Lydia Mazanti

ORG 536- Contemporary Business Writing and Communication

Colorado State University- Global Campus

Dr. Robert Olszewski

January 20, 2014

How to Create an Engaging

Presentation

�1

GET EVERYONE’S ATTENTION!

Regardless of the topic of the presentation you need to find a way to connect to the audience and get everyone interested in what you are presenting. This can be done by: !!!!!!!!!!!!!(Guffey & Loewy, 2010)

�2

!• Starting with a BANG with a startling fact,

statistic, or engaging story. • Asking an inquisitive question that gets that

gets people thinking.

• Using humor, inspirational quotes or other attention grabbing techniques.

Organize your Presentation

• Identify the objectives.

• Focus on two to four main thoughts.

• Avoid presenting too much information at any one time.

• Have a solid conclusion.

(Guffey & Loewy, 2010).

�3

EMBRACE VISUAL AIDS

“A study from North Carolina State University found that 69% of learners prefer visual input such as charts, pictures and animations” (Sloboda, 2003, p. 20)

69%

31%

0

25

50

75

100

April May June July

�4

!!

Chose the style of data presentation that best fits your main points. Some of the options include:

!• Chronological order of events. • Importance of each idea or point. • Problem and solution or pro/con set up. • Main topics or functions being discussed.

! (Guffey & Loewy, 2010).

Style is Key

�5

!

Use AppealingFormatting

Be mindful of the fonts, font size, colors, and page layout as all aspects can impact how the presentation is perceived (Sloboda, 2003).

�6

BE INTERACTIVETo ensure that the presentation is engaging,

get the audience involved. Ask questions, create polls, request feedback and ensure

understanding (Guffey & Loewy, 2010). !

!

!

�7

CONCLUDE STRONG

(Bender, 1991).

�8

Let your audience know that you are ending your presentation by reverting back to your beginning, telling a final story, antidote, or asking one last question then summarize your main points and leave with one last idea or main thought. Ensure that it is positive and clearly worded.

References

�9

Bender, P. U. (1991). Secrets of power presentations. The Canadian Manager,

16(3), 16-19+. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/213645528

Guffey, M., & Loewy, D. (2010).  Business communication: Process and product

(7th ed.).  Independence, KY: Cengage Learning. ISBN-13: 9780538466257

Sloboda, B. (2003). Creating effective PowerPoint presentations. Management

Quarterly, 44(1), 20-34. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/

233583201.