SunCam has witnessed and videotaped over 700 consultant marketing presentations along with the deliberations of the jurors. We have made a few important observations about what it takes to be a consistent winner in this arena.

1. Be Interesting!

     First and foremost a presentation must be interesting if it is to keep the attention of the jury. You will never read this requirement in a Request For Proposals but, it is nonetheless an absolute (if unspoken) rule of every selection. The only time in the 500 presentations we've filmed that we have seen a selection committee struggling to make a choice is on those rare occasions when two firms have made interesting presentations (or more commonly, when none of the firms is interesting).

Bells and whistles multimedia won't make your presentation interesting. Your message and your people will. A project manager who has a track record, knows and understands the project, is a strong communicator and has some great ideas even before getting started, that's what the client wants!

What such a project manager has to say about the project will be of great interest to the selectors.

2.  Know Your Audience!

Your presentation doesn't have to be interesting to the whole world, just to that handful of people that make-up your selection committee or jury. Every member of the jury will have a unique set of expectations for your presentation. If a juror has a "hot topic", you will want to know about it before you get to Q&A.

Make it your business to know the name and job of every person on the jury. Find out their level of education and their knowledge of design and construction. Know how well informed each jurist is about the project.

Unless your jury is all design/construction professionals (something we have never seen), don't use jargon.

3.  Be Selective

Being shortlisted for a project that you can't win is not a blessing, it's simply a waste of your resources. The "Apply for everything and see what happens" approach will kill your bottom line and demoralize your marketing staff. The projects you skip will do as much for your prosperity as the ones you win!

4. Don't Read, Remember!

You attend a production of Hamlet. When the time comes for the famous soliloquy, Hamlet pulls a 3x5 card from his pocket, puts on his bifocals and reads; "To be or not to be...." At this point he ceases to be Hamlet and becomes, instead, an unconvincing actor trying to play Hamlet. When he steps out of character he loses all credibility (and most of his audience).

When you read from notes in your presentation you are making the same mistake. Your message, won't ring true, it may even be perceived as insincere. A jurist might well ask, "How important is this message if it can not be remembered without prompting?" or "How can we expect this consultant to make good on commitments that are forgotten the moment the notes are laid down?". It is impossible to convince your audience that your message is genuine if they can see you reading it from 3x5 cards.

Of course, you're are not playing Hamlet. To be convincing in your role you must remain "in-character", that is, "be yourself" throughout the presentation. Select the words, phrases and gestures you normally use when you speak. Avoid the stiff language of contracts and proposals. You don't have to memorize every word of the presentation, just the words on those pesky note cards.

It's not enough to just show up and get through a marketing presentation, you must be convincing if you are to win.

5.  Rehearse thoroughly as a group before you get to the presentation!

In addition to learning your lines as individuals, rehearse your presentation as a group. The vast majority of firms never rehearse as a group before a presentation and as a result, their presentations are NOT interesting. They win only when their competition is also unrehearsed and NOT interesting.

The delivery of a well rehearsed team gives a selection committee a feeling of confidence and well-being. The unrehearsed delivery makes jurists nervous, impatient, bored and disinterested.

The video camera is the ideal tool for effective rehearsal and it will help you overcome presentation jitters. If you have never videotaped your rehearsals before, it will probably make you as nervous as the actual presentation. Many firms report that videotaping their rehearsals actually helps to confront and eliminate presentation jitters.

6.  Speak to your audience, not to your boards or screen.

"Never turn your back on your audience". This important rule is difficult to remember unless you rehearse it.

Imagine that you have a sign pasted to your back that says "Clients are Jerks!". Naturally you don't want to let the client see your sign so you always keep your shoulders squared to the client. When you want to point to something on the board you use your "near hand" with the palm facing the audience so you don't have to reach across your body and expose the sign. You occasionally turn your head to look at your board but you only turn your shoulders slightly. When you speak, your voice is always projected toward your audience, never toward your board. Although this may seem awkward and stiff, wait until you have videotaped this technique in a rehearsal before you make a final judgment. Clients like a "face-to-face" delivery, don't show them your backside.

7.  Dress, look and act appropriately!

There is not much tolerance in the consultant selection process for the avant-garde dresser or unusual personal behavior. "Dress and behave like the selection committee" is safe advise. You want to be remembered for what you said, you don't want to be remembered for what you wore (or didn't wear)

8.  Never say "I'm nervous".

We become impatient with ourselves for getting nervous. It is as though our mind and body have deliberately betrayed us at precisely the moment they are most needed. Involuntary increases in pulse and heart rate leave us with shaky knees, quivering voices and sweat drenched underwear. We feel out of control and helpless. In exasperation we do what humans often do in this situation; we utter the universal words, "I'm Really Nervous".

Resist the urge to say "I'm nervous" even when you are. You wouldn't tell a selection committee anything else about your body function so why mention nerves.

Your inner ear detects your nervousness long before you telegraph it to others so you may be disclosing harmful information that really isn't detectable by your audience. Even if your jitters are severe and apparent to everyone, there is no point in discussing the subject in your presentation.

9.  Come to the point (the client and the client's project) quickly.

By the time that a firm gets to the oral presentations phase of a consultant selection process all "qualifications" questions have been answered. An oral presentation that includes a restatement of qualifications and past experience, unless specifically requested by the client, is a waste of the client's time. Our experience has shown that the sooner a presenter moves the discussion from "us" to the project and the client, the more likely it is to succeed.

