Today is the last full day you have available to prepare for your Pitchora presentation, and it might feel overwhelming! I was in your shoes last year pitching WOW.mt and I definitely know how it feels.
For those not born with natural expressiveness, public speaking can be remarkably stressful. We can’t all deliver the next iPhone reveal but there are many small things you can do prior to your presentation that will help calm your nerves and set you up for a better presentation.
Here are some tips that will help you deliver a great presentation on Presentation Day.
As the saying goes Practice makes Perfect. You have 500 seconds to present your startup or product, and your timing has to be great. If you don’t use all your allotted time, you might be giving the impression that there wasn’t much to talk about for your product. On the other hand, if you don’t finish on time, you might be unable to finish your presentation and skip the most important part, your Conclusion.
If you’re like me and need a script, write out your speech if it helps you keep your nerves calm, and continually update it. But don’t just practice in front of your computer screen. You’ll realise how much faster you are at reading a script by yourself than in front of people. The first time I tried my supposedly “500 seconds” presentation in front of my family, it took me 20 minutes to finish it.
Before dinner, get up in front of your family, or gather your friends, and repeat your presentation in front of them. And ask questions. Did you understand it? Was it easy to follow? A good idea is to give them a notepad and let them write any feedback during your presentation so that they will not forget it by the end.
A great practice is to try out your speech in front of the mirror, so you’ll be able to notice your body language. Don’t be stiff; try to be open as if you’re welcoming your audience to your products or startups. Continue practising until it comes naturally to you. I repeated mine almost 80 times in the last two days. Any challengers? :)
Make sure that you have applied all the tips and changes that your Mentor mentioned during your one-to-ones. Pitchora has an amazing pool of Mentors that are ready to help you who know their business, and definitely know how to speak publicly. I was matched with a great mentor that really believes in my project, and his recommendations were spot on, making my presentation so much better.
(Thank you Christopher)
Select a few key slides to allow you to take a breather and jot down the time whilst practising. Whilst on stage, you can visualise if you are behind in time, or much ahead from the screens in front of you. If you are behind, remain calm and do not speed up your speech to catch up. Instead try to summarise some of the next slides to recover back some time. Every second counts.
And if you are ahead, it might mean that you are rushing through your presentation, so slow down to make sure that people are understanding you. You can also add back some extra information that you excluded during your practice.
End your pitch with a great conclusion. This has to be a statement that embodies your entire presentation, a statement that will make the judges remember you. Why should they vote for you? How will your product be beneficial? Don’t complicate it. Just one great sentence.
I don’t think I have to add anything here. Don’t be late! Be there an hour before or preferably earlier, to make sure that you have ample time to find parking, find your destination and have some time to relax before your presentation.
Make sure you don’t end up hungry during a presentation. Personally, I get a bit jumpy when I get hungry so last year, before the presentations, we went to have breakfast in Valletta, so like that I was already calmer as I’m in the vicinity of the building where the presentations will take place.
If you will be presenting alone, take a friend with you to chat whilst you are waiting to be called so you can relax. Or else talk to the attendees or the staff at the event. They may even give you some inspiration to add to your speech. It really helps you to keep your nerves calm. Instead transform them into enthusiasm. Remember that you can only gain from this pitch, be enthusiastic about the possibilities!
Dry mouth is a common result of anxiety. Prevent it by staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water before your talk (just don’t forget to hit the bathroom before starting). Keep a bottle of water at arm’s reach while presenting in case you get dry mouth, so as not to loose any precious seconds.
Making it this far is already an achievement! I didn’t win, but I got so much more! The experience in itself is already a win, more so if this is your first pitch!
A Big Good Luck to all the finalists! And make sure that whatever the result is, continue believing and working on your startup!!
No one will see your brilliance if they don’t see your profile
Build your online presence and use it as your business card by setting up your WOW Profile. It’s free and it looks great! Find out more on wow.mt
Keep informed with the latest updates for your digital business card. We’ll let you know when launching new features that will improve your networking.
