One aspect of "selling" that is often under-reported is the importance of making good presentations. I am constantly astounded at how bad some people are at con

One aspect of "selling" that is often under-reported is the importance of making good presentations. I am constantly astounded at how bad some people are at conveying their ideas. Even a brilliant mind can seem stupid if they do not master the way in which they convey that information. Here are a couple tips: - Stick with pictures. If you put up a paragraph on a slide, then I have to choose between listening to you or reading what you wrote. Sometimes I get confused and end up thinking about my next lunch break. - Tell a story. Don't jump into specifics and don't generalize. Make sure your content is a happy medium between the two and it flows in a way that makes sense to the average person. - PRACTICE!!!! Oh god how I can't stress this enough. There must be a linear relationship between how many "Um's" and "oh's" and "ah's" in a presentation and how long you spend practicing. - Improvise to social queues. This is difficult to master, but when you give a presentation you have to be observant about what is happening in the room. Do people look bored? Try to relate the content to them. Do people look tired? Keep them informed how much longer you will be presenting. Are people squinting? Emphasize the concept and not the detail. Bottom line: If you can master the presentation, your chances of making a deal go up dramatically. Who are good presenters? Watch a few talks on TED.com, look at Duarte Design (used by Al Gore), and read up on Edward Tufte.