With EIE 17 drawing close and our preparations to exhibit well under way, I was reminded of something a few people asked me about when I was preparing a 6 minute pitch last year.
Then, I walked on stage and opened my presentation with the line “Hello, I’m Ian Stevenson from Cyan Forensics”.
The question I got a couple of times was “why are you repeating that – the host will just have said it?”
It’s a good question. There is an argument for not wasting time, or risking losing the audience’s attention through repetition. There is also an argument that the repetition reinforces identity our brand.
If those were the only arguments I could probably be persuaded either way, but there was one overriding reason I wanted to do it.
I am really good at remembering who I am, and what my company is called.
It’s easy.
So I feel really confident about saying those things.
The opening line wasn’t really about communicating with the audience.
It was about giving me an easy start to the presentation so I felt confident when I first opened my mouth.
Walking on to a big stage, in a big room, under bright lights, with a microphone I’m hoping will work, starting by saying something I know I will remember, and which I feel really deeply confident about, seems to me like a great way to get my head in order before the hard work starts.
