Ep. 44 Your Unforgettable Ask

Hey there, Mark Brown. How are you?

So far, so blessed. And you?

I'm great. Hey, we talked last week about your very first words, which are critical. Guess what we're going to talk about this week.

Let me guess. Last words.

No, ask. Just ask. So, yes, your last words are important, but the ask, somewhere near the end, you got to ask, what is it that you want them to do? Think and feel. So we've got to almost encourage them with a question to challenge them. Think of it. The challenge at the end. And as you know, Patricia Fripp says, last words linger.

Anyone can give a presentation. Few deliver unforgettable presentations. What's the difference? You're about to find out. Welcome to the unknown Unforgettable Presentations podcasts with your hosts, world champion speakers and coaches, Mark Brown.

Mark Brown, your life tells a story and there's someone out there who needs to hear it.

And Darren Lacroix. And Darren Lacroix.

Stage time. Stage time. Stage time.

Ready for some powerful presentation? Ahas. Let's dive right in.

All right, Mark. Hey, in episode 16, we talked about the sex, sexy, unsexy part of presentations, especially when it comes to making it unforgettable, which is structure. But structure seems boring. But it's critical. We talked about first words, so last words are important and we will cover that as well as, most importantly, what do you want them to do, think and feel when you're done, what are you asking them to do? Because it doesn't matter what happens in that moment. As you know, what we teach is three days, three weeks, three months later. Have we actually made some kind of an impact rather than just been entertaining?

Yeah. And be truthful, Darren. There are times I've heard presenters deliver speeches, and they're talented, they have a nice voice, great presence, they tell pretty cool stories, but then the speech ends or the presentation is over. I'm asking myself, that was nice. Yeah, but what do I do with that? You know? And if our listeners are gonna be honest, Darren, if our listeners are gonna be honest, they probably have been to a talk where they had the same feeling. But the question is, have you or I delivered a talk where someone else left with that same kind of feeling? Ouch.

Yeah, it's. Did we deliver it? We're gonna see it out there. And again, there's some mesmerizing presenters out there who are unforgettable. Yet I think they're missing the mark. They're missing the mark that we have that opportunity to make that change. We wanna make that change. That's why a lot of us are speakers, we care about our audience, we wanna leave our message. Well, part of your message includes the challenge, the ask. Maybe it's you're asking them to buy one of your programs. Maybe you're asking them to hire your company if you're a corporate presenter, to bring them in and maybe just you're asking for a consultation, that opportunity to continue the conversation. Like a lot of my corporate clients, they're that way. That's what they're that opportunity they're maybe pitching against another company. So let's just continue the conversation. That's an important ask. But if we don't take the time to really look. So step one, what's your message? Step two, what do we want them to do, think and feel and what are we asking them that is going to perpetuate that forward or make that change?

Funny thing you just said, we have the opportunity to ask, but I want to go a little deeper than that. It goes beyond the opportunity. If we're going to be good at what we do and serve our clients well, we have to view it also as a responsibility. Because if I fail to ask, and Darren, I've been guilty of failing to ask for the opportunity to have the next conversation. You know our friend Craig Valentine, world champion, also great guy, he says if you're speaking, you're in sales and very often that sale is just to ask for the opportunity to continue the conversation. Because they hear you as a presenter for 30 minutes, for 45, for an hour, exactly what you have for the organization, what you have for the client goes well beyond a one hour presentation. But you can ask for the opportunity to serve them further with other valuable tools, techniques and resources that they need that you have. But it's not just I end my speech and I'm done. We need to see not just the opportunity but, but the responsibility to make that ask so we can change them and we can bless them and we can serve them further. You've done that where you've gone back to a client because you asked, but have you failed to ask and then failed to serve?

And it's gotta be like a seed that's planted in and weaved in throughout. That's why it's important when you're creating your presentation to consider this ahead of time. Here's our message. But what am I asking them to do as a result of hearing this presentation? Now, it doesn't mean everyone will, in fact, most probably won't. But it's our responsibility to serve the people who are serious and will take action to give them that guidance or ask. So we've got a mark. We're gonna do some ask kicking.