Most of the presentations that we have filmed could have been improved by skipping the first third.

10.  Make good use of every minute but don't race.

We tend to design our presentations to fit the allotted time and then cram other stuff into the program without making space. The only way to finish on time is to talk fast and eliminate all pauses leaving a breathless, fruitless presentation.

A better idea is to shorten the presentation, leave plenty of room for pauses. Make fewer points and make them better. Save those extra thoughts for Q&A.

"Haste Makes Waste" was never more true than in the delivery of presentations.

11.  Use simple graphics that your audience can easily read.

Firms love to ignore this rule when designing their presentations. They cram pack boards overflowing with text that no one will ever read. The universal phrase when displaying these cluttered boards; "You probably can't read this but, ...". We have that phrase on videotape a few dozen times.

Try this on your next presentation: One idea per board, six words maximum.

12.  Put the project team (project manager etc.) in front of the client as soon as possible.

Clients really like to see the president and CEO of a firm show-up at a presentation to do a brief pledge of support from the home office and to introduce the project manager. Any executive of the firm can do this but it is the "Big Boss" clients prefer. When it's done properly, this intro. takes about 30 seconds after which the Big Boss sits down for the remainder of the presentation and the project team takes over.

13.  When not presenting, team members should remain "still and silent" to avoid distractions.

It is customary to haul a small army of subconsultants to a presentation even when they don't have speaking parts. This group can only be distracting to the presentation and should be left at home. If they attend, they must be trained.

When not speaking, team members should sit or stand still with both feet flat on the floor looking directly at the speaker. They should be motionless except for breathing and perhaps an occasional gentle nod of agreement with the presenters most important points. It is extremely important to avoid slouching, sprawling, scratching, picking your nose, fidgeting, looking out the window or glancing at your watch. Every movement in the background, however slight, is a distraction from the center-stage presentation

This sounds a lot easier than it actually is so you will need to practice.

14.  Be a Volunteer!

To win public projects it is usually necessary for a firm (even a minority or woman owned firm) to demonstrate a commitment to the involvement and support of minorities and women. In addition to meeting or even exceeding the formal requirements or goals, a winning firm will usually come to a presentation with a lengthy list of the firms "community involvement" activities along with the all important color glossy photos.

One good idea that doesn't cost much is to give your older model computers to minority students from your local high school. Have them come in to pick up the computer, tour the office and take a few powerful photos for your future presentations. This program costs a lot less than a scholarship and yet the benefit to both the student and the firm is tremendous. Your photos will be full of smiles

15.  Select presentation equipment that gets the job done.

Multimedia begins to lose its allure when the power flickers and your computer reboots in the middle of a presentation. You've spent a lot of time "training" your equipment to help you with the presentation and now you're completely on your own. If electronic equipment plays a part in your presentations be prepared for equipment failure.

Lamp burn-outs are common failures and among the easiest to cure with a fresh lamp before each presentation. Power supply failures are also fairly easy to solve with backup battery power. Failure to bring along the equipment that you need; a projector stand, extension cord, projection screen, etc. can also be easily solved with a checklist.

Don't be surprised if your equipment fails. Be prepared!

16.  Don't Beg!

"Don't forget to ask for the job" is the standard admonition in presentation training. Most firms actually remember to do this but many go too far and slip into begging. Remember that begging is not the language of winners. It is one thing to say that you have the personnel immediately available for assignment, quite another to say that there will be layoffs if you don't get the job. Both phrases may be true but, the client will see the former as opportunity and the latter as sign of trouble. Which would you choose?

17.  Don't Brag.

If you tell someone that you are great they will think of you as boorish. Be sure to let others do your testimonials. Let a prestigious award or praise from a happy client do your bragging.

18.  Competition? Don't mention it!

Don't budget any of your presentation time to speaking well or ill of the competition. Even if asked a direct question by a juror, try to steer around it. Your criticism of another firm will hurt you and your praise may just help them win.

19.  Let there be light!

If you have to lower the room lights to see your projected images, you definently need a vewer brighter projector.  Your audience came to see you , not your slides.  If you black out the room, you may as well do the presentation via speakerphone.  SunCam has witnessed and taped 600 presentations and we have never seen anyone win in the dark.

20.  Train

Developing presentation skills is no accident, it takes training. The talented presenters that we come across all have training in their background in some form. They have attended "Toastmasters" meetings, taken college courses in communication, participated in school or amateur drama groups, received coaching by a professional trainer, read extensively on the subject, attended seminars and workshops, etc. Their presentation skills were acquired rather than natural, they worked for them.

Training to develop presentation skills has a huge payoff. As an employee, you will be developing the most marketable skills in your industry. As an owner, you will be insuring the prosperity of your firm.

Why not cash in on the benefits of training immediately. Sign-up for SunCam's "Designing, Producing and Delivering Winning Presentations" workshop.

21.  Study Game Film!

Every coach knows if you want to be on top of your own game, you must know what other teams are doing. "Game Films" are essential to any coach and that's where SunCam fits in.

Our "Presentations on Videotape" are the "Game Films" you can use improve your game and increase your hit rate. If you get just one idea from our tapes that helps you win one contract, the purchase will be well worth the price and the investment of time. You'll fill a legal pad with ideas from each presentation and when you're finished, you'll pass the tapes along to a colleague at no additional cost.