Jean–Marc Guscetti, Corporate Trainer and personal coach at JMG Formation et Conseil, likes to illustrate how information and events can be made memorable by retelling one of his restaurant stories. After asking the waiter what the yellow substance on his foie gras might be, he was told that this was “a delicate leaf of delicious edible gold”. WOW! Astonishment suddenly transformed the dish into a wonder. No doubt the customer will be inclined to return to the restaurant.
Transferring this observation to the corporate world, Mr Guscetti asserts that when you make your presentations sublime – when you elevate them to a “WOW” standard - you captivate your audience and the information becomes unforgettable.
In a presentation at the Human Resources Fair on the 2nd of October, 2014 in Geneva, he gave a speech titled “Présentation WOW! Pour surprendre et émouvoir dans ses présentations en entreprise” (“WOW Presentations: delivering surprising and moving business presentations”). It is time to leave behind presentations that feature unreadable diagrams, innumerable slides and speakers who talk to the screen instead of addressing their audience. In fact, a presentation should be an esthetic experience. Nonetheless, the information you choose to present, focusing only on what is relevant, and the way you present it, is of great importance in terms of listener impact. By making the whole experience incredibly pleasant, unexpected, exquisite, the speaker as well as the listener gain significant benefits: a good reputation for the former, efficiency in using the information for the latter, for example.
Indeed, in a presentation, the words you say and how you express a point or an idea influence the listener’s perception of the information she/he receives. The use of a structured plan, concision, design and computer skills are undeniable assets. Besides, people’s interest significantly increases along with the motivation and the excitement the speaker transmits. This effect is called the “mirror neurons”: it provokes an attitude or an emotion in the listener similar to the speaker’s. Communication is thus facilitated. The result might include more efficient decision-making, better goal achievement and strong team cohesion.
Moreover, the power of telling stories should not be underestimated. Short narratives and anecdotes make the whole message animated and leave a lasting impression. They will not only be remembered, but may also be shared easily over time.
Consider the story of a well-know airline in Canada that seemed to have applied Mr. Guscetti's advice to its advertising strategy. At Christmas time, they placed a screen with a virtual Santa Claus in the halls of two airports. Before boarding, passengers were invited to interact with the legendary old man and list the gifts they would be pleased to receive. Is that all? No: after landing, while waiting for their luggage, imagine the customers' surprise to see their dream presents arrive on the carousel! The company made a promotional video of this magical tale which went viral and received more than 3 million views. WOW!!!
The story does not tell the number of new customers the airline acquired, but no doubt its name is now durably engraved in millions of minds. What a success!
Video on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIEIvi2MuEk
I think too many times we miss out on a good presentation because it looks too boring and yet there is a lot of things we could have learnt from it.