On the Spot with Presentation Skills

First, there was UPS. The ‘UPS whiteboard guy’ drew on a whiteboard, simplified complex ideas, and created a wave of interest for real-time visual story telling.

This inspired an entire era of visual selling–with a whiteboard.

In leading software companies, this trend continues. High tech sales teams and pre-sales consultants use whiteboard displays to simplify complex solutions.

Many of my Fortune 500 clients want training for effective whiteboard presentations. Sales teams, facilitators, leaders and trainers want to show their story at the whiteboard. We help professionals who ‘can’t draw a straight line’ how to be effective with a marker—in front of C-level audiences.

A little while ago I coached a senior leader who thought he was “artistically challenged.” He wanted to use visual stories to share strategy with his team who were spread out all over the world.

He had a passion for visual storytelling. In private coaching sessions, we mapped out a presentation strategy. He decided to hold in-person fireside chats with his teams.

After practicing his talk, he put his new skills to work. He flew to remote locations and gave his fireside chats. Each time, he showed key ideas on a flipchart while discussing strategy with each group.

The result: every team got onboard. It was a huge success. He built a strong bond with people, although meeting face to face once a year.

Months later, still shaking his head in disbelief, he wrote me in an email, “Now my folks call me the UPS guy!”

For internal teams, clients or prospects… visual storytelling skills take your presentations to a whole new level.