Public Speaking: Fat and Skinny Words: Levels of Abstraction
Jan/100
Fat and Skinny Words: Levels of Abstraction
By executive speech coach and sales presentation skills trainer Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE
Nothing can turn your audience off faster than using fat words when they're hungry for skinny ones. Or vice versa. I learned this exciting concept from Dr. David Palmer, a Silicon Valley negotiations expert. In his talks on negotiations, he describes "levels of abstraction." Unless you can match your message to the expectations of your audience, or talk at the same level at which they are listening, you won't connect as well as you would like to. This is true whether your audience is one person or one thousand.
Suppose you write the word "automobile" on a pad. A simple concept. Going up to the next level of abstraction, you could write above it that the car is a "wheeled passenger vehicle, "then" surface transportation, "then" major force in the world's economy." This is making the word "automobile" fatter and fatter, larger and larger. These big ideas and abstractions are "fat words." They are great for conveying the big picture, inspiring ideas, motivating.
Now, let's make the word skinnier. Underneath, you might write "sedan," "Ford sedan," "red four-door Ford sedan." Eventually, you would be talking about a specific car with the VIN. Those are "skinny words. " They are essential for conveying instructions and solving technical problems. No one holding a screwdriver, camera, or have a blank screen on their computer wants "fat" words. You'll just frustrate them, maybe make them furious. They want to know minute details and specific who, what, when, how.
Many of my clients hire me to coach their sales teams. After giving them the automobile illustration, they learn to be more effective by evaluating each other by saying, "your words are too fat" or "those words aren't skinny enough." "When you are presenting a sales overview to an executive or senior management," I ask, "Should your words get fatter or skinnier?"
Upper management needs fat words. After a successful initial interview with an executive, you will be invited to present your offerings to a middle management team. For this group, your ideas need to be brought down the level of abstraction by using "skinner words and phrases."
Let's assume you were very effective and persuasive. You made the sale. Now you are dealing with the individuals that make the technology work. That is when the words and phrases need to get "skinny." The who, what, when, how, where do I turn it on?
At what level should you present your information so that you get your message across? It all depends on the audience.
As a professional speaker and sales trainer I ask my clients, "What do you want the theme of my remarks to be? What is the purpose of the meeting?" For years I have been hearing, "Get them to sell more," or "Motivate them." My reply would be, "How much are they selling now? How much more?" or "Motivate them to do what?"
Can you see the challenge? Their words are too fat for me to get a clear picture of how to meet and exceed their expectations. With my questioning I need to drive their comments and expectations down the level of abstraction by saying things like, "Can you help me understand specifically what you mean by that?" This simple concept has made my training more effective.
David Palmer, PhD http://www.frippassociates.com/drpalmer.html
Successful Sales Call Pack Fripp and Palmer
http://www.fripp.com/publicspeakingresources/valuepack_successfulsales.html
Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE is an award-winning keynote speaker, executive speech coach, and sales presentation skills trainer. www.fripp.com, pfripp@ix.netcom.com
Prepare & Present Powerful Persuasive Presentations Webinar Dec 11
Dec/090
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How to Prepare and Present Persuasive Presentations Learn to master presentation delivery skills to grow your business. Presented By Patricia Fripp |
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When you have the opportunity to speak in public do you embrace it and excel? Or do you spend more time getting out of the speaking situation than it would take to master the skill? Are you losing sales because your competition more effectively communicates their value? Imagine if every speech you gave was powerful, professional, and persuasive… Patricia Fripp, Hall of Fame speaker and executive speech coach, helps business professionals create and deliver presentations that are on-target for every audience. Through the Fripp Structure, you will save time and add clarity for you and your audience. The professional and financial gains you receive from learning how to prepare and present an effective leadership or sales presentation are unmatched. Take this opportunity to learn from one of the country’s most in-demand executive speech coaches. In this webinar, you will learn how to: All registrants also receive a FREE flash recording of this webinar. |
Friday, Dec 11,2009 $99 per connection
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Entrepreneurs who speak to build their business, Sales Professionals who give presentations to close the sale, Managers and Leaders who need to inspire, inform and train.
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| “What a great learning experience! This webinar program is a terrific way to develop our team without breaking the bank.” – Small Business Owner |
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Don’t miss this powerful learning opportunity! |
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Kim Snider Comments on Patricia Fripp’s Speech Coaching
Oct/090
Kim Snider, President of Snider Advisors, comments on Patricia Fripp’s speech coaching for her National Speakers Association Convention keynote.
Executive speech coach Patricia Fripp provides speaking and presentation skills training for executives, professional speakers, and sales teams… To learn more about Patricia Fripp’s speech coaching visit: http://www.fripp.com/speechcoach/index.shtml
Public Speaking Secrets from Inside The Actors Studio with Sims Wyeth
Oct/090
My East Coast Fripp Associate Speech Coach Sims Wyeth has a great weekly email called Presentation Pointers. This is from last week.
![Simswyeth[1]](http://www.lifeontracknow.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/f2e91_6a00d8346d3f7569e20120a5ba4ea2970b-800wi)
Perhaps you would like to listen in on my interview with Sims?
If you are not a World Champions Edge member and are interested…why not try out Edge for a month for $1 and then you can enjoy my interview with Sims.
Patricia Fripp Celebrity Series Interview with actor turned Executive Speech Coach Sims Wyeth
Monday, October 12, 6pm PST 9pm EST
“World Champions’ Edge Goes Inside The Actors Studio!
Learn what actor turned executive speech coach Sims Wyeth knows that we wish we knew!
