Presentation Skills DECA Participants

1. Presentation SkillsDECA Participants Gail Ozura

2. Objectives • Identify ways to manage nerves • Determine effective platform techniques • Organize, plan, and prepare a presentation • Create effective supporting visuals • Identify techniques to effectively handle a question and answer session

3. Top ten fears • 1. Speaking before a group • 2. Heights • 3. Insects and bugs • 4. Financial problems • 5. Deep water • 6. Sickness • 7. Death • 8. Flying • 9. Loneliness • 10. Dogs David Wallenchinsky, The Book of Lists

4. Techniques to control nervousness • Take care of the physical things • Clear your mind and focus on the task • Keep the situation and tension in perspective • Visualize success • Build rapport with audience • Use relaxation techniques • Practice!

5. Speakers are judged by— • How they organize what they present • How they speak • How they appear Criteria

6. Platform skills • Eye contact • Voice • Hand gestures • Body movement

7. Eye contact Voice Hand gestures Body movement Look at someone for five seconds or for a complete thought Ensure you look at all sections of the audience Platform skills

8. Eye contact Voice Hand gestures Body movement Focus on— Vocal projection Rate of speech Pauses Enthusiasm Articulation Avoid verbal fillers Platform skills

9. Eye contact Voice Hand gestures Body movement Gesture as a natural extension of the words Do not lock hands Gesture broadly above the waist When not gesturing, let arms hang loosely at sides Platform skills

10. Eye contact Voice Hand gestures Body movement Keep feet and hips stationary Move with purpose Do not— Put hands in your pocket Nervously play with pens, paper, etc. Look at your visuals more than your audience Platform skills

11. Flow of energy • Let your energy flow out of your upper body (hand gestures), not lower body (shuffling, swaying)

12. Build your presentation • Analyze your audience • Define your purpose • Organize the body • Develop the introduction • Create the conclusion • Practice!

13. Remember: A REASON • An acronym for organizing the body of your presentation • A nalyze your points • R efer to experts • E xamples—use • A nalogies—employ • S tatistics—provide • O rder your points • N arrative—use for transitions

14. INTRO Develop the introduction • Get the audience’s attention • Establish credibility • Identify a clear purpose • State a clear WIIFM(What’s In It For Me) • State main point and major points

15. Create the conclusion • Cue the ending • Summarize the main point and major points • Avoid trailing off • End on a strong point

16. Effective visuals guidelines • Limit text—use visuals • Limit f eAtur Es • Keep it simple! Place details in handouts, not in visuals • Keep text large • Use bold colors

17. Trade secrets: When using flipcharts • Stand to the left side of the chart when possible • Do not block view when writing • Lightly pencil-in small notes that only the presenter sees • Place post-its on frequently referenced flipchart pages • Skip pages so ink does not bleed through and stick pages together

18. Handling questions • Acknowledge questioner by name • Repeat question asked • Ask for clarification, if necessary • Answer or defer to later ? ? ? ? ? ?

19. Summary What is one key new technique you will take away from this workshop?