The list of ways one person can exude confidence is a mile long and includes aspects ranging from attire and pose to tone and gestures. But even the scripting of your presentations needs to contain plenty of powerful words and phrases. Be a confidence master! Implement the following 3 phrases in your professional presentations:
1. “It is” or “It is not”
In the course of one of your pitch presentations, using the present tense, as opposed to the past tense, implies relevancy. Let’s say you are pitching your business to a local government unit like a city council. You want to move into a downtown building, which has been steadily deteriorating over several decades. The city leaders, as well as the public, are skeptical of your architectural partners and the degree that they will follow state inspection guidelines. To demonstrate confidence in your project team, you should inform the council of a recent foundation inspection with the following phrasing:
“We conducted a foundation inspection and received the results yesterday. It is positive, as the building systems are fully-functioning.”
If you replaced “it is” with “it was,” your audience may perceive the inspection as a past event – and the details recalled as subject to flaws in human memory.
2. “I will” or “I will not”
Part of demonstrating confidence is putting a plan in place and speaking clearly and precisely about the actions you will or will not take in a situation. In business presentations, this quality is especially important – primarily because many top-rank positions require individuals who establish a strong presence and have a firm grasp on the future to fill them. Executives will enjoy seeing parts of their personalities in you as you deliver your pitch. If a CEO asks you a question like: “When will you send the proposal to me?”, don’t reply with a statement that starts with “I will try…” Instead, give them a concrete deadline: “I will send the proposal to your inbox by end of day Friday.”
3. “When” instead of “If”
You’ve just completed an initial pitch of your product over a phone call. What would the next, most confident step be at this point? Consider drafting an email to your point of contact that addresses topics discussed on the call, answers any questions raised by the individual, and schedules another appointment. For example, at the end of your email, write the following final message:
“When we meet soon, I will bring samples of our products for you to utilize firsthand.”
Now, let’s try the alternate, less confident phrasing…
“If we meet soon, I will bring samples of our products for you to utilize firsthand.”
If you went with the second option, you would portray doubt in your abilities to sell your own product, as well as uncertainty in the entire potential business relationship.
Conclusion
For the sake of your presentations, think of your word usage like a stack of pancakes. Pour some sweet attention over the delicate layers of browned batter.
But the biggest takeaway? Use words and phrases that project a sense of certainty, direction, and capability when attempting to cast a confident persona throughout your business presentations. Want to read up on more methods to become a crazy confident presenter? Click on the links below!
6 Rules for Stronger Executive Presence
