Presentation Skills Workshop
Why a 3-minute pitch?
Agenda
Why a 3-minute pitch?
It’s Not What You Say, It’s What They Hear
Agenda
Why a 3-minute pitch?
It’s Not What You Say, It’s What They Hear
The Essentials
Agenda
Why a 3-minute pitch?
It’s Not What You Say, It’s What They Hear
The Essentials
Capturing Hearts and Minds Quickly
Agenda
Why a 3-minute pitch?
It’s Not What You Say, It’s What They Hear
The Essentials
Capturing Hearts and Minds Quickly
Being You, Only Better
Agenda
Why a 3-Minute Pitch?
Why a 3-Minute Pitch?
Why a 3-Minute Pitch?
Why a 3-Minute Pitch?
“Yankelovich…estimates that a person living in [New York] city 30 years ago saw up to 2,000 ad messages a day, compared with up to 5,000 today.”
Why a 3-Minute Pitch?
“…50 million American households signed up for the Do-Not-Call Registry when it was launched in 2003 – 10 million of them in the first 3 days.”
Lucas Conley Obsessive Branding Disorder
Why a 3-Minute Pitch?
Our default is to
Why a 3-Minute Pitch?
Why a 3-Minute Pitch?
Why a 3-Minute Pitch?
Why a 3-minute pitch?
It’s Not What You Say, It’s What They Hear
The Essentials
Capturing Hearts and Minds Quickly
Being You, Only Better
Agenda
It’s Not What You Say…
What goes into here
It’s What They Hear
How do they hear?
What They Hear
What They Hear
What They Hear
Four at the Bar
17 yr. old male
Female with a Coke
Male with a beer
23 yr. old female
What They Hear “Tipping Point” Study
Four at the Bar
17 yr. old male
Female with a Coke
Male with a beer
23 yr. old female
Everyone has a beverage. Drinking age is 21.
What They Hear “Tipping Point” Study
Four at the Bar
17 yr. old male
Female with a Coke
Male with a beer
23 yr. old female
Everyone has a beverage. Drinking age is 21.
What They Hear “Tipping Point” Study
3
6A
D
Letters & Numbers
What They Hear “Tipping Point” Study
3
6A
DA card with a vowel must have an even
number on the other side.
Letters & Numbers
What They Hear “Tipping Point” Study
3
6A
DA card with a vowel must have an even
number on the other side.
Letters & Numbers
What They Hear “Tipping Point” Study
They’re the same game.
REAL WORLD ABSTRACTION
What They Hear “Tipping Point” Study
Abstractions are Obstructions
What They Hear Problem with Abstract Language
What They Hear Problem with Abstract Language
“…we work collaboratively with communities and local
organizations to identify specific needs and to develop renewable
energy solutions that are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.”
What They Hear Problem with Abstract Language
“…we believe in preventing illness through education, self-
empowerment, access, appropriate treatments and
interventions, blending solutions that work for us…”
“…we work collaboratively with communities and local
organizations to identify specific needs and to develop renewable
energy solutions that are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.”
What They Hear Problem with Abstract Language
“…we believe in preventing illness through education, self-
empowerment, access, appropriate treatments and
interventions, blending solutions that work for us…”
“[Our work] levels the ‘learning field’ across socio-economic
boundaries, improves student retention and reduces the
achievement gap.”
“…we work collaboratively with communities and local
organizations to identify specific needs and to develop renewable
energy solutions that are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.”
What They Hear Problem with Abstract Language
“We bridge communities of professional women and
underserved teen girls through mentorship, networking and
advancement.”
“…we believe in preventing illness through education, self-
empowerment, access, appropriate treatments and
interventions, blending solutions that work for us…”
“[Our work] levels the ‘learning field’ across socio-economic
boundaries, improves student retention and reduces the
achievement gap.”
“…we work collaboratively with communities and local
organizations to identify specific needs and to develop renewable
energy solutions that are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.”
fMRI
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
THE ULTIMATUM GAME
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
Rule: Accept my offer, keep the money.
THE ULTIMATUM GAME (Round 1)
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
Rule: Accept my offer, keep the money.
THE ULTIMATUM GAME (Round 1)
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
Rule: Accept my offer, keep the money.
“I’ll take it.”
THE ULTIMATUM GAME (Round 1)
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
THE ULTIMATUM GAME (Round 2)Rules: I have $10 to share. Accept my offer, we each keep our shares. Reject it, neither of us keeps any.
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
THE ULTIMATUM GAME (Round 2)Rules: I have $10 to share. Accept my offer, we each keep our shares. Reject it, neither of us keeps any.
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
THE ULTIMATUM GAME (Round 2)Rules: I have $10 to share. Accept my offer, we each keep our shares. Reject it, neither of us keeps any.