I thought I was a bad poster in the bunch, but now I yield. I can't. I don't believe I can top that one. That was role reversal. I'll take it today and I'm sure our list of will enjoy it as well. But on a very serious note, Darren, you know it's not just about asking so you can get to do more for the audience. Because sometimes the ask is to ask the audience to contribute to a cause, to help a charity, or to work with an organization that they have tools and resources that they can provide, that they can support the organization. It can help change kids lives. So. So get to think beyond the power of the presentation to what it can lead to, how it can change the individuals who hear it. And also it may impact those who are third party recipients of your words that prompts your audience to do something. What will they think? What will they feel? What will they do after they hear the presentation? It's a key question to ask yourself. And if you can ask yourself that question with the thought in mind that the answer to that question will give them the impetus, the desire, the motivation to take some kind of action. It's commonly referred to in the industry as the CTA or call to action. But you have to include that so somebody will do something, they'll think differently, they'll respond differently, because the impact you have can be far reaching.

Mark, I think what we're saying is we got to rename it what's the ask tion they need to do. Wow. Rule of our rule today, man. I cannot believe this.

The asks they will take. Nice.

That's my role, is to make you laugh. If I can make Mark Brown laugh. It's more of a fun podcast. But seriously, think about this. We have a buddy, Michael Hague, who's a brilliant storytelling coach and we gotta get him on in an upcoming episode because he's just got such brilliance. But here's what I love. You've worked with him before and you've coached with him before. We do a two day event together, the three of us coaching people. And when he asks for the story, one of the things he asks for in order to coach is just that. What are you asking them to do? You know, do you want them to buy a product? Do you want them to call you for a counseling session? What is it that you want them to do? Because he needs that in order to build it into the story. And I think that's where a lot of people make that mistake. They don't realize the importance of not just, you know, here's my presentation. I love you, I want to teach you, I want to give to you. And at the end, hey, go do this. It's got to be woven in as part of your whole presentation so it becomes seamless at the end when you nudge them. And as you told me when we were talking about my fall, I was telling you everybody said I should get up sooner and you said, no, stay down longer. The exact opposite. You said, our job is not to make our audience comfortable, it's to make them uncomfortable so they will change. So it's our responsibility to do that ask. Now, it's up to them whether they do something with it, but it's our responsibility to ask.

And I hope that no one thinks that by asking they're being too hot on the audience. Because some speakers, I don't want to appear to be trying to sell them something or to ask for something, but the idea is you have the opportunity and the responsibility to offer words that will prick their minds and maybe even their hearts and prompt them to do something, to change in some way, to either stop doing something, to start doing something, to start doing something differently, and to do something with the thought that the impact can affect somebody else in a positive way. The truth is, Darren, as presenters we hold a great deal of power. We have to view that power as a responsibility. Don't leave anything on the table that could be effective in having an impact, to change the audience and the people over whom they have some degree of influence, that's going to be important as well.

Yeah. You and I have both seen many speeches where. Let's just use one example is that somebody asks the audience to go home and call someone and tell them they love them. That's a great ask. But it's got to be sold in the importance of that, in the. Here's what you lose if you don't, here's what you gain if you do. So that's got to be planted. Otherwise people say, well, I'll call somebody if I want to call someone. But if you've delivered your message and especially if you've lived the experience of you made that call or you didn't make that call and you missed out. But if we don't ask the audience to make that call, if that's our message, if that's our intention, if we don't ask them, we let them Down.

