The winner is… How to blow your big moment on stage

After pouring your heart into your awards submission, you nervously clicked submit.  A few weeks later, you’re jumping for joy when the email tells you that you are a finalist. You grab your gala event ticket, buy an outfit, and turn up on the night to find out that if you win, you have to give an acceptance speech. Will you blow it? asks PR expert Annette Densham.

Your heart lurches with dread, your mouth dries up like a Queensland garden in drought, and you contemplate all the ways you can avoid getting on stage.

Seventy-five percent of people fear public speaking. You are not alone.  The thought of standing on stage with 100s of eyes on you is daunting, especially if being in the spotlight is not your norm.

Being in the spotlight is not a place of comfort for us ordinary folks. We didn’t do acceptance speech 101 at school. For those in small business, the days are filled with head down, bum up, trying to get in front of as many people as possible so we’re not the world’s best kept secret.

Awards are a great tool in your marketing toolbelt. They are also a great social proof/third-party credibility tool that can give you an edge in the market. So why fritter away all the serendipitousness that comes from entering awards by letting fear and lack of preparation stop you from owning that stage when you win?

Giving an acceptance speech is more than saying thanks to a laundry list of people. It’s an opportunity to share your story with others in the room and to make an impact.  Or not.  You can show up and do what many do – wing it, frittering away your moment to say something meaningful, rather than having on repeat the same old same old:

– I didn’t think I’d win

– What a surprise

– I thought someone else would win

– I want to thank my wife/husband/kid/team

– I don’t know what to say

– I’m so nervous

– I’m so honoured

– I’m grateful

Nothing about their business, why they worked so hard, who they help, why they do what they do, a powerful message for change or insight, or an acknowledgement of their work. Instead, most people deflect their win and successes by thanking everyone else and not revelling in THEIR win. Humbleness and humility have their place; no one wants to listen to a self-aggrandising speech. But the audience wants to be inspired and engaged,

Sadly, our culture doesn’t embrace celebrating our wins, unless we are sports stars or celebrities. We’re taught to downplay our successes.  We’re taught to play small…and that shows during award evenings.

Imposter syndrome doesn’t go away because you’ve made the finals or won. That itty bitty shitty committee can be turned down by being prepared. Because when you leave things to chance, your brain will fill in the gaps trying to protect you from what you don’t want to do. Your audience will thank you if you skip the predictable. Give them something to think about or act upon after the evening is over.

Small businesses are not trained in communications. Most of us are winging it. So when we get on stage to collect an award, emotions are heightened, hands are shaking, and brains go blank….and we waffle our way through. Not saying anything meaningful except to repeat what everyone else has said.

The ripple effect of not being prepared flows through the night, as 90 per cent of the winners accepting their win are as ill-prepared as you. It’s not just one boring speech. It’s 10, 30, 50. Over and over.

Guests start talking. They’re bored. Yes, it’s rude and disrespectful, but after an hour of the same thing, they’ve disengaged. The worthy winners have to talk over a bored audience. Not being prepared and taking into account what you are doing is wasting an opportunity to share your message, respect the audience, and say something that makes people listen.

No one expects a Martin Luther King level of speech, but the audience expects you to be prepared. You don’t have to be a speechwriter to make an impact…be real, share your journey, acknowledge what YOU have done and leave the audience inspired. You’re standing on the stage. You did the work. You deserve to be there.

You have the audience’s attention for 30 to 60 seconds. Use it well. A 60-second speech is 150 to 200 words sharing your story.

Something like this…

When I started in business 11 years ago, I had no idea what I was doing. I bumbled around, making every mistake in the book. I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to quit and get a job at Bunnings. But like the 1000s of other small businesses, I kept going. I knew I had something valuable to offer. The honour and privilege of telling other people’s stories is not just a job to me. It’s my passion. I’ve been doing it for over 40 years. I’m going to change this horrible culture of tall poppy syndrome and help women conquer their itty bitty shitty committee. Thank you to my clients for trusting me with your businesses. To Asha for giving us all the opportunity to celebrate our wins. To our team for following us.

There’s no room in small business for modesty, and as long as I can write, I’ll continue to encourage other women to share their stories and be bold, brave and audacious.

This is what preparation looks like:

• Breathe: take a few oxygen-filling deep breaths to settle your nerves.
• Share personal stories: connect with your audience through relatable experiences, like a pivotal moment that changed your business or something you have learnt about being in business.
• Make it about you and your journey: yes, your team, clients, family and dog are part of your journey, and thanking them is beautiful. But don’t make it all about them. Yes, your team makes things happen, but they wouldn’t have a job if you didn’t lie awake at night worrying or making things happen. It’s okay to acknowledge what YOU’VE achieved.
• Align with your mission: What’s the purpose or why behind what you do? This doesn’t mean it has to be big and world-changing. It just has to reflect why you do what you do in your space.
• Deliver a positive message: what tough times have you overcome, what did you learn, what impact are you having.
• Practice, practice, practice. It’s okay to have notes, but the best speeches are delivered looking out into the audience. Memorise your speech so all you have to enjoy is the moment on stage.
• Keep it concise: meaning – don’t waffle. That loses the audience as much as not being prepared.
• Be funny: appropriately. It lightens the mood and engages your audience.
• Paint a picture with your words: tell a story about your journey.
• Speak from the heart: be real, be you.
• End strong: leave a lasting impression with a powerful closing statement or gesture, think fist pump or a tagline. We often end our speeches with ‘there’s no room in business for modesty. You deserve to be well known, well paid and wanted.’ or ‘go be bold, brave and audacious’ ending with a lovely fist pump.
• Command the stage: you might be shitting your pants because public speaking isn’t your thing, but you can still own the stage. Stand tall. Look into the audience (the lights are so bright you can’t see people). Smile. You are there because you did the work. Be proud.

Award programs have a responsibility to ensure that finalists are equipped… with insights, training or tips on how to deliver a good speech and how to make the most of the process. The finalists are the reason for these gala events. Why not prepare the stars of the show to ensure a well-run and engaging program? It seems you’d want the stars of the night to shine… Otherwise, it’s just the same lines uttered over and over for hours and a bored audience.

People want to cheer you on. They want to hear your story. Don’t fritter away the opportunity to share your business with more people by downplaying your achievements by being unprepared.

It’s okay not to like being in the spotlight. It’s okay not to be a professional speaker. It’s okay to be scared. People aren’t expecting an outstanding orator. They want to see the person behind the business name and the few words the MC reads as you walk on stage. They want to see someone like them who gave it a crack and had the guts to defy a culture of tall poppies to celebrate growth and success.

Go on…be bold, brave and audacious.

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