Making Effective Presentations Quote for the Day Talking and eloquence are not the same: to speak, and to speak well, are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise person speaks. Discoveries Made upon Men and Matter Ben Johnson 1
How much time should you devote to preparing for your presentation? How much time should you devote to preparing for your presentation? Preparing 90% Giving 10% 2
Preparation Know your topic Know your audience Write the presentation Prepare audiovisual materials Practice Your Audience People will listen if you are tuned into WII FM What s In It For Me? 3
Writing Your Presentation Gather all of the information you can, then eliminate what you don t need Write audiovisuals into the presentation Plan your presentation WITHIN your time constraints Tip for any presentation Only tell people what they need to know KISS Keep It Simple and Straightforward 4
Writing The Presentation Determine your purpose Write Make notes o Use outline form or bullets o Use 3x5 cards Incorporate attention-getters Anticipate questions Average Attention Span 0 30 Thirty Minute Presentation 5
Attention Span With Attention Getters 0 Thirty Minute Presentation 30 Need an attention getter every 7 minutes to keep maximum attention Examples of Attention Getters Stories Statistics Pauses Audiovisual Aids Movement & Gestures Voice Changes Humor Questions 6
An audience typically remembers 25% of what they hear only 45% of what they see only 65% of what they see and hear Use audiovisual aids! Types of audiovisual aids Power point Flip charts Videos Handouts 7
Preparing to Present Make sure appropriate clothing is clean. Plan dry-cleaning ahead of time. Find any MLH merchandise you can wear, if appropriate. Bracelets are always good. Study MLH and CHD materials. Create business cards (template on website). Make sure you are clean and tidy. Double check logistics (room set-up, number of people, time allotted, directions to location, etc.) Power Point Easy to use if you have the right equipment Colorful and entertaining But... If it is not working correctly, it can blow your entire presentation. (Have back-up plan) 8
Using Power Point Be careful with colors. Some look good on your screen, but don t show up real well on the slide show. Don t put too much information on one slide. Use bullets. Use a big enough font for people to read easily. Use graphics. Be sure to print a handout page of slides to use as notes. Flip Charts Avoid writing only in red or yellow. Use bullets Record audience responses, if desired Write legibly Use pens that don t bleed or two sheets Make sure graphics are comprehensible Don t write all the way to the bottom of the page 9
Handouts Should be easy to read. Can be interactive (like fill-in-the-blank). Be sure to give answers so people don t feel frustrated. Can be given out before the presentation or afterwards. Determine what is best in your situation. Should contain graphics and pictures if it would help the reader understand the content. Can be made from Power Point slides. Practice, practice, practice! Use a mirror Audiotape yourself Videotape yourself Practice in front of others Use your a/v material when you practice Get out the ums and uhs Have someone clap every time you say um or uh when practicing 10
Controlling Nervousness Acknowledge your fears Be prepared Dress comfortably Be yourself Use workable notes Use the presentation drug (Beer? No, BIR) Breathe in deeply Imagine something relaxing Release the breath There are many variations of this technique; use one that works best for you. 11
Before your presentation Have a/v material ready Have notes in order and ready Test microphone (if appropriate) Avoid drinking hot or cold liquids Be aware of Maslow s needs theory if people aren t comfortable physically, they will not be listening Maslow s Needs Theory Self- Actualization Esteem Belonging & Love Security Physical 12
Opening Tell people where you are going. Remember WIIFM. It is important to begin and end your presentation powerfully. Tell people where you are going with your presentation, if appropriate. Delivery Speak at an appropriate level Avoid using non-words ( uh, um, etc.) Avoid repetitive phrases ( you know, like ) Avoid jargon, slang and acronyms Don t play with clothing Don t read from the screen Don t click space bar or mouse 13
Acronyms Think about some acronyms you commonly use like CHD, MLH, EKG, ECHO, SATS, TGIF, LOL, etc. Realize that others, often even those in the CHD world, might not know all of those acronyms. Consider how the audience feels when they don t understand. Explain all acronyms. Delivery Use good eye contact Use appropriate gestures Don t feel glued to the podium use movement Be sure clothing is comfortable and appropriate. Vary your voice no monotone. Use pauses 14
Using questions effectively If you are going to ask your audience questions, it is often more effective to ask open-ended questions rather than closedended questions. Open ended questions cannot be answered with a simple yes or no as closed-ended questions can. If you need a quick, short answer, ask a closed-ended question. Decide, in advance, whether you will allow questions during your presentation or just at the end. 15
Closing Always end your presentation powerfully leave the audience feeling like they got something out of it. Quotes and calls to action can be very effective. Close within your time frame. People get very angry when made to stay late. If there is applause, stand and enjoy it. Don t move away as fast as you can. 16