We pitch ideas and projects frequently during our working day - to fellow staff, our managers, stakeholders and prospective partners. Sometimes there's a lot at stake - a major contract, a job promotion, even much-needed financial investment.
"You might be a really good businessperson or have a wonderful product, but the lack of skills to present those ideas and proposals," public speaking coach Julie Shearer says.
"If you are presenting to your boss or to potential investors, or seeking a collaborator, then you have skin in the game. It's important to learn how to present well."
So what are Julie's top five tips for staying in point?
1. Know your message
"Be very clear in your own mind what it is that you want from the encounter, what you are asking for," Julie says. "Is it an information speech or are you calling the audience to action? If it's an idea you want the audience to embrace, you have to be persuasive, you have to encourage them to believe in you. If it's a collaboration, then you also need to be clear about what you are offering and what you want your potential partner to do next."
2. Focus on the audience
"Think through the presentation or pitch in terms of what's in it for your potential investor, client, stakeholder or partner," Julie says. "What are their priorities and what might they want from this exchange? Imagine how they are decoding and interpreting what you're saying. What do they need to know?"
3. Ensure they don't drown in detail
"Pare back your key message, the story you are telling, the brand identity you want the audience to walk away with," Julie says. "Too much detail and too many tangents in the presentation and you will lose them. Sometimes you have to be prepared to kill your darlings to refine your key idea.
"Then consider how best to deliver that idea. Every project is different. Sometimes you are selling a service, a consultation, a product that needs investment. Is it best to speak face-to-face or create a video? Can you produce structured marketing material to accompany the presentation?"
4. Be prepared for tricky questions
"Anticipate the 'yes, but' comments and questions, especially the ones you may have difficulty responding to," Julie says. "What concerns might be raised and how will you handle that?"
5. Practice, practice, practice
"As my UNE colleague Richard Jordan has said in earlier posts, rehearsing your presentation is critical," Julie says. "Apply thought and practice to the actual physical business of speaking, communicating verbally or through your PowerPoint, even the way you stand in front of people. These are all things that you can get a lot better at over time through practice. And try to relax."
Former actor, director and producer Julie Shearer teaches courses at the University of New England on public speaking and making business pitches.
