Best Moments or Your Worst? The Underground Explores Presentations.

At some point I’d think I’d get used to giving presentations. I’m working on one for tonight – a business class on Internet Marketing.

I’m better at it than I used to be. But the first time I got up and presented creative work for an ad campaign, I was so nervous my eyeglasses fogged. I navigated the whole thing by feel.

But that wasn’t my worst moment. Or my best, and the two – as is often the case – are one and the same.

A few years later.

I was involved in another agency creative pitch to a prospective client. But because I was busy, I hadn’t done the creative work for the pitch, and in fact had barely scanned the client brief.

But as the copywriter, I was expected at the meeting (show of force to impress the client).

The AE made the pitch. Which went down in flames.

Hardly had he gotten three sentences out of his mouth before the client interrupted.

DOA. Off target. Wrong.

Awkward Silence.

Then the AE said “Our copywriter had another campaign concept I think you’ll want to hear about. Tom?”

It was one of those moments when the very air around you turns to stone.

As I stood up, I had no idea what I was going to say…

It’s tempting to rewrite history and say that I knocked ‘em dead with a concept I pulled out of thin air. Just like they would on television.

But sadly, I didn’t. I came up with something credible, but we didn’t get the client.

So much for mass media entertainment.

It’ll Be Fine. Once it Starts.

The one thing I can say with certainty is that once I get going tonight, I’ll be great.

Internet marketing for small businesses isn’t exactly a mystery to me. The only thing to avoid (besides fogged eyeglasses) is too much detail.

Hit the high points, explain the benefits, pitfalls and channel options of Internet marketing, and open the floor to questions about their businesses.

That’s when things really get rolling – those moments when you connect with the audience.

Until that moment, I’m sweating bullets. And worrying about things that won’t happen.