How you deliver your 10-minute presentation at BNI can be the difference between receiving a surge of referrals or the presentation having no real impact.
It needs to be taken seriously because it’s your best opportunity to really connect with members. It can be challenging especially for new members, but by following these tips your 10-minute presentation will be far more efficient and much more likely to deliver referrals.
Last week we discussed the structure of the 10-minute presentation, this week we’ll give you some pointers to freshen up your presentation to help achieve results. Remember, doing the MSP (Member Success Programme) training is key to learning how to maximise your return on investment in BNI. It will also help settle some nerves you have around presenting the 10 minutes – which can be intimidating even for seasoned members!
Here are our top tips:
- Prep and Prep: Allow sufficient time for preparation, at least 1 to 2 hours. Approach your 10-minute presentation with a new mindset every time. Make it fresh to keep members engaged; ensuring they take in more of the material. Keep it simple so it is more easily digestible and memorable.
- Get digital: Aside from PowerPoint, use video and visuals. Even static images are worthwhile; anything you can add to your presentation to make it more exciting and dynamic. People process visuals 60,000 times faster than text. That means you can paint a picture far faster for your audience with an actual visual rather than just speaking. Last week we discussed a very successful 10 minutes by a member who used real X-rays from her practice to illustrate what she did as a chiropractor. Try to incorporate real materials from your workplace wherever possible.
- Bring in positive energy: Be succinct and upbeat – people buy you before they buy anything else. Positivity is a hugely powerful tool. Positive people and positive presentations will wake up a sleepy audience and engage people early in the morning.
- Pace: We’ve talked recently about the value of speaking at a pace that the audience can absorb what it is you are saying. That means talking slowly but naturally; leaving small pauses at convenient moments. Breathe deeply so you stay relaxed and loose. Speaking in this way will make your presentation much easier for members to ‘digest’ and remember.
- Include: Success stories, real examples and anecdotes.
- Avoid: Reading (unless absolutely necessary) or going off on tangents (stick to your structure).
Remember that even if you have given a number of 10-minute presentations in the past and feel you have your presentation locked down, you should definitely freshen it up each time. Every business is constantly evolving just as every industry is. Use new material or recent work scenarios you have addressed to reflect this.
Finally, a note on humour. Humour is very subjective: what one person finds funny another might find objectionable or even inappropriate. Keep your 10 minutes positive, upbeat and succinct; everyone will appreciate it and you will maximise your opportunity for referrals.