It's funny you say that. I didn't even think of this, Darren, but I had a presentation many years ago, I think it was in Missouri. And I talked about my late father. He only died two years ago, but I mentioned our relationship, what we'd been through, and my calling him and talking to him. And I gave my talk right before lunch at a conference. And at lunchtime a gentleman approached me and said, mark, you gonna be here for a while? I said, sure, how can I help you? Well, listen, just give me five minutes. I wanna ask you a question, but before I do, I need to go and call my dad. And I hadn't thought of that story until you said that just now remembered. I talked about the importance of having that relationship and having that contact. And he said, I'll get to you in five minutes. I have to go and call my dad. So my ask in my presentation years ago before lunch at that conference is evidence that what you've just said is true. And friends, as you listen to this, think about your own lives where you may have been given an opportunity when someone asked you to do something and you responded that very day. Because think about this, friends, we as presenters also have the responsibility to give our audiences actionable steps that they can begin to implement as soon as possible. And it could simply be as simple. It could be as simple as, you know what I love. Darren lacroix phrase regarding PowerPoint. Defend your slide. Defend your slide. And Darren, you challenge your clients who have very cumbersome PowerPoint slides. They can go and change that right away because you made the ask as part of the seamless flow in your presentation about the value of those slides. And I remember you telling me that you tell them to defend their slide and we can see people doing it right away. One more case in point, Darren, about asking. We were doing a two day workshop recently on online virtual presentations. One of our attendees, you remember, had called in from a foreign country. It was late at night where they were. And we talked about using the virtual background effectively. And in our discussion we told them, you need to make these changes so you can effectively serve your audience. And I watched in the gallery review of this meeting, while we were talking, they began to move things around immediately during the presentation. And we went to break and we came back and they had transformed their virtual background, they transformed their speaking space because we made the ask part of our presentation and they responded immediately. And we saw the result before the day was over. That was amazing because we made the ask.

Yeah. And here's the key. So that was a two day training. That was the end of day one. We could have just said, okay. It could have been implied by tomorrow, try and upgrade your background because this is what we're teaching you. But just the fact that we said, here's your homework, here's what you need to do. Just that one element of the ask again, you can't make everybody, not everybody did, but most people made some adjustment. And even if they attempted to make that adjustment and couldn't come up with it and they tested out a couple things and it wasn't any better, they learned more because they had more of an experience to try and make it better while they were still in the mindset of this matters. So thank you. Great callback. Great reminder of that, that it was critical we asked. And then the right people, the people who are motivated, the people who care, the people who want to make a change, they're going to do it. But it's our responsibility to ask.

Yeah, and you made a good point also.

I make a lot of good points, Jim. What do you mean? Just one.

Another good point.

Thank you. Thank you.

Today is your day.

I'm just asking.

I'll give it to you. Today's your day. Another good point, though. Not everyone responds to the ask and not everyone responds immediately. Some respond right away, some respond later and some don't respond. And that's life, that's humanity. That's how we operate. But we cannot abdicate the responsibility of making the ask and encouraging them to take some kind of action. We have to be clear that what we ask them to do is do a bull. Not impossible or so fantastic it's unreachable. They won't even attempt it.

Awesome. That's good. See, you have a good point on occasion.

Thank you.

Just kidding. But I think here' the key is if we give them that ask to take one step, they're more likely to take a second step, which is more likely to take a third step, which is the next step in momentum. See, if we're going to change a trajectory, it start with momentum. But if we don't ask them to take that one first step, we're letting them down.

Well, part of that too. And I know we, we probably have speakers who are very enthusiastic and they have wonderful, actionable, great ideas. But the caution is if you bombard them by asking them to do nine things at once.

Exactly.

That becomes I can't do all nine. I end up doing none.

They shut down.

So you gotta be very careful and strategic about the ask, can they do this? When you have a child and you want a child to attempt something, you don't say, okay, first of all, you know, learn to ride a bike today and then do jump rope and then trampoline and then do cartwheels. No, you don't do that. I'm not saying to treat your audience like little children. I'm saying be aware of the magnitude of what you're asking them to do. Because if you're expertise, it may be easy for you, but for them change can be difficult. So you want to measure that and be strategic about the ask, knowing that it may be difficult, but it can be doable.

Yeah. And you've got to have that. What's that one? There's a lot of things you want them to do and encourage them to do and task them to do. But your ask is not a list of tasks.

Ooh, that's a keeper. Your ask is not a list of tasks. Make sure that K sound is strong there. Go ahead, Darren.

Oh, man. You said that, not me. I'm telling your wife. So when. Let's consider this too. When we do an all day training. If you do an all day training and you're listening to this, think of each other section, maybe each 90 minutes there might be one ask and you do another 90 minutes, there might be another ask for that section. And maybe not all of them, but think of is there one ask for this section? Is there one ask for this section? Because if we do that, just like Mark when you and I did that same event, unforgettable presentations in a six week format. Each week we gave them homework. So think of the ask as the homework. But it's just that one question, that one challenge, that one thing that's going to move them off the starting blocks. That's our goal. Move them, ask them to get off the starting blocks.

