“I shake when I’m pitching to investors,” Sharon, a new client said.
“I hear you. I’ll guide you through a number of exercises,” I replied. “We’ll help you with that. And, I’ll help you with important, foundational processes,” I replied.
“What are those processes?” Sharon asked.
“We’ll begin with two vital steps:
- Shift out of Dis-empowering Default-Settings
- Rehearse Recovery Methods So You KNOW You’re Ready to Adapt”
- Shift out of Dis-empowering Default-Settings
Here is something I see often: When hit with a tough question, novice speaker steps backwards—like they’ve been physically hit. The person looks like he or she is trying to run away. The reflexive stepping backwards is a Default-Setting. It’s time to shift away from Dis-empowering Default-Settings.
When I work personally with a client (or in my workshops), I help people by having them physically practice taking a step or two forward. Why? It’s about showing confidence with your body language. Additionally, taking a step forward provides a good outlet for the nervous energy you may feel.
As a professional speaker (member of the National Speakers Association for over 15 years), I have conditioned myself to create a better connection with an audience member even when a tough question is asked.
Here’s another Default-Setting: Looking like a deer caught in the headlights when a tough question is thrown, like a spear, at the speaker. How do you shift out of this Default-Setting?
With my clients, I help them prepare a number of responses that I call “Catch the Question.” Here is an example: “I’m glad you brought that up. That’s a consideration which connects with something I was going to share in a few moments. So, let’s work with that detail now.”
While you say these memorized-words, your mind is going at 700 words a minute to find ways to respond to the question.
Another way to respond is: “I haven’t looked at it quite that way before. I’ll need to pause for a moment. I want my response to be valuable to you.”
Practicing effective responses, ahead of time, helps you maintain your poise when you’re in front of a crucial audience.
Additionally, I work with clients so they develop 2 answers for each of the 10 Worst Questions They Do Not Want to Answer.
- Rehearse Recovery Methods So You KNOW You’re Ready to Adapt
Where does Extreme Confidence come from? Rehearsing Recovery Methods.
Why? Merely rehearsing the text of your pitch will still keep you in suspense: Can you handle it if your mind goes blank? Can you respond with poise if an investor throws you a curve ball?
In training sessions with a speaker, I will say, “Your mind just went blank. Use a Recovery Method.”
After such training, the speaker will have less fear. She or he knows how to recover!
When I talk about “fearless,” I’m talking about how we shift you into empowered body language, vocal tonality and words. You literally fear less – because you’re empowered more.
In my workshop “Pitch with Extreme Confidence: The Pitch Hacking Method,” I share how to recover from the mind going blank. You develop your own phrases. For example, at IBM, I said, “I need to pause for a moment. My brain needs more RAM.”
I call this training process, Elite Adaptive Conditioning. In my workshops and my personal training with those who give a pitch, I help them condition themselves to respond at their best. This is in line with some words I saw some time ago: “The Navy SEALS: the best, the most highly trained, elite special operations force in the U.S. military.”
It’s best to become an elite, highly trained pitch-maker.
Your reward is the funding that you want, and to create the life you really want.
This material is on my mind because I have now opened a special opportunity. When you CLICK HERE, you can go to my questionnaire-webpage and apply for a free consultation with me (limited number available) titled: “Increase Your Pitch Power for Funding – Strategy Session.”
Here are Your BENEFITS of such a free consultation.
- Gain Clarity and Peace of Mind about Pitching so You Gain the Funding you really want
- Discover the essential building blocks for having the Pitch that FUNDS your business or project
- Determine the #1 thing stopping you from having the Successful PITCH you want
- Identify the most powerful actions that will move you toward giving your Pitch with Total Confidence
- Complete the consultation with the excitement of knowing EXACTLY what to do next to create the Pitch for Funding that Gets You Great Results
I invite you to apply.
Let’s see if we might get the chance to work together … as a free opportunity to you.
Warmly,
Tom
Tom Marcoux
Executive Coach * Pitch Coach
Spoken Word Strategist
CEO (leading teams in United Kingdom, India and USA)
Get the Advantages to take your business to a higher level. Learn Leadership Advantages, Pitch Advantages, and Success Advantages. To Soar with Confidence, you learn and use principles for top level communication to board members, team members and the media.
“Marcoux demonstrates how to “Prepare a Compelling Story that Moves Emotions.” He mentions techniques that he teaches clients for developing compelling Ted Talks.” – Dantalion Jones
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