STEP 1) PLAN.

First, decide on the objective/goal of your presentation.  Do you want to inform, give recommendations, state conclusions, or something else?  To obtain the needed information, you may have to plan how to conduct your research, gather information, and organize it.

Always remember to follow the    4 steps to an effective message.

Then, analyze your audience, before you organize the strategy for communicating your main points.

Next, organize your main points in this way:

a) wWrite an outline of the main ideas you want to communicate – according to the time you are allowed or the time you wish to give to the presentation.  [Note: Also plan for possible

changes in the time, because of problems with the agenda of the meeting, lateness of arrivals

and similar disruptions – see Step 2a below in PREPARE for details]

b) write sentences based on these ideas, and use transitions, examples and conjunctions

to see how one idea connects to the other after it.  This tactic will give you a smooth flow of information from start to finish.  It will also show you where your flow of ideas are weak

and needs more work.

CAUTION: This does not mean you will write sentences and then memorize them.  No.

This tactic is only to get the ideas you want clearly in mind and then on paper.

In fact, I do not recommend memorizing sentences for presentations – rather, it is much more effective

to understand your points very clearly and organize your presentation according to main points. [see (c) below and Step 2, Prepare below].

c) Prepare your power point slides (only special key words and graphics you need) that will help you to remember what you want to say in your own words.  DO NOT memorize every single word of your presentation, because if you forget a few phrases or sentences, you will be “out of luck” and will not be able to remember how to get back to your main points. 

NOTE: the only parts of your presentation to MEMORIZE WORD BY WORD are the “Grabber Opening” and the“Professional Closing”.

[See step 2 PREPARE below]

NOTECARDS:

What if you need to remember a formula, a quotation word by word or some other information that you’re having trouble with?        

The answer: Not everyone needs to use note cards, but they are a good safety measure, just in case.

Keep them with you and refer to them when you need to.

End of Step 1 -- PLAN

STEP 2) PREPARE

Most importantly, you must prepare how you will make your presentation.

HOW TO BEGIN?  Use a grabber opening that will capture the attention of your audience right from the start.

GRABBER OPENING:  It is OK to start with “This morning, gentlemen, I will speak about . . .” or the equally boring “My presentation today focuses on . . ..”  They are not wrong – but there is a better way.   Business and technical professionals are more interesting and clever than this, so act that way in your oral presentations.

You can use your imagination.  Put yourself in the place of the audience and “grab” their attention and interest with an effective opening.

EXAMPLES

Grabber Openings

Question: 

“Would you like to know how to work less and get more done each day?”  (a presentation about time management)

Shocking Statement: 

“Millions of people are spending billions of riyals every year to kill themselves!” (a presentation about the evils of smoking)

Personal Story:

“When I was parking my car at my house late one night, I looked up to my 8-year-old son’s bedroom and saw red hot flames leaping out of the window.” (a presentation about children and fire safety from personal experience – or, you are selling home fire safety systems)

You can think of other grabbers, I am sure, to relate to your topic.  Perhaps you could make a grabber from statistics, facts, research report summaries, a headline from the news and so on.

CAUTION:  Make sure, though, that your grabber opening relates directly to your topic.  Just saying something to get the attention of the audience, but not related to your topic will be very ineffective and make your credibility low.

Next, ask yourself:

v   What room will I speak in?

v   Is it too big, too small?

v   Where am I going to stand? 

v   Will I use a table, an overhead projector and transparencies, the chalkboard or a flip-chart, slides, pictures? 

v   Will I sit or stand and when? 

v   Do I need a pointer, a microphone? 

Go to the room ahead of time to answer these questions for real, because you are in the room and can see everything there.

Think about these questions and any others related to your objective, and all the steps that you will take from the first moment you enter the room until you say your last words in front of your audience. 

NON-VERBAL --

Also prepare yourself by thinking about the gestures you will use to emphasize your words.

It is very important to understand how non-verbal communication affects the outcome of your presentation.

Non-verbal communication (body movements called kinesics, voice, space around you & physical surroundings which is called proxemics, and also clothes, and time) can strengthen or weaken your message.  (See “How to Add Power to Your Words.”)

And, prepare your words to be effective by:

[see points a – h]

a) KEEPING TO THE TIME – Remember that a professional keeps to the time, and is ready for any last minute changes to the time by the boss, the customer or some other factor. 

PERSONAL EXAMPLE – 30 minutes were cut to 15 minutes

One time I was to give a presentation with a time of 30 minutes. 

