PRESENTATIONS

MBA BCom III

Michael Lohan
What is the purpose of a Presentation?

To get a ‘persuasive’ message across

Remember:

If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well

enough

Albert Einstein
The Key Elements of a Presentation

• Context
• Presenter
• Audience
• Message
• Reaction
• Method
• Impediments
Preparing a Presentation

Why?
• What is the objective?
• What is the outcome?

Writing a presentation to be delivered orally:

• Keep it simple
• Write short, declarative sentences
• Focus on a few key points
• Use examples
• Tell ‘em what you are going to tell ‘em. Tell ‘em. Tell ‘em
what you told ‘em
The Audience
Getting to know your audience
Think about these questions:
• Is your audience tired, hot, cold, uncomfortable in any
way?
• Is your audience voluntarily present?
• How much does your audience know about your topic?

Adapting to a mixed audience

• Pitch the body to the experts, and pitch the summary and
forecast to the general crowd
• BUT ….
• Never underestimate your audience’s intelligence
The Place
The Time
Organizing the Presentation Material

Stages:
Identify ideas (brainstorming)
Select main points
Decide whether to illustrate
Include an Intro + Conclusion
Editing Your Content
Deciding your presentation method

 
Working with Visual Aids

Ask: What is the purpose of the visual aid?

• To clarify a key point?
• To provide an illustrative example?
• To clarify or simplify a model?
• To summarise?
• To entertain?
In sum, visual aids should
• Add visual interest to your presentation
• Increase your creditability
• Increase comprehension and retention by the audience
Using visual aids effectively
• Keep it simple
• No more than 6 lines of text/slide
• Use large font
• Images are helpful
• White/light backgrounds with dark letters
Pitfalls
Animation
• Usually distracting, rarely works
Colour
• Using ‘plain’ colours – not neo green! – often work best
Content
• Do not write out your entire presentation into the slides
Handouts

Do not pass around handouts while you are trying to speak

Do not pass around one copy of an item ( a photograph, for example)
Coping with Presentation Nerves

Develop a speaking style that is close to extemporaneous

speaking
Do not read your presentation
Strategies to deal with nerves
• Practice Deep Breathing
• Drink Water
• Smile
• Self-Massage
• Pause
• Slow Down
• Move Around
• Stop Thinking About Yourself
Other basics of good delivery
• Eye contact
• Interact with your audience
• Humour
• Vocal Variety – Pace and Pausing
• Minimize hand movement
• Stand up
• Begin with an introduction, end with a ‘Thank You’
• Bottom line: Practice Practice Practice
Dealing with questions

• 

Expect questions that are going to floor you. Tough questions are far better
that the alternative: silence
Answering Questions

Do not be defensive when giving answers. Remember, you are not on

trial.
Also being temporarily flummoxed is not the worst thing in the world: be
honest.
Overview
Conclusion

Effective PowerPoint presentations are persuasive in their

content, structured, match the audience, and presented in
a clear extemporaneous manner, where visuals add to, not
distract from, delivery.