Preparing for the Business Presentation Event

Points from Static events are the easiest to gain, yet every year, I’ve seen many teams spend little to no effort in preparing for them. One such Static event, is the *Business Presentation Event*, scored out of 75 points.

To help you prepare for it and perhaps give some insight into what ‘good’ presentations may look like, here is a link to an awesome YouTube playlist of past teams’ presentations that I recently came across.

Here are some steps to deliver a good presentation (in my humble opinion):

• Put a business presentation team together – preferably individuals who can project their voice and who are confident, reliable and hard-working. Do this at least 2 months before the event, and not the night before the presentation.
• Fear of public speaking? Check this article out.
• Read the Rules related to the Business Presentation Event. [Article 5, Page 117]
• Understand the scoring sheet – it is the best way to maximize the efficiency of your presentation.
• Select your fore-point, target market and its audience.
• Research on the above.
• Create a thorough balance sheet! There is a high possibility you will be questioned on your numbers.
• Research and indicate how you will meet your investor’s Return-on-investment (ROI).
• Put it together in a ‘presentation’ – White-board / Paper on stands, Printouts, Powerpoint, Film etc; anything that would help best deliver your presentation.
• Prepare a script and practice, practice, practice!
• Backup / Make multiple copies to ensure you don’t lose your presentation!
• Time your presentations! – 10 minutes is the MAX!
• Prepare for questions investors may ask and ensure that all the presenters are aligned on the answers.
• Do a mock presentation in front of your team members, alumni and / or faculty advisors.
• Prepare for the worst: This may include one of the presenters falling ill during the competition, corrupted hard-drive / presentation, failure of presentation equipment to turn on / start-up, presentation clothes being soiled etc.
• Arrive on time at your presentation as per the given time slot. Setup your presentation in a calm manner, as a team. Introduce yourselves to the judges. Present professionally. Answer cohesively. Respect the judges’ time. Ask for feedback. You are done!

It is so important for you to OWN the presentation. And by that, I don’t mean, to pay someone else to do it. Understand the matter that you are delivering thoroughly, so that you can impress and stump the judges on delivery and on your understanding of the material.

Mistakes happen and they are inevitable. Some are avoidable. It is important to be prepared for risks that the team may face. As someone who has had the opportunity to not only present as a student, but also participate as a Business Judge at past events, the common mistakes I see teams repeat year-after-year are the following:

• Late for the presentation.
• Lack of understanding of the financials – includes the balance sheet, sales, ROI etc.
• For those presenting on a manufacturing layout – Lack of understanding on an efficient floor plan and work flow.
• Presentation is too wordy or the text is unreadable.
• Presenters’ are unenthusiastic, low on energy and monotonous.
• Presenters’ have conflicting answers in the Q&A session.
• Presenters’ fight and disagree in front of judges (I’ve seen this happen… not pretty).
• No preparation whatsoever – this my friends, is disrespectful. These judges miss a few days of work (their pay days!), to volunteer their time and provide feedback. When you walk in the room in unprofessional attire, deliver a presentation on the components of your car (miss the point of a business presentation!), or even don’t show up at all, you have wasted the judges’ time and including a missed opportunity for other teams to receive feedback after the Business Presentation Event. So don’t do this… please. If your team is unprepared for the Business Event, inform the organizers in advance so that they can provide your time-slot to someone else. If you want feedback, a time-slot can be arranged, but don’t show up with nothing and expectation to be spoon-fed!

The Formula Bharat 2017 team have secured an amazing group of Business Judges from the industry this year! This is your opportunity to showcase your efforts and talent!

No excuses this time folks!

Prepare. Practice. Perform. You can do this!

#formulabharat2017 #itsallintherulebook #noexcusesthistime #savethelink #preparepracticeperform #teamwork

– Cathy D’Souza