Tips for a Dynamite 10 Minute Presentation

In public surveys, people often rank their fear of public speaking higher than their fear of dying. But the nice thing is, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. Networking gives you an opportunity to get plenty of practice speaking about your company in a friendly atmosphere, and in front of a group of people who are motivated to help you improve.

Here are some important things to remember when you are scheduled to speak about your business in front of your fellow networking & referral partners:

BE PREPARED

It’s a rare person who can just “wing it” and make a successful presentation, so it’s  recommend that you spend a little time preparing what you are going to say. Use an outline or maybe some note cards to help you keep on track and on point. Practice speaking in front of a mirror, or have your significant other listen to your presentation and offer suggestions. Most professional speakers will spend at least 5 to 10 minutes preparing for every minute they have to present. So, a 10 minute presentation might take anywhere from an hour to two hours of preparation.

BE SPECIFIC & LIMIT YOUR TOPICS

It’s not necessary to tell your audience EVERYTHING that you (or your company) do. Try choosing one or two specific things and make sure you audience understands those few things. Your objective is to educate your audience in how to identify your potential customers, so that when they come across someone who may be a great referral, they remember to mention you. The more specific you can be when describing your services or the types of referrals you want, the better your results will be.

USE VISUAL AIDS

Even the most dynamic speakers sometimes need visual aids to help their audience understand their message. Slideshows, handouts, or props are all ways to help your audience connect with the information you are trying to share. The more esoteric and job-specific your information is, the more you’ll need to rely on visual aids.

YOU ARE THE EXPERT

You are one of the only people in this group who does what you do. It’s your field, and it’s your time to shine. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your hard-earned expertise and competence. Sometimes what may seem to be mundane and trivial to you, may be a revelation of new information to your audience.

BE CREATIVE

There is no blueprint or rule book that says your presentation has to follow a specific pattern. If you’re nervous about presenting, perhaps you could try creating a quiz for your audience instead. Hand out some answer sheets, and ask your audience some multiple choice or True / False questions about your business or industry. Make it a game, and share the correct answers at the end. Or you could share some stories about your business and your customers. Stories in a presentation are a great way to educate and train people. If you have a story that illustrates a point, whether it’s entertaining, informative, or both, then share it.

IT’S OK, EVEN NORMAL, TO BE NERVOUS

Even people who do it all the time still get nervous about speaking in front of people. One secret is to try not to rush through your presentation. Go at your own pace and try to focus on speaking to individuals in your audience, rather than speaking to the group as a whole. Maintaining eye contact, even briefly, before moving on to the next person, helps with the illusion that you are having a one-on-one conversation.