“That’s fair. I’ll take it.”
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
THE ULTIMATUM GAME (Round 3)Rules: I have $10 to share. Accept my offer, we each keep our shares. Reject it, neither of us keeps any.
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
THE ULTIMATUM GAME (Round 3)Rules: I have $10 to share. Accept my offer, we each keep our shares. Reject it, neither of us keeps any.
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
THE ULTIMATUM GAME (Round 3)Rules: I have $10 to share. Accept my offer, we each keep our shares. Reject it, neither of us keeps any.
“Oh! Free money! I’ll…
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
THE ULTIMATUM GAME (Round 3)Rules: I have $10 to share. Accept my offer, we each keep our shares. Reject it, neither of us keeps any.
“Oh! Free money! I’ll…
“Hold on. You’re cheating me. No thanks.”
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
Rules: We have information to share. We assume everyone wants it. We don’t think about the emotional context in which they’ll view it.
THE ULTIMATUM GAME: PUBLIC INTEREST EDITION
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
Rules: We have information to share. We assume everyone wants it. We don’t think about the emotional context in which they’ll view it.
THE ULTIMATUM GAME: PUBLIC INTEREST EDITION
There were no Iraqis involved in the 9/11 attacks.
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
Rules: We have information to share. We assume everyone wants it. We don’t think about the emotional context in which they’ll view it.
THE ULTIMATUM GAME: PUBLIC INTEREST EDITION
There were no Iraqis involved in the 9/11 attacks.
“New information. Hmmm…”
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
Rules: We have information to share. We assume everyone wants it. We don’t think about the emotional context in which they’ll view it.
THE ULTIMATUM GAME: PUBLIC INTEREST EDITION
There were no Iraqis involved in the 9/11 attacks.
“New information. Hmmm…”“Hold on. You’re a liberal and I support President Bush. I don’t believe you.” (69% in 2003)
What They Hear Emotion’s Role in Decision-Making
“Insensitivity to Sample Bias: Generalizing from Atypical Cases” Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 1980
Richard Nisbett, et al.
What They Hear Narrative vs. Data
“Insensitivity to Sample Bias: Generalizing from Atypical Cases” Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 1980
WELFARE MOTHERS
Richard Nisbett, et al.
What They Hear Narrative vs. Data
“Insensitivity to Sample Bias: Generalizing from Atypical Cases” Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 1980
WELFARE MOTHERS
Richard Nisbett, et al.
STORY43-year old Puerto Rican émigré who had “an endless succession of common-law husbands and children at roughly 18-month intervals,” spent 13 years on welfare.
What They Hear Narrative vs. Data
“Insensitivity to Sample Bias: Generalizing from Atypical Cases” Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 1980
WELFARE MOTHERS
Richard Nisbett, et al.
STATISTICSTest subjects were shown data indicating that most welfare mothers in NYC spend an average of 2 years on welfare, and that the preceding story was not a typical case.
What They Hear Narrative vs. Data
“Insensitivity to Sample Bias: Generalizing from Atypical Cases” Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 1980
WELFARE MOTHERS
Richard Nisbett, et al.
QUESTIONNAIREAfter hearing story and seeing stats, respondents answered questions to measure their attitude towards welfare mothers, e.g., “How hard do people on welfare work to improve their situations?”
What They Hear Narrative vs. Data
“Insensitivity to Sample Bias: Generalizing from Atypical Cases” Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 1980
WELFARE MOTHERS
Richard Nisbett, et al.
STORY DATA
What They Hear Narrative vs. Data
“Insensitivity to Sample Bias: Generalizing from Atypical Cases” Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 1980
WELFARE MOTHERS PRISON GUARDS
Richard Nisbett, et al.
STORY DATA
What They Hear Narrative vs. Data
“Insensitivity to Sample Bias: Generalizing from Atypical Cases” Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 1980
WELFARE MOTHERS PRISON GUARDS
Richard Nisbett, et al.
STORY DATASTORY DATA
What They Hear Narrative vs. Data
It’s What They Hear Summary
Abstract language can cause confusion and disconnects.
It’s What They Hear Summary
Abstract language can cause confusion and disconnects.
What people choose to hear often depends on how they feel.
It’s What They Hear Summary
Abstract language can cause confusion and disconnects.
What people choose to hear often depends on how they feel.
Stories influence which data we accept and which we reject.
Why a 3-minute pitch?
It’s Not What You Say, It’s What They Hear
The Essentials
Capturing Hearts and Minds Quickly
Being You, Only Better
Agenda
The Essentials
Who are you?
John SullivanBTS Communications
Essentials Who Are You?
Essentials Who Are You?
