Successful self-presentation is, first of all, marketing. And it doesn’t matter whether we present our business services with a successful presentation, introduce ourselves to an interlocutor at a conference, or talk about ourselves at a reunion of graduates or a first date. If you know how to elegantly and competently show your advantages, you are always a few steps closer to the goal. And here the balance is important: on the one hand, you need to show your individual characteristics and strengths, on the other hand, you should definitely take into account the circumstances, be appropriate and not go into a half-hour monologue-autobiography.
Define a goal in a successful presentation
Target first. Yes, always aim first. What do we want to get as an output? We can’t make a “universal presentation” for every occasion and rehearse it. Self-presentation is worked out for a specific purpose. This is not a way to show off in all its glory or brag. And self-presentation “not in that case” can, on the contrary, ruin everything. Imagine that we are applying for an administrative position in recruiting, and from the threshold we declare our love for justice and talk about how we succeeded in litigation with a previous employer. It is unlikely that we will get this position. And if we tell the same about ourselves in the elections to the chairmen of the council of an apartment building, then we can take the desired position. For more job options visit https://layboard.in/vacancies/jobs-in-uae
Do we need to understand what we want? So that the interlocutor considers us what? For him to do what?
Another example: we participate in a tender for a creative project, where it is important to show personal scale, the ability to embrace maximum capacities, but for some reason they wrote in the cover letter about saving and pragmatism – great, but is this really the main thing? And is the wording correct?
Did we really first show exactly those qualities that are important to achieve our goal? If yes, and they still listen to us (well, or we “fit” in an adequate number of characters), we can add about our ability – not only to save money, but to spend the budget wisely in order to help the client achieve greater scope and luxury with the available resources.
Make sure that you resonate with the concept of the project, feel and understand the main idea and message of the event. Otherwise, even the brightest and most rational presentation will not bring the desired success. Primarily, not what we are good at. And what we want as a result.
See the value through the eyes of the interlocutor
So we know what we want. And we decided what our qualities, skills, and knowledge can show us in the right light. And here you can make the main mistake: start talking about yourself. Yes, from the right side, but about myself. And you need to talk about the addressee of our presentation. Not what you are good for, not what you want from the interlocutor (we keep this in mind). What can you do to help him?
How will your qualities help in solving the problems of the company? How did you help before?
If this is an interview, then not “I am responsible and diligent”, but “we recently completed a project with a budget of 10 million, I was fully responsible for this and that, and was able to deliver the project to the manager on time despite the fact that the contractor refused at the last moment from the performance of the contract.
If this description is posted on your website, then formulate the phrase as follows: not “I am a psychologist in such and such a technique and such and such an approach”, but “I am contacted when it is necessary to improve relations with teenage children, to go through a crisis in relations with my husband”.
It is very important here to learn to really understand your client (interlocutor, addressee of the presentation) and “get up in his slippers”. You don’t need to judge only by yourself, study, ask the opinions of others and experts in the field you are interested in, and you can see your advantages and value through the eyes of a client from unexpected angles.
To plan a successful presentation
Improvisation is only successful when planned. In order not to get confused at the right moment and not rewrite the greeting in the letter 80 times, prepare a “grid of your options” in advance. Remember that your main task is to win, to achieve a result, and not to solve a puzzle or test hypotheses. We can’t “save and try again” like in a computer game. We recommend that you immediately make a list of your advantages and strengths, and write down all the options in order to be able to “assemble a constructor” for each task and specific situation. (Lyrica)
Avoid Stamps in a successful presentation
Open the website of any company and read its business presentation. You will see something like “we are a dynamically developing company, we carry out turnkey projects of any complexity.” Or “we have high quality and low prices.” Or some nonsense like “we work – you rest”
The task of self-presentation – any – personal, corporate, business presentation – is not “wrapped in a beautiful slogan” (although in fact not always beautiful), but to convey to the interlocutor as briefly and specifically as possible two things:
- how you can be useful to him (remember rule number 2 – See the value through the eyes of the interlocutor);
- and how do you prove it?
No one says about himself “we are not a customer-oriented company, we have low quality, and prices are too high.” Everyone says plus or minus the same beautiful stamped wording. And all resumes when applying for a job are like twins – stress resistance, sociability, proactivity… Then what’s the difference?
To stand out, be specific and avoid clichés. If you “already heard this advertising phrase somewhere,” then you don’t need it. Nobody expects slogans from you. Be simple and specific. Are you working fast? Show in numbers. Do you solve non-standard problems? Show an example.
Speak in the language of the interlocutor in a successful presentation
If you are presenting your services to a person who is completely “out of touch”, do not pour out terms. Say it so that an 11-year-old child or a 75-year-old grandmother understands you, if they are your interlocutors. We fix the formula again. Who are you? How can you be useful? What can you prove?
A little less loud language, but much more useful. Try this exercise: open the resume of any specialist in your field, the page about the company in your niche and go through the following questions:
- How are you useful to me?
- What can you prove?
Think about how you could specify and justify these formulations. And then go to your list of benefits and do the same.
Look soberly and count the benefits
It may be that analyzing your strengths will lead you to a point of doubt: “Am I really worth anything at all? Am I sure there are advantages? Most likely, your inner impostor and perfectionist came to visit. To help us again, specifics. What exactly are you good at? How can this be useful to the person on the other side of your presentation? How can you help him? How many have already been helped? What is the benefit or pleasure to him from communicating with you, working with you?
Remember specific examples, write out, fix. Take back a proper view of yourself. And if you really see that your advantages are not enough, then no matter how hard you try with beautiful wording, and no matter how you present it, the goal will not be achieved.
Then think over a plan to create, strengthen your advantages. And compare whether you are ready to go to advanced training courses, take a few consultations from specialists, invest in your project and its marketing package in order to get the desired result.
Important: the investment of time and money must certainly pay off even if you do not get this particular position, a particular order.
Consider fallback options in case of failure. This will relieve tension, and you will feel more confident and relaxed during the interview, which will significantly increase your chances of success.
And remember that our self-presentation solves some problems. But this task is not limited to self-presentation. Not a single interview ends with your beautiful presentation, not a single letter with a commercial offer ends with a story about yourself.
Therefore, before self-presentation, carefully prepare the main topic of your conversation, event. It is much more pleasant and interesting to communicate with an expert in your field, and not just with a helpful performer with a good self-presentation. Surely you yourself are more likely to purchase even expensive cosmetics from an expert dermatologist or professional makeup artist than make a purchase at the suggestion of a cosmetics sales assistant. Rely more on an expert nutritionist and fitness coach for a personalized diet than on a healthy food vendor. And this principle of expertise works in all areas.
