Start A Conversation

Presenting is no more difficult than having a conversation. You simply open your mouth and talk- something most of us do every day with ease.

Ask someone for a natter over tea and they rarely break out into a cold sweat the way they might if you asked them to present for a few minutes at the next team meeting.

Why?
It's not physically difficult - it's only as hard as talking.
It is our mind that tricks us into thinking it's difficult.

Our mind plays out disaster scenarios of tumbling over simple words - words we say faultlessly everyday- of embarrassing ourselves, of not knowing what to say.

Our thoughts create uncertainty in our mind - an uncertainty not present in water cooler chats.
Uncertainty breeds nerves and suddenly a simple act of talking becomes the momentus task of presenting.

The nerves tell us it's a big deal and stop us having a simple conversation with just a few more people listening in.

Instead of presenting to crowd, start to think in terms of conversations- with friendly people you like, where a few people (even a few hundred people) just happen to over hear it. Be your normal, charming, funny self.

No over exaggerated stage persona required.
Try it, you never know how the conversation will end.

It's not what you do that counts...

As an entrepreneur building your connections through socialising and networking, how many people ask you this question: "So what is it that you do?"

How do you respond?
Do you sigh and reel off your standard response? I wouldn't blame you if you did. After all if I were to answer that honestly, it would sound something like:
"I listen and observe people, I type keys on my computer, then I stand up and talk to people."

Here are a few others ways I could answer it:
* I am a presentation skills coach (my job description)
* I am am CEO of Light the Spark (my position)
* I coach people who want to improve their presentation skills (what I do but not really what they want to know)

If I leave it like this, the person listening will make their own mind up about how I could help them (or why they don't need to talk to me anymore!).

What people actually want to know is the answer to this question:
How do you help people like me?

Think about it.
People do not spend money on diet food - they spend money to feel better about themselves when they look in the mirror, or to be able to climb a flight of stairs without being out of breath.

People don't hire a dating coach - they spend money to find someone they can spend the rest of their lives with (and to avoid excruciating dates with totally unsuitable people)

People don't hire a presentations skills coach - they spend money to make sure that when they make that sales pitch, they get the sale.

So work out what it is that you do that helps people. And the next time someone asks you "what do you do?" give them a powerful, succinct summary of who you help and how their lives improve by working with you.