Most Shortlist Presentations Begin Badly
Your proposal has been shortlisted, the presentation scheduled, the big day arrives. And how do most business professionals begin their presentation?
"Good morning, my name is (your name here) I represent the Consolidated Confederated Architects & Engineers, Inc. and we are very excited about the xyz project..."
Every word of it wasted. Consider these three facts.
1. You are addressing a group who has an agenda in front of them, an agenda that you produced and you know contains your name and the name of your firm.
2. In addition to the agenda, you and every member of your presentation team is wearing a name badge that can be read from across the street.
3. The selection committee you are presenting to knows who you are what firm you represent and why you are there—they invited you there!
If they know who you are, what firm you represent, and what project you are interested in then why oh why oh why do we begin so many presentations the pointless repetition of these boring details.
But wait, there's less...
Not satisfied with wasting the opening moments of the presentation most firms then drone on about how great they are.
Another waste of words and time—the client doesn't want to hear your litany of past experience again. They shortlisted you and several competitors thereby demonstrating that they believe each shortlisted firm could do the work. Take their word for it. You’re qualified to do the work or else you would not be there.
The point most A/E presentations miss is that the presentation isn't about you, it's about them. Talk to the client about the client and their project. What if you began the presentation with: "Congratulations, you are about to begin an exciting project." What would happen?
If nothing else, that would set you apart from most of the other firms competing for the work. What would happen if you made the entire presentation about the client? What if you addressed the following questions?
1. What does the client hope to accomplish?
2. What are their greatest fears?
3. How will hiring your firm help them reach their goals and avoid their fears?
Answer those questions in your presentation and your competitors who continue to talk about themselves won't stand a chance. Less about you, more about them; that's the surest path from shortlist to contract.
"Good morning, my name is (your name here) I represent the Consolidated Confederated Architects & Engineers, Inc. and we are very excited about the xyz project..."
Every word of it wasted. Consider these three facts.
1. You are addressing a group who has an agenda in front of them, an agenda that you produced and you know contains your name and the name of your firm.
2. In addition to the agenda, you and every member of your presentation team is wearing a name badge that can be read from across the street.
3. The selection committee you are presenting to knows who you are what firm you represent and why you are there—they invited you there!
If they know who you are, what firm you represent, and what project you are interested in then why oh why oh why do we begin so many presentations the pointless repetition of these boring details.
But wait, there's less...
Not satisfied with wasting the opening moments of the presentation most firms then drone on about how great they are.
Another waste of words and time—the client doesn't want to hear your litany of past experience again. They shortlisted you and several competitors thereby demonstrating that they believe each shortlisted firm could do the work. Take their word for it. You’re qualified to do the work or else you would not be there.
The point most A/E presentations miss is that the presentation isn't about you, it's about them. Talk to the client about the client and their project. What if you began the presentation with: "Congratulations, you are about to begin an exciting project." What would happen?
If nothing else, that would set you apart from most of the other firms competing for the work. What would happen if you made the entire presentation about the client? What if you addressed the following questions?
1. What does the client hope to accomplish?
2. What are their greatest fears?
3. How will hiring your firm help them reach their goals and avoid their fears?
Answer those questions in your presentation and your competitors who continue to talk about themselves won't stand a chance. Less about you, more about them; that's the surest path from shortlist to contract.
The Beginning, Muddle, and End
There is a common perception that all we attempt in life has a beginning, a middle, and an end—relationships, careers, projects, chores. The books we read, the movies we see, the music we listen to—everything. Life itself has a beginning, a middle, and end. However, that's not the entire story. The beginning, middle, and end is merely an outline, we have to fill in some details and deal with other details along the way.
If we see the beginning, middle, and end as an outline:
I. Beginning
II. Middle
III. End
It suggests, to me, the stages of a plan. What we plan in life will have a beginning, middle and an end. And anything we attempt in life without a plan will have a beginning, a muddle, and an end; the more complex the undertaking the more disastrous the muddle.
Plans do not give you complete control over your destiny. As John Lennon said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” Still, plans do allow us to control that which can be controlled in our lives.
Without a plan you’ll start a project, muddle through, and it will eventually end.
How much better would it be to identify something you want to accomplish this year and focus on how you begin, define the middle phases of the project, and establish the end results you want to achieve. It will improve your chances of getting what you desire, and it will get you there faster.
If we see the beginning, middle, and end as an outline:
I. Beginning
II. Middle
III. End
It suggests, to me, the stages of a plan. What we plan in life will have a beginning, middle and an end. And anything we attempt in life without a plan will have a beginning, a muddle, and an end; the more complex the undertaking the more disastrous the muddle.
Plans do not give you complete control over your destiny. As John Lennon said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” Still, plans do allow us to control that which can be controlled in our lives.
Without a plan you’ll start a project, muddle through, and it will eventually end.
How much better would it be to identify something you want to accomplish this year and focus on how you begin, define the middle phases of the project, and establish the end results you want to achieve. It will improve your chances of getting what you desire, and it will get you there faster.
Mining text for graphic gems
At a training session my presentation coach asked me to give my elevator speech for the engineering and architectural firm I work for. I was happy to oblige and described "...a full service international engineering and architectural firm with 305 professional and support staff..."
"Is that a big number or small number?" asked my coach.
