Help need presentation advice?

[Katymac]

I am putting together a presentation for the board of govenors at the school I want to open a nursery at.

My dad (who does tenders/presentations for a living) wants to pitch the presentation

I don't know if he should

Will I look a bit of a spare part?

Stress...stress....stress (I am feeling a little under pressure - can you tell?)

[Katymac]

small bump






even tho' no one cares

[Molesworth]

Is your dad involved in your nursery plan?

Do you want to do the presentation yourself? I think that if he isn't directly involved in the enterprise then it would be better coming from you, unless you absolutely can't bear the thought of doing it??

[SueW]

Was your dad named on the initial docs that went to the school? Is he a partner/investor?

[Katymac]

Well he's "lived" it with me for the last 4 months

He feels a double act - him doing the "speil" with me answering questions - looks more professional

I just feel nervous

[SueW]

Ooh snap.

You know your stuff. Go for it and speak from the heart.

[lemonaid]

If your dad's not involved in the nursery then no, I think it would be better if you did it and he coaches you on the best way to approach it.

[Katymac]

He "may" put up some money - we are still sorting it out

[WideWebWitch]

No, you should do it. Because

1. it's YOUR project
   
2. You need to show them how interested you are
   
3. but he could coach you, help you couldn't he?

[WideWebWitch]

I think a double act is fine, him alone is a cop out. imo

[Katymac]

I had a feeling it was a cop out

I can answer the questions and expand on stuff - but he performs (iykwim)

[lemonaid]

Bringing along your dad to what is in some ways a job interview does not look more professional, IMO. If he were something official on the documentation and proposal the school have already seen before the presentation then that would be different.

[BadHair]

I second what Lemonaid says. It's great that your dad is keen to help you out, but the presentation needs to come from you to look professional. If your dad pitches for you it could well look like you can't do it yourself, which wouldn't do you any favours.
Could you keep him involved, and avoid upsetting him, by asking him to coach you on presentation skills?

[Katymac]

Oh no

I can't do it alone

They all know me

Oh cr*p maybe I should call it all off

[Molesworth]

You can do it KM! Although I appreciate it's scary. You know more than anyone about your plans, and only you can communicate the energy and enthusiasm that led to you doing this in the first place.

[WideWebWitch]

you can do it, really. If he's v good, get him to coach you. Practice and practice until you're sick of it. It'll be fine, bet you!

[Katymac]

They have had the 36 page presentation document for a week

No-one read it (it wasn't handed out until Friday)

The slides seem so short - they say nothing
They will laugh

[Alibaldi]

You can do it honest. I'm dreading the thought of going back to work but he ho. Listen, do a dry run using you Dad and DH as the audience - you know them too. Don't learn anything off pat. Have a few crib cards for each slide be prepared to be interrupted - if it still is the powerpoint presentation then I'm sure your Dad's aware that each slide should not run conversationwise for more than 5 mns. I know that the fact they know you is slightly offputting but once you're there you'll be more confident. Just don't get bogged down in the details as SueW says speak from your heart. You did to me and many others on here and we're all behind you. Sending you my biggest hug from Colorado

[Katymac]

It is 12 pages and I have 10 minutes

I cannot do this - at all

[Alibaldi]

X-posted with you - slides are supposed to be short - you do all the talking allow them to ask the questions. How long do you have allowed for the presentation?

[Alibaldi]

Sorry did it again - too many slides then in that case. Salient points only - key and unique selling points. Why should they want to do this. Bio on you, why it's unique and what the school is going to get out of it. Finish with example layout of premises. It's just to show you know what you're talking about - the other brilliant document backs it all up. Hope I dont' x-post again

[SueW]

Don't powerpoint it.

Powerpoint is nasty IMO. People try to jazz it up with fancy graphics and slick ways of moving to the next slide to try to disguise that they don't really have anythign v interesting to say. Or else what they have to say is more interesting than what's on the slides so you don't look anyway (conference veteran!)

[WideWebWitch]

Is it powerpoint? YOu can rehearse timings from it if so. Practise it, do it again and again. Ask yourself the questions you think they will ask.

So what are your assumptions based on? (no of children, £ per child)
What will costs be (to them, toyou)
What are set up costs
marketing costs

Remember in presentations the rule is:
Tell em what you're going to tell em
Tell em
Tell em what you told em

Honest, it'll be fine! If you can do childbirth uou can do this!

[Katymac]

No fancy graphic just simply one slide after another

Just prompts (I think)

[DominiConnor]

Seen and done loads of pitches and 2nd hand ones rarely smell right.

Taking it on face vaue, your dad will know this as well, so that raises more questions.

But...

I've never presented to a board of governors, so weight anything I say lightly.

Although my weight is light, my hatred of the double act is a raging fire (a small one, a sort of bonsai inferno).

People don't listen to presentations.
They pick up on tone, and pattern match to things they approve or disapprove of.

I'm guessing your dad sells stuff ?
That's good, usually. But in business one is constantly getting pitches, and doesn't have a problem with being on the recieiving end.

I fear that the board will actually mark you down if it looks "too corporate".
A key dyamic here is that they want to retain control, and you need to stay above the boundary of competence, but below the one of bieng too much for them to handle. They won't use that term, preferring "arrogant", or "too smooth", but you don't want to go down that route.

Also, this is an evening metting ?
People's attention span is compromised after work, and two streams may cause their brains to work too hard.
If he's providing the money, then let him do a short money pitch.
But the danger of a 50/50 split is that interrupting questions will be fought over by the two of you. I've seen that go bad big time.

[WideWebWitch]

I think Powerpoint has its place but if you're not confident think about another approach. Could you hand round some figures? Take them to where you plan it and ask them to envisage it to bring it alive? Give them photos or mock ups? Agree it doesn't have to be powerpt unless they've specified.