From the classroom to the boardroom, standing up and making a presentation in front of peers, colleagues, or the public can be something that shakes even the most confident of people.
But for entrepreneurs, doing so is likely to become a necessary part of life, whether that involves pitching to people for investment, talking to an audience at an industry event, or selling a product to a retailer. Getting over nerves is one thing, but convincing and engaging an audience is another. Here are ten steps to becoming a better presenter.
Research and practice
A well-structured and short presentation will be easier to talk through – and will engage an audience – better than a lengthy, detailed one. Sam Farmer, who founded an eponymous teen toiletries company after becoming frustrated with the way some brands marketed deodorants to young people, says practising is critical.
“Work on what you’re going to say, because the words are the things that will carry you through. Cut out anything you don’t need. Short and passionate is much better than long and dull.” Farmer says, adding that he would practice all the time. “My wife made me stand up at odd times of the day and start talking, when I least wanted to do it.”
Say your script before you write it
Emma Zangs, co-founder of public speaking consultancy Metaspeech, advises entrepreneurs not to write and learn a script, because when spoken, the language won’t seem natural. “Stand up, say what you want to say, record yourself, watch yourself, and write it down,” she says. You can then change the structure of the presentation accordingly, and use notes as prompts when you stand up in front of an audience.
Think about body language
While the content of your presentation needs to be convincing, how you move is something your audience will notice before you’ve opened your mouth. Fidgeting or playing with a pen will distract people, says Zangs, a former choreographer.
“Any erratic movement is ‘noise’. [An audience] reads movement before hearing content. So if your movement is saying you’re anxious, that is the first thing the audience will have to deal with, before understanding what you’re talking about.”
Customise your presentation
If you’re pitching for money, make sure you tailor your presentation to each potential funder. For Raj Dhonota, an angel investor as well as an entrepreneur, not doing so is a turn off.
“Really understand what the [individual] investor is looking for, their motives and the types of things they want to invest in. If you’re pitching 10 investors, you should have ten different presentations.” Dhonota says investors will have their own “hot buttons” – elements of a business they are very interested in – so presenters should try to hit these.
Focus on preparation, not nerves
Geraldine Grandidier started children’s bookcase company Tidy Books from her home in 2004, and has had to present to retailers, investors and to a large audience as part of a Goldman Sachs small business programme.
She says focusing on preparation, rather than anxiety about public speaking, is her way of dealing with nerves. “I realised that whether I’m nervous or not, I’m going to do [the presentation] anyway. It might make you procrastinate [instead of] preparing, so your attention goes on the nervousness.”
Mariana Marquez, who founded Metaspeech with Zangs, suggests recalling a moment when you felt total self-confidence, at work or home, just before you begin presenting. “We know what confidence feels like, it’s just we haven’t put it in the right place for pitching.” Thinking about that state of confidence will help your mind and body feel calmer.
Don’t sell: state the facts
“The more we stay with facts, the more we stay away from sales speak,” says Marquez. People can worry that talking about their achievements comes across as a brag, but in a pitch, the audience will want to know about a presenter’s background and how it might aid the future success of the product.
Grandidier’s attitude is more about having confidence in her product than trying to push for a sale, so she approaches investors in a conversational way. “I tend not to say ‘this is what we need,’ so they don’t feel under pressure. I make it clear that I believe so much in what we do that regardless of the outcome, I’m going to carry on with my plans.”
If something goes wrong, keep going
Farmer recently presented to 1,500 marketing executives at a conference where technology let him down: his slides froze and a video wouldn’t play. This might be every presenter’s nightmare, but because he’d practised thoroughly, he was able to carry on regardless. Dhonota points out that listeners are likely to forgive tech failures or nerves.
“Audiences are accommodating. If you do lose track, take a deep breath, have a glass of water and be honest with the audience.” He also advises being prepared for something to go wrong and trying to be relaxed about it. “Then transition back to the message you want to convey,” he says.
Think substance over style
If you’re presenting to an investor, be aware that they might not want to sit through all of your beautifully-designed slides. “I won’t typically wait until the presentation is over, I’ll go straight to the areas I need to know [about],” says Dhonota. Similarly, entrepreneurs should expect an audience to ask detailed questions about sales forecasts, strategy or target markets. “People who come with great presentations but don’t understand the substance of what they’re presenting – that’s another alarm bell for me, he adds.”
Be yourself
Most entrepreneurs have a personal passion for the business they founded, and it’s important to let this come across. “People have an idea about how they should pitch, they look at pitches on the internet and try to replicate that,” says Zangs at Metaspeech.
“That’s a big mistake, because you are so unique, and that’s your value. People try to be Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg, but that doesn’t work.” She advises people to ground their feet and let their upper bodies be flexible, which will help with confidence and authenticity.
Learn from your experiences
Farmer recalls a presentation where he challenged a retailer on how his products – which are gender-neutral – would sit on a shelf next to larger brands whose packaging used male and female stereotypes. “In a room full of people wanting to start a cosmetics business I talk about my journey and my reason for doing it, but in a pitching situation, you need to tell [retailers] how you’re going to market your product and drive people into their stores. Not everyone has the same view on things and you’ve got to learn from that experience.”
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