We have all felt the rush of energy we get when we are presenting in front of a crowd. Presenting your startup dreams in front of investors can multiply that energy several fold.
Here’s how to channel and manage that energy so that it helps you make a great pitch presentation?
At the start of my career, I was paralyzed by anxiety in any presentation situation. I was forced to build tools to minimize and channel that nervous energy. After years of field testing, these are the tools that work for me. I still feel the rush before any presentation, but now I know how to manage it, and you can too.
- Have a relaxing day. Take all unnecessary work off your schedule. Ask others to run your normal errands. Go get a massage. As an entrepreneur, your average day is filled with a million chores. Not Today. Show up calm and collected with a smile on your face. You will be amazed at the difference.
- Meet the crowd. Take every chance to say hello to anyone who will be in your audience. Show up early and power-mingle. Get introduced and meet people in the days before. This way you will be talking with friends.
- Start with a crowd-winning opening. Winning the crowd is easy. They want you to succeed. Before you dive into the details. Tell them why you are here. Tell them why they are interested. Winning the crowd is as easy as this, “I love ice cream so much I bought my own truck. I make it fresh every day and deliver it to the people.” Share your personal detail and answer “What’s in it for me?”. You will win the crowd.
- Set a comfortable pace. Trying to say too much too quickly causes stammering. Keep your talk simple. With your winning opening and a comfortable pace people will want to talk to you in person. Your pitch will not close any deals. Your goal is to open the conversation.
- “Have Fun, Dammit. This is fun!” You have been working on your company for months. This is your reward. What you think are butterflies is actually energy for you to use. Know in advance that you will be excited. Decide to use that excitement to deliver a great talk.
On the contrary, the way to give a horrible talk is to show up frazzled after a long day, face a roomful of strangers, dive right into the details and rush through a script of a gazillion details with no context. That’s not fun. Even if your presentation is today, you can use these tips for a better outcome.
People want to spend their time (and money) with passionate (fun) people. These 5 tips will help you to connect with your audience and give the presentation of a lifetime, every time you present.
E7 Systems regularly assists startups in their investor presentations. We can help you with any part of your process. Call us for help.
Have Fun, Dammit