Some hints for a successful presentation

Types of presentations:

■ press conference: two chief executives tell journalists why their companies have merged.

■ briefing: a senior officer gives information to other officers about a police operation they are about to undertake.

■ demonstration: the head of research and development tells non-technical colleagues about a new machine.
■ product launch: a car company announces a new model.

■ lecture: a university professor communicates information about economics to 300 students.

■ talk: a member of a stamp-collecting club tells other members about 19th century British stamps.

■ seminar: a financial adviser gives advice about investments to eight people.

■ workshop: a yoga expert tells people how to improve their breathing techniques and gets them to practise.

PREPARATION

Planning Plan your presentation carefully. Thorough preparation will make you more confident and help you to overcome your nervousness.

Structure Plan the content and structure, but don't write the complete text of the presentation. It could sound monotonous and boring if you speak from complete, prepared text. Write notes on sheets of paper, not on cards. If you drop the cards on the floor, you’re in trouble.

Content Brainstorm your ideas first. Then decide which are most relevant and appropriate to your audience and to your objectives and carry out any research that is necessary. Be selective! Don't try to cram too much into your presentation.

Objectives Think about what you want to achieve. Are you aiming to inform, persuade, train or entertain your audience?

Audience Find out about the audience: how many people there will be, who they are, why they will be there, and how much they know about the subject. What do they need to know? What will they expect in terms of content and approach?

Approach A good rule of thumb is to 'tell your audience what you're going to say, say it, then tell the audience what you've said. Try to develop your key points in an interesting and varied way, drawing on relevant examples, figures etc. for support as appropriate. You might also like to include one or two anecdotes for additional variety and humour.

Organisation Think about how you will organise your content. Your presentation should have a clear, coherent structure and cover the points you wish to make in a logical order. Most presentations start with a brief introduction and end with a brief conclusion. Use the introduction to welcome your audience, introduce yourself, your topic/subject, outline the structure of your talk (describe the different sections of your talk, it will help your audience follow the logic of what you going to say), and provide guidelines on questions. Say whether people should ask questions during the talk, or at the end. It will help you to keep control, and avoid people interrupting if you don’t want them to. Use the conclusion to summarise the main points of your presentation, thank the audience for their attention, and invite questions.

Visual aids If you have a lot of complex information to explain, think about using some charts, diagrams, graphs etc., on an overhead projector or flipchart. Visual aids can make a presentation more interesting and easier to understand, they add visual interest, provide you with support and help the audience follow you. But make sure they are appropriate and clear - don't try to put too much information on each one.

Rehearsal Rehearse your presentation (practise it so that it becomes very familiar) with friends or colleagues.

Try to memorize the first five sentences of your talk. It will make you feel more at ease at the beginning, when you may be nervous. Allow time to practise your presentation - this will give you a chance to identify any weak points or gaps. You will also be able to check the timing, and make sure you can pronounce any figures and proper names correctly and confidently.

Venue and facilities Find out about the venue and the facilities: the room, the seating plan, the equipment, etc.

DELIVERY

Timing

- Start on time. Don't wait for latecomers.

- Plan how long you're going to spend on each point and keep to these timings.

- Don't labour a particular point (spend too long on something).

- Don't digress (talk about things that have nothing to do with the subject), unless you have a particular purpose in mind.

- Finish on time. Don't run over. It looks bad if you don't have time to finish all your points and answer questions.

Nerves! You will probably be nervous at the beginning of your presentation. Don't worry -most people are nervous in this situation. Try not to speak too fast during the first couple of minutes - this is the time you establish your rapport with the audience and first impressions are very important. You may find it helpful to memorise your introduction.

Audience rapport Try to be enthusiastic - your interest in the subject matter will carry your audience along. Look around your audience as you speak - eye contact is essential for maintaining a good rapport. You will also be able to pick up signals of boredom or disinterest, in which case you can cut your presentation short.

Experts say that you can gain the audience's attention in a presentation by:

- telling an anecdote (a stop, perhaps a personal one).

- mentioning a really surprising fact or statistic.

- starting a problem.

- asking a question.

Of course, it is important to respect the cultural expectations of your audience.

Body language Stand rather than sit when you are delivering your presentation and try to be aware of any repetitive hand gestures or awkward mannerisms that might irritate your audience

- Make eye contact: look at each person in the audience for about a second, before moving
on to the next person. Don't concentrate on just one or two people.

- Don't speak to the equipment or the screen: face the audience at all times.

- Smiling is fine at appropriate moments. But don’t overdo it. It can seem insincere.

- Use gesture (hand movements) to emphasize key points. Keep them under control. Remember, for example, that pointing with your finger is rude in some cultures.

- Stay more or less in one place: don't move around too much.

- Avoid mannerisms (ways of moving and speaking which you do repeatedly without realizing). Some of them, for example putting your hands in your pockets or running your fingers through your hair, really upset some people.

Visual aids Use your visual aids confidently, making sure you allow your audience time to absorb information from flipcharts and transparencies. Don’t let visual aids dominate the presentation. People have come to see you, not the equipment.

- Do not use continuous text on transparencies.

- Do not use a flipchart in a large room because people at the back won't be able to see it.

- Don't look at overhead projector or the screen behind you: face the audience at all rimes.

- Have a backup plan if the equipment fails to work.

- Make sure there will be enough of handouts for everyone and make sure that they reach everyone in the room as some people tend to keep them without handing them on.

Voice quality You must be clearly audible at all times. Project your voice to the back of the room, but don't shout. Don't ask if people at the back can hear. Check the volume (loudness) of your voice beforehand.

- Use a microphone if you need one. Don't hold it too close to your mouth.

- Whether using a microphone or not, speak in a natural tone of voice. Don't speak in a monotone (on the same level all the time). If you vary your intonation, your voice will be more interesting to listen to and you will be able to make your points more effectively.

Audience reaction Be ready to deal with any hostile questions. Polite, diplomatic answers are a good disarming tactic, but if you should find yourself 'under fire', suggest that the audience keeps any further questions until the end of the presentation and continue with your next point.

LANGUAGE

Simplicity Use short words and sentences that you are comfortable with. There is no benefit in using difficult language.

Clarity Active verbs and concrete words are much clearer and easier to understand than passive verbs and abstract concepts. Avoid jargon unless you are sure all your audience will understand it.

Signaling Indicate when you've completed one point or section in your presentation and are moving on to the next. Give your audience clear signals.

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