Business Communications Chapter 10 Verbal and Visual Support in Presentations Functions of Supporting Material   Supporting material is anything that backs up the claims in a presentation.

Clarity Supporting material can make abstract or complicated ideas more understandable.   Interest Supporting material can liven a presentation by making your main points more vivid or meaningful to the audience. Proof  Supporting material can provide evidence for your claims and make your presentation more convincing. Whenever you use other’s work to back up your claim, be sure to cite the source.

Verbal Support  The most common supports are definitions, examples, stories, statistics, comparisons and quotations. Consider you audience’s preferences Definitions   Unfamiliar language leaves you confused and unable to understand. Definitions remove confusion by explaining the meaning of terms that are unfamiliar to an audience or used in a specialized or uncommon way: words can be defined by denotation (specific meaning), connotation (associated meanings), etymology (history or origin of the word), or negation (stating what it is not).

Examples  Examples are brief illustrations that back up or explain a point. When they are used to prove a point, examples are most effective when several are given together. Stories Stories illustrate a point by describing an incident in some detail. Almost everyone loves to hear a good story and adds interest and when well chosen, it can drive home a point better than logic and reasoning alone. Stories come in three categories: fictional, hypothetical and factual.

Fictional stories allow you to create material that perfectly illustrates the point you want to make. Hypothetical – “imagine yourself….” “Think about a typical customer….” And “What would you do if…..”. Factual stories can also add interest and clarity.

Whether they are fictional or factual, effective stories have several characteristics They should be relatively brief They should be interesting and appropriate for your audience. Story must support the point you are trying to make.

Statistics Statistics are numbers used to represent an idea. Most statistics are collections of examples reduced to numerical form for clarity. They are used to measure the size of market segment, sales trends, decreasing or increasing profits, changes in costs, and many other aspects of business.

Comparisons Comparisons can make a point by showing how one idea resembles another. Some comparison – called analogies – are figurative. They compare items from an unfamiliar area with items from a familiar one. By linking the familiar with the unfamiliar, figurative analogies can also help

Comparisons should possess two characteristics: The familiar part of comparison should be well known to the audience. You should be sure your comparison are valid. Quotations   Quotations use the words of others who are authoritative or articulate to help you make a point more effectively than you could on your own.  

Four-step method for citing sources without interrupting the flow of your presentation: State your point Identify the source of your citation. State the content of your citation Explain how and why the material is important for members of your audience.

Visual Aids Pictures such as charts, diagrams, and other graphic aids are part of the most business presentations. Using visual aids makes a presentation more effective. One study found that audience members who saw the presentation with visuals were clearly more impressed than those who saw the same talk with no visual support.

Visual aids perform many useful functions: Show how things look. Show how things work Show how things related to one another Emphasize important points.

Types of Visual Aids Objects and Models Objects can add interest, clarity and proof to your topic. Certainly true in training sessions and in some types of selling, where hands-on experience is essential.

Photographs Photographs can be the most effective means of illustrating a variety of images that need literal representation. Photographs provide an excellent form of proof. Diagrams Diagrams are abstract, two-dimensional drawings that show the important properties of objects without being completely representational. Types are drawings and maps. Diagrams are excellent for conveying information about size, shape and structure.

List and Tables Lists and tables are effective means of highlighting key facts and figures. They are especially effective when you list steps, highlight features, or compare related facts; advantages and disadvantages, current and past performance, your product versus a competitors, etc. Amateur speakers often assume they need only enlarge tables form a written report for an oral presentation.

As you design list and tables remember the following points: Keep the visual aid simple – list only highlights, use only keywords or phrases, never full sentences, Use numbered and/or bulleted lists to emphasize key points – numbered lists suggest ranking or steps in a process, while bulleted lists work best for items that are equally important.

3. Use text sparingly – if you need more than 7 lines of text, create two or more tables; should not exceed seven words across 4. Use large type Enhance the list’s or table’s readability

Pie Charts Pie charts illustrate component percentages of a single item. Place the segment you want to emphasize at the top center (12 o’clock) position; when you are not emphasizing any segments, organize the wedges from largest to smallest beginning at 12 o’clock with the largest one.

Bar and Column Charts Pictograms Bar charts compare the value of several items: the productivity of several employees, the relative amount of advertising money, etc. Simple column charts reflect changes in a single item over time. Pictograms Pictograms are artistic variations of bar, column, or pie charts. They are more interested then ordinary bars Pictograms are not mathematically exact, which make them less suited for reports that require precise data.

Graphs Video Graphs show the correlation between two quantities They are ideally suited to showing trends. Video Despite the benefits of video including clips you pull off of websites like YouTube or footage you create yourself can be risky.

Media for presenting Visual Aids Chalk and Dry-Erase Boards Flip Charts and Poster Board Computer Displays Handouts

Presentation software such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Apple Keynote, and Prezi allow anyone with a computer to create and deliver a professional-looking presentation with text and visuals. What are some advantages and disadvantages of using presentation software?

Guidelines for Using Visual Aids Selection Visual Exhibits must be chosen carefully Be sure you have a reason for using a visual aid If your image doesn’t explain a point better than words alone, don’t use it. Don’t expect the visuals to be the presentation – your words will have less impact Visuals used for their own sake will distract your audience from the point you’re trying to make

Keep your slide shows brief Keep in mind the “less is more” rule. Use only a few words Avoid excessive text Captions should contain only keywords or phrases, not sentences Omit subtitles Each slide should contain no more than 7 lines and each line should have no more than seven words – Rule of 7

Match the sophistication of your visuals to the audience. For routine talks, you can probably produce perfectly adequate exhibits on your own.

Make sure the visual is large enough to see Design Confusing of sloppy exhibits will be counterproductive Make sure the visual is large enough to see Avoid using items, drawings or photographs that are so small you have to describe them or pass them around A distracting or unclear visual is worse than no support at all. Keep the design of your visuals simple Show only one idea per exhibit and avoid unnecessary details. Use simple type faces

Use only horizontal printing Label all items for clear identification Avoid vertical or diagonal wording Label all items for clear identification Make sure each exhibit has a descriptive titles. Label each axis of a chart, each part of a diagram, etc. Display a visual only while you are discussing it Putting up a visual before discussing it or leaving it up after you’ve finished talking about it is confusing and distracting.

Make sure your visuals will work in the meeting room. Double-check the availability of easels, screens, and other equipment you’ll need. Be sure electrical outlets are in the right locations and extension cords are available Check sight lines from all audience seats. Be sure you can easily control the lighting levels Practice using your visuals Rehearse setting up and removing visuals smoothly and quickly. Review each comments you’ll make with each one.