Presentation SkillsPresentation Skills

You Control the Outcome!You Control the Outcome! PowerPoint is merely a tool. You PowerPoint is merely a tool. You

determine how effective or determine how effective or ineffective your presentation is. ineffective your presentation is.

Following some basic strategies Following some basic strategies can greatly improve your can greatly improve your presentation -- and prevent your presentation -- and prevent your show from being "Power Pointless."show from being "Power Pointless."

Good Speaking and PowerPointGood Speaking and PowerPoint

Focus on the Focus on the Content:Content:  As the saying   As the saying goes, “The main thing is goes, “The main thing is to keep the main thing to keep the main thing the main thing.”  Don’t the main thing.”  Don’t let use of the media let use of the media hinder you in hinder you in addressing your topic.addressing your topic.

More Good SpeakingMore Good Speaking Don’t Read from the Screen:Don’t Read from the Screen:  Overly relying on   Overly relying on

the presence of the text is by far the most common the presence of the text is by far the most common problem with novice PowerPoint users.  Your problem with novice PowerPoint users.  Your audience can, and should enabled to, read for audience can, and should enabled to, read for themselvesthemselves

Maintain Eye Contact with your Audience:Maintain Eye Contact with your Audience:  It’s   It’s very easy to be distracted by the content on your very easy to be distracted by the content on your screen.  A minor exception to this guideline is a screen.  A minor exception to this guideline is a need to draw your audience’s attention to a specific need to draw your audience’s attention to a specific part of your slide.  For example, you could use a part of your slide.  For example, you could use a pointer to identify a trend of a graph. -- Otherwise, pointer to identify a trend of a graph. -- Otherwise, there's simply no reason to show your back.there's simply no reason to show your back.

More Good SpeakingMore Good Speaking

Keep Pace with Keep Pace with Yourself:Yourself:  At first, you   At first, you may find it difficult to may find it difficult to coordinate speaking coordinate speaking and showing your slides and showing your slides simultaneously.  But simultaneously.  But coordination of the two coordination of the two is essential in is essential in preventing confusion.    preventing confusion.    You may find it helpful You may find it helpful to make notes to to make notes to yourself of when you yourself of when you need to advance slides. need to advance slides.

Presentation Tips for Public Presentation Tips for Public SpeakingSpeaking

Body language is important. Standing, walking or moving about with appropriate hand Body language is important. Standing, walking or moving about with appropriate hand gesture or facial expression is preferred to sitting down or standing still with head down gesture or facial expression is preferred to sitting down or standing still with head down and reading from a prepared speech. and reading from a prepared speech.

Speak with conviction as if you really believe in what you are saying. Persuade your Speak with conviction as if you really believe in what you are saying. Persuade your audience effectively audience effectively

Do not read from notes for any extended length of time although it is quite acceptable to Do not read from notes for any extended length of time although it is quite acceptable to glance at your notes infrequently glance at your notes infrequently

Maintain sincere eye contact with your audience. Use the 3-second method, e.g. look Maintain sincere eye contact with your audience. Use the 3-second method, e.g. look straight into the eyes of a person in the audience for 3 seconds at a time straight into the eyes of a person in the audience for 3 seconds at a time

Speak to your audience, listen to their questions, respond to their reactions, adjust and Speak to your audience, listen to their questions, respond to their reactions, adjust and adapt adapt

When using audio-visual aids to enhance your presentation, be sure all necessary When using audio-visual aids to enhance your presentation, be sure all necessary equipment is set up and in good working order prior to the presentation equipment is set up and in good working order prior to the presentation

Basic Guidelines About Your Basic Guidelines About Your DeliveryDelivery

Plan on two minutes per slide (that would be 25 slides in a 50 minute Plan on two minutes per slide (that would be 25 slides in a 50 minute class)class)

If you're speaking to a small group (for example, 2-15 people), then If you're speaking to a small group (for example, 2-15 people), then try to accomplish eye contact with each person for a few seconds try to accomplish eye contact with each person for a few seconds throughout your delivery.throughout your delivery.

Vary the volume and rate of your speech. A monotone voice is Vary the volume and rate of your speech. A monotone voice is absolutely toxic to keeping the attention of an audience. absolutely toxic to keeping the attention of an audience.

Keep a logical flow of information Keep a logical flow of information

Basic Guidelines For Designing Basic Guidelines For Designing Your PresentationYour Presentation

. Be really clear about who your . Be really clear about who your audience is and about why is it audience is and about why is it important for them to be in the meeting important for them to be in the meeting

List the major points of information that List the major points of information that you want to convey to your audience you want to convey to your audience

. Be clear about the tone that you want . Be clear about the tone that you want to set for your presentation to set for your presentation

Design a brief opening Design a brief opening Prepare the body of your presentation Prepare the body of your presentation Design a brief closing (about 5-10% of Design a brief closing (about 5-10% of

your presentation time) that summarizes your presentation time) that summarizes the key points from your presentation.the key points from your presentation.

Design time for questions and answers Design time for questions and answers (about 10% of the time of your (about 10% of the time of your presentation). presentation).

