Advice on presenting to an audience - and making your presentation more professional as well as more memorable

1. Excellent Presentation Skills How to Become a Master Presenter

2. Public speaking is one of the most feared things “I could make such a fool of myself”

3. Ground Rules Show the Agenda Start and Stop on time Set and adhere to Breaks Take care of yourself Respect each other Safe environment No side bar conversations Turn cellular telephones to vibrate Questions – Write them down (Ask it Basket, etc.)

4. Your Audience: 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

5. Presentation or Death “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”

6. Stage Fright Everyone has it to some degree Can be used constructively Key issue is not elimination of fear Instead channel the energy it generates for an effective presentation

7. The Most Important Thing Clear Titles? Good Text? NO The three Ps Practice, Practice, Practice

8. Practice Out loud In front of a mirror, husband, dog Repeatedly

9. Presentation Skills - Delivery Be active - move Be purposeful - controlled gestures Variations – vocal (pitch, volume, rate) Be natural Be direct – don’t just talk in front of the audience talk to them

10. You & Your Body Eyes Voice Expression Appearance Stance

11. Distractions: What Not To Do The swayer The hand washer The change jingler The walker The hair groomer The defensive one The fiddler

12. “ “ Jokes? The Narrative Remember to breathe Deliberate use of silence

13. Your Audience’s Body Language Check Body Language When audience is engaged, they sit up They sit forward and face you Make eye contact

15. Ask a question – give them a treat - candy

16. Laugh – people are interested

17. Make a point – raise your voice

18. Don’t Get Upset – maybe they have a small baby at home

19. Ignore them?

21. Questions Anticipate likely questions and prepare extra slides with the answers Maybe even plant a stooge

22. Questions Paraphrase questions 1. so that other people hear the question

23. Questions Paraphrase questions 1. so that other people hear the question 2. to check you understand the questions

24. Questions Paraphrase questions 1. so that other people hear the question 2. to check you understand the questions 3. to stall while you think about an answer

25. Answers You Don’t Have If you are asked a question and don’t know the answer, say so. Provide your contact information for follow up Write down their question Make sure you follow up

26. Text & Reading Don’t Read What They Can Read Paraphrase and State Why It’s Important

27. People’s Memories People remember only 10% of what they read versus 20% of what they hear. Individuals understand 40 percent more of a presentation when they hear and see. Visual aids enhance a presentation by giving the audience something to view and relate to your speech.

28. Visual Aids While using a projector, face the audience while talking (never turn your back) Watch the colors used in the slides (not too many) Ensure clear visibility Maximum 10 lines, 10 words per line

29. The Room 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 Know Where the restrooms are; tell the audience