Yeah. And in our programs, our longer programs, our workshops, we have a document we call action items. We keep two documents, keepers. Like your ask is not a list of tasks. Good. And our action items, because we're telling them we're going to ask you to do something and you want to make sure that what's on your action item is something that you can do, that you will commit to doing because it's important, it's nice to give you two days of material, but what will you do with it? How will it serve you? And how will it serve the people you work, with, the people who will hear your presentations, hopefully your unforgettable presentations? And how will their lives and businesses be better as a result of what you offer to them.

Mark, let's talk about a couple of don'ts, okay? For when it comes to that, people could call it call to action. And there's nothing wrong with that. We just like the word ask. We think it's better. We think it's more powerful. So you could call it a call to ask. Ing.

Yeah.

Oh, there you go. Ask Shin. All right. I'm probably going to. I'm probably going to regret this podcast, but, oh, well, for the greater good. So don't. One, don't. Don't not ask. Don't not ask.

Don't fail to ask.

There you go. Don't fail to ask. It's really important, and it's the reason you're presenting. It's the whole thing to move them off their starting blocks, even if it's just one small idea, one small step, one small thought, one small request, whatever that is. So, number one, don't fail to ask.

Yeah, because every presentation presents opportunities to ask. You know, I do a keynote called how to Be youe Best about performance excellence. And one of the. One of my asks for them is to change the way you see others. You know, people say, well, I'm not that good of a speaker. I said, well, you know what? Because they're going to judge me. Listen, if you have expertise and you fail to speak, you deprive your audience of your experience, your knowledge, your expertise, and your perspective. So I'm prompting my audience in the middle of my speech, I'm saying, speak up, speak up. Share what you have. People need to hear from you. So at the end, when I say, you need to act, you need to speak, you need to elevate your liver performance, it now makes sense. I've been laying the. Planting the same seeds for the Ask during the presentation. If I go through my whole talk and I fail to make the ask, then why have I been there? Ouch. Don't fail to ask, Darren.

All right, number two, don't diminish its importance. Please don't. Don't diminish the importance of the ask. We have that opportunity. In fact, think about the most unforgettable presentation presentations that you listen to as an audience member, whether it was on a podcast, online, a TED Talk, whatever it was. The most powerful ones, the most unforgettable ones are probably the ones where there was a great ask and you did something with it. So that presentation literally changed your trajectory. But it wouldn't have necessarily if there wasn't Some asking.

And the thing is, it need not be an ask of great magnitude. When, Darren, when you and I talk about our stage time program, university program, and show people the benefits of being involved, we ask for even one hour a week, four hours a month. We can do a whole lot more, but we ask, just give us one hour a week and we can help change your life. It's a small ask, but it's a simple ask. But it's important, because if you do give us one hour a week, we can help you to become unforgettable. It may seem small initially, but it's important. So don't diminish the importance of the ask, and don't think that because the ask may seem small, it's not significant. Small does not mean insignificant. Small may mean small. But the value down the road could be great.

Yeah. And we ask people to just give us one month. Give us one month. So we love it when people see the value and they join us for a year. That's awesome. But even if they're still skeptical, be skeptical. We have no. There's no commitments. The commitment is, let us serve you for a month and see if you aren't in a whole different place one month from now. If you give us that one hour, you know, one hour a week. So I love that. Here's another don't that I thought of. Don't dull your ask with a thank you after it. Okay. Every podcast I'm going to try and work in don't end in a thank you slide. Don't say thank you at the end. And I know people know it, but we need that reminder. But as Patricia says, your last words linger. Indeed, indeed. She does it exactly like that.

Words linger, but I know. Darren, my friend Darren. I love my voice. Oh, Darren, I know it's a pet peeve of yours. After a wonderful presentation and the last word you give to the audience, you throw up a slide that says thank you. It seems anti. I know. Darren, Breathe. It's okay, my friend. Breathe slowly in and out.

I need a paper bag, please.

