You should try this… confidence when pitching.
If you read our latest post about creative confidence then you’ll certainly find this helpful. If you haven’t, what have you been wasting your time on! Go read it now! We thought we’d make a new series all about what you should be doing to help your creative thinking and your design process. So without further ado, let’s dive into the first part of our “You Should Try This…” series all about confidence when pitching your ideas.
Learn from mistakes!
You’ve nailed the design. You think it’s the best work you’ve ever produced. Then you have to present it to your team or your clients and your confidence fades and nagging doubt steps in. We become filled with the fear of rejection, criticism and failure. Humans are educated and conditioned to not make mistakes, a notion we frankly find ridiculous! You can only ever learn from your mistakes but remember to never let them hold you back!
A little bit of fear and risk can really benefit your confidence. Sounds crazy but hear us out! Maria Molfino*, a leadership coach who helps women gain confidence to lead, says “If you care about growing and expanding then you have to find out how to relate to your fears…If fear isn’t coming up, you’re not playing at your edge.” You need to push yourself! Push yourself out of your comfort zone, push yourself to be confident and push yourself to pitch your designs better than you ever have before.
*Check out this conversation to delve deeper into the ideas
You’ve got this!
People are like sharks, they can sense your fear! It is crucial to develop your creative confidence and exercise it particularly when pitching your ideas to your team and clients. If you don’t believe in your ideas you can’t expect anyone else to buy into them.
If you’re confident in your work, your client will be too. From the start of the process, clearly define your aims and objectives with the project. Who is the target audience, what is the product, what is your concept, what is the context… If you are 100% clear on everything, if you can answer and questions and criticism you may face about your designs, then you’re already halfway there with your creative confidence.
People reflect the energy you’re putting out there. If you’re negative about your designs, you can’t except people to show total support. If you use that creative confidence we’ve talked about, if you truly know your stuff, then people will be right behind you. They may give you constructive feedback (something to look out for in this series) but they are still supporting you, want the best from your work and see that a positive client/designer relationship can develop.
Handy tips!
- The optimum length for a great pitch is between 15 and 20 minutes. Keep things succinct, short and direct.
- Use pictures! Designers are visual so don’t bore people with all text slides, its just not necessary.
- Be precise with what you’re saying.
- Hook your clients in within the first 10 seconds of your pitch. Memory is dependent on dopamine. The more exciting the information the more dopamine is released and in turn, your epic design will make an impression and be remembered!
- Keep your passion for your designs consistent throughout your pitch.
- Keep a good energy to show your clients just how confident you are with your design.
- Have one focal point per slide.
- Practice, practice, practice! Don’t go into your pitch unprepared.
- Present your presentation in the best possible light.
- Guide the feedback, clarify up front to your audience what stage you’re at and what input you’re looking for.
And remember, never make people suffer a death through powerpoint!
