Your proposal has been shortlisted, the presentation scheduled, the big day arrives. And how do most business professionals begin their presentation?
"Good morning, my name is Noah Clue, I represent the Consolidated Confederated Architects and Engineers Incorporated and we are very excited about the xyz project..."
Can we be more boring? Consider these simple facts. You are addressing a group who has an agenda in front of them, an agenda that likely includes your name and the name of your firm. In addition to the agenda, you and every member of your presentation team is wearing a name badge that can be read from across the street. And finally, consider that the group you are presenting to knows very well who you are and what firm you represent because, after all, they invited you there.
Do you think they don't know who you are, what firm you represent, and what project you are interested in? Then why oh why oh why do so many presentations begin with the pointless repetition of these boring details.
But wait, there's less...
Not satisfied with wasting the opening moments of the presentation most firms then drone on about how great they are.
What a waste of words. The client doesn't want to hear your litany of past experience again. They shortlisted you and several competitors thereby demonstrating that they believe each shortlisted firm could do the work. Take their word for it. Your qualified to do the work or else you would not be there.
The point most A/E presentations miss is that the presentation isn't about you, it's about them. Talk to the client about the client and about their project. Say you began the presentation with: "Congratulations, you are about to begin an exciting project." What would happen?
If nothing else, that would set you apart from the other firms competing for the work. Make the entire presentation about the client. What does the client hope to accomplish? What are their greatest fears? How will hiring your firm help them reach their goals and avoid their fears? Answer those questions in your presentation and your competitors who continue to talk about themselves won't stand a chance.
Less about you, more about them; that's the surest path from shortlist to contract.