Presentation Skills

Why is a presentation so important?

  • Networking
  • Representation
  • Accountibility
  • Marketing of ideas, projects, campaigns
  • Promotion

Preparation

Consider the following factors:

Objective - 'Why am I making this presentation?'

Audience - 'Who am I making this presentation to?'- How many people? Who are they?

Venue - 'Where am I making this presentation?'

Time and length - 'When am I making this presentation and how long will it be?'

Method - 'How should I make this presentation?'- Formal or informal? Lots of visual aids or only a few?

Content - 'What should I say?' Include only relevant information. Create a title for your presentation. The title will help you to focus on the subject. Prepare your visual aids, if any.

Structure

Define your message

Mind map

  1. Write the main idea on the centre of a big page
  2. Put keywords around the main idea
  3. Put more detailed keywords around the keywords from step 2 …
  4. Build links between the ideas
  5. Rearrange the keywords, put them together, build a structure

Hint: Use colours, high-lighting, pictures, etc, to illustrate your keywords. Creativity helps you remember your points more easily during your presentation.

Make your presentation clear and simple, even if you do not cover all the subject.

Have a clear beginning, middle and end

Most presentations are organised in three parts, followed by questions:

  • Introduction
  • welcome your audience
  • introduce your subject

  • explain the structure of your presentation

  • Body of presentation

  • present the subject itself

  • Conclusion

  • summarise your presentation
  • thank your audience

  • invite questions

  • Identify three key messages you wish to put across in your presentation (3 points rule).

  • Say what you are going to say, say it and then say what you said

  • Use visual aids such as powerpoint presentations, flip-charts, videos, etc.

Important Dos and Don'ts

  • Do not overload the presentation with text
  • Do not use too many colours
  • Do not forget that the visual aids are ONLY support to transfer your message
  • Avoid talking to the presentation instead of the audience - reading slides
  • Use visual aids to stress messages, ideas and statements
  • Avoid hurrying parts to fit everything in - you can leave things out
  • Be careful: Dark rooms makes the audience tired

Creativity

  • Be extraordinary
  • Use pictures and quotes
  • Be personal
  • Keep your eyes open (there are many good ideas in commercials, TV, Media, etc)
  • Copy good lecturers

Interaction

  • Use an introduction
  • Ask questions
  • Move about the stage
  • Maintain eye contact with the audience
  • Watch your body language
  • Be natural

Getting people's attention

  • Starting punctually, finishing punctually
  • Ice-breaking activities
  • Repetition of the most important messages
  • Emphasis (visual, vocal, …)
  • Give a personal aspect to your presentation
  • Interact with the audience

“PAMPERS law”

P rojection - Speak louder than usual

A rticulation - Do not swallow words

M odulation - Vary tone and pitch

P ronunciation - Work on accents, check difficult words

E nunciation - Accentuate syllables

R epetition - Repeat key phrases with different vocal emphasis

S peed - Manipulate the audience! Fast to stimulate, slow to emphasis, dramatize and control

A Good start

  • Tell a story (personal experience)
  • Have a statement
  • Question to the audience
  • Start with a appropriate quotation
  • Ask the audience what their expectations are?
  • Use a common experience
  • Try touch of humour
  • Use Ice-breaking activities (if appropriate)

A Big Bang at the end

  • Have a main message
  • Summarise
  • Refer back to your introduction

Make the audience remember your message

  • Repeat main messages
  • Emphasize important parts
  • Use good start and a Big Bang in the end
  • Interact with the audience
  • Use breaks (10 minutes per hour)

How to remember your presentation

  • Mind mapping
  • Practice your presentation
  • Do not read your presentation
  • Do not learn by heart phrases of your presentation
  • Use 2-3 cards, where you put only your keywords
  • Write down your presentation, but do not take these notes into your presentation

The Room

  • Prepare room before (chairs, boards, etc)
  • Light (dark rooms make people tired)
  • Fresh Air
  • Check technical gadgets (computer, data projector, overhead, …BEFORE)
  • Sound check, microphone, volume

Summary

  • To allow plenty of time for preparation
  • To ask the all-important questions: why? who? where? when? how? what?
  • To structure your presentation into introduction, body, conclusion and questions
  • To write notes based on keywords
  • To rehearse your presentation several times and modify it as necessary
  • To make use of clear, powerful visual aids that do not overload your audience
  • To use clear, simple language, avoiding jargon and abbreviations
  • To use active verbs and concrete facts
  • To explain the structure of your presentation at the beginning
  • To link each section of your presentation
  • To signpost your presentation from beginning to end
  • To say what you are going to say, say it, and say what you have just said
  • To be aware of your body language and eye contact
  • To maintain interest by varying the speed, volume and pitch of your voice
  • To respond to your audience positively
  • To arrive early and check out all materials, visuals, equipment, etc. to be sure everything is in working order and properly adjusted
  • To make sure you speak from a location where you do not block the view of the visuals.
  • To make sure your visuals are large enough for adequate viewing-people do not want to strain to view a small picture

Last updated on Thursday 22 May 2008 at 14:03.