PRESENTATION BASICS Center for Professional Communication

Presentation Basics  Organization & Preparation Tips  Top Ten Slide Tips  Creating a Professional Handout  Top Ten Delivery Tips  Selecting Career Apparel

Such power there is in clear-eyed self-restraint. - James Russell Organization & Preparation Tips

 What is the real purpose of your talk?  Why is it that you were ask to speak?  What does the audience expect?  In your opinion, what are the most important parts of your topic for the audience to take away from your, say, 10-minute presentation? Start with the end in mind

Know your audience as well as possible  Who is the audience?  What is the purpose of the event?  Why were you asked to speak?  Where is it?  When is it?

Content, content, content  No matter how great your delivery, or how professional and beautiful your supporting visuals, if your presentation is not based on solid content, you cannot succeed.

Keep it simple  Simple does not mean stupid.  Exercise:  If your audience could remember only three things about your presentation, what would you want it to be? 1. ______________________ 2. ______________________ 3. ______________________

Outlining your content I. Introduction (transition) II. Body A. Main point (transition) B. Main point (transition) C. Main point (transition) III. Conclusion

Have a sound, clear structure  Take a page out of the McKinsey presentation handbook: presentation structure is paramount. Without it, your wonderful style, delivery and great supporting visuals will fall flat.

So what?

The art of storytelling  Good presentations include stories. The best presenters illustrate their points with the use of stories, most often personal ones.

Can you pass the “elevator test”?  Check the clarity of your message with the elevator test. This exercise forces you to "sell" your message in seconds.

Confidence – How to get it We fear what we do not know.

“Do not feel compelled to fill empty areas on your slide with your logo or other unnecessary graphics or text boxes that do not contribute to better understanding. The less clutter you have on your slide, the more powerful your visual message will become.” Top Ten Slide Tips

Keep it simple  People came to hear you and be moved or informed (or both) by you and your message. Don't let your message and your ability to tell a story get derailed by slides that are unnecessarily complicated, busy, or full of “junk”.

Limit bullet points & text This slide is not unusual, but it is not a visual aid, it is more like an "eye chart." Try to avoid text-heavy (and sleep inducing) slides like this one.

Limit bullet points & text Aim for something like this simple slide above. And this is even better...

Limit transitions & builds (animation)  A simple "Wipe Left-to-Right" (from the "Animations" menu) is good for a bullet point,  but a "Move" or "Fly" for example is too tedious and slow

Use high-quality graphics Try to avoid cheesy clip art like this. This edited stock photograph is more effective and professional.

Have a visual theme  Your audience expects a unique presentation with new (at least to them) content, otherwise why would they be attending your talk?

Use appropriate charts Pie Charts. Used to show percentages. Limit the slices to 4-6 and contrast the most important slice either with color or by exploding the slice. Vertical Bar Charts. Used to show changes in quantity over time. Best if you limit the bars to 4-8.

Use appropriate charts Horizontal Bar Charts. Used to compare quantities. For example, comparing sales figures among the four regions of the company. Line Charts. Used to demonstrate trends. For example, here is a simple line chart showing that our sales have gone up every year. The trend is good. The arrow comes in later to underscore the point: Our future looks good!

Use color well  Color evokes feelings.  Color is emotional.  The right color can help persuade and motivate.  Studies show that color usage can increase interest and improve learning comprehension and retention. Learn more: PresentationPro.com has some great Flash tutorials including one on color.Flash tutorials including one on color. Go to the CreativePro.com to learn more about color.learn more about color. Dummies.com has a good short article on how to use the Color Schemes in PowerPoint.how to use the Color Schemes

Choose your fonts well  Fonts communicate subtle messages in and of themselves, which is why you should choose fonts deliberately.  Use the same font set throughout your entire slide presentation, and use no more than two complementary fonts (e.g., Arial and Arial Bold). TimesArial Black and Arial

Use video or audio  Use video and audio when appropriate.  Using video clips to show concrete examples promotes active cognitive processing, which is the natural way people learn.

Spend time in the slide sorter  Using the slide sorter will enable you to notice more extraneous pieces of visual data that can be removed to increase visual clarity and improve communication.

Creating a Professional Handout

“Be here now. Be somewhere else later. Is that so complicated?” - David Bader Presentation Tips

Top Ten Delivery Tips 1. Show your passion 2. Start strong 3. Keep it short 4. Move away from the podium 5. Use a remote-control device 6. Remember the “B” key 7. Make good eye contact 8. Keep the lights on 9. Use a TV for small groups 10. At all times: courteous, gracious, & professional

Selecting Career Apparel

The Business Casual Look  The Business Casual Look  Movement toward greater comfort and individuality  Wear dressier business clothing when meeting with customers or clients  Wear clothing that is clean, neat and fits well

Presentation Basics  Organization & Preparation Tips  Top Ten Slide Tips  Creating a Professional Handout  Top Ten Delivery Tips  Selecting Career Apparel