You’re scheduled for a presentation. Maybe presenting to a few decision-makers, perhaps speaking to a larger audience. Either way, positive actions beforehand can make you a stronger presenter.
What To Do When The Top Boss Kills Your Idea In Front Of Others
You’re presenting your latest and greatest idea to a small group of internal clients, when suddenly the top decision maker jumps in. “It’ll never work,” he says. “Our customers couldn’t care less about that, so let’s not waste time or money.” Crickets. Everybody else...
Your Future Starts Now
"There ain't no future in the past." That line from a Vince Gill song has it right -- especially when it comes to fresh ideas. Creativity lives in today and aims for the future. Even the guy who wrote The Beatles' "Yesterday" -- arguably the world's most famous song...
You work in the same organization, but do you speak the same language?
You may be sharing your ideas and opinions with in-house clients and mangers, but do they really hear you? To illustrate my point, let me tell you a quick story about Jill Magid, an American conceptual artist. For a street-art project in Amsterdam, Jill wanted to...
Six ways to up the odds for selling your great ideas
Are you down because decision makers are chewing up your ideas? Sam Harrison, author of IdeaSelling, Successfully pitch your creative ideas to bosses, clients and other decision makers, offers five quick tips to help you get up and get ready to make a winning presentation.
It’s Not Just What You Say In Pitches…
… It’s also how you deliver the words.
Some people have a way with words. James Earl Jones made “This is CNN” sound like a declaration from God. All lines flowing from Judith Dench’s mouth reflect royalty. And John Kennedy effortlessly turned boring statements into riveting calls to arms.
To Find More Ideas, Ask For More Stories.
Reports permeate every company. Market reports. Sales reports. Product reports. Competitive reports. Employee reports. And these reports probably head your way with the launch of every new project.
Reports are good as far as they go. But, as you already know, they don’t go nearly far enough. Especially when it comes to providing creative fuel for generating ideas.
Pick your battles when showing ideas
Battles are easy to find inside any organization. Big egos, unsolicited opinions and turf-protectors slouch under every streetlight. And out come knives and chains when you round the corner with fresh ideas.
But as in-house creatives, it’s important to pick our battles. We can’t win every fight, and nobody likes dealing with someone who rolls out a nuclear arsenal to defend a project’s every detail.
Don’t Let In-House Familiarity Keep You From Really Listening
You can predict what product manager Eric will say before he opens his mouth. You’ve heard Cynthia in marketing express her branding theories maybe two million times. And if the CEO drones on about synergies and optics once more, you’ll have to strangle him with his silk tie.
To sell more of your ideas, conspire with internal clients.
During her formal dinner party, the hostess whispered to Winston Churchill that she had seen a prominent member of Parliament pocket one of her antique salt shakers. Churchill said he would take care of it. He walked over to the table, tucked a similar shaker in his own dinner jacket, then pulled the man aside.
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