| I recently posted an article titled "Internet | | | | people may actually be displaying a false |
| Marketing and Public Speaking: Ten Tips for | | | | bravado to mask their discomfort at speaking |
| When the Twain Shall Meet." One of the tips | | | | in front of a group, perhaps exposing their |
| concerned a means to practice your sales | | | | lack of skill in the presentation art, and/or |
| presentation with a "Murder Board." I | | | | their apprehension at giving a less than |
| received several emails requesting a fuller | | | | sterling performance in front of their |
| explanation of this practice method.I decided | | | | colleaqgues.They are also very mistaken. I |
| to write two explanatory articles, so vital | | | | have given more than 3000 presentations, and |
| is this method to improve one's public | | | | always find it beneficial to conduct a Murder |
| speaking, specifically in preparing a | | | | Board before an important talk. No matter how |
| presentation aimed at selling off-line your | | | | hard we try to think of tough questions that |
| on-line product. In this article, I'll | | | | may be asked, a little censor in our mind |
| provide an in-depth explanation of this | | | | generally provides only questions to which we |
| practice method; in the second, I'll cover | | | | already have answers. In my executive |
| the seven steps need for a successful Murder | | | | training workshops, I always emphasize the |
| Board.Simply stated, the Murder Board is a | | | | importance of a Murder Board, and the |
| realistic simulation of the actual | | | | practice presentations made by my clients are |
| presentation to be made. Colleagues role-play | | | | set up as Murder Boards to get them |
| the audience, asking the type of questions | | | | accustomed to this simulation.I am in good |
| they believe this specific group is likely to | | | | company in believing that we need other minds |
| ask. It is intended to be more difficult than | | | | to assist us in preparing for a sales or |
| the actual presentation.If you want to become | | | | other presentation.. The man who possessed |
| an effective and persuasive presenter to | | | | perhaps the greatest mind of the 20th |
| boost your on-line marketing, this realistic | | | | Century, Albert Einstein, realized that even |
| practice session is the most effective | | | | he needed help. He once said:"What a person |
| shortcut to speaking excellence. It allows | | | | does on his own, without being |
| you to make your mistakes when they don't | | | | |
| count, increasing the odds that you will | | | | stimulated by the thoughts and experiences |
| shine when the actual presentation is | | | | of |
| made.The Origin of the Murder BoardThe term | | | | |
| Murder Board has its origins within the U.S. | | | | others, is even in the best cases rather |
| military, specifically within the extensive | | | | paltry and |
| training system of the U.S. Army. When a | | | | |
| person has been selected to be an instructor | | | | monotonous."The Murder Board is the |
| at an Army school, he or she must go through | | | | presenter's version of the actor's dress |
| a demanding instructor training | | | | rehearsal, what lawyers do in preparing a |
| program.Graduation and designation as an | | | | witness to face cross-examination in a trial, |
| instructor is dependent not on a written | | | | what the flight simulator is to the |
| test, but successful delivery of a 50 minute | | | | pilot.Just as with the actor, the witness, |
| class from the curriculum of the school.The | | | | and the pilot, this simulation permits the |
| audience for this crucible can be instructors | | | | presenter to learn from his/her mistakes, so |
| who have gone through their own Murder Board, | | | | that the actual presentation is (1) more |
| and are determined that this would-be | | | | responsive to the informational needs of the |
| instructor will experience the same | | | | audience, (2) answers are developed for |
| frustration and humiliation they did. They | | | | likely questions to be asked, and (3) overall |
| ask tough, realistic, questions, the type of | | | | speaking confidence and competence |
| questions their students are asking.At the | | | | enhanced.The Murder Board enables you to |
| end of the 50 minute class, the aspiring | | | | visualize the presentation in advance. Not |
| instructor gets a a thumbs up-meaning he or | | | | only is proficiency in speaking increased by |
| she can now join this band of brothers and | | | | such a meticulous practice, so too is |
| sisters as an instructor, or a thumbs-down, | | | | self-confidence. Public speaking ranks high |
| meaning another "opportunity" to go through a | | | | in the pantheon of phobias because, in large |
| Murder Board.Lessons from the PentagonThis | | | | measure, of the apprehension that one is |
| realistic simulation has permeated the | | | | going to be embarrassed by not being able to |
| military culture. As an example, when I ran | | | | answer questions from the audience.If you |
| the Defense Intelligence Agency's (DIA) | | | | have been able to anticipate questions, then |
| briefing team, we had three Murder Boards | | | | you can develop answers ahead of time. Think |
| before the daily briefing to the Chairman of | | | | back to when you were in college or graduate |
| the Joint Chiefs of Staff.The first one was | | | | school. Your GPA would probably have been |
| at 5:30 AM, the second at 6:30 AM, the third | | | | higher if you could have seen the questions |
| in front of two General officers and all the | | | | before the final exams. The Murder Board |
| analysists, one hour later. By the time my | | | | permits the presenter a look at the |
| briefer or I was standing in front of the | | | | audience's probable "exam questions."The only |
| Chairman, those intense sessions had provided | | | | obstacle to developing a |
| the right answers to virtually any | | | | question-anticipating simulated presentation |
| conceivable question the Chairman was likely | | | | is your imagination and willingness to take |
| to ask.Why have a Murder Board?This | | | | hard hits in practice so you can be more |
| painstaking practice session has two | | | | effective in the actual |
| overriding objectives:1. Hone delivery | | | | presentation.Copyright 2005 Larry TracyThis |
| skills2. Anticipate probable questions and | | | | article is excerpted from Larry Tracy's book, |
| objections so succinct, accurate answers can | | | | The Shortcut to Persuasive Presentations. |
| be developed.Many presenters, while accepting | | | | Larry, a retired Army colonel, has been cited |
| the need to sharpen delivery skills, reject | | | | in numerous publications as one of the top |
| the idea of a Murder Board, confident they | | | | presentation skills trainers in the US. His |
| can anticipate the difficult questions likely | | | | website is at top of Google for "persuasive |
| to be asked, and need not practice in front | | | | presentations. |
| of others, especially their peers. These | | | | |