At Auburn, I have had to present every project I have done for a class. Despite the fear and anxiety I have gone through with this exercise, it has actually been very helpful to me. I now feel like I can stand up and talk to a group about anything for a few minutes. But trust me- this skill has not come easily. I used to just go up there, black out, and say whatever came to mind for 5 minutes until my time was up. Through 4 years of forced pitches, I have learned how to present myself in front of an audience, and I think that is one of the most important skills to have as a designer.
For our final project this semester, my class of 26 had to stand up in front of our client and pitch our project in 8 minutes. It was extremely nerve racking. Our audience was my professor, the general manager of the hotel, his assistant, the head of an Atlanta hospitality firm, and 25 of my closest peers in a large auditorium. Some went exceptionally well, others were 8 minutes of the slowest train wreck you will ever watch. We have all had the same amount of experience, but some people just tend to fall apart.
So here is my guide to the most basic and important things to remember when pitching a project to a client!
1. Don't forget to say the most basic things. I forget to mention that all of finishes were durable and easily cleaned. To me, that is an absolute must as an interior designer, but a client needs to hear the words.
2. Have a good opener and closer. If every word you say in between is useless garbage filled with 'umms' at least be able to say who you are, what their needs were, what your theme was, and thank them for their time. Presentations that don't have a strong closing are like slow car crashes and the pause waiting to clap and be unbearable.
3. Practice! I know all of those record yourself and make your mom watch you tips can just go in one ear and out the other. The way I practice is by writing down the vocabulary I want to use and practicing my lines, in my head, while staring at my boards. Be able to find some organization in your thoughts. Do whatever makes you feel calm in your head before you stand up on that stage.
4. Figure out how to draw attention away from the problems. Address the functionality of what you have created. One time I had to present a project that was half finished with tears rushing down my eyes while wearing yesterday's clothes. I went up there, put on my personality, pointed out the positive attributes of my design, and never addressed the empty parts of my boards. I got a roaring applause.
5. Be yourself and smile. For the most part, our projects were pretty similar because we were all asked to do the same space in the same style with the same design needs. The projects that stood out were the memorable ones. The people that smiled, and let their personality shine through their professionalism, and took criticism well. Don't let a good project be ruined by a boring pitch. Or in the reverse, kill them with personality so they don't notice the holes in your design!
Go get 'em, Tigers!
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