"What do you mean?" I thought the question was a bit odd, after all 305 is 305. "Many firms are much larger, " I explained "but fewer than 5% of engineering and architectural firms have more than 100 employees…"
"That's not exactly what I mean." said the coach. "There is information in that number that you are leaving out. So I ask you, is it 305 professional and support staff (he said this softly while yawning) or is it: THREE-HUNDRED AND FIVE PROFESSIONAL AND SUPPORT STAFF (said enthusiastically and emphatically)."
Immediately I understood his point. I was being precise, but precision alone did not provide meaning. The words alone did not convey the full meaning of my message. I want my firm to be known for having THREE-HUNDRED AND FIVE PROFESSIONAL AND SUPPORT STAFF.
"Remember," said my coach, "speaking is visual." Yikes, I had thought it was the written word, spoken.
He was right, and the visual power of speeches is in the ordinary everyday words we use. I now mine the words in my speeches for their visual potential. Today, if I use the word tall in a speech I will raise one arm to illustrate how tall. If I describe something as heavy, I will act as if it is heavy.
You get the idea. Read your speeches with this thought in mind: 'How will I visually illustrate this word as I speak.' Don't go overboard, the idea is to use the visual to enhance meaning, not distract the audience. But a few choice words acted out at the lectern at important points will add meaning to all you say.
"Is that a big number or small number?" asked my coach.
"What do you mean?" I thought the question was a bit odd, after all 305 is 305. "Many firms are much larger, " I explained "but fewer than 5% of engineering and architectural firms have more than 100 employees…"
"That's not exactly what I mean." said the coach. "There is information in that number that you are leaving out. So I ask you, is it 305 professional and support staff (he said this softly while yawning) or is it: THREE-HUNDRED AND FIVE PROFESSIONAL AND SUPPORT STAFF (said enthusiastically and emphatically)."
Immediately I understood his point. I was being precise, but precision alone did not provide meaning. The words alone did not convey the full meaning of my message. I want my firm to be known for having THREE-HUNDRED AND FIVE PROFESSIONAL AND SUPPORT STAFF.
"Remember," said my coach, "speaking is visual." Yikes, I had thought it was the written word, spoken.
He was right, and the visual power of speeches is in the ordinary everyday words we use. I now mine the words in my speeches for their visual potential. Today, if I use the word tall in a speech I will raise one arm to illustrate how tall. If I describe something as heavy, I will act as if it is heavy.
You get the idea. Read your speeches with this thought in mind: 'How will I visually illustrate this word as I speak.' Don't go overboard, the idea is to use the visual to enhance meaning, not distract the audience. But a few choice words acted out at the lectern at important points will add meaning to all you say.
Confession of a speech content fundamentalist
At a training session my presentation coach asked me to give my elevator speech for the engineering and architectural firm I work for. I was happy to oblige and described "...a full service international engineering and architectural firm with 305 professional and support staff..."
"Is that a big number or small number?" asked my coach.
"What do you mean?" I thought the question was a bit odd, after all 305 is 305. "Many firms are much larger, " I explained "but fewer than 5% of engineering and architectural firms have more than 100 employees…"
"That's not exactly what I mean." said the coach. "There is information in that number that you are leaving out. So I ask you, is it 305 professional and support staff (he said this softly while yawning) or is it: THREE-HUNDRED AND FIVE PROFESSIONAL AND SUPPORT STAFF (said enthusiastically and emphatically)."
Immediately I understood his point. I was being precise, but precision alone did not provide meaning. The words alone did not convey the full meaning of my message. I want my firm to be known for having THREE-HUNDRED AND FIVE PROFESSIONAL AND SUPPORT STAFF.
"Remember," said my coach, "speaking is visual." Yikes, I had thought it was the written word, spoken.
He was right, and the visual power of speeches is in the ordinary everyday words we use. I now mine the words in my speeches for their visual potential. Today, if I use the word tall in a speech I will raise one arm to illustrate how tall. If I describe something as heavy, I will act as if it is heavy.
You get the idea. Read your speeches with this thought in mind: 'How will I visually illustrate this word as I speak.' Don't go overboard, the idea is to use the visual to enhance meaning, not distract the audience. But a few choice words acted out at the lectern at important points will add meaning to all you say.
"Is that a big number or small number?" asked my coach.
"What do you mean?" I thought the question was a bit odd, after all 305 is 305. "Many firms are much larger, " I explained "but fewer than 5% of engineering and architectural firms have more than 100 employees…"
"That's not exactly what I mean." said the coach. "There is information in that number that you are leaving out. So I ask you, is it 305 professional and support staff (he said this softly while yawning) or is it: THREE-HUNDRED AND FIVE PROFESSIONAL AND SUPPORT STAFF (said enthusiastically and emphatically)."
Immediately I understood his point. I was being precise, but precision alone did not provide meaning. The words alone did not convey the full meaning of my message. I want my firm to be known for having THREE-HUNDRED AND FIVE PROFESSIONAL AND SUPPORT STAFF.
"Remember," said my coach, "speaking is visual." Yikes, I had thought it was the written word, spoken.
He was right, and the visual power of speeches is in the ordinary everyday words we use. I now mine the words in my speeches for their visual potential. Today, if I use the word tall in a speech I will raise one arm to illustrate how tall. If I describe something as heavy, I will act as if it is heavy.
You get the idea. Read your speeches with this thought in mind: 'How will I visually illustrate this word as I speak.' Don't go overboard, the idea is to use the visual to enhance meaning, not distract the audience. But a few choice words acted out at the lectern at important points will add meaning to all you say.
