Give yourself (and your presentation) the best chance to succeed.

You have a great product/service that addresses a current or future problem. You are the person or team that builds the business that provides the solution. However, if you can’t convincingly convey this information, you probably won’t get help or funding from others. If this is, unfortunately, the case, you’ll be the business equivalent of a screenwriter who has a fascinating script for a blockbuster movie that never gets made.

So how do you successfully create, develop and deliver your information? No doubt there are several ways to achieve this. This is just one way, and it works!

Thinking about your presentation

In the case of presenting to investors, you should design your presentation with two points of view in mind.

One is, of course, from the point of view of the potential client, which includes:

• what’s your problem

• how is it affecting your life

• how your solution will help them, change their life, or make their life easier.

The other point of view is that of the investor. This includes:

• what is the problem

• your solution to that problem

• how your solution differs from others

• the financial viability of your solution

• the ability of you/your team to execute the plan.

conveying your ideas

As human beings, we learn, understand and remember through stories. To engage your listeners, so they see how you’re going to provide a rewarding solution to a pressing problem, tell them a story.

To view your product/service as a story, think of it this way.

• Who/what is the villain? (the problem you are addressing)

• What is the villain threatening to do or already doing?

• What does this look like?

• How does this feel?

• Who/what is the hero? (your product/service)

• What obstacles does the hero have to overcome? (competition? funding? awareness? marketing?)

• What superpower does the hero need? (What does the above address?)

• How is the hero going to fight against the villain? (How will your solution defeat the problem and prosper?)

• how things will improve when the hero defeats the villain (what will the outcome be like?)

rehearsal is key

Once you’ve created your presentation, it’s time to rehearse. I know, this isn’t necessarily fun, but it is necessary. Think about it. Would an actor go in front of an audience without rehearsing? Of course not.

People often ask, “How many times do I have to rehearse?” The easy answer is to practice until you know your performance like you know your favorite song. However, you don’t need to know it word for word. In fact, you don’t want to. But you definitely want to know your concepts and their content by heart.

remember your phone

This is a great way to rehearse. Before you start, pick up your phone and put it on video recording. Now try. When you’re done, play the recording back, but do it this way.

First, play with your phone facing down. This way, you will focus on your voice. Take notes on how you sound and if there are any changes you want to make.

Second, turn off the sound and watch it this time. By doing this, you will focus on your body language and the messages it sends. Take notes on how you look and if there are any changes you want to make.

Third, play it back as you normally would, watching and listening. Again, take notes on anything you want to improve, remove, or change.

Now it’s time for the slides.

Once you’ve developed, tested, and refined your presentation, it’s time to create your slide deck. That’s how it is! To create an engaging and compelling presentation, select/create your slides after you’ve developed your presentation. Unfortunately, most people do it the other way around, which usually results in the boring “I want to stick a rusty fork in my eye” presentations that we see all too often.

Before continuing, please understand this. There is no such thing as a PowerPoint presentation. There are only slideshows, and these slideshows simply support your presentations.

Many people create too many slides. This is a waste of your time and the interest and patience of your audience. So how many is enough? Well, enough to get the job done, but not so many that they do more harm than good. As with many things in life, less is more.

Throwing is talking, not reading

No, no, don’t use your slides as a teleprompter. Reading your slides reeks of not being prepared, and if people think you didn’t prepare for your pitch, they most likely won’t want to reward you.

And aside from having numerous bullet points on your slides so you remember what to say (which you don’t want to do), why would you have them there? They do not benefit their listeners. Think about it, having a bunch of bullet points on your slides is the equivalent of displaying your handwritten notes for your audience to read, every time you convey a new thought. You wouldn’t do it with your handwritten notes, so don’t do it with your slides. Instead, use slides to support your main points.

The other reason you want to know your pitch well and not rely on slides like a teleprompter is the possibility of a glitch. Be prepared for anything, even having to launch without technology.

take it live

Now that you’ve developed your entire presentation, rehearsed it, revised it, and rehearsed it, you’re ready to present it in front of people (family/friends/business associates). He doesn’t want to wait until her actual performance to introduce her in front of people for the first time. Do this until you feel comfortable with it.

Get people to ask questions so you learn how to best answer questions your audience may ask you; again, you don’t want the real thing the first time you try this.

memorize two things

Earlier I said that you don’t memorize every word, that you want to know your concepts and talk to them. This is absolutely true. However, you must develop a powerful opening and closing sentence or two and, for maximum impact, memorize them.

Memorizing your opening helps you get off to a good start, immediately engaging your audience. Memorizing your closing offers a compelling ending that drives home your point.

perhaps the most difficult

On the day of your presentation, avoid caffeine and sugar. Both activate your body and mind at a time when you try to make them relax. Also, please refrain from consuming alcohol for 48 hours prior to your performance. It gets metabolized into sugar, which also leads to more body and brain activity than you’ll want when it’s time to introduce yourself.

Being an entrepreneur means that you will be constantly telling others about the product, service or company that you have created. Therefore, knowing how to transmit that information effectively is essential. Follow these tips and give yourself the best chance of success!