I had the unique privilege of watching another consulting team give a sales pitch to my clients the other day. They were offering software that would presumably help the organization manage their technology investments more effectively. From a distance, the tool was impressive. The problem? Their sales presentation was anything but. All they did was talk.

You might be wondering, what’s wrong with that? They certainly had a lot to say in the 90 minutes they were allotted. In fact, I’m sure they could have easily filled days with demonstrations of their tool’s valuable features. The problem is their approach led them to miss a major opportunity to build rapport with their prospects and gain some serious understanding of interests and concerns. All of which are essential to being influential. Being influential comes as a result of listening  first, not talking. This is true whether you’re a consultant outside an organization or a leader within one, speaking in a formal setting or gathered casually around a conference room table, delivering a presentation lasting 30 minutes or 3 days.

Here are 5 tips to apply any time you are trying to influence a group of people, guaranteed to have impact regardless of your role, your audience, or your time boundaries. Use these tips to become more adept at listening, and therefore more likely to get results.

Tip # 1: (Within the first 2 minutes) Get their voices in the room. How? One of my favorite techniques is what I call a One Word Check-in. It’s a favorite because it works with 10 people or 50 (or more), and it’s a quick and easy way to take a group "pulse." Simply ask, "If you had to describe how you are at this moment in just one word, what word would you choose?" Your audience’s answers will give you an immediate sense of how they are doing, and how ready they are to engage with you. As a bonus, they’ll be that much more inclined to engage because you took a moment to inquire about them early on.

What do you do with what you hear? First and foremost, don’t even think about taking their answers personally. I once surveyed a group of 40 people and the majority shared words like "exhausted," "tired," "spent." This had absolutely nothing to do with me. But was I glad I collected the data. Simply asking about - and acknowledging - their collective state immediately boosted the energy in the room. Plus I was able to tailor my presentation to adapt to the group mood. Conversely, if the vibe in the room is upbeat, ready, energized, you can get down to business that much faster and feel confidently you aren’t leaving people behind.

BONUS TIP: Repeat each word you hear before you move onto the next person. This requires all of one extra second per person and you get two important things in return: (1) You help everyone hear how the room is doing (in a large room, sometimes you’re the only one with the benefit of a microphone or a booming presenter’s voice), and (2) You give each and every person the experience of being heard – one of the greatest gifts you can give another human being. All within the first 2 minutes of your pitch!

Tip #2: (Within the first 5 minutes) Find out what they want to hear from you. How else do you know how to best use their valuable time – and yours? Once again, a simple question will do. One I use often is, "What would have to happen in the next __ minutes/days for you to walk away saying, ‘Wow, this was really valuable’?" If you’re speaking to a room of 10 people, you can afford to solicit an answer from everyone. If you’re speaking to a room of 50, take a random sample. There is always a quick and effective way to get the information you need to tailor your pitch for maximum impact.

BONUS TIP: Record what you hear on easel chart paper or some other medium that can be seen by the whole group. This is another way to help people feel heard. Plus you’ll want to refer back to this list later (see #4).

Tip #3: (At the 6-minute mark) Don’t be afraid to throw out what you had planned based on what they tell you they want. This is the hallmark act of someone who really knows their stuff – and knows how to connect with people. Trade in a "perfect" pitch for one that’s perfectly in tune with your audience. It doesn’t matter if you stumble and fumble a bit in the process. Let your audience know they are so important to you that you’re willing to forego your put-together image to give them what they want.

Tip #4: (5 minutes before closing) See how well you met their expectations. If the venue allows it, ask everyone to share to what extent their interests were addressed. If this kind of one-to-one exchange just isn’t feasible, then summarize what you covered and how you attempted to address what they wanted to accomplish. Ask for a show of hands to indicate how successful you were.

Tip #5: (1 minute before closing) Know where they stand when you leave. Use a One Word Check-out. Ask, "How are you as you leave the room?" You’ll know immediately what impact you had and what your next steps are. This is often a really uplifting experience for everyone involved – including you! It’s amazing how quickly a room can go from "pooped" to "psyched," especially when you’ve followed Tips 1 through 4. And if the reverse has happened, well, bummer. But wouldn’t you rather know – and know immediately – so you can adjust your approach for the next time?