PRESENTATION SKILLS AND PUBLIC SPEAKING PROGRAM

 

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES: 

• Identify the importance of planning and preparing presentations

• To lead and control question sessions and discussions with your audience

• To contact and deliver a persuasive message

 

 

PROGRAMME OUTLINE

Planning Your Presentation

Preparing Your Presentation

Question and Answer Session

Using Visual Aids

Your Body Language

Your Voice

The Golden Rules for an Effective Presentation

 

 

I- PLANNING MY PRESENTATION

 

     WHY (OBJECTIVE):

 

• What is the objective of my presentation?

 

• What is my destination?

 

• Is it to sell, stimulate, entertain, provide knowledge…?

 

 

WHO (AUDIENCE):

 

• What is the background of the audience?

 

• What is their sex, age, and language?

 

• What is their knowledge about the subject?

 

• What is the nationality, culture and inclinations of the audience?

 

• Is their attendance forced or voluntary?

 

• What is their level of confidence?

 

• What are their feelings towards the speakers?

 

 

WHERE (VENUE):

 

• Where is the location of my presentation?

 

• How do I get there?

 

• What is the size of the room?

 

• How is it arranged (set-up, lighting, heating)?

 

• Where and when are the refreshments served?

 

• Where are the toilets, cloakroom, reception area?

 

• What audio-visual equipment is available?

 

 

WHEN (TIME MANAGEMENT):

 

• Which date?

 

• How far away is that?

 

• When must my preparation be finished?

 

• What time of the day am I speaking?

 

•  For how long will I speak?

 

• When and how long will the breaks be?

 

• When will I show the video,k7…and distribute handouts?

 

• Who are the other speakers and what tone will they set?

 

 

WHAT (OUTLINE):

 

• What am I going to say?

 

• What points need to be put across?

 

• What handouts and visual aids will I need?

 

 

HOW (METHODS & STYLE):

 

• How shall I best put the material across (lecture, question and answer…..) ?

 

• What style should I adopt?

 

• How shall I dress?

 

• How will I use my visual aids

 

 

II- PREPARING YOUR PRESENTATION

 

1. A Four Stage Plan For Writing Your Presentation

 

1. Presentation Notes

 

1. Rehearsal

 

 

A- PREPARING A PRESENTATION -

              FOUR STAGE PLAN

 

a. Collect information

 

b. Select and organize the material

 

c. Illustrate your material

 

d. Write the introduction & Ending

 

• STAGE 1:

 

Do your research

Get ideas down on a paper (Mind Mapping)

 

• STAGE 2:

 

Arrange the main headings in priority order (Musts/ Shoulds/ Coulds )

Based on:

 

1. The Objective

 

1. The Audience needs

 

1. The Time available

 

 Organize your material under the appropriate headings

 

Example:

 

First point:

• Statement of fact (Musts)

      Supporting material (Shoulds /Coulds)

Second point:

 

• Statement of fact (Musts)

Supporting material (Shoulds /Coulds)

Third point:

 

• Statement of fact (Musts)

Supporting material (shoulds / Coulds)

 

STAGE 3:

 

• Use examples, anecdotes, statistics, figures, analogue to illustrate your material

 

• STAGE 4:

 

 WRITE INTRODUCTION & ENDING:

 

INTRODUCTION                             ENDING

 

Courtesy greeting                    Summarize the main headings/ key points

 Name /Company name         End with a strong and positive statement

Credentials  

Time                                           Introduce the next action or step

Objective                                   Thank the audience

Interest                                      Invite for questions

Timing

Rules for questions

 

 

B. WRITING YOUR PRESENTATION NOTES USING CARDS

 

• Write clearly, tidily and briefly

 

• Use CAPITAL letters; leave a space between the lines

 

• Use key words; except for the Opening and Closing sentences

 

• Use different colors to highlight key words

 

• Never let a thought continue from one page to the other

 

• Underline the words you want to emphasize

 

• Make marginal reminders to speak faster or slower, louder or softer

 

• Memorize your Opening and Conclusion so you focus your full attention on the audience

 

 

 

      C. REHEARSAL FOR FAMILIARIZATION

 

• Practice and time yourself

 

• Seek the aid of someone who will give you helpful feedback

 

• Try different illustrations and styles

 

• Become excited about the topic

 

• Memorize your notes

 

• Rehearse in front of a mirror in order to see your facial expressions and gestures

 

• If available, use a tape recorder or video

 

• Practice using your visual aids

 

• Practice inside the room where the presentation will take place

 

