Giving Effective Presentations Dr Lisa G Bullard CHE

Giving Effective Presentations Dr. Lisa G. Bullard CHE 395

Outline n n n n n Overcoming the fear factor Types of presentations Knowing your audience Format options Delivery and tone Visuals Handouts Handling Q&A Conclusions

Overcoming the Fear Factor 1. Public speaking 2. Death 3. Heights 4. Spiders 5. Snakes

Overcoming the Fear Factor What are we afraid of?

Overcoming the Fear Factor How do we overcome that fear?

Outline Overcoming the fear factor n Types of presentations n

Types of Presentations n n n Low stakes vs. high stakes Short vs. long Informal vs. formal

Purpose of Presentations n n n To inform To persuade To build good will

Informative Presentations n Reporting n n n Bringing the audience up to date Status report Explaining n Providing information n n Products Procedures Rules Operations data

Persuasive Presentations n You want to convince the audience to… n n n Buy your product or service Support your goals or concepts Change their minds or attitudes

Good Will Presentations n To build respect for a person, an organization, or a product n n Awards ceremony Special recognition Celebrations Toasts

Outline Overcoming the fear factor n Types of presentations n Knowing your audience n

Knowing Your Audience n You must know n n Who they are Why they are there What they expect to get How they will react

Strategies for Defining Your Audience n n What is the size of the group? What is the age distribution? Is the audience mostly men, mostly women, or mixed? How do audience members rank within their organization?

Strategies for Defining Your Audience n n Why are people attending? How familiar are they with the topic? What is the level of education? What kind of reaction can you expect?

Believe it or not… n n Audiences want and expect presenters to succeed But they are also thinking, “What’s in it for me? ”

Outline Overcoming the fear factor n Types of presentations n Knowing your audience n Format options n

Questions To Ask Yourself n n n What does my audience expect to gain? What do they already know? What is the purpose of this presentation (persuade, inform, entertain, or a combination? ) What are my key points? What one thing do I want them to remember most?

“A speech has two parts. You must state your case, and you must prove it. ” - Aristotle 1. Tell your audience what you’re going to tell them 2. Tell them 3. Then tell them what you told them This doesn’t mean repeat yourself three times.

Opening n n n n Greeting Short list of facts or figures Question Appropriate quote Shocking statistics Humor Personal anecdote Challenge or call to action

Body n n n Discuss theoretical background behind an experiment, review the experimental design, and discuss the results of the experiment. Describe the components of the chemical process from raw materials to products Chronological progression

Body n n n Explain the symptoms of a problem. Go through possible solutions. Show they don’t work. Then give a solution that will work. List all the pros of an idea, plan, or product. Then go through the cons, showing how they are outweighed by the pros. Organize your presentation around three aspects of the subject.

Conclusion n Summarize the message n Repeat your key points n Ask for an action n Make a recommendation

Conclusion n Recreate the verbal imagery you used in the opening, but with the addition of the solution If you began with an anecdote, end with another, but with a play on words or some memorable twist End on a positive note, even when the message is a difficult one

Outline Overcoming the fear factor n Types of presentations n Knowing your audience n Format options n Delivery and tone n

Why Involve the Audience? n n To use up stored energy for people who have been sitting too long To wake people up To help the audience members master a task To give the audience members hands-on experience with your product

Delivery Details n n Reading your speech vs. using notecards or an outline Keep your notes in a folder Type your notes, if needed, with triple spacing in a clear font Use appropriate gestures

Delivery Details n n Keep your notes in a folder Type your notes, if needed, with triple spacing in a clear font Stand tall Smile naturally

Delivery Details n n n Pause before beginning, and breathe between sentences! Establish eye contact No hands in pockets or change jingling Don’t sway Avoid speech mannerisms (um, uh, like)

Delivery Details n n n Enunciate Speak at a slower pace than feels natural Stand to the side of the screen Avoid reading the slides Target 30 -45 seconds per slide, average

Outline Overcoming the fear factor n Types of presentations n Knowing your audience n Format options n Delivery and tone n Visuals n

Visuals are important when… n n n The message is abstract or complex The key message is visual in nature You want to add emphasis to a key point The presentation is a how-to session involving several steps The presentation includes numbers or calculations

Visuals include… n n n Photographs Graphs or plots Symbols Colors Tables n n n Video clips Maps Diagrams Cartoons Props

Tips for Visuals n n n Use if you can, but don’t force it Don’t make the slide too busy Try to limit to 5 lines of type per page Dark backgrounds are more readable Use Arial or Helvetica fonts

Tips for Visuals n n Make font large enough (this is 28 pt) Don’t get too many colors on one slide, or change colors too often Watch red and green together (color blind) Avoid annoying animation (or sounds)

Outline Overcoming the fear factor n Types of presentations n Knowing your audience n Format options n Delivery and tone n Visuals n Handouts n

Handouts n n n Clarify your message Make the message easier to understand Reinforce key points Mechanism for taking notes Take home information

Outline Overcoming the fear factor n Types of presentations n Knowing your audience n Format options n Delivery and tone n Visuals n Handouts n Handling Q&A n

Asking Q n Types of questions Clarification n Fact checking n Correction n Application or extension n Affirming n Softball n Attack n Left field n

Giving A n n Be prepared by anticipating questions Be familiar with the whole talk (not just your part) Thank them for the question (beginning or end), or reinforce the questioner Restate and confirm the question

Giving A n n Give short, direct answers…don’t wander Don’t pass the buck, but after giving your best answer, you might refer them to another team member If you don’t know, say so…don’t bluff Ask them if you have answered their question

Outline Overcoming the fear factor n Types of presentations n Knowing your audience n Format options n Delivery and tone n Visuals n Handouts n Handling Q&A n Conclusions n

Assignment 6 reminders 10 minute presentation n 5 minutes Q&A n Professional dress (interview level) n

Conclusions n n n Poor delivery cannot compensate for lack of content, but it can damage or bury good content. Some people are “natural” speakers, but everyone is capable of learning and enhancing their own skills. To improve, you can: n n n Seek opportunities to practice Seek and incorporate feedback Seek out good examples and learn from them

References n Daria Price Bowman, Presentations: Proven Techniques for Creating Presentations That Get Results (1998).