You will learn how to:
- Appreciate the relevance of acting as it relates to presenting
- Prepare your text & for your performance
- Connect to your partner…the other actor… or your audience
- Develop a powerful voice
- Prepare and maintain your body for performance
- Let go and let magic happen!
In this special, up close and personal celebrity series interview,
Patricia will ask Sims the questions YOU want to know the answers to!
1. Why is public speaking and presenting like the theater?
2. How is public speaking and presenting not like the theater?
3. What did you learn in actor training that relates to presentation training?
4. What are the specific elements of actor training that most relate to public
speaking?
5. Do you recommend ambitious speakers seek out actor training?
6. Do you find some of your executive clients believe that actor training leads to
phoniness?
7. Can you walk us through the process of how you help executives prepare for their presentations?
About Sims Wyeth:
Sims Wyeth is an East Coast Fripp Speech Coach Executive Speech Coach Associate. Sims has trained and consulted internationally in the areas of executive communication and presentation skills.
His expertise lies in public speaking, speech writing, presentation skills, and leadership communication.
Sims has worked with people from all functions and disciplines, from R&D to the executive suite… anyone who seeks to move people to feel, think, and take action in a business situation, whether they are making a sale, explaining research, or leading a company.
Sims is a frequent speaker at business symposia on subjects related to persuasion and communication. His research into the psychological and cognitive aspects of speech communication has been published in Business Week, USA Today, and C2M. As a bonus, early in his career Sims was trained as an actor. The skills he learned have been invaluable when adapted to the business environment.
Sims says, “If you look up sales in the encyclopedia, you won’t find much. But if you look up persuasion, you’ll find everything you need to know about business communication. It starts with the personal credibility of the communicator and ends with the listener feeling secure in their decision to say yes.”
His clients include professionals from many industries, including pharmaceuticals, financial and professional services, high-tech manufacturing, and many federal agencies. Among his clients are Gartner, McKinsey, AIG, Deutsche Bank, Pfizer, Abbott Capital, Brencourt Advisors, Littlejohn & Co., Para Advisors, Fiduciary Trust, and many others. He has also taught at New York University, Temple University, Yale University, The University of New Orleans, and The New School for Social Research.
Oct/090
My East Coast Fripp Associate Speech Coach Sims Wyeth has a great weekly email called Presentation Pointers. This is from last week.
“Minnows nibble my toes when I stand ankle-deep in a lake in upstate New York. But they soon lose interest when they learn my toes are inedible. Like minnows, your listeners will be drawn to you when you step to the front of the room. But the attention they give you at that moment is not willed—it’s instinctive. Soon their curiosity will fade, and they’ll have to force themselves to listen…unless you give them food for thought about their problems, their opportunities, and their interests.”
Perhaps you would like to listen in on my interview with Sims?
![Simswyeth[1]](http://www.lifeontracknow.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/20e7f_6a00d8346d3f7569e20120a5ba4ea2970b-800wi)
If you are not a World Champions Edge member and are interested…why not
try out Edge for a month for $1 and then you can enjoy my interview with Sims.
Patricia Fripp Celebrity Series Interview with actor turned Executive Speech Coach Sims Wyeth
Monday, October 12, 6pm PST 9pm EST
“World Champions Edge Goes Inside The Actors Studio!
Learn what actor turned executive speech coach Sims Wyeth knows that we wish we knew!
You will learn how to:
Appreciate the relevance of acting as it relates to presenting
Prepare your text & for your performance
Connect to your partner…the other actor… or your audience
Develop a powerful voice
Prepare and maintain your body for performance
Let go and let magic happen!
In this special, up close and personal celebrity series interview,
Patricia will ask Sims the questions YOU want to know the answers to!
1. Why is public speaking and presenting like the theater?
2. How is public speaking and presenting not like the theater?
3. What did you learn in actor training that relates to presentation training?
4. What are the specific elements of actor training that most relate to public
speaking?
5. Do you recommend ambitious speakers seek out actor training?
6. Do you find some of your executive clients believe that actor training leads to
phoniness?
7. Can you walk us through the process of how you help executives prepare for their presentations?
Sims Wyeth mini bio.
Sims Wyeth is an East Coast Fripp Speech Coach Executive Speech Coach Associate. Sims has trained and consulted internationally in the areas of executive communication and presentation skills.
His expertise lies in public speaking, speech writing, presentation skills, and leadership communication.
Sims has worked with people from all functions and disciplines, from R&D to the executive suite… anyone who seeks to move people to feel, think, and take action in a business situation, whether they are making a sale, explaining research, or leading a company.
Sims is a frequent speaker at business symposia on subjects related to persuasion and communication. His research into the psychological and cognitive aspects of speech communication has been published in Business Week, USA Today, and C2M. As a bonus, early in his career Sims was trained as an actor. The skills he learned have been invaluable when adapted to the business environment.
Sims says, "If you look up sales in the encyclopedia, you won't find much. But if you look up persuasion, you'll find everything you need to know about business communication. It starts with the personal credibility of the communicator and ends with the listener feeling secure in their decision to say yes."
His clients include professionals from many industries, including pharmaceuticals, financial and professional services, high-tech manufacturing, and many federal agencies. Among his clients are Gartner, McKinsey, AIG, Deutsche Bank, Pfizer, Abbott Capital, Brencourt Advisors, Littlejohn & Co., Para Advisors, Fiduciary Trust, and many others. He has also taught at New York University, Temple University, Yale University, The University of New Orleans, and The New School for Social Research.