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Peaks and Pitfalls of Professional Communication

Tips and Tricks from a Technical Entrepreneur

Thomas Tongue, M.S., MBA

CEO, Zomega Terahertz Corp.

Elevator Pitch

• A brief overview of an idea, product, service, person, project or solution.

• OBJECTIVE: “Tell me more!”

Elevator Pitch

• When do you need it?

• Professional Networking for

• Jobs

• Investors

• Project Support

• Collaboration

• Sales

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Elevator Pitch Essential Qualities • Concise

• Clear

• Compelling

• Credible

• Conceptual

• Concrete

• Consistent

• Customized

• Conversational

Elevator Pitch Essential Qualities

➡ Concise

• Clear

• Compelling

• Credible

• Conceptual

• Concrete

• Consistent

• Customized

• Conversational

Elevator Pitch Essential Qualities • Concise

➡ Clear

• Compelling

• Credible

• Conceptual

• Concrete

• Consistent

• Customized

• Conversational

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Elevator Pitch Essential Qualities • Concise

• Clear

➡ Compelling

• Credible

• Conceptual

• Concrete

• Consistent

• Customized

• Conversational

Elevator Pitch Essential Qualities • Concise

• Clear

• Compelling

➡ Credible

• Conceptual

• Concrete

• Consistent

• Customized

• Conversational

Elevator Pitch Essential Qualities • Concise

• Clear

• Compelling

• Credible

➡ Conceptual • Concrete

• Consistent

• Customized

• Conversational

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4

Elevator Pitch Essential Qualities • Concise

• Clear

• Compelling

• Credible

• Conceptual

➡ Concrete

• Consistent

• Customized

• Conversational

Elevator Pitch Essential Qualities • Concise

• Clear

• Compelling

• Credible

• Conceptual

• Concrete

➡ Consistent • Customized

• Conversational

Elevator Pitch Essential Qualities • Concise

• Clear

• Compelling

• Credible

• Conceptual

• Concrete

• Consistent

➡ Customized

• Conversational

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Elevator Pitch Essential Qualities • Concise

• Clear

• Compelling

• Credible

• Conceptual

• Concrete

• Consistent

• Customized

➡ Conversational

Remember:

• RELAX! • Practice, Practice!

• Use Building Blocks

Elevator Pitch Building Blocks:

•  Who are you?

•  What are you doing?

•  How is it different?

•  Why does it matter?

•  What is the next step?

Optional:

• What are key environmental factors?

• What do you do better than anyone else?

Elevator Pitch Example #1:

“Zomega develops instrumentation to identify and characterize materials, even beneath covering layers and packaging. Unlike Picometrix and Teraview, our compact, platform-based approach facilitates OEM integration into domain-specific solutions. Using an “Intel-Inside” approach, we can build economies of scale that allow us to penetrate diverse market segments through strategic partnerships.”

Investor Customization:

“Though cash-flow positive, Zomega is seeking $3M in smart money to accelerate growth into an industry leadership position, with a likely investor exit of $30M in 3-5 years through strategic merger....”

Strategic Partner Customization:

“Infusing XYZ’s current line of security equipment with our terahertz technology solves your customer’s burning need for concealed explosives detection.”

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Elevator Pitch • Example #2:

• “I’m a serial entrepreneur with over 14 years of experience in the both the software and photonics industries. My background in physics, combined with an MBA concentration in technical entrepreneurship makes me uniquely qualified to lead technology commercialization start-ups. All of my companies have been bootstrapped to cash-flow positive from modest founder investment, a crucial factor for success in the current economic climate...”

Elevator Pitch

• Final Thoughts • Practice • Use It! • Apply principles elsewhere!

Presentations • Avoiding the Death March

• Body Language

• Using your Voice

• Engaging the Audience

• Guides for Slides

• Etiquette Considerations

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Presentations • Body Language

• Non-verbals

• Portray Confidence

• Radiate Energy

• Enhance Meaning

• Avoid:

• The T-Rex

• Riga-mortis

Presentations • Using your Voice

• The Diaphragm & The Back of the Room

• Emphasis

• Modulation

• Timing for Effect

• Avoid:

• The meek shall inherit...

• Continuous Monodrone...

• Sanity challenging verbal quirks

Presentations • Engaging the Audience

• Eye contact

• Physical Presence

• Affirmative Questions

• Avoid:

• All alone in the night...

• Please hold your questions...

• Drifting off topic!

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Presentations • Guides for Slides

• Brief Bullet Points

• 24pts or larger text

• One theme per slide

• 60 - 90 seconds per slide

• 10% margin

• Avoid:

• Reading verbatim from slides

• Fonts gone WilD

Presentations • Etiquette Considerations

• Be punctual and on-time

• Appreciation

• Acknowledge Contributions

• Keep answers concise & polite

• Recognize cultural norms

• Avoid:

• Prolonged Discussion

• Disrespectful Perspectives

Tips for Professional Communication

1.  LISTEN 2.  Ask questions 3.  Email etiquette 4.  Organize your thoughts 5.  Prof red ever thing twyce 6.  Be aware of non-verbals 7.  Always say ‘Thank You’ 8.  Networking

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Listening • “We often only listen to others

so that we can have our turn to talk...”

• Hearing vs. Listening

• Empathy

• Shut out distraction - Focus!

• Availability

• Open-minded

Ask Questions • “There are no stupid

questions.”

• Seek Clarity

• Show Interest

• Benefits:

• Facilitates Listening

• Demonstrates Understanding

•  Improves Recall

E-mail Etiquette • Answer within 24 - 48 hours

• Follow-up if no response

• Consider Content - Public Consumption?

• Address & Appreciation

• Use BCC Sparingly!

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Organize & Anticipate

• Organize your thoughts in advance:

• Efficient communication

• Desired outcomes

• Anticipate:

• Potential Questions

• Reactions

• Undesirable Outcomes & Mitigation

Prof Red

• Prof Red ever thing, twyce!

• Spell / Grammar check is not enough

• Missing words

• Typos in figures

• Bottom Line: Errors impact your reputation!

Nonverbals

• Be aware of nonverbal communication:

• What are you saying?

• What is your audience saying?

•  Is it consistent with the verbal?

• Warning Signal: Mixed messages

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Appreciation

• Appreciate

• Reason

• Thank You

“I appreciate you staying late to finish the project.

Thank you!”

Networking

• Purposeful networking is critical

• Robust vs. shallow connections

• Focus on the other person first:

• LISTEN

• Ask questions

• Find mutual benefit

Thank You!!�

Questions, � Comments, �Concerns?