Laura JacobLaura JacobLaura JacobLaura Jacob

President, Pro Way DevelopmentPresident, Pro Way DevelopmentPresident, Pro Way DevelopmentPresident, Pro Way Development

laura@prowaydevelopment.comlaura@prowaydevelopment.comlaura@prowaydevelopment.comlaura@prowaydevelopment.com

HR Outsourcing & Management Development

prowaydevelopment.com

linkedin.com/in/laurajacob

203.961.0227

laura@prowaydevelopment.com

� I'm scared of getting flustered and forgetting what I'm supposed to say!

� Organizing my thoughts Keeping the attendees engaged

� Covering enough information

� Time Management of the presentation Injecting enough humor to keep people engaged

� Getting stuck on (unable to remember) something you want to say during a presentation

� Public speaking - not knowing the to answer a question, especially if I should know. Thinking on my feet. How to engage the audience. If you don't know your audience, how do you gear the presentation?

� Ack, a large groupPro Way Development LLC 3

Pro Way Development LLC 4

1. Identify Your Topic

2. Know Your Audience

3. Define Your Specific Objective(s)

4. Know Yourself

� Clarify your objectives

� Know your audience

� Outline your presentation

� Prepare visual aids and handouts

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� Determine your presentation’s specific objective(s)

◦ Get buy in?

◦ Inform?

◦ Persuade?

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� Who will I be presenting to?

� What are their primary concerns, issues or needs?

◦ Be really clear about who your audience is and why they are there

� How are they motivated?

� What do they expect from me?

� What do I know about them?

� WIIFM?

� (“What’s in it for me?”)

� Determine your key points and supporting information

� Organize your content into an introduction, body and conclusion

� Consider what media or combinations of media (visuals, handouts, etc.) you may want to use to support your presentation◦ Media is to support –not take over!

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INTRODUCTION◦ Attention-getter:

� Tell them what you will tell them:

BODY – Main Point(s) with Examples, Stories, Quotes◦ Point: example, etc.

CONCLUSION� Tell them what you told them:◦ Strong concluding statement

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Given the presentation on ___________, the

audience will ___________.

� Build transition statements throughout your presentation

� How will you make it interactive, if appropriate?

� Think about how you will handle notes◦ Written?

◦ Printed – Large font

◦ Cue Cards

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� Handouts

� Flip Chart and Markers

� PowerPoint and LCDs

� Videotapes and VCRs

� DVDs and DVD players

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� Avoid paragraphs of information

� Avoid yellow and light fonts—harder to see

� Use pictures

� MINIMUM 24 pt font (This Is 32)

� Light backgrounds

� Bring text up as you need it

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� Less is more

� Eliminate charts or other information that add little or no value

� On flip charts Print BIG; use color and other highlights

� Make sure the type used fits the room (I.e. consider room size and lighting)

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� What questions will be asked?

� What is the most difficult question that could be asked?

� What if they don’t have any questions, and you want discussion and interaction?

� Who else in the room can help you respond to questions?

� Ground rules?

� Parking Lot?

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� Who could give you useful feedback during a practice session?

� Is it possible to use the same room you will present in?

� Is there someone who can help by asking questions and raising objections?)

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� Make sure you (and the rest of the audience) understand the question

� Respond in a simple and straightforward manner

� Use others in the audience to extend or enrich your answer

� It’s OK to not have the answer (as long as you can commit to finding the answer as soon as possible)

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� Eye contact

� Posture and stance

� Body movement

� Hand movement

� Facial expressions

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� Volume - Speak at 1.5 - 2.5 times conversational volume

� Use changes in tone, pitch and volume to add inflection to key points

� Add gestures that reinforce your words

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� Arrive early

� Make some new friends

� Make your presentation a conversation

� Remember to smile

� Keep breathing

� Prepare for the unexpected

� If you shake… don’t hold a glass of water

� If you sweat… don’t wear silk

� If you talk too fast… don’t drink caffeine!

� If you fidget… don’t hold a felt pen

� If your heart races… don’t run up to the front

� If you get cotton mouth… have a drink of water nearby don’t drink water

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� Rehearse-out loud

� State what you want from the audience

� Seize the first minute-get their attention

� Use analogies, anecdotes and examples

� Use data and statistics

� Show your enthusiasm for the subject19

� Keep information simple

� Use handouts

� Prepare visual aids that “walk people through” technical data

� Use examples to explain high technical data or complex concepts

� Use reflective questions and/or brief sub-groups to increase involvement

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� Prepare for interruptions

� Give the audience a reason for listening up front

� Summarize with take away boxes

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Get the audience’s buy-in up front!

� Be flippant

� Read slides or read a script

� Apologize for content

� Go over your time limit

� Make up an answer to a question

� Say something in poor taste

� Don’t have unnecessary slides

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� If you tried it out on your spouse / friends and was told it was boring

� If you have something on a chart that you can’t explain or don’t understand

� If you have not prepared enough

� Don’t agree to do somebody else’s presentation at the last minute

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� Steps I plan to take to improve my next presentation:

� http://www.toastmasters.org/

� Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of meeting locations.

� Free resources

� Local groups to practice

� Call Pro Way Development for additional Call Pro Way Development for additional Call Pro Way Development for additional Call Pro Way Development for additional resources and programsresources and programsresources and programsresources and programs

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� We are measured not by what we are� But by what we seem to be.� Not by what we say � But by how we are heard.� Not by what we do � But how we appear to do it.

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