“How am I going to know if my pitch is working?” my workshop member, Adam, asked.
“It’s a combination of coaching, test audiences, and your intuition,” I replied.
“Intuition?”
Several successful leaders point out that they use “gut feelings.” Author and researcher Gerd Gigerenzer identifies intuition as connected with data that has not risen to the conscious level. He notes situations in which a person had a “bad feeling” but could not give a persuasive, rational argument. Then the company went ahead into what became a business disaster, and the person’s “bad feeling” proved an accurate assessment.
In my speech about the “RoiLeader,” I talk about how to use intuition effectively. ROI refers to “Return on Investment.” Your best investments are in your own skills and in the person you’re in conversation with.
In my “RoiLeader” speech, I breakdown R.O.I. in this way:
R – relate
O – optimize
I – intuit
Here, I’ll focus on intuit.
We explore how to M.O.V.E. on your intuition:
To gain the advantage of using your intuition for your best performance in a speech or pitch, you need move—that is, take action.
- Make space for your intuition
What do you use as the opening of your pitch? You can make space for your intuition by saying, “I’ll just see how it feels over the next couple of days.” This is an “open” approach as opposed to shutting down your process quickly.
Unfortunately, many individuals have not practiced being okay for a duration of uncertainty. Top innovators know that you need to tinker with a problem for a time—to come up with an excellent solution
Be sure to try your opening line of your pitch with a number of people. Notice how you feel as you say the line. Give it time (and space) for you to discover what works well.
- Observe closely and “listen” to your intuition
At one point, I was preparing a speech, and I invited 11 people to hear various versions of the speech. They all had varying opinions.
Over the years, I’ve realized that one does not have to take in or use every different opinion.
It’s not just what other people say, it is what YOU feel as you do the speech or pitch.
As you practice saying your ideas out loud, you get experiences, so you can sense what feels like a true fit for you.
- Validate your intuition
Keep a log of times your intuition was correct, and you improved your life by acting based on your intuitive impression. When you have a written log, you have evidence that your intuition serves you well.
- Energize through rehearsal
Top actor Kenneth Branagh said, “I used to call it fear [stage fright] but now I call it excitement because it is more useful.”
As the Spoken Word Strategist and Executive Coach, I guide clients to devote even just 9 minutes a day to rehearsal (preferably early in the day) so they can get their subconscious mind involved in their process. When you work for 9 minutes in the morning, your subconscious mind works on your speech at various times during your whole day.
In summary, make space for your intuition to help you.
When your intuition is well-developed, you can even modify details spontaneously–during your pitch–to connect well with your current audience of investors.
Remember:
M – Make space for your intuition
O – Observe closely and “listen” to your intuition
V – Validate your intuition
E – Energize through rehearsal
Warmly,
Tom
Tom Marcoux
Spoken Word Strategist – Executive Coach
Speaker-Author, 44 books so far 🙂
CEO
PitchPowerFest.com * GetTheBigYes.com
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
Learn the vital skills of pitching your ideas and enrolling others into your vision. Get that “Big Yes” to funding your project. “This insightful book shows you how to zing a curveball right past the parts of the Hollywood exec’s brain that want to say no before you even make your pitch. You will learn what works when pitching, and more importantly, why, so you can get to YES much more often. Buy this book now. Consider it Spring Training before the big game.” – Danek Kaus
This invaluable guide, used by people in 15 countries and now in its second edition, will help you become immune to dark persuasion. Learn to use countermeasures to defend yourself against unethical persuasion and seduction tactics. Break any trance in which a salesperson is trying to get you to buy something not to your benefit. “Learn how to defend yourself against manipulation. Best book you’ll ever read to protect yourself, feel strong and move forward in your life. Highly recommended!” – Dr. JoAnn Dahlkoetter
Imagine dining with Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, Jr., Helen Keller, and John Lasseter. These seven people share one thing: They’re great communicators. So this book will help you become a great communicator. “Marcoux especially stresses the importance of personal branding, of coming across as trustworthy and dependable.” – Einar Masson
Learn how you can tap into your natural gifts and tendencies to radiate Three Types of Charisma. Discover how to influence people with your words. “Marcoux explodes this myth: Charismatic people always feel comfortable before and during an important event, such as public speaking, networking or some other social event. This book shows how you can feel discomfort but still come across as confident and charismatic.The secrets include ways to radiate all three forms of charisma Marcoux describes as Warm Trust Charisma, Natural Charm Charisma and Magnetic Charisma.” – Danek Kaus
What the Rich Don’t Say about Getting Rich: Work Smarter, Live Better
You want wealth, abundance and enjoyment–yes? Wouldn’t it be great to learn the real strategies that the Rich use to create Sustainable Wealth? This book takes you behind-the-scenes to what really works. You’ll see a lot of myth-busting, and you’ll learn the strategies that get real results. “Tom Marcoux gives you an inside look on the psychology of what it takes to be successfully wealthy in life. It’s more than just taking advantage of opportunity, but also about taking care of yourself. This book discusses a number of strategies that we often overlook when it comes to leading a successful life that leads to wealth generation.” – Barry Adamson II
Amazing You: Enjoy the Power to Get It Done, Get Stronger, Get Credit for It … featuring Secrets of Extreme ConfidenceWould you like to Amaze yourself? This book helps you Get Stronger so you can Get It Done! You’ll learn how you can Get Credit for It! All three elements are crucial so you rise to a higher level of success and happiness. Think about it. If you get it done, but you’re a physical wreck—you lose. If you get things done, but you don’t Get Credit for It—you cannot get new clients. And, you’ll lose your current clients—if they don’t know, in their gut, how their lives are better because you’ve brought them significant benefits. Here’s a secret: You can unleash the Amazing You! Executive Coach Tom Marcoux helps you develop Extreme Confidence. “Tom Marcoux, once again, has written a book filled with practical insights and veteran business expertise that allows individuals to acquire the tools to balance personal and professional life. Tom’s wisdom possesses depth and the experience of someone who has ‘walked the walk.'” – Dr. Arthur Ciaramicoli
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