Connecting: Presentation skills handy in networking situations

You look at the 40 people sitting at their tables and feel apprehension. In 10 minutes, you will stand and introduce yourself and your business to 40 strangers. Then you will gather at your table of six to make a five-minute presentation. After that you'll network for half an hour and make small talk. It seems awkward and you consider your choices:

to the restroom.

of something clever to say so you'll be remembered.

Make it simple: state your name and your company name.

Because of your anxiety, you've missed everyone else's introduction. You were so focused on your own competence, you've missed valuable opportunity.

Here are some presentation skills that can be applied to networking situations:

Interesting introductions

Every great presentation starts off with an interesting introduction. If your intro isn't memorable, neither are you. You need a great introduction for yourself in networking situations, whether it is at a business-to-business event in front of 40 people or meeting someone in the hallway.

Your introduction needs to be clear and succinct so that the people listening to you understand what clients you serve and what your business is about. Create an introduction that can be tweaked, for the situation.

For example, I was working with a beginning Realtor and knowing how difficult this business is in the first few years, we came up with something that would make her stand out at networking events: "Hi my name is Elaine Smith and I work with first-time home buyers looking for their dream home, and I work with homeowners who are ready to sell their first home." This introduction clarifies what kind of clients she serves best, and the words "dream home" create a visual and memorable effect.

It's also conversational and warm. Once you've created your introduction you can focus on the introductions of everyone else, jot down key information and double your contacts by having ice breakers to meet those who won't be at your table of six.

Know your audience

A presentation may have a great introduction and a fantastic delivery, but it you're speaking Swahili to an English audience, it won't have meaning. In other words, know your audience if you want to create rapport. The same is true in networking.

Before any networking event do a quick audience analysis. Ask yourself these questions whether meeting one on one or going to a business-to-business mixer. What is the general age of the audience? What kinds of professions are represented? What is the purpose of this event? Is there any significant event that affects this person or this audience? It's important to find something in common with this person or audience.

One strategy is to visit the Web sites of those who will be there. Learn a little about their business. When you meet them for the first time, you can comment on their Web site. You now have an ice breaker to go with your introduction and it's a technique to gear the conversation toward them. You will be known as an interesting conversationalist.

Don't be a bore

A boring speaker doesn't know how to engage the audience and a boring networker makes the same mistakes: They talk too much about themselves, fail to notice the body language of the person in front of them and seem to be too long-winded.

Keep in mind that even though you might feel a bit awkward, that feeling goes away when you are focused on the other person. The best way to stop worrying about impressing others is to become interested rather than trying too hard to be interesting. Do your research and then ask open-ended questions to draw the other person out.

Have an outline, agenda

A good presentation takes preparation and so does effective networking. If you are networking one-on-one, know why you are meeting, what you want to accomplish and how much time you have allotted. If it's at a business-to-business connection, find out who's going to be there, who you want to meet, and what you are going to talk about.

Focus on one or two areas of interest and keep a couple of minutes open to answer questions. Major mistakes include giving too much information in the time allotted which overwhelms your audience, not being organized, thereby being hard to follow, getting off track, and making assumptions that your audience knows the jargon of your business. Have your handouts ready and create a simple outline and stick to it.

(Marlene Chism is president of ICARE Presentations in Springfield.)