When I entered the meeting room, suddenly I was told to “cut it short; we only have 15 minutes for you!”  With a confident smile on my face I said, “No problem, I can do that.”

.

Why was I not worried?  Because I had prepared for this problem ahead of time:

SOLUTION: I prepared 3 sets of slides for 3 different time limit possibilities

and, so should you:

(1) on the time of 30 minutes;

(2) shorter than the time (10-15 minutes) with less examples, details, visuals;   and

(3) longer than the time (40-50 minutes) with more examples, details, visuals

[TIP: In general, though, always plan your information

so that your presentation is always a little “short”, to allow

for interruptions, delays and other events that may take away

from your time limit.]

b) BE CLEAR –

Use easy to understand language. Make sure you explain any specialized/technical words or terms that would not be known by your audience. 

c) PERSONALIZE YOUR MESSAGE –

Remember the effectiveness of the personal story.  Use examples from your own or another’s life.  Audiences can relate to this very well.

d) USE APPEALS -- 

After analyzing your audience, you can target which appeal will be most effective to reach your communication goals/objectives.  Whether your audience is hostile, friendly or indifferent, using appeals is always effective.

e) CHECK YOUR APEARANCE – The “first impression” you make when you enter the room or when you go to the front of the room to start speaking, lasts.  A good appearance is important to your initial credibility.  So, be ready before you enter, or before you get up from your chair and walk up to face the audience.

f) IMAGERY –

Think in pictures and communicate that way.  It’s easier for your audience to get the idea.  Instead of just saying “ABC company’s revenue last year was $24 billion,” it is more effective to say “ABC’s revenue last year was $24 billion – more than the total budget of all by five nations of the world.”  Or, another example.  Instead of just saying “XYZ company installed 16,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable,” it is more effective to say “XYZ installed 16,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable, which is the same distance as traveling from Riyadh to London and back again.”

g) TRANSITIONS –

Use verbal transitions to connect your points, to guide the audience from one idea to the next.  The ones from writing are excellent to use in your oral presentations, such as first, next, then, afterward, similarly, and in contrast.

h) GESTURES and ENUMERATION – Gestures with your  hands and arms (called kinesics) are important skills that can emphasize your points.  Opening your hands and arms wide makes an idea bigger, for example.  Making a fist as you give your point adds strength to what you are saying.  [see gestures for more details]

Enumeration

(using your fingers as you say first, second, third of your steps, points, facts, or ideas) is also an excellent tactic.  This skill has two parts: “show” and “tell.”  With show, you hold up one hand at shoulder height and display the proper amount of fingers (keep your points to five, if possible) and say “there are five facts to remember.”  Then, with tell you say what each fact is by saying “first . . .” and holding up one finger, then “second . . .” and holding up two fingers, and so on to the last point/fact/idea.

End of STEP 2 -- PREPARE

STEP 3. PRACTICE.

v   To check your body and face movements, stand in front of a tall mirror and give your oral presentation (complete with visuals if you can).

v   If possible, use a tape recorder to check your voice – are you speaking too quickly? too softly? 

v   A video camera is also a good way to check, as well as a PC-cam.

BENEFITS: By using these methods you will be

v   able to see and hear yourself as others will see and hear you. 

v   You can check to see, for example, if you are shifting from one foot to the other too much,

v   not using your hands to express yourself or using them too much so they become a distraction to the audience (see Gestures).

KEEP IN MIND: From Step 2, the prepare stage, remember now to keep in mind

v   the size of the room,

v   how many people in the audience,

v   the arrangement of the room and other non-verbal factors that will affect your presentation. 

v   Also remember the points of Step 1, the planning stage, regarding your purpose.

TIME YOURSELF

[Tip: Also practice the “short” and “long” versions of your presentation, just in case there is a sudden change in the time allowed to you. (See Step 2a above).]

Do not get upset if your first attempt is less than perfect.  THIS IS WHY YOU ARE PRACTICING!

End of STEP 3 -- PRACTICE

STEP 4. PREVIEW

USE AN AUDIENCE

You may think that they will not be an effective audience, because they do not know about your subject. 

However, they will be able to notice if you are nervous, awkward or speaking too quickly, loudly or softly and how effectively your gestures are communicating.

MAKE IT THE REAL THING

Give [preview] your presentation, with the visuals, note cards just like the real thing.

Use your laptop, or PC.  If you have a projector use that (perhaps you can use one of the rooms in Building 24 with some classmates).

FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT

Ask your audience for their feedback about your verbal and non-verbal skills that you showed during the presentation. 

