Can you clearly articulate the value of your company/product and move people to action in 7 minutes? Sure you say.. its not that hard. After all, you’ve developed an “elevator pitch” and a mission statement.. But wait. I am not talking about a 7 minute conversation where someone can ask you for clarification or futher description. I mean a 7 minute lecture (demonstration if needed) from a stage, with a timer counting down and a room full of people that may or may not be paying attention. Sound a little harder? It is.
I just had the opportunity to watch 15 companies do this in a “shoot-out”. Some were entertaining; some were educational; some were boring as all get-out. I thought I would quickly share my “rules” for do and don’ts for you, if you every have the opportunity (challenge?) to do this…
Rule # 1 – 7 minutes is MUCH shorter than you think it is (especially when the timer starts)
Rule # 2 – Energy counts as much as content. In a theater production, directors often talk about pushing your (the actors) energy off the stage into the audience. A great 7 minute presentation starts with high energy from the presenters and GOES HIGHER. Many of the presentations I watched started off with a bang and got the audience attention – then they fizzled
Rule # 3 – If you decide to use a theme (costumes, approach, game show, etc) – stick with it throughout the entire presentation..
Rule # 4 – Powerpoint DOES NOT work in this environment. Period. People will not have time to read or digest what you put on a slide and it just distracts from what you are saying. If you are using Powerpoint as a script or prompt for what you are saying, you need to reherse more. Show products, use video, use props. Make it memorable and have a hook the the audience will remember.
Rule # 5 – practice, reherse, refine… I know people that prepared 10 hours for every minute on stage. Yes, it is that hard to do this well. You can get 1 or maximum of 2 key messages across in 7 minutes… that’s it. What is the message going to be?
A great presentation can have lasting effect – I have a friend who did one of these in a green spandex costume and 15 years later, still gets comments about people remembering him and his company. If you get the opportunity to a shoot out or showdown, grab it! And then use the opportunity for everything it is worth.
{ 1 trackback }