Are you meeting an employer for the first time and not sure what to say? Read this document to learn how to write a “presentation speech” about you, as well as to see some interesting questions you can ask your employer. Can you tell someone who you are and what you do in 15 seconds or less? In reality, this is a long time, since the average attention span of an adult is 8 seconds. The idea of the “elevator pitch” was born from the story that entrepreneurs had to make an offer to venture capitalists in the time it took for elevators to reach the lobby to get funding for their business. Why is it so important? In reality, most of us stop listening after 15 seconds, and if you don't get the listener interested right away, you lose.
Telling someone what you and your company do in this amount of time is a talent and should be practiced word for word. Don't plan to improvise this part or rely on your improvisation skills. When you prepare your presentation speech, ask these questions. I use self-critical humor, storytelling, and extreme passion to communicate and connect with other people.
I tell them to forget about the dream version of the Disneyland entrepreneurs. You'll never be Bill Gates or Richard Branson. I clear the way of all those broken promises and faded dreams. I'm telling the truth about what it's really like to own a business and how they can succeed if they start where they are.
They're also an excellent answer to the question “what do you do?” , which you'll hear a lot at social events and when you meet people for the first time. The point of your promotional speech is to convince someone that you're interesting enough to have a longer conversation. In your presentation speech, you should introduce yourself, talk about what you do and describe what you are looking for and what you offer. Just remember that your presentation speech needs to be a coherent narrative, so make sure that one point flows to the next naturally.
A summary resume statement is, more or less, a presentation argument designed specifically for the company you are applying to. The goal is to start a conversation, and too much jargon can mean that the listener doesn't have to ask you quality follow-up questions. I shudder when I see people ask a question, or even worse, several questions, which have nothing to do with their presentation. Promotional speeches are sometimes called promotional presentations because you would use a similar format to introduce your product or company to the listener, another good reason to master this skill.
So if you can generalize your promotional pitch to the widest possible audience, you've finished that section of your LinkedIn profile. With an effective presentation speech, it will be easier for you to present yourself professionally and create more connections within your field. This definitely sounds (and probably will feel) cheesy, but it's a surprisingly good way to get used to delivering your promotional speech. This step in the process (focusing on yourself and determining your goals) is more difficult than it seems, but defining it will simplify everything from writing the summary statement of your resume to answering the most common interview questions.
You'll deliver it countless times throughout the day, making trade shows a great place to practice and perfect your presentation speech. To help increase your confidence and eliminate any distractions, take a quick look to make sure you don't have anything stuck in your teeth if it's very likely that you're going to give your promotional speech in the near future.
