Preparation of

Presentations

Reference : http://www.edls.com

Objectives
Purpose of presentations
Preparing an effective presentation customized for your
audience and setting
Deliver an effective presentation that produces action
Address questions and keep people focused during your
presentation
Jeetender Singh Kushawaha
9450935651
k.jitendrasingh@yahoo.com

The purpose of presentations

Presentations are a powerful way to communicate your message
to a group.
They are an opportunity to gather your audience together to
engage in a two-way dialogue.
Managers and Engineers use presentations to:
Persuade the audience to take a particular course of action

Convey something you want the audience to know

Tailor information to meet the needs of a particular audience

Provide a forum for discussion of controversial or

challenging ideas

Find out how people are reacting to a situation or an idea

Sell the Idea / Product

Engage people in generating solutions to problems

Different types of presentations

We rule the world by our words. Napoleon Bonaparte
There are many different types of presentations that meet specific needs. These are
some examples:
Sales: Outlines the benefits, features, and reasons to buy a product or service
Persuasion: Provides the reasons or support to pursue a particular idea or path
Status report: Details the progress of a project, a task force, or product sales
Product / Project demonstration: Shows how something works
Business plan or strategy: Sketches out what an organization plans to do next, or
articulates the company's goals
Sharing detailed information is not a good use of a presentation. Audiences will not
remember the detail. You can use a presentation to inform an audience about a
major change or initiative, but use written forms of communication for the detail.
Thus, your purpose drives the type of presentation you choose.
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Laying the Foundation for Your Presentation

Define your objective
Key Idea
The objective of your presentation is the outcome that you want
discussion, buy-in, feedback, persuasion, or a sale. It drives the
development of your presentation. Begin by asking yourself these
questions: "What is the purpose of this presentation?" and "What do I want
my audience to do as a result?"
More specifically:
Do I want to inform, persuade, or sell?
Do I want the audience to understand, learn, or take action? Note the
difference between presenting a budget so your audience understands it
and presenting a budget so your audience votes on it.
Do I want commitment from the audience?
Include examples and details that help you achieve your objective. Omit
anything extraneous, distracting, or interfering.
Your objective also helps you determine the following:
Whether to give the presentation at all
Whether to give it to this particular audience under these particular
circumstances
What to say and how to say it
What the follow-up needs to be
Possible objections
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Know your audience

A presentation is an interactive dialogue between you and your audience. The better you
understand your listeners, the more you can customize your presentation. Make sure that you
can answer these questions:
Is the subject controversial, familiar, or newor a combination to this audience?
Who are they and what is their relationship to your topic?
How well informed are they about the subject? What do they need to know about it?
What do they expect from the event? From your presentation?
Are they accustomed to a certain type of presentation?
What do they know about you? What more do they need to know? How do they feel about
you?
Why are they present? Are they there by choice or by requirement?
Are they likely to be enthusiastic? Polite? Apathetic? Hostile?
Are there any other obstacles, history, or expectations that you need to take into account?
Maximize the impact of your presentation by learning more about your audience. Make sure
you have answers to these vital questions.
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Understand your presentation's context

You are not presenting in a vacuum. The context of your presentation
plays a major role in how it will be received. You need to be aware of the
following issues:
Is the situation formal or informal?
When you present, will the audience have just finished eating, drinking,
working, or doing something active? Will they be tired or alert? When was
the last break?
Who will speak before you? Who comes after you? How might this affect
audience reaction?
Are you the first or last speaker of the program? The day? The morning or
afternoon?
Are you expected to take questions or leave copies of your presentation?
How much time do you have for the presentation? Can your message be
delivered in that time?
Will the physical setting of the presentation require you to adapt your
talk?
What control do you have over the physical environment?
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Prepare thoroughly
Detailed preparation and research are
fundamental to giving a successful speech.
It is crucial to take the time to research the
audience, the event's other speakers and
the context of the event beforehand, or the
lack of preparation could prove costly upon
arrival.

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Deciding What to Say 1

Stages of preparation
Many of us have experienced the paralysis of knowing what we want to
accomplish, but having trouble putting down the actual words and ideas.
Usually, the easiest way to proceed is to divide the work into stages.
Stage 1: Define your key message. What do you want people to remember
and what action you want them to take? This message flows directly from your
objective. You can have a number of supporting arguments, ideas, and facts,
but only one key message.
Stage 2: Next, identify the arguments that support your message. Avoid
excessive detail but be sure to talk about more than just the facts. It is
important to identify and address the emotional underpinnings of your
message. Why should the audience care about it?
Stage 3: Finally, identify when it is important to get audience participation,
reactions, agreement, or buy-in.
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Deciding What to Say 2

Review and refine your ideas
After you have generated your initial set of ideas on content, you are ready
to review and refine them. Consider the following:
Is the key message you have selected really the most critical? Does it
support the objectives of the presentation?
Are the arguments you have marshaled understandable to all levels of
your audience?
Will your content convince the audience to agree with you?
What arguments need to be developed?
What contrary arguments do you need to neutralize?
Then, ask yourself what else you can do or say that may help to persuade
your audience. Effective persuaders use arguments that combine logic
and emotion to convince their audience. Your persuasiveness is largely a
product of your enthusiasm, credibility, and personal belief in the subject.
Remember: Include only those details that will persuade. If you are not
sure about the impact of a point, leave it out.
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Deciding What to Say 3

Keep it simple
Simplicity in communication is key
especially in large organizations. Be
aware that people can interpret the
same words differently, so keep
communication concise to avoid the
potential for misunderstanding.

