Deliver Powerful Presentations: 7 Tips for Founders from a (Reluctantly) Seasoned Speaker
When you found a company, one thing is for sure: You’ll be giving more than your fair share of presentations and speeches. It could be to a board, a partner, a conference audience, or — maybe most importantly — to your company at an offsite, all hands or Christmas party. You might even be lucky enough to give a best man or bridesmaid speech.
One of my greatest challenges as an entrepreneur has been overcoming a deep fear of speaking publicly. Ever since I was a kid and bombed a high school presentation on rubber trees for my French class, presenting has terrified me.
Here are seven tips that have helped me over the years. I’ve not only overcome my fear but become a highly effective presenter.
1. Confidence comes with knowing your material. Effective presentation is about confidence and enthusiasm. The only way to be authentically confident is to know what you’re talking about. As a founder, you know your company, your customers and your market better than anyone. You got this. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to be prepared. Prepare the details and structure of your presentation and let your excitement and expertise stand out.
2. Nail the first two minutes. Every time I get up in front of a group, I write down the first two minutes and make sure I rehearse it over and over again until I can repeat it in my sleep. I’ve found that the first two minutes are the hardest. If I nail those and know my material, I’ve built the momentum to nail the rest.
3. Create an outline and put it in your pocket. A bulleted outline of your presentation’s sections and key points gives you a trail or roadmap to follow. If you are presenting slides, you may have what you need on the screen; if not, write it down. Keep your outline simple. It should be no more than a quarter or half sheet of paper of concise bullet points. Review it before your presentation and put it in your pocket. I do this every time I present. Though I rarely need to pull out my notes, just having it there is priceless peace of mind.
4. Harness your nervous energy for good, not evil. Don’t be afraid of nervous energy. It will always be there. Remember that energy is energy, and channel it into excitement. To help, try listening to motivating music. Eye of the Tiger by Survivor works for me every time.
5. Ask the audience a question within the first five minutes. Questions are powerful and can connect you to or even win over your audience. When someone raises their hand or thinks about your question, you’re sucking them into your presentation. Whenever I presented about my company, I would start with the question, “How many of you have friends or family who are first responders – police officers, firefighters or paramedics?” Invariably, most of the audience would raise their hands. I’d then say, “My company’s mission is to provide online resources and tools that help those first responders come home safe to their friends and families.” I’ve quickly established importance and connection.
6. Breathe and pause. As I started to present more often, I realized that I barely breathed, which made my head cloudy and me more nervous than I already was. I learned that taking 10 deep breaths right before the presentation helped me take that breathing with me in front of the audience. A breathing meditation such as Box Breathing which is used by the Navy Seals can be even better. During your presentation, pauses are okay; they give your audience time to digest what you’re saying. Use them to reinforce key points and make sure you simply breathe.
7. Plan your exit. Whether it’s a thank you or key summary point, know how you will exit stage right and drop the mic with authority. The easiest way to ruin a great presentation is to fumble the end.
Follow these tips, and you’ll find that presenting becomes easier and easier over time. Nervousness never entirely goes away, but you can harness it to create energy. Nervousness never entirely goes away, but you can harness it to create energy.
