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Big Presentation? 5 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid

It’s an unwritten rule that all rock stars, even really ugly ones (no names needed) get a lot of girlfriends simply because they’re rock stars. The same can be said of small business owners who public speak and getting clients.  Any entrepreneur who speaks publicly about the solution they offer is establishing their credibility and attracting clients like the proverbial rock stars attract girlfriends. I should know, I get almost all my clients from public speaking. Here are some great points made by Eric V. Holtzclaw‘s article in Inc. magazine about what to avoid:

Filler Words
The filler word I used the most when I first started presenting was “right,” and I recognized it pretty easily. Recently, my filler word of choice is “so,” which is more easily overlooked.  I have to concentrate much harder to self-edit “so.”
Reliance on Slides
Your slides should contain simple imagery and include only the key points or statistics you need to provide back up for what you are saying.
Information Overload
The human brain can only keep up with five things, give or take two. That’s why I am happy if my audience walks away from my presentation with just one or two key messages.
Apologies
Never, ever apologize for missing something in your presentation. The secret is that your audience probably doesn’t know that you missed something and apologizing doesn’t help.
Too Much Talking
The most impactful thing you can do while presenting is to simply stop talking. Take the time to pause–it gives your words space and the time to sink in. The best speakers use space and cadence to connect with their audience.
http://feeds.inc.com/~r/home/updates/~3/KDDDNVKqZh8/story01.htm

You don’t have to be a famous rock star to dominate the stage and get what you want. If you’re a newbie speaker, speak anywhere and everywhere that you can. When you start to get comfortable, develop a strategy around speaking to your target client audience and offer them a next step at the end of the talk. You will start to swim in clients (and possibly girl or boyfriends!)
Need more chicken soup for your biz? Follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, watch me on YouTube or connect with me on LinkedIn –and let’s talk

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About Chala

Chala Dincoy is a Marketing Strategist who helps B2B service providers reposition their marketing message to successfully sell to corporate clients