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In the business world, so many of us are required to give presentations and engage our audiences. There is usually a lot of information to present, and we are left wondering how we can connect with our audience and leave a lasting impression. How do we make our presentations memorable? After all, there is nothing more boring than someone showing us charts and spitting out numbers and percentages.

While there are obviously important facts that are mandatory, remember that a presentation is really a way to “talk” to your audience and let them become a part of your message. What better way to do that than to tell a story?

So, how do you do create a story that makes your audience truly interested in what you have to say and want to hear more?

Your story must be relevant and fit your audience.
Telling just any story won’t make a great presentation. You need to make sure that your story is relevant to your topic and fits your audience. You want to the audience to respond with an “oh!” or “ahhh”, or be surprised in a way that really gets their attention.

Your story must have a point.
You want to build the story right into our presentation framework so that it is something they can relate to and makes practical sense. The point of the story must be clear. Rather than just spitting out numbers and charts, make it realistic and fun. The story puts everything together so that all of those numbers and all of the information make sense.

Make your audience laugh.
If your story is funny, that’s even better. Sometimes, you might want to relate something that actually happened to you that was funny and relevant to your project. Let them see the human side of you. This keeps the audience engaged and interested.

Always tell a story about a person and an experience they had.
Your story can be a success story, a failure, a humorous story, or something personal. You may even want your story to have a lesson for others to learn. If your story doesn’t have a personal message, then it won’t hit home with your audience. They should reflect on how the story affected someone and how it relates to the topic.

It’s not enough just to present information in a presentation, as it tends to make it dry and dull. Spicing it up with a story or two that are relevant to your topic, teaching a lesson and saying something funny all help to engage your audience and keep them asking for more. Your presentation is a way to deliver a message in the most interesting way possible so that your audience walks away with a smile on their face, actually remembering what you said and the important information and practical ways to apply it.

Do it yourself debt negotiation is difficult but only because you do not know how to do it. There are several success stories of people who have reduced their debts on their own and you could be one of them if you just give it a try. However, the key to succeeding is to know what is at stake. What you know of negotiating debts will get you that financial freedom that you have been dreaming about.

All debt situations are unique so there is no one formula to negotiate. Not to mention the fact that you will be dealing with creditors from different types of debts. There are, however, general tips that you can keep in mind to provide the debt relief success that you are aiming for.

On top of the list is to always mention bankruptcy. When debt negotiation or debt settlement is considered, it also means you are in dire financial situations. If you fail at this, your only option is bankruptcy. Creditors are scared of bankruptcy because this means there is a chance that they get nothing at all. They will be more likely to accept a settlement as it is a promise that they will receive even a small percentage of the debt owed. That is better than getting nothing after a bankruptcy judge rules it to happen. They will be powerless to come after the debtor once the court passes judgement. This is especially true for unsecured creditors.

The next tip is to aim for 50% or more in terms of debt reduction. Begin with a very low offer – like 20% or 25%. The creditor will offer a higher percentage for sure. Just be firm and do not agree to an amount that you cannot afford in the first place. Keep negotiating and explain that you cannot afford payments if they are higher than what you can pay for.

It is also important that you have cash on hand to offer your creditors. All debt settlement companies will ask you to stop paying your creditors and put that amount in a safe account instead. As you go through the negotiation process, you will grow that amount so you have something to offer once the negotiations are in full swing.

Through all of this, keep your eye on the bigger picture. Not all debts can be negotiated and this is usually limited to unsecured debts. Secured debts may be more difficult to reduce but here are tips that you can use if you have to negotiate with various creditors.

Credit Card Companies. These are practically the easiest and most negotiated debt among the others. They are more inclined to accept a settlement because they are the first to be discharged when the debtor files for bankruptcy.

Other Unsecured Loans and Personal Loans. This can be approached in the same way as credit card debt.

Debts with Local Merchants. If you have debts with any merchant, you can approach your debts just like your credit cards. These are among the first debts to be discharged during bankruptcy.

Mortgage Lenders. While debt reduction is usually not possible, you can negotiate for a loan modification. This will get you lower monthly payments but that is because you will be extending your term. If you have a loan with a small or local bank, your chances of getting an approval is more likely. A home refinancing can also be an option instead of opting for a foreclosure.

Other Secured Loans. Similar with mortgage lenders, it is usually easier to negotiate if you have a loan with a small bank. Bigger banks make it next to impossible to get a loan modification. But with a smaller bank, you can follow the usual techniques as those done with a credit card company.

Student Loans. This is one of the loans that cannot be discharged by bankruptcy so a debt reduction negotiation may not be possible. There are government programs that can help in reducing their monthly payments and sometimes, cancel the entire loan. However, you need to be qualified to avail of that privilege.

When you are in doubt, it is always best to get the aid of a debt professional. You may also consult a bankruptcy lawyer to give you advice on the right path that you should take towards getting rid of your debts.

My son lives five hours away from my home but travels with me for professional speaking engagements. He usually arrives a day or two before the scheduled event and we begin strategizing and preparing so that I can be my best.

Following are the steps that we take:

1. Review of the materials that I have received from the hosting organization – We want to make sure that we understand the specific needs and requests as well as the logistics for our stay. We double-check the times they have set for us to fulfill their banquet and room reservations as well as any specific details for setting up our sales booth and doing sound checks.

2. Refinement of the presentation – I have usually prepared notes for the topic to be covered and we then coordinate these with any slides, photos or videos that we want to incorporate into our power point so that it flows.

3. Prepare a customized free gift for the audience members. This is usually a mini-book that they can download through a hidden page on our website. We give them the address and they get the gift in exchange for entering their name and email address into a database form. We find this method is less expensive than having a paper handout and it also allows us to capture contact information for future marketing.

4. Draw materials – We also print slips of paper on which the audience can write their names and email addresses for a draw in which they can win two or three of my books or audio products. Most people carry pens but having a supply with you is a good idea as well as having a container for entries. Describing the prizes to them allows you a comfortable way to market,

5. Back up materials – We use luggage with wheels to transport supplies for the book table such as business cards, bookmarks, and sale items.

6. Inventory – It is better to have too much than to run out and then be faced with shipping costs. Make sure you also have a good pen for autographing the sale items, paper and pens for audience members to write out specific requests they might have and a prepared method for issuing receipts that purchasers need. You will also need to have a good supply of small bills in order to make change for the buyers.

7. Technical supplies – My son carries with him his laptop, specific cords that he might need for the sound system, audio/video devices for recording the event and his iPhone for taking photographs that we can later use in marketing materials.

8. Presentation props – I usually put my outfit for the second half of the presentation into a piece of luggage that I can actually pull on stage with me. That way I don’t have to worry about going back to the hotel room or looking for specific things in a short break.

9. Invoicing documentation – I usually ask for a down payment of half the fee at booking and the remainder on the day of the presentation. It is a good idea to take a copy of the invoice showing balance due with you for the organizers.

10. Travel preparations – We usually plan to be at the venue the day before I speak. This means that I will need to have my hair professional done, the car filled with gas or travel to the airport arranged.

It sounds like a lot of things to get ready but we are finding that the more times we do this, the easier it becomes. They key, of course, is to have a plan and allow the time in order to do all of the tasks so that you truly can say that you are ready when you need to be.