Preparing Content for SlidesPreparing Content for Slides

Keep text simple Keep text simple and conciseand concise

Summarize Summarize sentences into sentences into bulletsbullets

Avoid dense Avoid dense screens screens

One concept per One concept per slideslide

Elements Of An Effective SpeechElements Of An Effective Speech Be PreparedBe Prepared - How many times do you practice your speech? As a general - How many times do you practice your speech? As a general

rule, you should spend about 30 hours of preparation and rehearsal time for rule, you should spend about 30 hours of preparation and rehearsal time for every hour you will be speaking. Use a tape recorder or videotape yourself. every hour you will be speaking. Use a tape recorder or videotape yourself. This will help you to get an accurate picture of how you speak. This will help you to get an accurate picture of how you speak.

Give of YourselfGive of Yourself - Use personal examples and stories in your speech - Use personal examples and stories in your speech whenever possible. Make sure your stories help to emphasize or support whenever possible. Make sure your stories help to emphasize or support your point. The stories must match your message. your point. The stories must match your message.

Stay RelaxedStay Relaxed - To stay relaxed you should be prepared. Also, focus on - To stay relaxed you should be prepared. Also, focus on your message and not the audience. Use gestures, including walking your message and not the audience. Use gestures, including walking patterns. patterns.

Use Natural HumorUse Natural Humor - Don't try to be a stand up comedian. Use natural - Don't try to be a stand up comedian. Use natural humor by poking fun at yourself and something you said or did. humor by poking fun at yourself and something you said or did.

Plan Your Body & Hand PositionsPlan Your Body & Hand Positions - During the practice of your speech - During the practice of your speech look for occasions where you can use a gesture. When you do move look for occasions where you can use a gesture. When you do move maintain eye contact with the audience. maintain eye contact with the audience.

Pay attention to all detailsPay attention to all details - Make sure you have the right location - Make sure you have the right location (school, hotel, room & time). Make sure you know how to get to where you (school, hotel, room & time). Make sure you know how to get to where you are speaking. Ask how large an audience you will be speaking to. Make are speaking. Ask how large an audience you will be speaking to. Make sure you bring all your visual aids and plenty of handouts. sure you bring all your visual aids and plenty of handouts.

Presentation TechniquesPresentation Techniques

Stand aside so audience can read the screen, but Stand aside so audience can read the screen, but don’t turn your back on students for very long.don’t turn your back on students for very long.

You can use a pointer and move the pointer slowlyYou can use a pointer and move the pointer slowly Clear a slide after discussing itClear a slide after discussing it

Speaking Speaking

Always have a back up planAlways have a back up plan Test hardware and software earlyTest hardware and software early Sound can be problematic in some locationsSound can be problematic in some locations Talk at a natural, moderate rate of speech Talk at a natural, moderate rate of speech

– Project your voice. Project your voice. – Speak clearly and distinctly. Speak clearly and distinctly. – Repeat critical information. Repeat critical information. – Pause briefly to give your audience time to digest the information Pause briefly to give your audience time to digest the information

on each new slide. on each new slide. Don’t read the slides aloud. Your audience can read them Don’t read the slides aloud. Your audience can read them

far faster than you can talk to always availablefar faster than you can talk to always available

Body LanguageBody Language

– Keep your eyes on the audience Keep your eyes on the audience

– Use natural gestures. Use natural gestures.

– Don’t turn your back to the audience. Don’t turn your back to the audience. Avoid looking at your notes. Only use them as reference Avoid looking at your notes. Only use them as reference

points to keep you on track. Talk, don’t read points to keep you on track. Talk, don’t read

DosDos

Tell the audience how much time they have to ask questions.Tell the audience how much time they have to ask questions. Maintain eye contact with the person while they are asking the Maintain eye contact with the person while they are asking the

question.question. Go back to eye contact with the rest of the audience when you answer Go back to eye contact with the rest of the audience when you answer

the question. You are not just speaking to the person who asked the the question. You are not just speaking to the person who asked the question.question.

If you are in a large room, repeat the question so that everyone will If you are in a large room, repeat the question so that everyone will know what has been asked. Reformulate it if you wish. This will give know what has been asked. Reformulate it if you wish. This will give you time to think about your answer.you time to think about your answer.

If you don’t know the answer to the question, simply say that you If you don’t know the answer to the question, simply say that you don’t know but will find out and let them know.don’t know but will find out and let them know.

As you come to the end of the time, tell the audience that you only As you come to the end of the time, tell the audience that you only have time for one more question.have time for one more question.

Finish on a high. Wrap up your presentation with a strong conclusion Finish on a high. Wrap up your presentation with a strong conclusion reinforcing your mission.reinforcing your mission.

Don’tsDon’ts

Interrupt or talk over the question.Interrupt or talk over the question. Ask if you’ve answered the question. Ask if you’ve answered the question.

Simply look to someone else for the next Simply look to someone else for the next question.question.

Ask anyone else to answer the question Ask anyone else to answer the question without prior warning.without prior warning.

Say sorry if you don’t know the answer.Say sorry if you don’t know the answer.

Any questionsAny questions