Part I: Preparation, Preparation, Preparation

This article is specifically focused at professionals presenting to their clients, new and old. Getting prepared to pitch for new business, to meet a new client, or make a formal presentation can be a very daunting concept to many people.

Selling can feel unnatural

Being the one selling can feel very unnatural for the majority of professionals, who would much prefer to be on the receiving side of the desk. However, as business becomes harder to get and more and more competitive, the ability to present well has become complete necessity. 

The better prepared we are for any task, the easier and more enjoyable we find it. It’s human nature to feel comfortable with things we fully understand and good preparation provides us with this understanding and hence comfort. So, here are some things to think about when preparing to present:

An effective presentation must be: 

• Persuasive 
• Relevant 
• Entertaining, and 
• Structured

If you enjoyed this article by James Nathan why not check out two others he recently wrote about Big Fat Networking Mistakes - the 5 most common things NOT to do! and Overcoming the fear of Selling - Market yourself and your firm more effectively.

You may also be interested in a very popular article on Effective Candidate Management by Jo Gregory.