Have you ever felt anxious when delivering a pitch or speech? Did you nervously pace the floors? Did you fret over time limitations and feel tormented over over whether all the important points were addressed? Has your computer ever failed had a microphone that didn’t work? What do you do without the help of an outline, photographs, graphs or bullet points to illustrate your concept? In other words, do you scramble?
If you are not accustomed to being in the spotlight, how do you recover gracefully?
- Tip 1. Have a Plan “B” Have a contingency plan in place in case of computer glitches, microphone failures, and bad acoustics. Be ready to ask people to sit in a circle or move to the front of the room so that you can be heard. Print out your outline, speech, bullet points or Power Point presentation.
- Tip 2. Memorize Major points. Know your elevator speech very well. You should be able to recite it at a moment’s notice. The highlights of other talks should similarly be committed to memory. That means you should practice, practice, and practice some more.
- Tip 3. Be Passionate & Authentic. Believe in your company, it’s mission and purpose and passionately deliver your pitch, using a strong stance, appropriate gestures, and the powerful and authoritative voice to deliver your spiel. You’re the face of the company. It’s your baby. Show your love for the company in an authentic and genuine way, and the listener will be enticed.
- Tip 4. Tell the Audience What’s in it For Them. It’s not about YOU (Even though it’s your company or service!) It’s about what you can do for them!
- Tip 5. Speak in an Audible, Crisp Voice, projecting your voice and building a strong and convincing case.
- Tip 6. Show Them & Tell Them! I often advise my financial advisor clients to do “show and tell” for their more elderly clients who can’t seem to understand some of the more complicated investment vehicles. Show and Tell worked in kindergarten; it effectively works also in the boardroom.
- Tip 7. Have a Call To Action! You’ve built a strong argument with a compelling case for why your pitch should matter. Now close creatively in an unforgettable way.
Presentation Training
Brush up on your Core Presentation Skills. Craft Compelling Content and Captivate the Crowd. Build passion and excitement into your presentations. Master the ability to craft, organize and deliver compelling content, produce dynamic slides, and present powerfully to enhance your overall image by developing a unique communication style. Is your team delivering the most engaging, persuasive presentations possible? As the media environment grows increasingly complex, it’s never been more important to be able to communicate clearly and with confidence.