More and more contract cleaners are now expected to give a presentation before potential clients when they submit a bid or when responding to a request for proposal. This is a crucial step. Very often, how well you do – whether you present before one person or a dozen – can determine if you win the account. Contractors can include all of the features and benefits of their services in the proposal, but the presentation itself is what helps the client determine if they “feel” comfortable with you and if they can work with you.
There are many steps involved in preparation. However, one of the most important is to feel comfortable as well as enthusiastic before speaking in front of a group of people. So many of the cleaning contractors I work with get jittery and anxious before a talk. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help calm down, and in some cases, amp up, before you step in front of potential clients.
Here are some ways to do this:
Work the Room
Because you typically will be talking before a small gathering, take a few minutes to introduce yourself to each person individually. Ask questions such as where they are from and how long they have worked for the organization. This process is referred to as building “empathy,” and it helps humanize the entire setting for you and the attendees. You are no longer a stranger, and neither are they.
Exercise
Sometimes I encourage cleaning contractors to walk around the block a few times before the meeting. Try some pushups, or even dance at home before going to the presentation. This ritual helps in two significant ways. It can help reduce anxiety, so it has a calming effect, but it can also help get you excited. The combination creates high-energy which can serve a contractor well when giving a talk.
Breathing Exercises
For those contractors with more severe stage fright, one of the best things I suggest is breathing exercises. Breathe slowly, deeply, and exhale each time thoroughly. Do this three or four times and imagine with each exhale, all those jittery nerves and anxious feelings being released from your body.
Self-Talk
Much of the anxiety that arises before a presentation
is the result of our thinking about ourselves, how well we will do, our concerns
about being in front of so many people, and our wish to win the account. Let’s turn that around.
Start talking to yourself saying such things as, “I’m here to give, I’m here
to help these people, or I’m going to just be present and be myself.” Think of other phrases and words that help comfort
you. Repeat these statements several times. Some professional speakers call this their
“pre-talk mantras,” and they report that it helps carry them through their
delivery, whether it is in front of a few people or a ballroom crowd.
Finally, I remind my clients that most everyone, even professional presenters, feels some anxiety before speaking in front of a group. It’s normal and you are certainly not alone when it comes to being a bit nervous before an audience.
Also, realize there is no “one-size fits all” ritual when it comes to preparing yourself. Practice your talk two or three times before you give the actual presentation and use one or more of the steps mentioned here. In most cases, you will find the one that either soothes you down or gives you energy. The key is to tap into the one that works for you.
Ron Segura is president of Segura Associates. He works with building service contractors to help them build, develop, and market their services and businesses. He can be reached through his company website at http://www.seguraassociates.com.
