Wednesday 11 April 2012

Pitch Perfect: How to Give a Great Presentation

This is a summery of an awesome business lecture by: Gareth Palmer.
I attended it in the University of Salford part of their entrepreneurship series, hope you find it as helpful as I did! :)

The perfect pitch comes from focusing on FIVE main area
(each area start with a letter from the word PITCH)
Performance Imagination Tailoring Confidence Happiness

Performance:
Pitching an idea and presenting it is a performance, it's like giving a show to an audience; acting. All you have to do is commit and prepare. The problems that might face any performer are nerves; anxiety and expectation (the fear of what people expect from you). You just have to do your research, prepare, practice, and focus. Make sure it's NOT *just* the night before!     
The main point to succeed in preforming is focusing and you can do that by doing WFO (well formed outcome). Just Visualize your performance -in positive manner of course- and see the great outcome you want.    
NOTE: Smile, and your audience will smile back (it's a natural reflex). 
Imagination:
There are two ways to doing it:
1- association: imaging yourself; feel it; live the part.
2- disassociation: watch yourself mentally, and how you do it.
rehearse your performance by imagining in the 2 ways above (positively)
and while you are doing it squeeze your index and thump to make the imagination stick in your head (won't hurt trying it!)
Tailoring (plus technology):
Remember: FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT!
1- Clothes: the way you dress and tailor your appearance, and always dress better (example: if it's smart casual lean more into smart).
2- The design of the performance.
3- Audience: research them before you meet them, so you tailor your content towards them.
4- Check what worked in the past. There's no harm in reapplying success.
NOTE: While giving a group presentation make sure the number of presenters is right and the organization of people on stage.
NOTE: If you are giving a presentation, and you feel that people are locked up (their hands shielding their chests), then try opening them up (NOT PHYSICALLY) by giving open hand gesture. They will feel encouraged to mirror you.
Technology:
do you need it? don't just bring a powerpoint because you think you need one! asses the situation, maybe you'll do better without one.
NOTE: stick to bullet points and short phrases on slides NEVER a paragraph :O
Confidence:
There is a difference between BEING confident and ACTING confident and what you need is act it.
(fake it till you make it). Just think I am confident, and you will be.
VOICE: tone of voice plays in showing how confident you are. Always aim for deep slow tones (females might sound too sexy doing it, so practice to get it right). Be responsive in your voice NOT defensive.
BREATH: taking a breath will do you wonders.
try to breath from three areas: tummy, chest, and mouth.
Happiness:
be relaxed, and smiley, but without being too personal and jokey and better off refrain from joking. Imagine starting with a joke and the audience don't get it? nothing will be more embarrassing.
NOTE: When people are happy, their thinking slows down, and they tend to close DEALS! sooooo, make your audience happy, and you never know it might just work ;)

THE ELEVATOR PITCH/ LIFT PITCH
you got 60s to convince someone in an elevator/ a lift to get you a DEAL.
what you need to AIM for when you get a chance like this:
1- Introduce yourself/ hand shake
2- Compliment the person you want to pitch to.
3- Brief line about your pitch (this skin product will make a 10000 in a year & it's been tested, all I need is .... from you).
4- Give your card
5- Take his card to make an appointment.

REHEARSE, PRESENT, & PREFORM.   

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