Please don't hyperventilate. I know it's a big pet peeve of yours, and we joke about that, but really think about this. Friends is the last thing you want the audience to see or to remember you by the words thank you. If you are the fifth speaker at a conference and everybody else put thank you on their slide, that really how you want to be remembered. Don't dull the power of the ask. You want the audience to go out there saying I'm going to do this right now. I ask people to be better. I ask people to elevate their performance level. I will not forget. I gave a keynote for a national insurance company in Chicago a couple of years ago, and the conference chairman agreed to give me a testimonial by video. It's probably 30 seconds long. And I talk about being your best and being better for your family and all that. I mean, I did the whole thing. I was asking them to be good employees, be good managers, to be good parents, to be good family members. And this event chairman, in the video he gave to me, said this. I'm gonna go home, I'm gonna hug my kids, and I'm gonna do something better tomorrow. To me, Darren, one of my best testimonials ever. He said, I'm going to go home and hug my kids. I'm going to do something better tomorrow. I thought, man, he got it. If I hadn't made the ask, I would never have heard him say those words. And that, to me, was important because not only is his industry and his company being affected, it's also his family. So, my friends, a small ask can have a big impact. A small ask can have a big impact. Don't end with that thank you and they'll go to it. And it's something that prompts them to do what this man prompted was prompted to do. Don't dull your ask with a thank you slide. Just don't.

Mark, isn't one of your keynote speeches with the keynote subject performance, Askalance.

Oh, man. You're going to put out every ask pun that you.

I'm back here. While you're talking, I'm trying to think of new ones because we're trying to get the point across. We're trying to plant the seeds. By the way, I wrote the note down. Mark, I think there should be a reality show of corporate presenters. Think of, like, you know, the Rock and his new show, the Titans. Like, you know, this week, the battle of the thank you slides. My thank you slide is better than your thank you slide. I'm gonna make that video.

One comes flying in. One comes, you know, different with. Oh, man.

Yeah, this Bob. He works for a local community bank. At the end of his present. No. Okay, sorry. If you're listening to our podcast, we hope you're laughing. And if you're not, you just don't understand us. And that's okay. Find another podcast. But if you do, thank you. Thank you for this. But seriously, don't diminish it. That thank you at the end just dulls the work that you did. It's polite, but is just not the best last words. As Fripp says, your last words linger. Mark, you know, your coach, David Brooks says in a speech contest, the speech is won and lost in the moment of silence when people are reflecting on your speech and your last words.

And people learn best in moments of reflection. It's also a frick is meddling that.

Amen. So we covered some don'ts. Do do well, of course. Get clear. Take the time to really get clear on what your ask is. And how likely are they to take that one step? Are you asking them for a ginormous step? Maybe the step is too big and maybe there's one or two people who will do it. But you determine what's best for your presentation. But truly, if you want to make an impact, the ask. Ask is probably one of the most important aspects.

Ask specs, man, he's just going on like crazy today. Yeah, yeah, okay, fine. That's true. I will take this point to reiterate a point I made earlier. You want to be clear on your ask because if your ask is too complicated, has too many steps and too many components, it could really be a turn off. So it's like beginning with the end in mind. When I'm done with this presentation, what is it I'm going to ask the audience to do that they can do immediately and do effectively immediately. Because if you give them an ask, that's doable but also productive, Chances are, whatever else you may say in the future, whatever leave behind you leave with them, whatever other opportunities you get to work with them, they will take it because they know you made the ask. You offer them the challenge and it was doable and it enriched their lives, their performance or their work.

Yeah. Here's another one, Mark. Do ask with confidence. Ask with confidence. There's.

I don't know, maybe you might want to.

Maybe you could. Maybe you could politely consider if it's okay with you. You know, if it's not too much to ask.

I like that. That's so true. You know, watch. That is so true. If it's not too much to ask, would you mind maybe considering that Possibly you could really, people, come on.

