get them a gift certificate for buying more books, if not, get them an e-reader. They are getting very affordable now and go from simple and inexpensive to high tech and inexpensive so it’s a win win situation.

Know one thing that’s in very short supply nowadays? Time. And that means there’s a definite need for a quick shopping strategy to find easy presents to get that bad boy under control.

Yes, time is surely something that needs to be managed effectively to get the most out of each person’s day. And one way to circumvent the obstacles in regards to gift shopping is to consider unique Gift Baskets as part of the shopping arsenal.

The first reason is that there are so many themes to this alternative that at least one should match the interests, appetites or hobbies of the recipient. Like what?

Let’s start with the edible shopping alternatives that are offered. These include easy presents in a basket packed with victuals such as chocolate, coffee, tea, and foods that are gourmet, Italian, spicy… and even healthy. Yes, any of these may be precisely what the receiver may be longing for.

And in case the lucky recipient of your generosity has a high level of interest in such things as movies, casinos, gardening, golf, and NASCAR… there are unique Gift Baskets for those as well… What else?

Know a lady who loves to luxuriate in warm, soothing splendor? And who loves a bit of pampering now and then? There’s a quick shopping choice for her known as Bath Spa Gift Baskets. These are brimming with everything she needs to feel good about things for a time.

And guys? Well, there are easy presents for them also. These can consist of unique Gift Baskets dealing with cars, cigars, motorcycles, handyman… and all sorts of other “guy stuff”.

What about certain life events that you wish to commemorate… like new babies, weddings, birthdays, new home? Yes, there are treasures in a basket for these as well.

There are even get-well and sympathy baskets out there to raise someone’s spirits when they’re down. These certainly can be a boost to anyone’s life when things aren’t going their way.

And another great reason to buy unique Gift Baskets? They can be shopped for and set up for delivery in a matter of minutes online. Yes, that means while sitting in front of your computer where you are right now. Why not let technology make your life so much easier?

So there you have it as far as gift shopping – both effectiveness and efficiency. That’s the ticket to keeping time where it belongs… under your total command and control!