Presentation Skills: Delivery

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Presentation Skills Delivery

• Tom Atkinson
• Bogazici University
• May 27, 2004

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Agenda

1. Motivation
2. Presentation Process
3. Presentation Techniques
4. Practice

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Part 1Motivation
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A fear worse than death

• Speaking is peoples biggest fear. Death is
  number 2. In other words, you would rather be in
  the coffin than giving the eulogy.
• - Jerry Seinfeld

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Causes of Anxiety

• Fear of the unknown
• Being unprepared
• Having no enthusiasm
• No focus of attention

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The secret to success

• Be passionate
• Prepare
• Practice

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Part 2Presentation Process
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As with everything, theres a process

• Before the Big Day
• Write the presentation
• Know what to expect
• Practice

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Getting Started

• Set up 30 minutes prior
• Put up title slide 5 minutes prior
• Welcome and talk to members of audience
• Helps create a connection
• Relaxes you
• Tell audience if you want questions during or
  after

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Giving it

• Give prepared introduction
• Keep it short and simple
• Speak 2-3 minutes / slide
• Too quick, audience gets lost
• Too slow, audience gets bored
• Give prepared conclusion
• Take final questions

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Use Transitional Sign Posts
In summary
however

• Forecast next idea
• Emphasize relationships
• Give audience time to digest material
• Give speaker time to think about next point

once again
finally
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Transition Example
Transition Now that we have some theoretical
basis for this research
Internal Summary Id like to discuss the
following 3 commercial applications
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Closing guidelines

• Summarize the main points
• Leave them with the main thought that you want
  them to remember
• Thank the audience

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Handling Questions

• If you dont know the answer
• Acknowledge it is a good question
• Indicate you dont have the answer
• Say you will find the answer and get back
• DONT try to bluff
• DO get back

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Handling Questions

• If one person is asking too many questions
• Give a complete, but short answer
• Ask to take the conversation off-line
• Move on

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Part 3Presentation Techniques
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Remember this?Messages do not reach the
receiver due to distortion
Feedback
Sender
Receiver
Distortion
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Your want to avoid this situation
Source United Behavioral Health
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Clear the distortion with

1. Effective delivery
2. Natural, engaging body language
3. Know the equipment
4. Good knowledge of space

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1. Effective Delivery

• Be natural
• Avoid difficult, technical language
• Avoid jargon
• Speak a little slower than normal
• Be obvious
• Do not assume audience understands implications
• Avoid inside jokes
• Be punctual
• Finish on time or before

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Vocal variety

• Vary the pitch and volume of your voice.
• Use inflections to emphasize critical points
• Avoid reading your presentation
• Avoid memorizing your entire presentation

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Common Problems

• Verbal fillers
• Um, uh, like
• Unrelated words or phrases
• Swaying, rocking, and pacing
• Hands in pockets
• Lip smacking
• Fidgeting playing with your pen
• Looking away from the audience

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Caution!

• Only use anecdotes that are relevant
• Use caution with personal experiences
• Stay away from inappropriate humor

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2. Natural, Engaging Body Language

• Show enthusiasm
• S p e a k s l o w l y a n d c l e a r l y
• Project to fill the whole room
• No Ummms or ahhhhs

Pleasant grin
Feet firmly planted, square with shoulders
Clean-cut, pleasant dress
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Sources of Noise

• Dont distract your audience by
• Wearing a hat
• Wearing sunglasses
• Chewing gum or tobacco
• Using note cards use the screen instead
• Using gender bias or stereotypical terms
• Being negative and apologizing

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3. Know the Equipment

• Using your own laptop
• Screen savers
• Video and sound output, volume, lighting
• Using the schools computer
• PowerPoint may replace bullets and fonts
• Demos
• May require a certain network, internet, a
  particular version of an OS, non-standard dlls,
  video card settings

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4. Know the Space

• Visibility
• Movement
• Number of seats
• Seating arrangement
• Distracters

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Handouts only if required

• Distribute handouts
• At end if possible
• At beginning only if audience needs them during
  presentation
• Not during
• Print one-sided, with 2, 3 or 6 to a page
• Staple beforehand

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Summary Your presentation will be great if you
make it

• Audience centered
• Accomplish your objective
• Fun for the audience
• Fun for you
• Finish within the time frame

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How do you do this? With
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Part 4Practice
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How to Practice

• In front of the mirror
• With a friend
• In the actual room where you will give the
  presentation
• In front of a video camera, with a friend, in the
  actual room where you will give the presentation

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Lets Practice!

• Any volunteers?

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Communications Seminar SummaryWhat do you
remember about

• Listening?
• Email writing?
• Report writing?
• Presentation preparation?
• Presentation delivery?

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Thank You!