But think about this. Let's just say at the end of your presentation, you're pitching a program or a product that you want them to take a next step. You've given them an hour's worth of content, whether it's a webinar or live, and you have Another program that literally could help them. So we're not talking about people who do manipulative sales talks. That's not what we're talking about. If you serve them with the best you have, and you have more that you could learn from. Remember listening to Dan Kennedy back in the 90s when I was listening to his programs over and over again, so brilliant. And he's like, look, you gotta believe that that can help people. You gotta believe that if they don't buy, if they don't invest, that you. You let them down, that there's something wrong with you. We've got to have that kind of confidence. I know if people join us in stage time, we will change the way they look at presentations. Now, is it right for everyone? No. But if I don't have a belief in what I'm asking for, it's my problem. Or if we do. In the NSA world, what's called the product apology, you've got this person who's passionate, they care, they tell these amazing stories. But in the back of the room, I have a book, if, you know, if you'd like, I'll sign it, but, you know, it's only $20. And then they come back to life and it's. I call it the product apology. Their demeanor is apologizing for pitching. Well, you got to believe that. Look, I got some good stuff here, and I know I can help you. It can't be right for everyone. But if we don't have that confidence in that. This ask is critical to our audience. Again, we're letting them down.

And Darren, I will confess, for quite a while, I was living in that world. You beat me up over this. I can't say how many months you did that. And I confess, I've been in that world myself. And when I changed, you sent me a note one day. Look at you, you convent marketer, you, and all that. But I had to confess to myself, what I have is valuable, and I need to make the ask. And it isn't always about your product or your service. Again, you could be asking someone to make an effort to support a cause that's meaningful to you and to them. But we don't need to be apologetic about the ask if we believe in it, have confidence in the value of what we're asking them to do, knowing the result will be of value not only to them, but for other people in their world as well.

Yeah, I know. One of my asks in some of my presentations when I'm teaching presenters, especially emerging presenters, I tell the Story of Vinnie Favorito. When he and I were in the back of a comedy club, I see this brand new comedian go up and rock it. I've been doing it for a year and a half and I get like three or four lame laughs in my presentation. I watch him, I'm like, oh, I'm disgusted. And he says to me, never turn down stage time. I'm gonna give you five minutes of stage time wherever I play. But if you ever turn down stage time, I will never help you again. So that's a shortened version, condensed version of that story told much better. Normally, I'm just trying to bring it up as the example, but at the very end, one of my asks is, I will say to the audience, look, I don't know everything about presentations, but I do know this. If Vinnie was here right now, he would tell you, never turn down stage time. And I leave that. I don't say thank you and diminish the whole thing. So it's not in the phrase of a question, but it is an ask that you never turn down stage time. So that has been one that has resonated and worked for me for years. But it's an ask.

Yeah. And I have met so many people who, even in conversation, other speakers who will say, hey, states time. Right. I need states time.

Right.

I need states time.

Right.

Because they heard you deliver the ask in the form of a statement. And don't forget, now, the ask need not be a question. The ask can take the form of a statement, but it prompts the audience to do something. And you're having given that ask in statement format has changed the lives of so many people who I've met, who've heard you, and who are now pursuing their careers because they say, I need to get stage time. I need to get zoom time, zoom time, zoom time. But I need to have time. I need to be doing this more actively. Don't dilute it. Don't ask timidly. Ask with confidence, knowing that what you're asking them to do will serve them.

Yeah. I have gotten emails from around the world where people told me stories that they said I was a little timid. I was offered this presentation, I was gonna chicken out, but then I heard the words of your mentor, never turn down stage time. I decided to do the presentation even though I was scared. And oh my gosh, it went great. It was better. I got recommendations to speak other places. So when you can have your ask in terms of a dialogue, that's not a bad idea too. Doesn't have to be, but you got to get clear on your ask.

Yeah, you just said something very important. Darren, you said having your ask in the form of a dialogue to reinforce the idea that asking, in this case, the ask need not only be. Be the form of a question. The idea is, what can I say in conversation as a statement, as a question, as a challenge, even as part of a story, parable or fable that will prompt the audience to go, huh, I need to do something different here. Or I've been wrestling with this, but now is my time to act on it. Or you know what? It's a habit I need to break. I got to stop doing that. Because what he or she has just told me validates the fact. I've known it along. I've known it, but now I'm definitely going to change. The ask need not only come in your presentation. I know we're discussing unforgettable presentations, but think about this. We have received and given asks in our everyday lives in many different ways. We make asks for when we recommend a good movie or a good Netflix or prime video to our friends. We use asks when we get, like my daughter used to ask to get me to go and join Orange Theory Fitness back in November of last year. And she goes four days a week. She's 36 years old. She's battling multiple sclerosis. But she made the ask to me, her dad, to get me to change. And we have asked in our everyday life, why should it be any different? As presenters, when we're given the platform, we're given the opportunity. We have the responsibility. Please, friends, make the ask and do not diminish its power. And do ask with confidence.

