You have to live with yourself. Do what feels right. You know the answer. You know what to do. If you want to be good at something, practice.
Elevator pitch? Walking through your resume? Practice out loud. Talk to your reflection. Record yourself. By hearing your own voice, you’ll find natural ways to refine your pitch. When you play back the recording, you’ll pick up how you should vary your voice, pitch and volume to make a better story.
It sounds strange? It should. Ideas in your head are for you and you only; living in self-contained vacuum; uncontaminated. Unreal.
Ideas come to life in black and white, said out loud or performed through your body. A figment of your imagination co-mingles with the world. Ideas must survive alongside external forces.
Imagine yourself in front of a crowd and wonder how your message will be consumed. What seemed like a great idea in your head may sound strange, forcing you to refine or rewrite the story altogether.
Be clear on the story. What is it that you’re trying to sell? What you will do for them. Why they should care! Communicate in tangible and plain language. Demonstrate how you’ve tried to walk a mile in their shoes. Help them get to their next goal post.
It’s about them.
It should be a win-win for all, not a zero-sum game.
Smile. Make eye contact. Be human.