My name is John Sullivan. I’m an Eagle Scout, an ex-convict, a recovering heroin addict, and the founder and creative director of BTS Communications.
John SullivanBTS Communications
Essentials Who Are You?
The Essentials
Who are you?
What problem does your organization solve?
The Essentials
Who are you?
What problem does your organization solve?
1. Whom do you serve?
2. If you didn’t exist, what would happen?
3. Do you need to elaborate?
Rick NahmiasFood Forward
Essentials What Problem Do You Solve?
Essentials What Problem Do You Solve?
In January 2009, while walking my dog Scout around the neighborhood, I’d see pound after pound of citrus fruit rotting in driveways or carried off by squirrels. My neighbor’s tangerine tree was full, food pantries were empty, I got an idea. With a single volunteer recruited from Craigslist, from 20 feet up, I saw yard after yard of fruit unpicked. Three months later, Food Forward was born. Our motto: harvest food, fight hunger, build community. (40 seconds)
Rick NahmiasFood Forward
Essentials What Problem Do You Solve?
The Essentials
Who are you?
What problem does your organization solve?
What is distinctive and/or innovative about your solution?
The Essentials
Who are you?
What problem does your organization solve?
What is distinctive and/or innovative about your solution?
1. Competition?
2. Extent of overlap?
Jill BaumanImagine LA
Essentials What is Distinctive or Innovative?
Essentials What is Distinctive or Innovative?
Did you know that in Los Angeles there are 8,000 homeless families? Remarkably, also in Los Angeles, there are 8,000 faith communities: churches, synagogues and mosques. Imagine LA’s vision is to match each family with one faith community in such a way that the family permanently exits homelessness and the children thrive. Eight thousand plus eight thousand equals zero, a simple yet powerful equation.
Jill BaumanImagine LA
Essentials What is Distinctive or Innovative?
The Essentials
Who are you?
What problem does your organization solve?
What is distinctive and/or innovative about your solution?
What evidence can you offer of impact and sustainability?
The Essentials
Who are you?
What problem does your organization solve?
What is distinctive and/or innovative about your solution?
What evidence can you offer of impact and sustainability?
1. How do you measure?
2. Can it scale?
Dawn BrownGirls and Gangs
Essentials Evidence of Impact?
Essentials Evidence of Impact?
Hello, my name is Dawn L. Brown and I’m executive director of Girls and Gangs. A decade after it began, Girls and Gangs continues to be the only nonprofit organization in LA County solely dedicated to serving girls in the juvenile justice system. Through support from private foundations and the LA Department of Probation, last year we served 340 girls ages 12-18 with only 3 staff members. We do this at an average yearly cost of $1,000 per child. It costs the county $45,000 to incarcerate that same one child. Nationally, girls are the fastest growing population in the juvenile justice system, and in LA County, girls account for 1 out of 4 juveniles arrested, yet the correctional system is designed for boys.
Dawn BrownGirls and Gangs
Essentials Evidence of Impact?
The experts say if you can keep one-third of the girls out, you’re doing well. Last year, we kept two-thirds out.
Essentials Evidence of Impact?
Last year we served 340 girls ages 12-18 with only 3 staff members. We do this at an average yearly cost of $1,000 per child. It costs the county $45,000 to incarcerate that same one child.
The experts say if you can keep one-third of the girls out, you’re doing well. Last year, we kept two-thirds out.
Essentials Evidence of Impact?
Last year we served 340 girls ages 12-18 with only 3 staff members. We do this at an average yearly cost of $1,000 per child. It costs the county $45,000 to incarcerate that same one child.
OUTPUTS
OUTCOMES
Meredith CurrySouth Central Scholars
Essentials Evidence of Impact?
Essentials Evidence of Impact?
Essentials Evidence of Impact?
These kids are motivated, intelligent and dedicated to education, but because of inadequate preparation, resources and support from home,the college graduation rate for them is still less than 50%.
Our scholars graduate from college at a rate of 96%.
Meredith CurrySouth Central Scholars
Sharon YazowskiLevitt Pavilions
Essentials Evidence of Impact?
Essentials Evidence of Impact?
Essentials Evidence of Impact?
Music is a force for social cohesion. Consistent programming in parks reduces crime.
Sharon YazowskiLevitt Pavilions
Essentials Evidence of Impact?
nice
necessary
Cathy SalserA Window Between Worlds
Essentials Evidence of Sustainability?
Essentials Evidence of Sustainability?
Essentials Evidence of Sustainability?
Over the last 7 years, we’ve grown from reaching just 7 shelters outside California to over 70 through word of mouth alone.
Already this year in LA, our programs have grown by 28%. It costs just $1,000 to support the weekly program at one site for an entire year.
Cathy SalserA Window Between Worlds
The Essentials
Who are you?
