Sunday night I experienced a rough flight out of Atlanta due to a line of thunderstorms and tornadoes making its way across the southeast. I was sitting next to a gentleman who had the window down, and I kindly asked if he would open it, which he did. I then proceeded to share my “wisdom” about the dark clouds we were looking at, relying on my decades of experience as a plane traveler.

Fast forward an hour and the two of us are now talking (you know, you keep to yourself until you get the urge to talk). When I asked him what he did for a living, he told me he was a retired commercial pilot for Air Canada. He’d flown for 40 years and now works as a contractor ferrying refurbished airliners all over the world to their new homes.

I started laughing and said, “I’m trying to educate you on cloud formations and you know more than I do!” He was kind and said, “Yes, but you didn’t know that.”

When you pitch and present to customers, what information are you missing that could result in your customers or audience tuning out because they feel you do not understand their circumstances?

Do you have all the information you need to make a great presentation to those you are trying to influence? If you’re not sure, do some digging before you present—otherwise your message could land on deaf ears. You will also avoid the embarrassment I felt on my flight Sunday night. 

Taking time to uncover the information you need for an effective presentation is not lost time and it won’t slow you down. Good preparation is an investment that results in increased Velocity in your sales efforts.