Speak With Confidence

Speaking Tips

The PPI consists of 10 questions to ask prior to the business presentation process.  These 10 questions relate to listener analysis, and therefore your needs:   Why am I speaking to these listeners? Why are they listening? What relationship do we have? What relationship do listener members have to each other? What do they know about this topic? What would they like to know? How will they use this information? What are they doing the

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Four Practice Strategies for Your Next Investor Presentation 

Raising capital for your biotech company requires more than a great product and a fancy slide deck. You need a combination of substantial scientific evidence, a great story, and a solid pitch. The road to funding is a long and winding journey, from extensive costs to regulatory requirements to navigate. What is often lost during this presentation brainstorm process is a rigorous practice schedule to hone and perfect your investor pitch. This article outlines the four imperative practice strategies biotech

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Three  Ways to Handle Investor Questions Confidently 

Questions are an essential part of meetings. When questions are asked, there is interest.  Questions can be a test not only for your knowledge of the content but your confidence in what you are representing. The three techniques below will help you prepare for inevitable questions. Restate– In restating the question, you are NOT adding any new information or changing the meaning.   Changing the meaning does not always mean words, many times it’s done with

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How to Be a Good Listener In Groups

Intuitively, we all know that many speakers are nervous when presenting. Yet, when attending a meeting or conference, we rarely think about how we, as  listeners, can help the  speaker  be more comfortable. Though most of my team’s time is spent focusing on coaching speakers to be more confident and effective, as a listener,  you  can help as well.  Here are five practical tips for being a great listener in a group setting: Provide non-verbal feedback. Speakers are sensitive to

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BUILDING RAPPORT QUICKLY

Investor meetings are difficult enough because you need to tell your story, what makes you unique, and why you are the right company for them to invest. In reality, though, the most difficult and important part is building the necessary rapport with the investors. Investors need to see a potential business relationship that they can develop. Do you have goals, values, beliefs, and drivers that align? How do you know what those are for your

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Communication Skills for Women Leaders

Without being stereotypical about it, there are some communication characteristics that may be more familiar to women in leadership roles than will resonate with men in similar roles. We see many millennials, of both genders, struggling with these traits as well. But that’s an article for another day! Here a few reminders. Examples include: Placing a question mark at the end of sentences (uptalk) Apologizing when there is no need Diminishing their value by using

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Seven Factors Biotech Companies Should Consider When Using a Public Speaking App

AI, or artificial intelligence, has taken root in biotech. From lab assistants to drug discovery, AI provides a cheap, quick, and more effective process for advancement. And the AI push is visible within public speaking development, from counting your “uh’s” to determining if you speak with enough passion.   There is no shortage of apps, software, and computer programs that claim to increase your skill as a presenter and public speaker. Many Biotech companies have embraced Artificial Intelligence (AI) apps, software, and programs that offer a “speech coach in your pocket.” Should you whip out your credit

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Strategically Authentic Communication 

To be successful in business communication, you must be authentic. Authenticity, though, is not magic. It is strategic. For any communication you have, here are three steps you can follow to be “strategically authentic.”  1 – Better understand your listeners. The best advice I give to clients is to remember that it’s not about you; it’s about the listeners, so before you speak, ask yourself: To whom are you speaking? What is their title?  How much time do they have for

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Three Nuanced Ways to Communicate Confidence

What people want most from communication coaching is the ability to appear, sound, and be confident. We all know when we see a confident communicator and when we don’t. Sometimes a speaker will say they felt confident but they are not perceived that way. Sometimes people will be very self-deprecating about their confidence, and their listeners didn’t see that at all. We are always trying to close the gap between self-perception and reality. It’s important

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