Preparing an Oral Presentation

Five Areas of Focus Preparation Organization Audience rapport Visual aids Delivery

Preparing an Oral Presentation Identify your purpose. Decide what you want your audience to believe, remember, or do when you finish. Aim all parts of your presentation toward your purpose. Know your audience Friendly? Neutral? Uninterested? Hostile?

Preparing an Oral Presentation Organize the introduction. Capture attention by opening with a promise, a story, a startling fact, a question, a quotation or a relevant problem. Introduce your topic. Establish the speaker’s credibility. Preview the main points. Get the audience involved. Tell them what you are going to tell them.

Preparing an Oral Presentation Organize the body. Develop two to four main points. Arrange the points logically. Streamline your topic and summarize its principal parts. Include only relevant information. Tell them.

Preparing an Oral Presentation Prepare transitions. Use “bridge” statements between major parts (I’ve just discussed three reasons for X; now I want to move to Y). Use verbal signposts (however, for example, etc.)

Preparing an Oral Presentation Organize the conclusion. Review your main points. Provide a final focus. Tell your listeners how they can use this information, why you have spoken, or what you want them to do. Plan a graceful exit. Tell them what you told them.

Designing and Using Graphics

Designing and Using Graphics Highlight the main ideas. Focus on major concepts only. Avoid overkill. Showing too many graphics reduces effectiveness. Keep all visuals simple.

Designing and Using Graphics Ensure visibility. Use large type for slides. Position the screen high enough to be seen. Be sure all audience members can see. Enhance comprehension. Give the audience a moment to study a visual before discussing it. Paraphrase its verbal message; don’t read it.

Delivering a Presentation

Audience Attention Enhancers 1. A promise By the end of this presentation, you will be able to . . . 2. Drama Tell a moving story; describe a serious problem. 3. Eye contact Command attention at the beginning by making eye contact with as many people as possible. 4. Movement Leave the lectern area. Move toward the audience. 5. Questions Ask for a show of hands. Use rhetorical questions.

Audience Attention Enhancers 6. Demonstrations Include a member of the audience. 7. Samples/gimmicks Award prizes to volunteer participants; pass out samples. 8. Visuals Use a variety of visuals. 9. Self-interest Audience wants to know “What’s in it for me?”

Presentation Delivery Methods PowerPoint Overhead Projector Flipchart Write-and-wipe Board Posters Handouts Video

Tips for Team Presentations Build credibility as a team. Present your team as unified. Support each teammate during presentation.

Tips for Effective Presentations Be knowledgeable about your topic. Use notes appropriately. Make good use of visuals. Practice using your visual aids. Rehearse your talk, perfecting the handling of your visual aids. Practice talking to the audience and not to the visual.

Stage Fright

Your Symptoms of Stage Fright? Stomach butterflies Pounding heart Shortage of breath Sweaty palms Dry throat Unsteady voice Trembling hands Tied tongue Wobbly knees

Overcoming Stage Fright Prepare your topic 150%. Use positive self-talk. Convert your fear into anticipation and enthusiasm. Shift the focus from yourself to your visuals. Shift the focus from yourself to your audience.

Overcoming Stage Fright Give yourself permission to make an occasional mistake. Ignore stumbles; keep going. Don’t apologize. Make the listeners your partners. Get them involved. Just before you speak, practice deep breathing.

Preparing for Your Oral Presentation: Prepare, Practice and Refine

Prepare Organize content in an outline. Introduction: Tell them what you are going to tell them. Body: Tell them. Conclusion: Tell them what you have told them. Write speaker notes. Develop the visual aids.

Practice Rehearse the entire presentation. . With the team In front of at least one other group of people * Be sure to use visual aids during your rehearsals. Ask the practice audiences to give you feedback.

Refine Make necessary changes using the practice audience’s feedback. Practice the presentation with those new changes. RPE

Common Pitfalls Lack of an effective introduction to the topic Lack of purpose and/or direction Lack of persuasive data Poor visuals Unprepared, unknowledgeable speakers Lack of team cohesiveness