 

Q & A SESSION

 

          THE TECHNIQUE OF ANSWERING QUESTIONS

 

• Have a short interval after the presentation
• Expect silence before the first question
• If it continues, have a few controversial points up your sleeve answered
• Having answered the question, don’t go answering it
• Repeat the question so that the back rows know what is being answered
• If you don’t know the answer, NEVER, or any account, invent an answer
• When time is going fast, say: ”Just two more questions” then pick questions from all over the room if lots of hands are up

 

 

THE UNEXPECTED QUESTIONER

 

Remain firm, composed, keep cool and retain your sense of humor

 

 

 

VISUAL AIDS:

 

TYPES OF VISUAL AIDS:

 

• Blackboard

 

• Flipchart

 

• Overhead Projector

 

• 35 mm slides

 

• Charts and Posters

 

• Physical Objects

 

• PowerPoint

 

 

 

POWERPOINT

 

ADVANTAGES:

 

Allows creativity and innovation

 

Demonstrate ability to use technology

 

Laptop easy to transport

 

Can create more individual and professional image

 

 

 

   DISADVANTAGES:

 

        The equipment needed may not always be available

 

        The technology may break down or cause technical problems

 

        A technician is not always at reach for help

 

        Offers the temptation of “replacing”the lazy or nervous presenter

 

        Promotes over-use and abuse of visual aids

 

 

TIPS FOR USING POWERPOINT

 

• Incorporates pictures, graphics, sound bites and videos
• A projector called lightpro projects the laptop output onto the screen
• Complimentary lighting is needed for both the image and the presenter
• The screen should not dominate center of presentation
• Carefully consider the design of the visual, be selective, BIG and BOLD
• Visual aids should be used primarily for the benefit of the audience, not for the convenience of the presenter
• Don’t stand in front of the screen and obstruct audience’s view
• Stand next to the presentation screen so that the audience does not have to choose between you and the visual
• Don’t use too many visuals within the same slide

 

 

 

BENEFITS OF VISUAL AIDS

 

vThey increase understanding

 

• They save time

 

They enhance attention

 

• They promote attentiveness

 

• They help control nervousness

 

 

THE CHOICE OF THE VISUAL AIDS DEPENDS ON:

 

The information you wish to convey

 

The size of the audience

 

The physical environment (meeting room)

 

The equipment available to you

 

The time available to prepare visuals

 

The amount of money you can afford to spend

 

BODY LANGUAGE

 

• Posture

 

Gestures

 

• Body movement

 

• Facial expressions

 

• Eye contact

 

 

YOUR POSTURE

 

Stand straight but not rigid

 

• Relax your shoulders, don’t let them drop

 

Your head should be erect and your chin up

 

• Your arms hang naturally at your sides

 

 

YOUR GESTURES

   

• Respond NATURALLY to what you think, feel and say.

 

• Arm, movement should start from the shoulder never from the elbow

 

• The larger, the audience, the broader and slower the gestures should be

 

 

YOUR BODY MOVEMENT

 

• Never move without a reason

 

• Stepping forward during the speech suggests you are arriving at an important point

 

• Stepping backward indicates you’ve concluded an idea and you are willing to let the audience relax

 

 

 

                                   YOUR FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

 

• Avoid licking or biting the lips

 

• The key to conveying an attitude of friendliness is SMILING

 

 

YOUR EYE CONTACT

 

Know your material

 

• Your eyes should not follow any set course when they move from one person to the next.

 

• Pick one or two individuals in each section of the room and establish personal bond with them

 

• Use eye contact to assess the audience feedback

 

 

 

YOUR VOICE

 

Volume should be varied in order to avoid monotony

 

• High pitch should be avoided

 

• Tone should be pleasant, conveying friendliness

 

• You should have a good and clear pronunciation of words

 

Emphasize on key words

 

• Manage your breathing

 

 

THE GOLDEN RULES FOR AN EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION

 

I. First impression

 

1. Persuasiveness

 

1. Choice of words

 

I. FIRST IMPRESSION

 

1. Your Appearance

 

1. Interaction with the Audience

 

1. The First Minute of Presentation

 

II. MAKE IT PERSUASIVE

 

Facts

 

Emotions: Persuasiveness

 

• Credibility

 

 

III. CHOICE OF WORDS

 

• Avoid using: Hopefully, Perhaps, Okay, Probably, can’t, basically, Try, Think, All

 

• Use: I believe, I’m sure, I guarantee, I can, I will, we, us ….

 

• Avoid jargon and repetition