Do you ever try to look at yourself from the advisors’ point of view? You only get to present to each advisor once, but they might have to sit through multiple similar meetings every day.
This begs the question: How do you differentiate yourself from the sea of blue suits that come in and out of the advisors’ office every day?
Usually you only have a limited amount of time to make a presentation. So it has to be memorable enough to stand apart. Here’s one strategy we’ve found that works consistently: Start with a grabber opening or a story that makes a point.
A story immediately makes people pay attention, because they’re waiting to find
out what happens at the end. It’s naturally ingrained in us to want to pay attention to stories.
If you become a great storyteller, you’ll be able to gain your audience’s attention and keep it for the length of your presentation. They’ll also remember you after the presentation is done.
But, before you tell a story, always make sure that it is relevant to the advisor you’re meeting with. The best way to decide whether a story works or not is to come up with 3 to 5 major points about why this is important to this specific advisor. Then, as you’re telling the story, you’ll be able to explicitly state, “I’m telling you this story because _________”, relating it back to why you deserve their business.