One method to get over nervousness at client presentations.

I used to get nervous before client presentations. Probably because I’m desperately trying to communicate my passion and knowledge for whatever subject matter we are advertising. And often, the client remains expressionless throughout the proceedings.

There was one meeting, in particular, that I remember being especially anxious for.

It was the second round of showing work and we were up against our deadline. The client, the president of a bank in Minneapolis, made time to see us late on a Friday before he was to leave on a weekend hunting trip. We had 15 minutes.

We showed up early and waited in his empty office until he arrived. He walked in the door, a bit rushed, and sat behind his large wooden desk befitting of a bank president. I began my impassioned pitch and explained the rationale behind the ideas he was about to see. Almost immediately, he stood up from behind his large desk. “Did I say something wrong,” I thought? He casually said, “you’re doing great, keep going.” Still paying close attention to what I was saying, he unbuttoned his starched white shirt and took it off. He replaced it with a plaid flannel shirt. He then took off his pants and slipped into thick wool hunting pants. As I was showing our work, he grabbed a duffle bag next to his desk and headed for the door. He paused a moment. “The work’s good, go with it,” he said and quickly disappeared. Our work was approved.

“If you’re nervous, just picture your audience with no pants,” the saying goes. Yep, that works. I know first-hand.