Effective Presentations

Effective Presenters Body language Gestures Eye contact Voice Filler words

Body Language Rapid eye blinking Dilated pupils “Steepling” fingers Clenching fists Folding arms

Body Language Hands touching mouth or nose Raising eyebrow Tilting head forward Leaning away Drumming fingers

Gestures Let them help emphasize points Don’t plan gestures; let them happen Bring gestures above waist

Eye Contact “Connect” with the audience Distribute evenly Hold for 3-5 seconds Look them in the eye

Voice Monotone Too fast Volume

Verbal Organize Don’t memorize Organize following a logical sequence

Structure Three parts of a speech Tell them what you are going to tell them Tell them Tell them what you just told them

Practice 5 Ps - Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance 90% of success is preparation Location – time of day With movements and gestures With visuals Videotape yourself If possible, with an audience

Preparation Steps Establish your purpose (objectives) Analyze the audience Create a winning title Outline the body 1 to 3 main points per objective Help audience relate to key points Summarize each key point

The P – I Diagram Persuasive Informative What is your presentation?

Opening Must grab audience’s attention Startling statement Question Quote Personal experience Humor Visual aids Begin with the end

Visual Aids K.I.S.S. Keep is Short and Simple K.I.L.L. Keep it Large and Legible Be accurate Be relevant Be colorful Use graphics

Color Include no more than four colors/slide Use dark print on light background or light print on dark background Maintain same background color throughout Don’t use red for text Avoid red/green contrasts

Color Red – stimulates emotion Green – inspires involvement or interaction Gray – indicates lack of commitment or neutrality Blue – shows calm and conservative Yellow – shows cheerfulness and hope for the future, restlessness and change, feelings of anxiety Purple – implies mystical quality Black – indicates power and sophistication

Graphics Bar charts Show comparisons or data over a specific time Line charts Show data over many time periods, show trends Pie charts Show relation of parts to a whole Organization charts Show hierarchy and reporting relationships

Graphics Cartoons Add humor and interest, get point across memorably Photos Add realism and personal recognition Symbols Represent concepts without words

Text Use short titles Create a lot of white space 6-by-6 rule Express only one thought per slide Use uppercase and lowercase text Don’t mix fonts Sans serif vs. Serif (Arial, Times )

Q & A A.L.A.R.M. Anticipate and prepare Listen Repeat or rephrase Answer concisely Move on to next question

Team Presentations Act like a team Prepare Appoint a leader or moderator Decide on each person’s role Plan your agenda

Team Presentations Plan the transitions Time each segment Look at audience, not teammates Don’t debate or interrupt Plan the closing

Your success will depend upon your preparation.