IMPRESSIVE IMPRESSIVE PRESENTATIONPRESENTATION

SSBasic Business

Presentation SkillsCopyright © 2004 by the Center for Professional Communication

HOW we say things

counts at least as much

as WHAT we say.

WHAT MUST THEY KNOW

Hybrid Persuasive Sequence

•Attention Getter•Thesis Statement•Audience Motivation•Content Overview

Attention

•Restatement of the problem•Research that supports problem

Need/Problem

•Statement of Solution•Research and other information that positively supports solution

Solution

•Short and long-term benefits of solution - WIIFMBenefits

•Specifically request action for audience to takeAction

Basic Presentation Basic Presentation SkillsSkills

Audience AnalysisAudience Analysis AttireAttire VoiceVoice Physical PresencePhysical Presence Q & AQ & A

Understand Your Audience

What do they

expect?

What do I want

?

Who is my audience?

Audience Analysis

Size Demographics

Consider age, occupation, gender, ethnicity, race, education level, and religion.

Psychographics Consider attitudes, values, lifestyles, and

opinions. Geographics

Consider audience members’ places of origin, presentation locale, intercultural communication influences, similarities and differences in cultural standards and expectations.

Complex Information

Nerves

Everyone has them

Recognize the physical symptoms Sweating Tense muscles Stomach “butterflies” Dry mouth Rapid heartbeat

Practice

Professional Attire

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Survey results say more skin revealed = less power/credibility/influence

Conservative is always acceptable Stylish, but not high-fashion Dark or neutral suit color Shined dress shoes Belt loops => belt that matches shoes Nothing to attract attention away from what

you have to say

Professional Attire

Men Conservative tie Long-sleeved solid-colored white (or very

light-colored) shirt Light-colored suits April-August only Clean shaven No jewelry unless wedding ring Hair short or secured off face and neck

This … Not This …

Professional Attire

Women More fashion choices = more mistakes Pantyhose and unrevealing foundation

garments Skirts/pants with traditional waistbands

(set at actual waistline) Solid-colored white or light-colored shirt Small stud earrings and wedding ring Hair short or secured off face and neck Heels up to 3”—no open toes or heels

This … Not This …

Professional Attire

Women – Skirt Length? “dresses that hit just below the knee –

universally the most flattering length. This length says “Take my work seriously, and my sartorial elegance means I’m a good bet for senior positions.” This is the sweet spot of skirt length as far as I am concerned because ‘too short’ reminds us of recent grads and gets the wrong kind of admiration from male colleagues and questionable looks from female colleagues – neither of which is helpful to your long term career goals.Suzanne Doyle-Morris, PhD is an author, academic, entrepreneur, international

speaker and accredited executive coach specializing in strategic career development and leadership coaching for high-potential executive women.

Voice

Pitch Rate Volume

Be conversational Adapt to the audience Pauses 3-seconds or less

Graffiti

Graffiti

Physical Presence

Gestures Natural but controlled

Movement Relaxed but purposeful

Posture Back straight but relaxed

Eye contact Direct and sustained

Rapport Building

NOLECTURNS

orPODIUMS

No Scripts!

Why? It interferes with an essential goal:

connecting with your audience nonverbally. Your audience may assume you are not

knowledgeable about your material. You could sound memorized and too rigid,

rather than confident.Tip:

Key words are memory triggers of a point to be made, not full statements of the point.

No Scripts!

If you absolutely cannot present without reminders then … For shorter presentations you may use

key words either on slides or on one note card.

For longer presentations (over 20 minutes per speaker), you could use one sheet of paper with a brief outline.

Common PowerPoint Mistakes1.) People tend to put every word

they are going to say on their PowerPoint slides. Although this eliminates the need to memorize your presentation, this ultimately makes your slides crowded, wordy, and boring. You will lose your audience’s attention before you even reach the bottom of your…

Bad Color Schemes

Clashing background and font colors can lead to:

• Distraction• Confusion• Headaches• Nausea• Vomiting• And loss of bladder control

Data vs. Effectiveness

Data vs. Effectiveness

Data vs. Effectiveness

Data vs. Effectiveness

Data vs. Effectiveness

Data vs. Effectiveness

Data vs. Effectiveness

Data vs. Effectiveness

Amount of Animation vs. Effectiveness

Original chart from: www.whattofix.com

Simple, but Effective

Active &

Confusing

Effective, but

Boring

Active, but Ineffective

Static and Dull

Dull, but Static

Busy, but Useless

ADD Only

Dull Triangle

Useful and

Amusing

Dizzying Trapezoid

Q & A Do’s

Assign content experts Bring reference

materials Practice answers Maintain your presence Listen carefully Clarify questions Rephrase Use silence

and Don'ts

Don’t refuse to answer Don’t make up

responses Don’t leave team

members dangling

TIPS FOR A DYNAMIC DELIVERY

PRACTICE! Know your material, but never memorize. Look at your audience at least 80% of the time. Vary your voice, expression, and body language. Use selective notes. Stick to your allotted time. Slow down and listen to yourself. Don’t apologize (unless you really did something wrong!). Remember to use natural gestures. PRACTICE!

To Do the Very Best You Can…

PRACTICEUtilize the

Neeley Professional Development Center for practice

and for coaching.