How to talk about your business in 60 seconds or less
There sure are a lot of events in the Seattle Biznik business networking events calendar, hey? And while most of the listed events are social in nature, I’m particularly impressed to see educational workshops like the one John Martin is teaching in Seattle on Thursday, Oct. 18: Pitch your Business in 60 Seconds. That’s because workshops of this kind offer valuable skills that can have a direct, positive influence on our ability to successfully grow our businesses. I interviewed John to learn a little more about him, and what members who attend his workshop can expect to learn.
Q: Why do you think it’s hard for people to talk about their business?
For many people, one of their biggest fears is speaking in public. And when it comes to speaking about their business, this intense fear is compounded. I believe the reason they fear speaking in public about anything is that they’ve had little or no training to speak in public. Few people have taken a public speaking class in high school or college. I find this lack of training or education interesting, since we spend over 55 percent of our communication time speaking and listening to others speak. Conversely, most people have had 12 or more years of education learning to write. However, writing is the communication skill that most people use the least.
Q: Where did you learn public speaking?
My first speech class was in high school. I had the coolest teacher ever. His name was Bill Lewis. He was tall and classy. He always wore suits. His favorite saying in speech class was, “Cool Your Jets!” He wanted all of us to slow down. This is so important when it comes to public speaking. Especially in the fast-paced communication era we now live in. I’m currently working on a book about delivering effective business presenentations in honor of Bill Lewis. The title is “Cool Your Jets!”
Q: How did you get into teaching, and how long have you been at this?
I was lucky enough to get a teaching assistanceship at Miami Ohio in 1985. So I was teaching 20 year olds when I was still in my 20’s.
4. What is the most common mistake people make when talking about
their business?
They don’t have a single presentation objective (SPO). An SPO is like a blurb in TV guide. Another way to think about it is a dust-jacket cover on a book. You must develop an SPO and practice it in public. I recently attended a backyard BBQ at a Biznik member’s home. This was a non-Biznik event. Many professionals were there networking. One gentleman stands out in my mind. He was an excellent speaker. He had maybe 6-7 people standing around him. The question came up, “So, Bill what are you up to these days?” Bill launched right into his SPO without hesitation. It was like the old commercial: “When EF Hutton speaks, people listen.” His pitch was smooth, clear, and best of all precise. Whe he was done, he just happened to have a stack of buisiness cards to hand out. It wasn’t a bit cheesy. Bill was very genuine and authentic about his offering. People appreciate this.
5. What can people who attend your upcoming workshop expect to learn?
To learn how to become comfortable speaking about themselves in public. Everyone will get a chance to develop there own SPO. What has always amazed me about the workshop mechanics is how the group bonds. Seeing the bonding is why I continue to teach this workhop. It’s very much like group therapy. The speaker only receives positive feedback from other group members. It’s amazing to see what happens when someone is bombarded with positive comments. Their fear of speaking slips away. As a facilitator, I do give constructive feedback as to what could be improved on. This is a very safe and supportive learning environment. It’s sacred ground.
John Martin is a Seattle-based presentation coach. To sign up for his workshop, visit http://biznik.com/events/2007/10/18/pitch-your-biz-in-60-seconds