National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

The following is a presentation The following is a presentation prepared for NASFAA’s 2007 prepared for NASFAA’s 2007

Conference in Washington, DCConference in Washington, DCJuly 8-11, 2007July 8-11, 2007

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Mastering Presentation Skills, Part 2Discovering Skill Sets, and Tips on How to Be a Presenter

Presenters:Kay W. Soltis, Pacific Lutheran University

Cheryl Lyons, University of Central Arkansas

Terri Gruba, The University of Montana

Mary Sue Rix, Centenary College of Louisiana

David Gruen, University of Wyoming

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Knowing Your Audience

Kay W. Soltis

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Knowing Your Audience

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all be Red Hatters

• People automatically attempt to talk to you – get to know your audience

• Enjoy your new best friends – let’s talk and get to know each other

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Research – Prior to the Presentation

• Who is your audience?– High School Counselors

– High School Financial Aid Night– Current students and/or Parents– New Financial Aid Administrators– Financial Aid Support Staff– Faculty and/or Other Colleagues– Board of Regents/Trustees– Scholarship Organizations

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Technical Presentation

• What is the audiences’ expertise

• Careful use of technical/professional jargon

• Informational or hands on sessions

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Special Needs

• Hearing impaired– Face the audience– Do not cover your mouth or any part of your face– Stay out of the shadows – stay in the light– Speech should be slow and clear but do not

exaggerate– No shouting

• English as a second language

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Special Needs

• Visually impaired– Be directionally specific – left, right, up, down, east,

west, north, south– Overheads should be read out – do not assume

everyone can read– Not all colors can be easily seen – they may be pretty

but not necessarily

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Position in the Day of the Presentation

• Beginning of the day

• Prior to Lunch

• After lunch

• Last session of the day

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Day of the Presentation

• Day of the Presentation - Question the Audience to Determine Makeup

• Ask questions– General Questions – Demographics– Familiarity of the Subject or Process– Technical Knowledge

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Expectations

• Ask the audience what they expect– Write it down

– Go over the list

– Explain what you will cover – tell the audience if you will not cover one of their expectations

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Set Ground Rules

• Start and Stop on time• Set and adhere to Breaks• Take care of yourself• Respect each other• Safe environment• No side bar conversations• Turn pagers and cellular telephones to vibrate• Questions – Parking lot, Ask it Basket, etc.

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Different Learning Styles

• Audio learner– Verbally present the presentation– Summarize the highlights of the presentation

• Visual learner– Overhead– PowerPoint– Flip charts– Copies of PowerPoint or summary sheets

• Tactile learner– Provide exercises that reinforce the presentation– Role modeling/playing the points being presented

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Present your Topic

• Watch Your Audience

• Check Body Language– When audience is engaged, they sit up– They sit forward and face you– Make eye contact

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Signs

• Puzzled look

• Frowning

• Asking their neighbor questions

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Anticipation - Preparation

You cannot anticipate every event but you can be well prepared• Someone not paying attention

–Look at them when speaking–Modulate your voice

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Options

• Someone sleeping – check body language – Can you give the audience a break– Ask the audience a question – give them a treat -

candy– Make a point – raise your voice– Is it possible to modify your presentation – have

everyone stand up and stretch and ask questions while they stretch

– Acknowledge that this portion of the day or text may not be the most exciting but they will need this to move on to the next topic or cut it out

– Just move on!

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Options

• Someone who disrupts the presentation– Try to assist them the best you can– Ask them if they can wait until the break– Thank you but we need to move on if you are to

keep your promise to finish on time– But you would be happy to discuss their concern

after the session

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Options

• People start leaving– Attempt to ignore– Make the handouts conveniently available – back of

the room– Ask them to wait, you are almost done– Wrap it up

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Conclusion

• Last but not least – leave them with something

–Tell them what you’re going to tell them–Tell them what you told them–Leave them with something

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Questions and Answers

Contact Information:

Kay W. Soltis

Director of Financial Aid

Pacific Lutheran University

(253) 535-8725

Toll free 1-800-678-3243

soltiskw@plu.edu

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Know your material

Cheryl Lyons

Director of Financial Aid

University of Central Arkansas

clyons@uca.edu

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First Things First

• Why were you asked to do the session?• What was the intention of the committee or group

making the request?• What issues would they like addressed?• Is there a frame of reference or a particular need?

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Who is interested?

• Beginners, Advanced;• Clerical staff, Directors;• Institutional and/or Associate Members;• Others

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Importance of Topic

Does it enhance:• Regulatory knowledge?• Student/public service?• Professional growth and development?

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Research

What is already known about the topic?• Check regulatory citations• Search for prior presentations at the national,

regional and state levelsIf the material was given and prepared for you, let the audience know.

• Review related journals or articles• Speak with colleagues

Is there a campus expert on the topic?

• Canvass the larger community

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Anticipate Questions

• Anticipate the question and answer period• Ask co-workers and colleagues where

knowledge is lacking• Ask an auditor or consult audit findings

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Important!

If you are asked a question and don’t know the answer, say so.

• Provide your contact information for follow up;• Offer to email response to an appropriate listserv;• Other ……

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Practice, Practice, Practice

Yes……

• Out loud

• In front of a mirror, husband, dog

• Repeatedly

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Developing Your Style

Terri GrubaAssociate Director, Financial Aid

The University of Montana406-243-4218

Terri.Gruba@umontana.edu

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Developing Your Style

• “I read a thing that speaking in front of a crowd is actually considered the number one fear of the average person. Number two was death. Number two. That means if you’re the average person, if you have to be at a funeral, you would rather be in the casket than doing the eulogy.”

» Jerry Seinfeld, “I’m Telling You for the Last Time”

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Initial Thoughts

• Resources are available

• Objective of communication

• Mistakes will happen

• Style is personal

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Mechanics

• Murphy’s Law

• Arrive Early

• Check out/set up the equipment

• Use Visual aids if the audience can see them

• Make sure you know how your equipment works

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Visual Aids

• Audience expectations

• Props?

• Going Bare

• PowerPoint presentations

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Tips for Visual Aids

• Not too many

• Visuals fit the presentation

• One key idea per slide

• Use keywords and phrases

• Make them grammatically correct

• Make sure the audience can see them

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The Delivery

• Eyes

• Voice

• Expression

• Appearance

• Stance

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Delivery Distractions

• The swayer

• The hand washer

• The change jingler

• The walker

• The hair groomer

• The defensive one

• The fiddler

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Content and Style

• Jokes?

• The Narrative

• Remember to breathe

• Deliberate use of silence

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And finally..

• Enjoy yourself!– Because even a disastrous presentation can be

made into a humorous and self deprecating story for the next presentation.

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