Gerry Lewis is a Toronto-based communications consultant and author of Shine, which won this year’s small-business book award from Small Business Trends LLC.
Whether they are negotiating a deal or leading a staff meeting, business leaders are most effective when they can present ideas in a way that commands attention and wins over their audience.
Gerry Lewis, a Toronto-based communications consultant and author of Shine, which won this year's small-business book award from Small Business Trends LLC, gives his take on how entrepreneurs can impress their customers and run a more productive enterprise by polishing their communication and presentation skills.
Why should small-business owners take time to learn how to communicate well?
Good communication skills are absolutely critical for small business because building strong relationships with clients is key to their survival. There are two ways to win and keep a client: Do a good job, and communicate effectively when you're interacting with them.
Everyone is looking for a solution, so you have to be able to communicate your solution effectively. If you're not able to do that, a client may not understand how you're different from your competitors.
So there's a direct connection between how well an entrepreneur communicates and the company's bottom line?
Small business owners can get too caught up in thinking they've got a great product so they don't need to put too much effort in communicating well with their customers. But there's going to be a similar product in a month or a year to compete with your product, and if that competitor does a better job of communicating, then you're going to lose out.
I guess this is where social media platforms can really help.
Everyone today is trying to network. I think it's critical, but I emphasize connecting over networking. Connecting means going a little deeper to find shared commonalities on which you can build a relationship. With networking, especially on social media, it's often about the number of people you know, but when you're a small business what's more important is the quality of these connections.
In your chapter on meetings, you provide examples of how they can turn into real time wasters.
You have to build a culture where everyone feels free to contribute, and you need to really listen to what people are saying. When I hold meetings I ask someone else to record the meetings because I want to actually hear what people are saying and look around the room. I want to see the skeptics and find out what they're thinking.
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It's also important to make sure you don't have the same people monopolizing the meetings. Those people are usually the ones who are eager and are often very valuable, so just ask them to hold on to their ideas and tell them you'll come back to them in a while. Then let someone else start the discussion.
What are some common mistakes entrepreneurs make when they're giving a presentation?
One of the things about presenters is they feel they're being judged while they're presenting, and they start to shut down. The reality is you can't control if someone is judging you, so should just focus on what you can control. I can control my voice, my pace, my words and my enthusiasm.
I walk to the front of the room and I'm smiling. You'd be surprised how many people start their presentations by saying "I'm so happy to be here" and yet they look miserable. You have to show your audience you're happy to be there. You have to believe you have something important to offer. If you don't believe it, no one else is going to believe it.
People generally want you to succeed, so don't hesitate to tell them, "I've got something great to show you, I think you're really going to like this." If you exude sincerity and enthusiasm, your energy will show and people will believe you.
How should business owners dress when they're meeting clients or potential investors?
There are basic rules I try to follow. I try to dress to match the tone or atmosphere of the place I'm going to. If it's Friday and I'm going to a client that that has casual Friday, then I come in jeans. It's a form of respect to the organization or client.
My one big rule is shoes; they have to look great. I'm not saying you have to buy the most expensive shoes, but people look at your shoes. Invest in a well-made pair and make sure they're clean for your meeting.
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