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1. Impressiveness, memorability and
personal impact
Presented by
Andrew Marty
SACS Consulting

2. • What does the research say about impressiveness and
memorability?
• What are the implications of this knowledge?
• How can we use it for professional presentations?
Objectives

3. But first, do impressions matter?

4. Who is persuasive?
Who is impressive?

5. Who is persuasive?
Who is impressive?

6. Who is persuasive?
Who is impressive?

7. Who is persuasive?
Who is impressive?

8. • How do people make them? Neuroscience evidence?
• “The decisive moment” by Jonah Lehrer
• The emotion centers of the brain light up first when
people are asked to make decisions
• Impressions matter.
Decisions

9. • What kind of impression do I want to give to my
stakeholders?
• I would want them to describe me as…
• You need to decide how you want to be perceived. The
more clearly you decide this, the more likely it is that
you will get there
• Start with five words or phrases you would want people
to use when they describe you
• Make plans about how to get there – ask for honest
feedback from those you trust.
Destination setting

10. • primacy and recency effects – 60/20/20
– Professionalism.
– Likeability.
– Trustworthiness.
• drivers of powerful first impressions
– Your perceived intentions – what are your vested
interests?
– Clarity of the destination – where are you going to
take us? Effective scene and objective setting.
– Your professional image – particularly whether it
meets our expectations. Perceived wellbeing.
Key drivers of impressions

11. • Does it follow the objectives you set at the beginning?
• Is it clear where you are in the sequence you outlined?
• Is the sequence logical and easy to follow?
• Is wording straightforward and clear?
• Is it interesting? Avoid going into too much detail.
• Design the presentation with headings. Show them to
people in heading form and ask for honest feedback –
does this make sense – is it clear – is it interesting?
• Consider using mind mapping to design the
presentation.
Key drivers of impressions – the
body of your presentation

12. Mind mapping

13. • It is helpful to identify two main subsystems in the
brain:
The neuroscience of influence
and change
Old Brain
- approximates the
“old” part of the brain
The New Brain
• Affiliation, generosity, goodwill
• Reflective
• Options considered
• Imaginative/creative
• Higher order learning
• Slow/resource intensive
• Manages impulsive desires
• Labels emotional states
• Not ‘fully functional’ until
adulthood
• Seat of optimism
The Old Brain
• Focused on self
• Sensitive to threat
• Comfortable, auto pilot, or
• Fight or Flight
• Resistant to change
• Low order learning only
• Fast/efficient/instinctive
• Engages impulsive desires
• Anger/fear/depression
• Highly developed at birth
• Seat of pessimism
Energy use is more or less fixed – plus or minus 1 %. If you are in one
Zone you are not in the other
New Brain
- approximates
the newer part
of the brain

14. Vision
Planning
Habit
Detail
Drama
Problem
Neuroscience says that the best
way to influence is to coach

15. • Learn to name your emotional states – blue zone, red
zone
• Practice considering your emotions from a third party,
objective point of view
• Focus on the best possible outcome from the situation
confronting you – what is your destination
• Practice managing your emotional level through
relaxation training.
Manage your own emotions

16. G = Goal
R = current Reality
O = Options
W = What next or Will
Coaching a group or individual

17. • How do you sum up what has gone before? A clarity of
drawing the information together
• Can you describe how the information you have
imparted can be used?
• Can you be clear about next steps, or what you want
your audience members to do?
Drivers of powerful final
impressions

18. • kinesics
– Body movements
– Body orientation
– Gestures
– Facial expressions
• Haptics
– Touch
• proxemics
– Use of personal space
Non-verbal behaviours
of influence

19. • chronemics
– Use of time – fast pace, slow pace, delay,
etc
• physical appearance
– Presentation
• artefacts
– Objects, “props”, fiddling, etc
• eye contact.
Non-verbal behaviours
of influence

20. • energy level – high, low, etc
• voice projection
– Loud, soft, quiet, gruff, smooth, etc.
Non-verbal behaviours
of influence

21. • Rational persuasion
• Consultation and partnership
• Inspirational appeal
• Ingratiation
• Personal appeal
• Exchange
• Coalition
• Legitimising
• Pressure.
Options for persuasion

22. • It is crucial to start and to finish well
• Make the material as easily understood as possible. If
you err, err on the side of simplicity
• Set a destination as to the image you want to present
• Put yourself and your audience in the right mind space
• Consider your non verbal options – plan your non
verbals
• Consider your persuasion options – go into the
exercise with a plan.
Key learnings from today

23. For further information please contact Andrew
Marty, Managing Director of SACS Consulting
on +613 8622 8508 or
andrewm@sacsconsult.com.au