If you can get Mgt 210 students to review your presentation with you, and you can review with them,  that would be effective too.

IMPROVEMENT IS THE PURPOSE

Accept criticisms and try to correct your mistakes and weaknesses. 

Also, accept their compliments and use the strong points that they pointed out to you.

STEP 5. PRESENT

USING YOUR NERVOUSNESS FOR SOMETHING POSITIVE.

If you are nervous, you should know that even experienced professionals get nervous too.  However, they make that nervousness WORK FOR them, not AGAINST THEMSELVES.

Yes, you can turn the negative side of nervousness into something positive. 

The energy that your body produces when it is nervous, can be used to make you more alert, more awake and more lively when you speak and use gestures and body language. 

[NOTE: 

when you try to stop this nervous energy, instead of using it to your

own advantage, this is when your hands and legs start to shake.  The good energy

of excitement is too much for them, so use that energy in  your gestures, voice and

enthusiasm for your topic/subject as a positive outlet for the energy.]

THE ENDING. 

Just as beginning effectively is important, so is ending your presentation strongly.

WHY?

The “Audience Attention Curve” shows that the highest level of attention is at the start and end of a presentation, speech, meeting or other oral communication event.  In the middle of a presentation, for example, audience attention slips downward.  As a result, it is important for a presenter to use this information to his advantage. 

That is why a strong beginning and ending (and concise points, evidence, variety of voice, gestures and careful planning are important in the middle of your presentation) are important to your success.

HERE’S HOW TO END.

Merely stopping when you are finished speaking and saying “Well, that’s all I have to say, any questions?” is very weak. 

Notice the non-verbal gesture that is made when you say these words. 

Are your arms outstretched and your palms held upward? 

These are very weak gestures.  Instead, try using key words & phrases or “signal words” that signal you are at the end, such as . . .

KEY WORDS & PHRASES (Signal words)

And, now, to conclude

For my last point

Finally                                      

To sum up

To close this presentation

These above are standard ones that are effective. 

But, remember . . .

For a summary use “To sum up.”

If you are saying the last point, then use “For my last point.” 

These key phrases and words, too, will gain back the attention of your audience, because you are indicating that you are near the end of your presentation.

EFFECTIVE FORMULA FOR A PROFESSIONAL CLOSING

There is a most effective way to end a presentation. 

Here it is: 

KEY/SIGNAL WORD + FORMULA ENDING = Professional Closing.

7 EXAMPLES OF FORMULA ENDINGS

1) End with a positive and emotionally appealing statement

This new system is the answer to our problem, but it will take our best efforts. 

When we work together as a team, I know we will make this project a big success.

2) Briefly summarize the major point, the main objective of your presentation.

As you can see, the new system is more effective, safer and saves money.

It is clear from my presentation that our only choice is to begin using this system tomorrow . . .

or even better, today!

3) Refer back to the beginning.

To repeat what I said at the beginning of this presentation, you can do better with this new system,

and you have seen the evidence of its effectiveness and usefulness today.

4) Refer to the positive (+) using If/then.

If you implement this new system I have discussed, then you will enjoy

all the benefits I have shown

5) Refer to the negative (-) using If/then.

If you do not implement this new system I have discussed,

then you will lose a great opportunity to enjoy all the benefits I have shown.

6) Refer first to the positive, then the negative.

If you implement the new system I have discussed, then there will be many benefits,

but if you do not, then you will lose a great opportunity to save time and money.

7) Refer first to the negative, then the positive.

If you do not implement this new system then you will lose a great opportunity

to save time and money, but if you do implement it, then you will gain these many benefits.

End of STEP 5 -- PRESENT

AFTER PRESENTING

ASK FOR QUESTIONS

AFTER THE QUESTIONS

FINAL WORDS

After you have finished your professional closing, say “Thank you.” 

Wait for a moment at the front of the room (do not run off to the side or back to your chair or out of the door) and face the audience. 

Then, say,  “I would be pleased to                                       [click the link for extra help]  answer any questions you may have.”

This is the Question-and-Answer period of the presentation, or Q & A.

Follow up –

After the Q&A, say your follow up statement (the main point of your presentation, or simply a re-statement of your professional closing from earlier).

A simple “thank you” and friendly face are effective.

Make sure to turn off the projector, pick up your papers and other materials, and  end your presentation.

Depending on the purpose of your presentation, then you would either . . .

v   sit down and join the other meeting participants

v   walk out the door and go to your next customer

v   stand for a while and chat with members of the audience

v   discuss points with your colleagues or teammates