DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE PRESENTATIONS Community Health Education Methods Chapter 8

Presentations Generally, presentations are the first time you meet the people you are presenting to. It being your first impression, you want to make it a good one.

6 Steps of a Presentation Preparing for the presentation Understanding the different presentation settings Set the stage: The presentation opening Deliver the presentation: Use effective skills to make a presentation Bring closure: Ending the presentation Respond to the audience: The question and answer presentation

Steps for Conducting Effective Presentations Prepare for the Presentation Know your audience, topic, and expectations  Ex. If your audience is older, you may want to make text larger for easier readability. If your audience are young children, you’ll need to simplify everything. Prior to the presentation, the educator should find out how many people will be attending, who they are, what needs to be covered, and how much time should be allotted.

Steps for Conducting Effective Presentations Understand Different Presentation Settings There are 3 different types of presentation settings 1. Formal – Center around organized functions, generally people, dress style is conservative and neat 2. Semiformal – Usually more relaxed, 50 people maximum, chairs can be arranged in a circular fashion. 3. Informal – Very relaxed atmosphere, 25 people maximum, normally a conversation between most people in attendance.

Set the Stage: The Presentation Opening Before the presentation begins, greet the participants  Either meeting them at the door, or if it is a larger group, thanking them at the very start of the presentation for the opportunity to present. This is also a very good time to acknowledge the person that allowed you to present. Remember the saying “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Audiences draw conclusions about you within the first few minutes.

Set the Stage: The Presentation Opening Techniques a speaker can use for an opener 1. Humor: Humor is a great icebreaker. People like to laugh, and speakers like the audience approval associated with laughter 2. Relevant Stories: Storytelling can help an audience and the speaker connect. Can be relevant news stories or a short personal story. 3. Posing Questions to the Audience: An effective way to get attention. It helps the audience focus on a topic because it requires a specific response.

Deliver the Presentation: Use Effective Skills to Make a Presentation Know the purpose and material  Why are you there? What does it matter? Understand your body language  Nonverbal Cues: Are you slouching? Fidgety? Staring at the ground? Posture and eye contact are key. Having good posture and eye contact show confidence in what you are doing.  Verbal Cues: How is your word accentuation, pitch, tone, pace, volume, and use of words ?Appropriate use of verbal cues helps the listener connect to the presenter on a deeper level.

Characteristics of an Effective Speaker Considerate Genuine Trustworthy Enthusiastic Humorous Proficient in the subject

Tips for Conducting Effective Presentations Reduce distracting mannerisms. Verbal distractions: Um, like, okay, ah, you know. Non-verbal distractions: Foot tapping, fidgeting with an object, hands in pockets.

Bring Closure: End the Presentation Effective presentation endings may include offering a challenge to the audience, summarizing major points that were discussed, or calling on participants to improve for the future by taking action.

Respond to the Audience: The Question and Answer Period Following a presentation with a Q and A segment can be an effective means to convey concern for the audience and to gauge their understanding of what happened. Stay relaxed and in control, while adequately and accurately responding to questions. Make direct eye contact with each individual who asks a question. Anticipate questions and prepare answers ahead of time.

Common Mistakes Apologizing in advance for inaccurate material. Not having a purpose Using the same presentation for different audiences Discussing too much/too little information Reading every word from a visual Delivering the presentation without rehearsing Failing to start and end on time Heaving long, heavy sighs.

3 Rules Used to Avoid Creating Predictable Presentations 1. Less is More: Don’t make visuals to wordy 1. Image is Everything: Don’t use cheap clip-art. 2. Be original: Think outside the box. Keep in mind “The Rule of Thirds”

Reduce Presentation Anxiety Be organized Visualize yourself presenting Practice Take deep breaths Focus on relaxing Move around Maintain eye contact

Anticipate Difficult Audience Members 3 different types of difficult audience members 1. The Debater – Debaters attempt to prove the speakers are less competent or knowledgeable than themselves. 2. The Expert – These are people or groups who feel that their level of expertise exceeds that of the speaker. 3. The Poor Listener – These people are disruptive because they fail to listen, and if the speaker notices this, it can throw them off.