COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE EFFECTIVELY A Winning Presentation.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)(IBD'S 10 SECRETS TO SUCCESS)

Byline: Cord Cooper

9 Making a presentation can involve all kinds of challenges. But it doesn't have to be a rough ride.

When planning your next speech, consider these tips from public speaker and executive coach Jerry Weissman.

** Respond to tough questions by paraphrasing them. Strip out the negativity.

"If someone says, "Why is your offering priced so high when you have no visible profitability?' paraphrase the question this way: "How did we arrive at the pricing of our offering?' You've gotten rid of the hostility. You can now answer the question on your terms," Weissman said in a phone interview.

** Simplify. When explaining new concepts or complex technology, use metaphors, he advises. "If you're a drug maker explaining how product delivery works using patches, talk about a vehicle delivering through a toll gate, lifting the gate and then transporting the cargo. Everyone immediately gets that," said Weissman, author of "Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story."

His clients include executives at Yahoo, Cisco Systems and Microsoft.