Presentations: The Basics CTL Presentation Skills team …hello!
Today’s Agenda ▪ We’ll explore and discuss some key questions about presentations ▪ 45 minutes in length (aim to end 5 minutes to the hour) ▪ Please feel welcome to ask questions at any point throughout this workshop! …this much time left!
GOAL What is the GOAL of your presentation?
What is the GOAL of your presentation? ▪ To entertain ▪ To persuade ▪ To move action ▪ To demonstrate knowledge mastery ▪ To inform ▪ To confuse or misdirect ▪ To touch emotions
Should you care who your audience is?
The best presenters will “speak” to their audience, using the right tone and message Types of Audiences: ▪ EXPERTS ▪ MANAGERIAL/PROFESSIONAL ▪ GENERAL PUBLIC/LAY AUDIENCE YES!
What “IS” a presentation?
▪ The Speech ▪ Body Language ▪ Use of Equipment ▪ The Environment ▪ Preparation Bender, P. U. (1993). Secrets of power presentations: focusing on effective, dynamic and impressive business presentations. Achievement Group,[1994].
How do you BEGIN your presentation?
▪ Go from the familiar to the unfamiliar ▪ Tell a Story ▪ Acknowledge the occasion & audience ▪ Quotations ▪ Make a striking statement ▪ Use an unusual statistic ▪ Ask the audience a challenging question ▪ Ask for a show of hands ▪ Make a Promise ▪ Present an outline Bender, P. U. (1993). Secrets of power presentations: focusing on effective, dynamic and impressive business presentations. Achievement Group,[1994].
How do you FINISH your presentation?
▪ Summarize your presentation ▪ Close with an Anecdote ▪ With a Call to Action ▪ Ask a Rhetorical Question ▪ Make a Statement ▪ End the same way you began Bender, P. U. (1993). Secrets of power presentations: focusing on effective, dynamic and impressive business presentations. Achievement Group,[1994].
What can you do in-between?
Structure your presentation: ▪ Chronological/Historical: Past, Present, Future ▪ Sequential: First, Second, Third ▪ Categorical: Oranges, Apples, Bananas ▪ Compare and Contrast Extremes ▪ Hierarchical: Top, Middle, Bottom ▪ Reviews Options & Give Recommendations ▪ Expanding Radius: Individual, Neighbourhood, Community Bender, P. U. (1993). Secrets of power presentations: focusing on effective, dynamic and impressive business presentations. Achievement Group,[1994].
How can you connect with your audience?
▪ Direct References ▪ Mutual References ▪ Ask Questions ▪ Contemporize ▪ Localize ▪ Provide Data ▪ Customize your first slide Weissman, J. (2011). Presentations in action: 80 memorable presentation lessons from the masters. Pearson Education.
How do you get your message across?
▪ Speak to—not at—your audience ▪ Face the audience ▪ Don’t rush it ▪ Know what you can skip ▪ Respond to questions Kosslyn, S. M. (2007). Clear and to the point: 8 psychological principles for compelling PowerPoint presentations. Oxford University Press.
THANK-YOU! CTL Presentation Skills team