Developing the ability to be a great presenter is an important skill set for agency new business.
The first speech I ever gave, I read through my outline in just a few minutes then stood speechless in front of about 100 people not knowing what to do next. Greatly embarrassed, I vowed to never let that happen again. I’ve been a lifelong student of developing my public speaking skills and what it takes to create persuasive, memorable presentations that will reach an audience.
Too many presentations are overly dependent upon PowerPoint, bullet pointed lists and mundane data.
I’ve sat through hundreds of agency pitches and presentations. It always amazed me how dry creative people can be when presenting. There has to be an overwhelming number of new business opportunities being squandered because of boring agency presentations.
Author and communication coach, Carmine Gallo, gives us an analysis as to how Steve Jobs used some simplistic methods to make powerful presentations. They are the most helpful tools I’ve ever encountered. These points should be committed to memory and embraced by every member of your agency’s pitch team.
The following 10 presentation tactics will provide you with a successful methodology for planning, preparing and delivering your next pitch.
“That’s been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end, because once you get there, you can move mountains.” – Steve Jobs
Additional articles that may be of interest:
- The Only Rule That Really Matters When Presenting for Ad Agency New Business
- Agency Leadership: Can you be a great leader and not be a great presenter?
- 10 Steps to Market Yourself As A Speaker for Ad Agency New Business
Photo Credit: Steve Jobs for FOCUS Italia By tsevis
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