Are You Using Presenters Or Educators Wisely?

If you manage, or are involved with your companies Sales Enablement, do you use Presenters or Educators for in-person Sales Enablement activities? Decide right now before reading the rest of this post.

There is no wrong or right answer to this question. Both Presenters and Educators have their merits but its good to understand their differences, and when to use the right personality for the right occasion.

So what is the difference between a Presenter and an Educator?

In my experience, Presenters are typically good speakers, recognized as subject matter experts and are often well known throughout their company. The best Presenters are those who weave a story in to their message which allows the audience to better relate with them, and to the message they are delivering. However, Presenters can sometimes fail to truly ‘connect’ with their audience as they become entirely focused on delivering their message - and getting through the whole slide deck whatever it takes. This slide deck invariably covers everything they know about the topic - well they are the subject matter expert, and you just gave them an opportunity to speak to the Sales force so they have to tell them everything, right?

On the other hand, Educators are keenly focused on ensuring the key ‘messages’ they are delivering are fully digested and well understood. They are very aware that the best way to do this is through story telling AND audience engagement. They can be comfortable with a minimum set of slides, which are often images or statements to prompt their thought and direction. And most importantly, they know how to effectively involve the audience, and they take the time to do so. This involvement can be as simple as a discussion, drawing on individuals in the audience, and even the occasional exercise or activity.

Of course, certain situations or environments don’t allow for audience involvement, that’s where you can use a good Presenter, but Educators understand that the audience learns through ‘real’ engagement – not a rhetorical question that fails to get a response!

For me, this Benjamin Franklin quote sums it all up. It’s a motto we use in our Sales Enablement team and something we try to adhere too as much as possible. The challenge is ensuring everyone else understands this sentiment and takes the message onboard.

Now it’s not practical to always have Educators for every in-person Sales enablement activity, as noted earlier both skill sets are needed. But by understanding the difference between a Presenter and an Educator, Sales Enablement teams are better equipped to select the right personality for the right Sales activity. This appreciation will significantly improve the experience as well as the end result and desired outcomes - and ultimately the level of success for the Sales Enablement team.

Next time you plan a Sales Enablement activity, consider if you want a Presenter or Educator leading the session. And take the time to watch both personalities perform, you will find them completely different, and perhaps the experience will even be eye opening.