What problem does your organization solve?
What is distinctive and/or innovative about your solution?
What evidence can you offer of impact and sustainability?
What do you need now and how will it help?
John SullivanBTS Communications
Essentials What Do You Need?
Essentials What Do You Need?
To reach this vision, we need money. But I’m not here today to ask you for donations. I’m here to ask you to help us find twenty new nonprofit clients. We’re offering innovative and effective services that can help them spread their message, reach more donors and magnify their impact – all at rates roughly 50% less than a for profit agency. And in addition to that discount, we’re giving them…the bonus of knowing they’ve helped our clients move forward in their lives…”
John SullivanBTS Communications
Essentials What Do You Need?
The Essentials
Who are you?
What problem does your organization solve?
What is distinctive and/or innovative about your solution?
What evidence can you offer of impact and sustainability?
What do you need now and how will it help?
Why a 3-minute pitch?
It’s Not What You Say, It’s What They Hear
The Essentials
Capturing Hearts and Minds Quickly
Being You, Only Better
Agenda
“Intuitive Primacy”
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
What snap decision are they going to make about you?
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Ask a question.
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Estelle Reyes Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Raise your hand if you’ve ever written a business plan.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever written a business plan.
Now keep that hand up if you wrote that plan before the age of 18.
Estelle Reyes Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Ask a question.
Use social math.
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Ask a question.
Use social math.
83,000
places in America that sell guns.
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Ask a question.
Use social math.
For every McDonald’s
franchise, there are 3 places to buy
guns.
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Ask a question.
Use social math (but use data sparingly).
Mayisha Akbar Compton Junior Posse
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Mayisha Akbar Compton Junior Posse
Since 1988, 1,000 kids have received….
Of those, 400 have remained in our program for 4 years or more…
And of those, we can boast a 90% graduation rate.
Quite phenomenal when compared to Compton Unified’s 18%.
We need $1.3 million over the next 3 years to hire 3 directors….
[We] will build local capacity to 2,500 kids at a cost of $57 per kid per year.
Equestrians are an $80 billion industry annually….
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Ask a question.
Use social math.
Avoid jargon.
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Tony Proscio Author, Speaker, Enemy of Jargon
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Tony Proscio Author, Speaker, Enemy of Jargon
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Tony Proscio Author, Speaker, Enemy of Jargon
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
www.emcf.org/publications/other-resources
Tony Proscio Author, Speaker, Enemy of Jargon
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Ask a question.
Use social math.
Avoid jargon.
Tell a story.
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Margaret MartinThe Harmony Project
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Margaret Martin The Harmony Project
7 sentences (0:45)
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Ask a question.
Use social math.
Avoid jargon.
Tell a story.
Capturing Hearts & Minds Quickly
Why a 3-minute pitch?
It’s Not What You Say, It’s What They Hear
The Essentials
Capturing Hearts and Minds Quickly
Being You, Only Better
Agenda
Being You Eye Contact
• I’m Studying My Shoes
• The Scenic Overlook
• Sir Glance-a-Lot
• The Lawn Sprinkler
• One for One
Being You Eye Contact
Being You Eye Contact
Being You Eye Contact
Being You Eye Contact
Being You Eye Contact
Being You Eye Contact
“The more you look at the audience, the greater the pressure is on them to pay attention.”Max Atkinson
Being You Eye Contact
Being You Vocal Control
S
SPEED
faster = ?slower = ?
Being You Vocal Control
“The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.”
Mark Twain
Being You Vocal Control
V
S
VOLUME
louder = ?softer = ?
Being You Vocal Control
V
S
T
TONE
Being You Vocal Control
Now there’s a good idea.
Being You Vocal Control
Review You Be the Judge
Review You Be the Judge
Review You Be the Judge
Recommended Reading
Please contact LASVP to obtain a
free PDF copy.
Recommended Reading
http://speaking.alltop.com
Recommended Resource
Questions & Comments Raise Your Hand
Marshall GanzLecturer in Public Policy Harvard Kennedy School
Final Thoughts
The Story of SelfWhy am I called to do this work?
Marshall Ganz
Final Thoughts
The Story of SelfWhy am I called to do this work?
The Story of UsWhy is my cause your cause, too?
Marshall Ganz
Final Thoughts
The Story of SelfWhy am I called to do this work?
The Story of UsWhy is my cause your cause, too?
The Story of NowWhy is inaction no longer an option?
Marshall Ganz
Final Thoughts
The Story of SelfWhy am I called to do this work?
The Story of UsWhy is my cause your cause, too?
The Story of NowWhy is inaction no longer an option?
Final Thoughts
If I am not for myself, then who will be for me?
And if I am only for myself, then what am I?
And if not now, when?
Hillel