Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 1

 Structure  Design  Visuals  Demonstrations & Dramatizations  Organization, Preparation, and Delivery  Conclusions Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 2

 Keep it short  Attention spans are limited  Give a timeline and stick to it  Set a theme  Come up with a headline that will grab your audience’s attention Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 3

 Focus on three or four big ideas / sections  Don’t bite off more than you can chew  Start and close each section with a clear introduction and transition  Conclude on a memorable note Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 4

 Keep it simple  Limit bullet points and text  Limit font choice, font styles, and size  Develop your own custom theme and template  Most of your audience members have seen the stock MS PowerPoint themes and templates Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 5

 Choose a consistent visual theme  Use high quality, high resolution graphics  Use colour to express a feeling or emotion  Use a consistent palette  Limit visuals to two or three per slide  Limit transitions and animations  Use strategically for maximum impact Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 6

 Consider using a high impact video to begin your presentation  A well chosen video can: ▪ Add excitement to your presentation ▪ Help express an emotion, or set the tone for your presentation ▪ Can assist you in explaining a complex idea Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 7

 Tables and charts can be used to prove a point, highlight important data, or add colour to your presentation  Tip - Many numbers and statistics are not meaningful unless you put them in an everyday context (especially really big numbers)  Examples  “Announcing a new 12 GB memory card, big enough to hold enough music for a trip to the moon and back”  “4 million units sold this month, that is 20,000 every day” Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 8

 A high impact demonstration or dramatization can:  grab an audience’s attention ▪ i.e. Stephen Job pulling the Mac- Book Air out of a manila envelope  bring home a product or service’s features, advantages, and benefits better than text, visuals, or statistics  facilitate understanding of a complex idea, product, or service Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 9

 Tips for effective demonstrations and dramatizations  Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse  Prepare for the worst case scenario ▪ i.e. Bill Gates’ Windows Vista product demo suffered a ‘blue screen of death’ system failure  Be enthusiastic -- if you are not excited about your product, service, or idea, then how can you expect your audience to be? Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 10

 Pregnant pauses can be used to build anticipation and excitement  “B” button  PowerPoint allows you to blank your slideshow by pressing the “B” button during slide transitions  This ensures that the audience’s attention is focused solely on you, your demo, or your dramatization Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 11

 Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse  The better you know your material the more confident you will be  Try out your presentation on your co-workers, spouse or friends  Check out the room in advance Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 12

 Know your audience  Who is your audience?  What is the purpose of the speech?  What is the audience expecting to hear? Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 13

 Arrive early and make sure audio visuals are in full working order  Ensure screen is an appropriate size for the audience  Consider a TV rather than a large screen for small audiences and meetings  Keep the lights on, or make a compromise between room brightness and PowerPoint image clarity / quality  A bright room keeps people awake Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 14

 Start confident--first impressions are important  Take the opportunity to move away from the podium, work the crowd, and communicate your energy with non-verbals  Using a remote control clicker facilitates free movement Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 15

 Make consistent eye contact  Look at specific people in the audience, rather than scanning the room  Be careful to modulate your voice, avoid droning and mumbling Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 16

 Tell a story. Great presentations often include an exciting story  Personalized presentations allow the audience to get to know you better  Makes it easy to communicate complex ideas Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 17

 Enthusiasm  It’s infectious!  Show your passion Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 18

 Consider saving something important for your conclusion--this allows you to conclude strongly and leave the audience wanting more  Examples:  A “big idea”  A new product, feature, advantage, or benefit  An important announcement  A high-impact demonstration or dramatization Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 19

 Repeat your three or four key ideas, themes, or topics  Repeat your headline  Thank the audience for their attention and allow time for Q & A Copyright © 2009 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd 20