The document provides tips for effectively presenting a venture or business idea. It discusses the importance of having a concise elevator pitch that explains the problem, solution, and benefits in 30 seconds or less. Presenters are encouraged to start with their conclusion, keep the presentation simple, tell compelling stories, and focus on persuading the audience to take action. Body language, tone of voice, and engagement are highlighted as being more impactful than the content alone. The goal is to fascinate the audience and get their commitment rather than just educate them.

1. Presenting Your Venture
THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
September 2012
WIRELESS:
U/N: tia
P/W: colgate

2. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
Topics For Discussion
• Thinking Like An Entrepreneur
• Presenting your Business/Organization in the Most
Effective Way
o We will focus on this at every session, large and small
o It is a Huge Differentiator;
o You can not execute it if you are can not explain it to all of your constituencies
• How to Get What you Want; If You Know How to Ask, You
Will Get What You Need

3. What Do They Have In Common
THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE

4. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
Constitution Of A Founder
• Passionate
• Flexible
• No fear of failure
• Decisive
• Perseverance
• Can Take Criticism
• Ruthless
• Powerful Work Ethic
• Leader
• Life Begins at Edge of Comfort Zone

5. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
Have In Common?
• The Answer is Not: None of them Graduated From
College-Although True.

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Your Business/Product/Organization/etc.
• Four Components of the 30-60 Second Elevator Pitch
o Your Business/Product/Organization Name
o Problem you are attempting to solve
o Your Solution
o Key Benefits

7. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
What Is Your Idea? (In 30 Seconds)
• The promised land: clarity, simplicity, and jargon-free.
• Try writing it before you try saying it…and then trim
everything that isn‘t essential.
• And then, be able to say it in one breath……
• The test: can you present your idea in a way that produces
reactions to the idea, rather than ―Hmm—not sure I
understand it.‖

8. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
Student Entrepreneurs; Your Ventures
Volunteers to the Front of the Room

9. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
‗Company-Maker‘ Interactions
• In any meeting or conversation, there is only One Goal:
o Getting AGREEMENT from that person to do
something that advances YOUR Interest in the TIME
FRAME that You want it done.
• You are going to have to ask for it.
• But, it is a process

10. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
Getting Agreement
• How Do You Get Agreement
o Plan and Know what Success Looks Like
• ―don‘t wing it‖
• Research and Understand the other side‘s pleasure and
pain points; Develop a story around being aligned
• Collaborative Selling-The customer is a partner and you
are there to solve his problems and meet his needs.
o For entrepreneurs, sales in not a numbers game
o One important customer/relationship can be a company-maker

11. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
Maximizing Your Points Of Contact
• Be very explicit about what you want and what your
product/service/organization will do for the customer
o Refine to perfection your 30-60 second pitch of what your business
or organization does and how it benefits the person you are
meeting with.
• Make sure they understand that you will not waste their
time
• Employ an ―agree-as-you go‖ process

12. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
Asking For The Order
• The ―order‖ is what you want from the person you are
speaking with that advances your interest. Can range from
a second meeting to a big check
• Don‘t be afraid to ask for a lot. Top producers have high
turn down rates
• If you are not meeting some resistance, you are not asking
for enough
• Make sure that both sides know what has been agreed to;
Follow-up email.

13. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
Most Powerful Words After Agreement
• I am committed to delivering you X by Y date.
• Your personal brand will be completely tied to
fulfilling this promise.

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Motivational Clichés - I Got Hundreds
• "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find
out how far it is possible to go." -- T.S. Eliot
• "Go out on a limb. That's where the fruit is." -- Jimmy
Carter
• "If things seem under control, you are just not going fast
enough." -- Mario Andretti
• "Pearls don't lie on the seashore. If you want one, you
must dive for it." -- Chinese proverb
• "You'll always miss 100% of the shots you don't take." --
Wayne Gretzky

15. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
Goal Of A Presentation
• Persuade the Audience to Actually Do Something that They
May Not Have Been Planning on Doing before Hearing
Your Presentation.
-OR-
• Build Alignment Among the Audience on Values, Goals and
Actions

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How To Accomplish Presentation Goals
• Fascinate
• Captivate
• NOT Educate

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Impact Of Your Presentation?
• Most research suggests that impact is determined:
o 50%: by body language/how you visually ‗present‘
o 40%: by how you sound/tone of voice
o 10%: by content/what you say
• Even if overstated, the implications are clear…..

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How To Start
• Don‘t build to your ―conclusion‖ – Start with it.
o My business is going to make investors a ton of
money because…
o This organization will improve the lives of
millions by….
o Adoption of this technology will slow the
melting of the polar ice cap by…

19. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
Some Pretty Basic Rules
• You will be nervous.
o Public Speaking is a greater fear than death
• Your technology will at some point break down
o Know it cold without slides
• Don‘t overwhelm the audience with data
o No one wants to drink water from a fire hose
• Keep it simple
o Tell them the time, not how the watch works

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What Does ‗Keep It Simple‘ Mean?
• Get to the ―core of the idea‖
• Simple does not mean ―dumbing down‖, mono syllables or
sound bites.
• This process is difficult; What is your most important
point? You have many good ones but only one Most
Important.
• But you have to come up with the ―core‖. Everything else
flows from it.

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Core Ideas
• ―Southwest is THE Low-fare Airline‖
• ―It‘s the economy, stupid‖
• These Messages are both Core and Compact. Vital and
Simple;
• You need both. Compact is Not a Virtue without Core
o “The world is flat”

22. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
Key To Presentation Success Is SUCCESS
• Simple
• Unexpected
• Concrete
• Credible
• Emotional
• Stories
• Stickiness
From Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath

23. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
A Few Tips To Keep In Mind
• Show your audience you are happy to be there!
• Take the time to read your audience…and respond
• Focus on your audience, not yourself: tell them only what
they need to know--not all that you know
• Energy is a tool…it is contagious…and better than a triple
espresso for your audience. And it can be delivered by your
voice, body, and face. Use it.

24. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
One Bad Meeting Can Kill All Your Work
• Feedback I received from a top Political Consultant for a
Candidate I am working with for NYS Senate
o he wasn't prepared. It is incredibly frustrating. I had been really
clear in my emails as to what needed to happen this morning.
o He also needs to aggressively hire a campaign consultant to do
messaging, media, print material, calls and field. I had given him
the name of a consultant who I think would be the right fit - and he
didn't make that meeting happen
o He's meeting with the Newsday ed board on Tuesday and is not
prepared in the least. I also hope his delivery at the ed board is
slightly more animated than it is in meetings with me.
o He needs a coach/trainer/dominatrix to make this happen

25. THOUGHT INTO ACTION INSTITUTE
A Few Tips To Keep In Mind
• Don‘t read notes—there is nothing duller on earth than
watching someone read
• Present to the audience. Think about connecting with your
audience
• Get them involved/engaged: intellectually (questions),
physically (your movement), visually (you, visuals, props),
aurally (your voice, music, sounds)

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A Few Tips To Keep In Mind
• PRESENT WITH PASSION---it is contagious!
• Remember---you are selling your idea…and selling is the
transfer of emotions…so emote!!

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It‘s About Winning

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How To End
• You are there for a reason…make sure you know what it is
• Call to Action
• Ask for the Order
• Get Buy-in and Commitment for Next Steps
OTHERWISE, WHAT WAS THE POINT OF
WASTING YOURS AND THEIR TIME