Effective Presentation Skills - a simple guide to stress-free effective presenting. Content developed and used by Louise Robinson.

1. Effective Presentations Skills

2. Effective Presentations Skills

3. Agenda
●
Introduction
●
Planning Your Presentation
●
The Presentation Sequence
●
Creating Effective Visual Aids
●
Presentation Techniques
●
Practice

4. “Great speakers aren’t born, they
are trained.”
Presenting is a Skill…
Developed through experience
and training.

5. #1 Fear
●
Feared More Than Death!
●
THE FACTS: Shaky hands, blushing
cheeks, memory loss, nausea, and
knocking knees
●
NORMAL!

6. Causes of the Anxiety
●
Fear of the Unknown OR Loss of Control
●
Fight or Flight Mode
●
No Backup Plan
●
No Enthusiasm for Subject
●
Focus of Attention

7. Definitions
Presentation
●
“Something set forth to an audience for
the attention of the mind “
Effective
●
“…producing a desired result”

8. Effective Presentations
●
Control Anxiety – Don’t Fight It
●
Audience Centered
●
Accomplishes Objective
●
Fun for the Audience
●
Fun for You
●
Conducted Within Time Frame

9. Why Give A Presentation?
Two Main Purposes
1. Inform
2. Persuade
3. Educate

10. Part 2:
Planning Your Presentation

11. Planning Your Presentation
1. Determine Purpose
2. Assess Your Audience
 “Success depends on your ability to
reach your audience.”
 Size
 Demographics
 Knowledge Level
 Motivation

12. Planning A Presentation
3. Plan Space
 Number of Seats
 Seating Arrangement
 Audio/Visual Equipment
 Eliminate Distracters
4. What Day and Time?
 Any Day!
 Morning

13. More Planning
5. Organisation
 Determine Main Points (2-5)
 Evidence
 Transitions
 Prepare Outline

14. Organising Your Presentation
Organisational Patterns
●
Topical
●
Chronological
●
Problem/Solution
●
Cause/Effect

15. Presentation Outline
 Keyword Reminders
 Conversational Flow
 Flexibility
 More Responsive to Audience

16. Part 3:
The Presentation Sequence

17. #1: Build Rapport
●
'...relation marked by harmony or affinity.'
●
Audience members who trust you and feel
that you care
●
Start Before You Begin
●
Mingle; learn names
●
Opportunity to reinforce or correct audience
assessment
●
Create a good first impression
●
People Listen To People They Like

18. #2: Opening Your Presentation
●
Introduce Yourself – Why Should They
Listen
●
Get Attention, Build More Rapport,
Introduce Topic
●
Humor
●
Short Story
●
Startling Statistic
●
Make Audience Think
●
Invite Participation
●
Get Audience Response

19. #2…Completing the Opening
●
Clearly Defining Topic
●
If Informative…
●
Clear parameters for content within time
●
If Persuasive…
●
What’s the problem
●
Who cares
●
What’s the solution
●
Overview

20. #3: Presenting Main
Points (Solution)
●
Main Point > Transition > Main Point >
Transition > MainPoint…..
●
Supporting Evidence
●
Examples
●
Feedback & Questions From Audience
●
Pay Attention To and Focus On The
Audience (Listening)

21. #4: Concluding Your Presentation
Goal
●
Inform audience that you’re about to close
●
Summarise main points
●
Offer something to remember or a call-to-
action
●
Answer questions
“Tell ’em What You Told ‘em.”

22. Part 4: Effective
Presentation Techniques

23. Presentation Style
3 Elements
1. Vocal Techniques
 Loudness
 Pitch
 Rate
 Pause
 Deviations From the Norm for Emphasis

24. Presentation Style (cont'd)...
3 Elements
2. Body Language
 Eye Contact, Gestures, Posture
3. Use of Space
 Can Everyone See You?
 Movement

25. Common Problems
●
Verbal fillers
●
“Um”, “uh”, “like”
●
Any unrelated word or phrase
●
Swaying, rocking, and pacing
●
Hands in pockets
●
Lip smacking
●
Fidgeting
●
Failure to be audience-centered

26. 5 Presentation Tips
1. Smile
2. Breathe
3. Sip Water
4. Notes
5. Finish On Or Under Time

27. Part 5:
Creating Effective Visual Aids

28. Visual Aids
WHY???
●
Enhance Understanding
●
Add Variety
●
Support Claims
●
Lasting Impact
Used Poorly => Distraction => Ineffective
Presentation

29. Visual Aids - Examples
 PowerPoint Slides
 Overhead Projector
 Graphs/Charts
 Pictures
 Films/Video
 Flip Charts
 Sketches

30. Visual Aids Should…
●
Supplement presentation
●
Outline main points
●
Serve audience’s needs, not speaker’s
●
Be simple and clear

31. Main Point 1: The Purpose of Using
Visual Aids
Visual aids:
●
support your ideas and improve audience
comprehension of your presentation
●
add variety to your presentation by giving
the audience a break from listening and
letting them see something
●
help illustrate complex ideas or concepts
and are helpful in reinforcing your ideas

32. Visual Aids
 Improve comprehension
 Add variety
 Illustrate complex ideas

33. Be Visible
●
Titles should be 36-44 pt. font size
●
Text should be 28-32 pt font size
(depending on amount of content)
●
Use color wisely
●
GOOD: Black on white/ white on black/
black on light colour/ white on dark
colour...
●
BAD: Red on blue/ Orange on red...
●
Use contrasting colors but nothing too

34. The End
●
Always thank your audience!
●
Offer to answer any additional questions –
either by mail or directly after the
presentation
●
SMILE!!! It's done...
CONGRATULATIONS!