Presentation Skills

1. Presentation Skills

2. Preparing an Oral Presentation

3. Preparing an Oral Presentation • Identify your purpose. • Decide what you want your audience to believe, remember, or do when you finish. • Aim all parts of your talk toward your purpose.

4. Preparing an Oral Presentation • Organize the introduction. • Get the audience involved. • Capture attention by opening with a promise, story, startling fact, question, quotation, relevant problem, or self-effacing story. • Establish your credibility by identifying your position, expertise, knowledge, or qualifications.

5. Preparing an Oral Presentation • Organize the introduction. • Introduce your topic. • Preview the main points.

6. Preparing an Oral Presentation • Organize the body. • Develop two to four main points. Streamline your topic and summarize its principal parts. • Arrange the points logically: chronologically, from most important to least important, by comparison and contrast, or by some other strategy.

7. Preparing an Oral Presentation • Organize the body. • Prepare transitions. • Use “bridge” statements between major parts (I’ve just discussed three reasons for X; now I want to move to Y). • Use verbal signposts (however,for example, etc.). • Have extra material ready. • Be prepared with more information and visuals if needed.

8. Preparing an Oral Presentation • Organize the conclusion. • Review your main points. • Provide a final focus. Tell your listeners how they can use this information, why you have spoken, or what you want them to do. • Plan a graceful exit.

9. Preparing an Oral Presentation Nine Techniques for Gaining and Keeping Audience Attention 1. A promise By the end of this presentation, you will be able to . . . . 2. Drama Tell a moving story; describe a serious problem. 3. Eye contact Command attention at the beginning by making eye contact with as many people as possible.

10. Preparing an Oral Presentation Nine Techniques for Gaining and Keeping Audience Attention 4. Movement Leave the lectern area. Move toward the audience. 5. Questions Ask for a show of hands. Use rhetorical questions. 6. Demonstrations Include a member of the audience.

11. Preparing an Oral Presentation Nine Techniques for Gaining and Keeping Audience Attention 7. Samples/gimmicks Award prizes to volunteer participants; pass out samples. 8. Visuals Use a variety of visuals. 9. Self-interest Audience wants to know “What’s in it for me?”

12. Designing and Using Graphics

13. Designing and Using Graphics • Select the medium. • Consider the size of the audience and the degree of formality desired. • Consider cost, ease of preparation, and potential effectiveness.

14. Designing and Using Graphics • Highlight the main ideas. • Focus on major concepts only. • Avoid overkill. Showing too many graphics reduces effectiveness. • Keep all visuals simple.

15. Designing and Using Graphics • Ensure visibility. • Use large type for transparencies and slides. • Position the screen high enough to be seen. • Be sure all audience members can see.

16. Designing and Using Graphics • Enhance comprehension. • Give the audience a moment to study a visual before discussing it. • Paraphrase its verbal message; don’t read it.

17. Designing and Using Graphics • Practice using your visual aids. • Rehearse your talk, perfecting the handling of your visual aids. • Practice talking to the audience and not to the visual.

18. Presentation Enhancers

19. Presentation Enhancers • Overhead Projector • Cost: Low • Audience size: 2-200 • Formality level: Formal or informal

20. Presentation Enhancers • Flipchart • Cost: Low • Audience size: 2-200 • Formality level: Informal

21. Presentation Enhancers • Write-and-wipe Board • Cost: Medium • Audience size: 2-200 • Formality level: Informal

22. Presentation Enhancers • Slide Projector • Cost: Medium • Audience size: 2-500 • Formality level: Formal

23. Presentation Enhancers • Computer Presentation Slides • Cost: Low • Audience size: 2-200 • Formality level: Formal or informal

24. Presentation Enhancers • Handouts • Cost: Varies • Audience size: Unlimited • Formality level: Formal or informal

25. Overcoming Stage Fright

26. Stomach butterflies Pounding heart Shortage of breath Sweaty palms Dry throat Unsteady voice Trembling hands Wobbly knees Tied tongue Overcoming Stage Fright Symptoms of Stage Fright

27. Overcoming Stage Fright Ways to Overcome Stage Fright • Select a familiar, relevant topic. Prepare 150 percent. • Use positive self-talk. • Convert your fear into anticipation and enthusiasm. • Shift the focus from yourself to your visuals.

28. Overcoming Stage Fright Ways to Overcome Stage Fright • Give yourself permission to make an occasional mistake. • Ignore stumbles; keep going. Don’t apologize. • Make the listeners your partners. Get them involved. • Just before you speak, practice deep breathing.

29. Effective Telephone Calls

30. Effective Telephone Calls • Making Calls • Plan a mini agenda. • Use a three-point introduction: • 1. Your name • 2. Your affiliation • 3. A brief explanation of why you are calling. • Be cheerful and accurate. • Bring it to a close. • Avoid telephone tag. • Leave complete voice-mail messages.

31. Effective Telephone Calls • Receiving Calls • Identify yourself immediately. • Be responsive and helpful. • Be cautious when answering calls for others. • Take messages carefully. • Explain when transferring calls.

32. End