Page 115 - engage workbook

14presenting ideas

Engaging through your behavior

In any face-to-face “pitch” situation, verbal and physical behavior plays a large part in
determining the outcome. As Ford Harding observed in the book Rain Making:
“People buy on feelings and use facts to justify what they feel.”

So, no matter how good your presentation or compelling your message, you still need to
deliver it well and be aware of using the wrong language or sub-consciously sending the
wrong signals.

Matching

The Octagon™ provides a good framework for considering how to present our ideas giving
consideration to buyers’ different behavioral preferences. Consider your buyers’ likely
preference in the following domains, and adjust how you present your ideas accordingly:

Leading / • If you are high in leading, do you leave enough space for the
Following buyer to digest your ideas and to ask questions?

Opportunity / • If the buyer is opportunity focused, are you allowing enough time
Fear for ideas to flow?
• If the buyer is risk-averse, have you thought through potential
risks?

Trust / Control • If the buyer tends towards control, have you included a sufficient
level of buyer input into your ideas?

Your needs / • Where the buyer is focused on their own needs, be sure to stress
My needs the personal as well as the organizational benefit of your ideas.
• Where the focus is on other's needs, have you considered how
your ideas impact a broader group of people?

Feelings / Facts • If the buyer is feelings oriented be sure to cover the impact of any
ideas on people.
• If fact oriented, be sure to include numbers and facts.

Free-flowing / • A free-flowing buyer will want to interrupt and ask questions.
Organized • A more organized buyer will prefer a formal presentation of any
ideas followed by questions.

My best / • If your buyer is competitive (Better than you); take care before
Better than you disagreeing, and even more care before arguing. What you view
as a discussion, may be viewed by them as a disagreement.

Big Picture / • Big picture buyers will not appreciate being subjected to the finer
Detail detail of an idea.
• On the other hand, if you’re dealing with a detail-oriented person
and you only explain your ideas at a high level, they may question
your competence.

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