Mastering Effective Presentations at Work

1. Making Successful Presentations at Work CHAPTER 16 Philip C. Kolin University of Southern Mississippi

2. Presentations Presentations can be either informal briefings, or formal presentations. Here are some frequent types of presentations you can expect to make: Sales appeals to prospective customers. Evaluations of products or policies. Progress reports to your boss and clients. Reports to superiors about your job accomplishments. Justifications of your position or even your department. Appeals and/or explanations before elected officials. Presentations at professional conferences. Explanation of a procedures, decision, or plan.

3. Informal Briefings Informal briefings are routine and part of any job. Typical informal briefings you may be asked to deliver at work include: A status report on your current project. An update or end-of-shift report. An explanation of a policy to co-workers. A report on a conference you attended. A demonstration of a new procedure or piece of equipment/software. A follow-up session on equipment or procedures. A summary of a meeting you attended.

4. Guidelines for Preparing Informal Briefings Follow these guidelines when you have to make an informal briefing: Make your comments brief and to the point. Keyboard a few bulleted items you plan to cover. Highlight key phrases and terms you need to stress. Include in your notes only the major points you want to mention. Arrange your points in chronological order or from cause to effect.

5. Using Telephone and Cell Phones Effectively Using telephones and cell phones are ways of presenting yourself and your company. How you say something is as crucial as what you say. Here are some rules of telephone etiquette: Answer calls on the second or, at the latest, the third ring. Never tie up a company phone with personal business. Avoid shouting, whispering, or mumbling. Answer courteously. Eliminate disturbing background noises. Never put someone on hold unless you ask his or her permission. Prepare for a call by having copies of any correspondence, reports, or price lists in front of you.

6. Using Telephone and Cell Phones Effectively (continued)‏ Check your voice mail every day. Never give intricate instructions over the phone. If you record a message to greet callers, make it friendly and helpful. When you use a cell phone, follow all the rules of telephone etiquette in addition to heeding these guidelines: Do not use your personal cell phone at work. Silence the ringer on any cell phone during a conference, sales meeting, business meeting, etc. Select a professional sounding ring tone.

7. Using Telephone and Cell Phones Effectively (continued)‏ Turn cell phones off when you enter a hospital, or attend a religious service, legal hearing, or professional conference. Never allow a ringing cell phone to interrupt a meeting with a customer. It is unethical to charge personal long-distance calls to your company cell phone number without authorization from your boss. Always make sure your cell phone is charged and working.

8. Formal Presentations Formal presentations are longer, less conversational presentations for a wider audience. Expect to spend several days preparing a formal presentation. You will need time to: Research the subject. Interview key resource individuals. Prepare, time, and sequence visuals. Coordinate your talk with presentations by co-workers and your boss. Rehearse your presentation.

9. Analyzing Your Audience The more you learn about your audience, the better prepared you will be to give them what they need. Unlike the reader of a report, a live audience for a presentation: Is a captive audience. May have only one chance to get your message. Has less time to digest what you say. Has a shorter attention span. Can’t always go back to review what you said or jump ahead to get a preview. Is more easily distracted. Cannot absorb as many technical details as you would include in a written report.

10. Analyzing Your Audience (continued)‏ Here are five key questions to ask when analyzing your audience: How much do they know about your topic? What unites them as a group? What is their interest level/stake in your topic? What do you want them to do after hearing your presentation? What questions are they likely to raise?

11. Special Considerations for a Multinational Audience As you prepare a talk before a multinational audience, keep the following points in mind: Brush up on your audience’s culture. Find out what constitutes an appropriate length for your talk. Avoid sports metaphors or other American idioms that may confuse your listeners. Be especially careful about introducing humor. Think twice about injecting anything autobiographical into your presentation. Steer clear of politics. Choose visuals with universally understood icons.

12. The Parts ofFormal Presentations The introduction should give listeners a road map, capture audience attention, and answer the questions: “Who are you?,” “What are your qualifications?,” “What specific topic are you speaking about?,” and “How is the topic relevant to us?” The body should be persuasive and relevant, and it should give signals to show where you are going or where you have been, comment on your own material, provide internal summaries, and anticipate any objections or qualifications your audience may have. The conclusion should leave your audience feeling that you and they have come full circle, and it should include a fresh restatement of your three or four main points, a call to action (just as in a sales letter), and a final emphasis on a key statistic.

13. Presentation Software Here are some tips to ensure that the design, organization, and delivery of your presentation go smoothly when using presentation software: Readability. Make sure each slide is easy to read. Text. Keep text short and simple. Sequencing slides. Sequence your slides logically. Background/Color. Use consistent and pleasant backgrounds and colors. Graphics. Use clear and simple graphics that support your main points. Quality check. Check grammar, spelling, and math.

14. Non-Computerized Presentations The following practical suggestions will help you get the most from your visuals when time and space prohibit using presentation software: Do not set up your visuals before you begin speaking. Firmly anchor any maps or illustrations. Never obstruct the audience’s view by standing in front of your visuals. Avoid crowding too many images onto one visual. Do not put a lot of writing on a visual. Be especially cautious with a slide projector.

15. Rehearsing Your Presentation Here are some strategies to use as you rehearse your speech: Know your topic and the various parts of your talk. If possible, practice in the room where you will make your presentation. Talk into a tape recorder to determine how you sound. Time yourself so that you do not exceed the allotted time. Practice with the presentation software, visuals, equipment, or projector that you intent to use. Monitor the type of gestures you use. Videotape your final rehearsal and show it to a colleague for feedback.

16. Settling YourNerves before You Speak Here are some ways you can calm yourself before you deliver your presentation: Give yourself plenty of time to get there. Don’t bring anything with you that is likely to spill. Avoid caffeine if it makes you jittery. Take some deep breaths and hold your breath to slow your heart rate. Remind yourself that you have spent hours preparing. Try to chat with one or two members of the audience ahead of time.

17. Making Your Presentation When making your presentation, remember to do the following: Establish eye contact with your listeners. Adjust to audience feedback. Use a friendly, confident tone. Vary the rate of your delivery. Adjust your volume appropriately. Watch your posture. Use appropriate body language. Dress professionally.