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23.01.2020 6 FEATURE SELLING your ideas and your vision is what you do as an entrepreneur. You need to convince investors that what you see in your head for your compa- ny can be a reality. To do this, you'll probably find your- self going to a lot of pitch meetings to get your ideas funded. Giving presentations or delivering speeches at these pitch meetings is your best method of marketing your business to investors. However, public speaking tends to scare even the best of us. To help entrepreneurs get out in front of an audience and wow with their busi- ness ideas, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council offer their best advice on how to relax before giving a presentation. 1. Know your product inside and out The best way to deal with high-pres- sure situations or pitches is to sim- ply know everything there is to know about your project and pitch. When you are confident that you have a solid grasp of your idea, it will show natu- rally. To prepare, put yourself in the other party's shoes and create a list of anticipatory questions. For exam- ple, venture capitalists will often try to poke as many holes in your busi- ness model as possible. Most, if not all, questions can be anticipated and mitigated through preparation. You can even practice your pitch with friends and peers to get that addition- al experience under your belt. The more pitches you do, the easier it will get and the more confidence you will have. - Jared Polites, LaunchTeam 2. Think of your pitch as a play The best practice is to think of your pitch as a play. Your pitch is a script that you are performing for an audi- ence (potential investors), and you are an actor on stage. To practice, film yourself at least three times before practicing in front of an audience. You will be able to quickly adjust your body language and stage performance from watching your recordings. Prac- ticing in front of an audience will help your word choice and timing. Breathe deeply before your performance and focus on making Ms and Ws with your eyes during your pitch. At each point of the letter, connect with the audience member you see and focus your performance entirely on them for a moment. Refocus your thoughts on the activities you have to complete rather than the outcome. - Darby Cox, Smoke Cartel Inc 3. Picture one person Picture that one person in the audi- ence who needs to hear what you have to say. There are way more people who will benefit from your message, but when you picture the one, you feel calmer and ready to go. When you speak to that one person really well, it has a ripple effect on many. They say that your ideal client is like a bulls- eye. When you shoot for that bullseye, you are more likely to hit the target instead of just throwing the dart into the air with no planned direction. Aim to speak to that one person and moti- vate yourself by picturing him or her right in front of you when you get on the stage. - Diego Orjuela, Cables & Sensors 4. Learn the art of state shifting Fixing nervousness before a big pitch or meeting requires a state shift. is is a switch in your mind and emo- tions. When you're worried about what others will think of your pitch, you're probably in your head and in a people-pleasing mode. Instead of hoping they like you and your pres- entation, focus on them, on the value you're bringing and how it'll improve their lives. is shifts focus from you and how well you speak to your audi- ence, which is the point anyway! Do- ing a bit of quick meditation or breath work (perhaps combined with visualis- ation) can help shift your state quickly. Find a private place prior to your talk, then center yourself. Focus on your audience and the value of the content you're delivering. It'll change the game for you. - Adam Guild, Placepull 5. Trust the content I speak to hundreds of corporations a year, either at conferences or at pri- vate meetings, and I have one trick for being calm every time I have the mic: put the energy into the content, not the nerves. It's easy for people to get caught up in their emotions when they are in the spotlight. By focusing on making the content tactical, in- formative, inspiring and refreshing, there is less focus on myself as a pre- senter and more focus on the material the audience receives. - Klyn Elsbury, MK Foundation 6. Meditate briefly Public speaking is a common fear and one that I have felt many times. One way I calm my nerves is through brief meditation. Specifically, the first step I take is to find a quiet place— even if it means a toilet stall. I close my eyes to block out all distractions and focus on my breathing, especial- ly noticing how my breath nourishes my body and brings oxygen to each of my cells. I focus on an object, usu- ally a simple, colored shape. If other thoughts arise in my mind, I acknowl- edge them and then let them gently go on their way while I keep a persistent focus on the object. Lastly, I let my breathing become slower and deeper. This simple exercise allows me to fo- cus my attention and calm my breath- ing, both of which ease my nervous- ness. - Shu Saito, Godai 7. Exercise and take deep breaths Get some strenuous exercise in the morning before your presentation. It doesn't matter what you do as long as you get your heart rate up for 20-30 minutes. You can go for a jog, a swim, a surf session or hit the gym. The ex- ercise helps get your blood pumping and endorphins flowing, which can help jog your memory. Right before you pitch or present, it can be ex- tremely helpful to take a few deep breaths. Just close your eyes and focus Eight great ways to calm nerves