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HOW TO
COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY
FOR NETWORKING & PUBLIC
SPEAKING
Paul Ark, DigitalVentures
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
October 19, 2018

Where you look
How quickly and loudly you speak
How well you listen
How you stand
How you gesture and point
Communication is about
more than just what you say
How you move around

“He who fails to plan is planning to fail.”
- Winston Churchill or Benjamin Franklin
“Go away; cool kids
only!”
“Want to join
our club?”
Be inclusive: how you stand signals how welcoming you are
Direct, face-to-face stance leaves no opportunity
for someone to join the conversation
Angled stance with body pointed towards others
creates an opening for someone to join the group

Eye contact! Minimize the wandering eye
and focus on who you’re talking to
You
VC, startup, or
potential hire
you’re talking toMuch cooler VC, startup, or
potential hire you want to talk to
3 minutes of your undivided attention
is more valuable than 20 minutes
with you while you’re distracted

Quality over quantity: a
few meaningful contacts
vs. a thick stack of
business cards

Have a conversation, don’t
deliver a sales pitch
How would you explain what
you do to your mother?

“Do you invest in [fintech/e-commerce/my
sector]?”
Don’t give people the opportunity to say “no”; it’s easier to
ask for advice or ideas than for someone’s commitment
“What sectors do you invest in?”
“Would you invest in my company?” “Do you know any investors who would have
an interest in investing in companies like mine?”
“May I pitch you my company [or give you
my pitch deck]?”
“Can you critique my pitch/deck?”
“Would you consider joining my company
as [COO/CTO/available position]?”
“Do you know anyone who would make a good
[COO/CTO/available position]?”
“May I follow up on our conversation with an email?”
“Can I buy you a cup of coffee sometime and get
your advice?”

- Winston Churchill or Benjamin FranklinPUBLIC SPEAKING

Shoulder length apart, pointed out at
45 degree angle; strong, stable position
“I’m ready to kick butt!”
Wide stance, feet pointed straight;
strains thighs & hips over long periods
“I’m doing martial arts kata!”
Feet close together, pointed straight;
unstable stance, tiring over long periods
“I’m an Academy Award statuette!”
Feet angled inward; bad for the knees
“I really have to pee!”
Back straight!
Don’t slouch!
Posture: listen
to your mother!

Until you become master of the stage, have a clearly defined and
contained “circle of movement”
• Align body in direction you plan to move
• Half step in that direction (left foot leads
left, right foot leads right)
• Do the same to return to default position
• Move in opposite direction
• Give each position ~30-60 seconds

a) Start in the
center, 1/3 of
the way back;
15-20 sec
c) Left side near
front; 10-15 sec
d) Left side near
back; 5-10 sec
b) Eye contact with 2-3 people in front rows; 15-20 sec
e) Right side near
back; 5-10 sec
f) Right side near
front; 10-15 sec
Eye contact: engage the room, share the love

- Winston Churchill or Benjamin FranklinDON’T: cross your
arms
What NOT to do with your hands
Appears negative &
closed-minded
DON’T: hide your hands
behind your back
Appears dishonest
DON’T: put your
hands in your pocket
Appears insecure
and powerless

Using gestures
AVOID: exaggerated gestures; distracting! TRY: to keep most gestures contained within a “strike zone”

Wide arms and open
palms convey honesty
Good way to welcome
an audience; the larger
the audience, the wider
the gesture

Use gestures to
reinforce a list
Use gestures to
describe magnitude,
status, or progress

Use gestures (& verbal tone) to
convey emotions & state of mind:
a) Hope, optimism &
achievement
b) Frustration, anguish &
pessimism
c) Confusion & uncertainty

Too
fast
Too
slow
Too loud
Too quiet

Thank you!

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