Stellar communication skills are integral to presentations that capture merchants' attention and motivate them to sign on the bottom line. The first of two books highlighted in this issue's Book Notes explores aspects of communication that go beyond words; the second offers stories that can help make presentations sizzle.
Have you ever been thrown off your game by a particularly challenging merchant and later wished you could do the whole meeting over? Harvard professor Amy Cuddy suggests in her book Presence (Little Brown & Co.) that we can all tap our personal power to transform situations that ordinarily make us feel anxious. By drawing on this power, we can achieve "presence," that is a state in which we aren't worried about the impression we're making on others. Cuddy, whose TED talk about "power poses" has been viewed by millions of people worldwide, believes that we can achieve a dramatic inner transformation by making small changes in our behavior, body language and outlook.
The book presents the science behind Cuddy's methods and offers techniques to help overcome fear in high-pressure moments, perform optimally and empower others to do the same. It also contains stories of individuals who have applied the techniques to better their lives.
Do you want to add sparkle to your presentations this year? How about using arresting short stories? In 99 Inspiring Stories for Presentations, author Barry Powell compiled compelling stories told by accomplished public speakers, because good stories are memorable and make people care. If you just load people with information, they may be impressed with your knowledge, but they are also likely to become overwhelmed and not emotionally involved.
This collection, published via CreateSpace, includes stories told by bestselling writers, as well as business and spiritual leaders. The author selected them to help people deliver outstanding presentations even to tough audiences, convey messages effectively, inspire and motivate others to take specific actions, and become respected public speakers. Telling good stories also helps people shine at networking events and social gatherings. 
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