Giving Persuasive Presentations

Preparing and Delivering Persuasive

Presentations

Lisa A. Sisco, Ph.D.

More than 70% of business

professionals admit they’ve

either felt sleepy or dozed off

during an “uninteresting”

business presentation.

College students regularly fall asleep during class presentations.

According to research into the human brain, most people are easily bored.

You have about 10 minutes,

that’s all.

What are most presentations so darn

boring?

It’s all about

ME.

Will YOUR presentation put people to sleep?

or grab their attention?

The secret of a powerful presentation . . .

It’s not about you at all.

It’s all about THEM (your audience).

A powerful presentation will focus on your audience and their needs from the very beginning . . .

So how do we make presentations that will dazzle our audience (or at least keep them awake?)

Here’s what you can do . . . .

INNOVATION

PART 1:

Make your ideas sticky.

Frame your information in a way that will get people’s attention and keep it.

Six principles of sticky ideas . . .

1. Simplicity

So, focus your information on a single,

memorable point

2. Unexpectedness

3. Concreteness

Use Vivid Examples

4.

5. Elicit Emotion

Stories

6. Tell a Story

Here’s what you can do . . . .

DISCIPLINE

PART 2:

Control and organize your information

Give the audience a road map to

follow.

Cut unnecessary information.

Plan a powerful ending.

Here’s what you can do . . . .

RAPPORT

PART 3:

Engage your audience.

Be Conversational

2. Delivery

Create Rapport

Show

Enthusiasm

Maintain Natural Eye Contact and Body Movement

Be Yourself

• Speak slowly• Let pauses work for you• Use variety in tone• Don’t use the podium as a

crutch• Prepare ‘easy to skim’ notes

2. Delivery

Dale Carnegie’s Golden Rule

Never, ever exceed the

amount of time allotted for your presentation.

Using Visual Aids

• Use visuals or props selectively

• Keep your eyes on your audience

• Keep visuals simple and brief

• Anticipate and prepare for problems

Minimize speaking anxiety . . .

Practice . . .

Practice…

Practice.

And be prepared.

Appropriate Technology

And a low tech backup.

Lisa A. Sisco, Ph.D.

Johnson & Wales University

lsisco@jwu.edu