Hmm.. I Interviewed Elvis !

My friend Michelle, a huge Elvis fan, almost died with envy the day I told her about interviewing Elvis. She is his biggest fan and couldn't believe her ears when I told about the day I interviewed The King. Well, I sort of interviewed him. Okay, okay it was only a dream. But I interviewed him in the dream.
I have been thinking a lot about the infamous King of Rock and Roll. I think Elvis is someone we can all learn from, especially if we are into public presentations. This guy knew how to present. Let's face it, we should all be so good at what we do to have people talking (and writing articles) about us 15 years after we have died. No, the King does live on!
In my dream the other night, I dreamt that I interviewed the big guy from Memphis. Here's what the King of Rock & Roll had to say about presentations.
What is your basic presentation philosophy?

Be different! Man, be different.
What do you think is the key to effective presentation success?
Well, it's like this Leslie. You gotta make being around you a really cool experience. I mean, you must make them talk about you and what you presented. If you think about it, I got so many referrals because I knew how to make the audience ecstatic. You must give the customer something so special she'll tell 324 friends. Do you want me to sing yet? (No, Elvis, let's finish the interview first!)
What advice do you have for the newcomer to being effective in presentations? Well, I'd have to suggest that a newcomer in presentations stay out of Heartbreak Hotel. Heartbreak Hotel comes from doing this thing called cold presentations. Cold presentations are stupid, this means you never prepared. You'd never see the King doing something as foolish as that. No, treat your presentation like an appearance on the Oprah Show. Get really good at what's important.

What's really important?
For a person doing a presentation or a rock and roll star? (Come on Elvis, this is a serious interview, for a prestigious newspaper. Do you want me to get in trouble?) Okay, okay. What's really important as a presenter is to do what I did in music. Even though I sold to millions, most people felt as if they knew me intimately. Most never met me but I'm sure if you asked they trusted me. So, I'd have to say that as far as presenting goes, build trust. When people believe you, they act on your words.

How do you build trust?
Be consistent. Be visible. Be true to who you are. Be transparent, share openly and honestly. Care more about them than about you. Be real.

What prevents people from winning in the presentations game?  They don't wear Blue Suede Shoes. Just kidding!

How do you keep going when times are tough? Well, I might not be the best person to ask about this but let me tell you that people should focus on the audience’s problem and not the symptom of the problem. Don't deal with the frustration of poor past presentations, instead look at your whole presentation philosophy. Deal with the problem. They are coming to hear solutions from you. Fix it. You know what, whatever you don't fix, your people will inherit. I wonder if that has anything to do with my daughter ending up with Michael Jackson?

What is the key to your presentation successes ?
I think there were 3 essential elements that anyone reading this article might relate to:
First, I got good at my craft. I studied, I practiced and I learned everything I could about the business. I investigated the winners and the losers. I am a bit of a perfectionist when it came to my delivery, my image, my performance. Others knew I was committed and professional.

Second, I got the message out in an exciting manner. People like dealing with people who are alive and enthusiastic. I'm not suggesting people bring a guitar to their next presentation (although in some cases it could help !)  but I am suggesting being positive and alert and even adding some humor. Make hearing from you exciting.
Third, I strove to make the audience ecstatic. I didn't want to simply satisfy the audience; I wanted them to flip out when hearing me. I wanted people to say more than they did for say a Bob Dylan. For him they would say, "Yeah, Bob's Okay. Not bad." That's what a satisfied audience says. An ecstatic customer says, "He was fantastic. He was out of this world." We want to have people go nuts because of how we treat them and talk to them, how we affect them !

Is there any advice from your music that would be helpful to ‘wanna-be’ presenters ?  Yes

Heartbreak Hotel: Is where you'll end up if you are not working on developing solid relationships with your audience.
Love Me Tender: That's the way you should treat your auideince.
Blue Suede Shoes: Be sure to be dressed right.
Blue Hawaii: That's where next years' speaking conference will be held.
In The Ghetto: Is where you'll end up if you don't act on these articles.
You Ain't Nothing But a Hound Dog : Is what your audience will say about you if you howl at them and do not enrich their lives from the opportunity you have to speak to them.
I Did It My Way: Is what every skinny, broke and sad presenter says.
Do it  the Right Way…… Be Unique, …….Be Different …Stand Out…..Be Effective…..Make an Impact !
Jailhouse Rock: The warden (your immediate manager) won't throw a party in the local jail (branch office) unless you made an impact and were effective in getting your message out. So get to work.  Ensure that when you finish speaking people want to do what you have suggested, implied,  or even challenged. Make it Rock !
Describe the importance of the following topics and relate them to those of us in doing presentations:

Audience
Your audience should be your fans. You should get them to work with you. Why do so many people buy records? Because people start telling their friends about it and then their friends tell their friends. Do whatever you must do to turn your audience into loyal fans. Let me tell you that it's not easy in today's marketplace but it is possible if you treat people right. They will help pass the message along and get your objectives accomplished.

