Whether you're pitching to investors or presenting to the board, these tips will help you become a more commanding public speaker
“You can tell from the get-go whether the audience likes you or not,” says Melody Kwan, a Hong Kong-based MC.
It’s just one of the many insights Kwan has to offer from a career hosting public events for high-profile Hong Kong clients, with everyone from Landmark to the Longines Masters soliciting her services.
As well as being on speed dial for brands like DHL, Cannon and IBM, Kwan has hosted “at least 70” startup competitions over her career, so also knows a thing or two about what makes a successful pitch. Once again, first impressions count: “Within the first ten seconds you can already tell if the panel is willing to listen to the rest of the pitch.”
Here are five things Kwan says every professional needs to know about speaking in front of a crowd—whether you’re pitching a startup or facing the board.
Be yourself (no, really)
Be yourself and don’t be pretentious. Anyone can learn the techniques you need to give a good talk—the gestures, how to stand—but that can easily feel too staged. The main thing to consider is: Are you being yourself? Genuinely yourself. When I have a one-on-one conversation, I speak in the same manner as when I speak to a large crowd, except it’s attenuated.
A lot of people concentrate on presenting how they think they are supposed to, and become focused on hitting these cliché markers. People in the audience can tell, especially if they know you outside of the presentation. Faking it doesn’t win friends or hearts, and it can make people zone out after the first few seconds.