Yes, your audience needs an ask kicking again. We want to make sure they get this. And if you're. By the way, if you're listening to this, thank you for putting up with me. But if this is our only opportunity to get you to get clear, that it's your responsibility to your audience, to your career, and to the people you get that privilege of being in front, of taking the time to get clear, put it in the right way and try. Test, test, test. You'll know from your audience what's working when they come back and talk to you about it. When you get emails a month later, a year later about the difference that your presentation made, get clear though. Is it the whole presentation or is it the presentation or the ask wrapped in the right presentation?

Here's a challenge for everyone. Think about your most recent presentation or one you're planning to give either live in person or in an online format in the near future and go through that presentation and ask yourself, Is my ask interwoven in my presentation? Have I properly structured my presentation so when I make an ask, isn't the surprise out of left field for those who like baseball isn't incongruous or out of the blue? One, is there an ask? And two, have I set it up properly so it makes sense and flows and the audience can respond to that? I have to review my own presentations as well. So I'm not going to ask you to do anything. To ask you to do anything I won't do myself. But I'm asking you to review your presentations. If you think the ask is lacking or missing, it's time to make the change before you deliver it. Darren, your thoughts on that?

I agree 100%. I can't even make that better because I can't think of a good ask pun when I have to ask.

I had to ask the audience. Today I make a very clear ask to review your presentation and see if the ask is contained therein. If not, it's time for you to change it.

Yeah. And I want to emphasize what you said. Set up your ask. Set it up early on. Plant that seed that when you come to ask later, it's going to make sense. You're going to call back to a character, a statement, a situation, an emotion. But we've got to take that time to get clear. And I think this is where even some of the pros could maybe up their game a little if they took the time to get clear on their ask.

Well, Darren, I tell you, this was fun today. I know we kind of got a little crazy. Well, you got a little crazy with all your puns and asking. But here's the thing we believe as presenters, I'll say it again, we have an opportunity, but more importantly, we have a responsibility to hone our craft, to use these skills and these tools to create not just a talk, not just a speech, not just a presentation, but an unforgettable presentation. So let me ask you this. Do you have your ask embedded in your presentation? If not, it's time to make that change. Darren, I have had so much fun. I can't wait to hear from some of our listeners what the results that they get from including the asks in their presentations. And I believe if we all do this, we'll be on our way to making our presentations unforgettable.

Well, and think about it. What are you risking? What are you risking by not doing it? It's your ask to risk.

You probably spent a minute thinking about it when I was talking, didn't you?

More than two.

Hey Darren, listen, it was great fun, man. Let's get together again next week and offer our listeners some really cool tips to deliver unforgettable presentations. I got a question for you. Do we have anything interesting coming down the road in the next few weeks or so that might be of interest to our audience? Might tickle their ears or maybe make them even that much more intrigued.

Who's coming up? Mark Brown.

Well, I tell you what, I've got somebody really unique coming up. My buddy Freddie combines art, music, speaking to create an experience for every audience. And I'll share more about him down the road. But stay tuned folks, we have only just begun. Your time together with us, I guarantee, or rather I guarantee is going to be unfortunate.

Forgettable and what are we asking? We're asking you to ask.

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If you like this episode, please leave us a review. If you want to get more from Mark and Darren, check out Stage Time University where they provide exceptions, experienced presenters, a proven path and world class feedback. To become the speaker everyone is talking about, go to stagetimeuniversity.com join us next week if you're going to take the time to prepare a presentation, make it unforgettable.

Mark, I think I got to go to aa. I'm an askaholic.

Oh man, you're gonna make a whole routine on this, aren't you?

What are you, what are you asking?