Audience Retention
You don't want a fan to buy just one record ( message). No, you want them to buy every record (message or presentation) you produce and to have them help you sell them to their friends. Do more than the next guy and you will retain them. In presentations, it's keeping relevant being effective in the Now. Plain and simple. Keep in touch with what interests them, with what communicates to them and they will be yours for life.

Image
Hey, are you being smart with me? (No, Elvis, your highness) Well, for anyone in presentations they must know the power of image. Even if someone thinks they don't have an image, they do. I think that the bigger the image, the better. If I were speaking or presenting, I would make a decision to become a public figure. I would put my name in print as often as I could. Just like you, you're everywhere. (Elvis, please, keep me out of this!)

How can presenters stay motivated?
Sing, have fun and relax. Remember what's really important. It has little to do with money and commission checks. Oh, sure they are nice. I'm still getting royalty checks from those stupid movies I made after I got out of the army. But, family, religion, and memories that's what life is all about. Affecting people positively helps me stay motivated.

How do you differentiate yourself in the marketplace?
Show up for your next presentation with greasy hair and a wild, rhinestone encrusted cape. (Yeah, right!) Differentiation is a good option. There is a Right & Wrong Different ! I think that if you want to succeed you better be ‘Right’ different. I had this problem when I began. There were so many singers and musicians. I needed to stand out. ( Why do you think I wear what I wear !?) I think presenters need to stand out. Why should someone deal with you instead of the competition? You better give a pretty good answer to that question.
1. Practice consistency with your communication. Let them hear from you more regularly.
2. Use humor. Most people are so serious in business. If your personality and industry and client base are suited for it, send them a cartoon. You will brighten up their day and they will have a laugh and you will get the credit.

What if you're too busy to follow-up with people on a regular basis?
Then you're too busy. You need to see the absolute value of regular follow up. If you're too busy you need to get some help. For any message to be effective, there has to be follow-up. There is nothing that will boost your effectiveness than some way to ensure accountability of your audience.

Have you ever experienced fear?
Yes, I experienced fear by being interviewed by you. (Get real, Elvis.) Sure, do you have any idea what Las Vegas is like with 20,000 screaming women in the audience, each one wanting to have a date with you, each one absolutely crazy, each one just wanting to touch you? (Oh, sure Elvis, I'm very familiar with that. It happens every time I do a seminar! NOT.) Well, I used to feel fear but I would do it anyway. I think I read that somewhere in one of your books. Many people feel fear but they need to train themselves to feel the fear and continue to move forward. You don't deserve the reward if you won't pay the price. Remember look at benefits gained versus what they is to lose and fear will fade away.

How do you keep your audience loyal?
Give them what they want, be more concerned about them than yourself and make dealing with you an AWESOME experience. Oh, and stay in touch.

How do you deal with negative people around the office?
Shoot them! Just Kill them. No, seriously, I avoid negative people like the plague. What I find is that most people will sink to the lowest common denominator. If one person is really negative, rather than everyone raising him or her to being positive the opposite usually happens. One bad apple spoils the whole bushel. You would think that with so many good apples in the bushel they would make the one bad apple better. Nope! So get away from people who are negative. I know that might be a little tough if they are the manager or if they are your spouse but you get the idea. If you cannot stay away from them then influence them. In Life you always have 2 choices to influence or to be influenced. Choose to Influence.

What is your favorite quotation?
John Kanary, the great Canadian Sales Coach said,
"Doubt and Action are incompatible."  
It’s a green brain thing man ! Don’t just sit on it, in the words of NIKE….’Just Do It !’

What is "success" in your opinion?
Success means bringing joy to others by doing what you enjoy in a healthy, balanced way. Unfortunately, I don't think I was so balanced. I died with a lot of the music still in me. I didn't live a healthy, balanced way. I was deceived in thinking that the really important things in life revolved around money, fame and power. That's why I agreed to this interview. To let others know that "success" has much more to do with God, family, friends, sense of purpose and love. It has little to do with the car you drive, the money you make, the power you have. Know what success means for you ?
With that I woke up as I heard someone say...
"Elvis has left the building!"