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Organizing Your Presentation 1

Opening
Once you have the raw material for your presentation, you need to organize it. A
well-organized presentation will make the audience's listening job as easy as
possible, boosting the likelihood that you will accomplish your objective.
During the opening, use a "hook"a comment, question, relevant story,
statement, or exampleto get your audience's interest and attention.
You also use the opening to do the following:
Define the purpose of the presentation.
Establish your credibility. Ask yourself "Which of my credentials will impress this
particular audience?" and emphasize those. Or, if appropriate, have another
person with authority or credibility introduce your presentation.
Describe the importance of the topic for the audience: What's in it for them?
Preview very briefly the main points to be covered.
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Organizing Your Presentation 2

Hook your audience
A good opening can captivate your
audience from the very beginning.

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Organizing Your Presentation 3

Problem statement
The second part of your presentation is the need or problem
statement. Here you should:
Make it clear to the audience why it should care about your
message
Develop a clear need or problem that you and the audience will
solve together
Incorporate relevant arguments, examples, and a variety of
supporting material to sustain interest without distracting from
the point
Involve the audience by asking for their suggestions and
addressing their needs and issues
Test acceptance by asking for feedback, if appropriate
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Organizing Your Presentation 4

Solution
The third part of your presentation, the solution, makes it
clear to the audience how you think the problem should be
solved or the need satisfied. Here you will:
Help the audience visualize the benefits of the solution
Involve the audience in developing a path forward
Phrase your solution in terms of the audience's needs
Make sure the urgency of your solution matches the need
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Organizing Your Presentation 5

Call to action
One of the most powerful ways to
end your presentation is with a call
to action.
Learn how to structure a closing that
is solid and persuasive.

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Organizing Your Presentation 6

Duration
How long should a presentation be? Often, you have to fit your presentation
into a timetable developed by others.
For example, you may be granted 30 minutes to deliver a sales presentation
to a buyer. In other instances, you are in control of the timing, and you can
determine the optimal length for your presentation.
The following guidelines are helpful in both situations:
Make the presentation as long as it needs to be to convey your key message
clearly and completely.
Make it only long enough to be clear and complete within the allocated time.
It is better to make fewer points and make them well. Five, plus or minus two,
is the limit of most adults for recalling important messages.
If you do not have time to make a point clear or acceptable to your audience,
save it for another presentation.
Ending early is better than not completing the talk or rushing through the talk
at the end.
Plan on what to delete if your time is cut short.
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Allow
time at the end for questions as a basic courtesy.

Organizing Your Presentation 7

The power of visuals
Everyone has a preferred learning style, but most people respond
better to visuals than to the spoken word alone. Consider the
following research findings:
People gain 75% of what they know visually, 13% through hearing,
and 12% through smell.
A picture is three times more effective in conveying information than
words alone.
Words and pictures together are six times more effective than words
alone.
Use visual aids to help your audience:
Maintain attention
Remember facts
Understand ideas, relationships, or physical layouts
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Recognize
that you are moving on to a new topic

Using Visuals 1
You have many choices for your
visuals, including overheads,
computer-based slides, flip charts,
and handouts.
When selecting from among these
media, you need to consider
flexibility, cost, and appropriateness
for your presentation.
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Using Visuals 2
Effective visuals
Not all visuals enhance a presentation. To be effective,
visuals should:
Be simple
Use graphics, icons, and symbols to reinforce or
communicate a concept
Use key words, not full sentences
Contain only one concept per slide or page
Contain only three to six ideas on each flip chart sheet
Use color where possible, but not excessively

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Using Visuals 3
Create an effective visual
An effective visual aid can be the key
to your presentation's success. See if
you know the characteristics of an
effective visual.

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Rehearsing 1
Rehearsing is the key to delivering a
successful presentation

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Rehearsing 2
Prepare mentally and physically
Delivering an effective presentation requires mental and physical
preparation. For example:
Visualize yourself giving a successful presentation. Repeat
positive statements to yourself, such as "I am relaxed and ready."
Use breathing techniques and tension-relieving exercises to
reduce stress.
Ask yourself, "What's the worst that can happen?" and then be
prepared for that possibility.
Accept nervousness as natural and do not try to counteract it with
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food,

Rehearsing 3

Overcome your fear of presenting

Even professional speakers get nervous. The key
to successful presenting is how you handle the
fear. Consider the following tactics to help you
overcome your fears:
Rehearse your presentation and know it well.
Get to know audience members individually, by
telephone before the presentation, or in person as
they come into the room.
Anticipate the questions and objections that are
most likely to arise.
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Prepare
physically and mentally.

Presenting Effectively 1
Manage your delivery
Once you're actually in the room with your audienceyou've prepared your
messages, your materials, and yourselfyou can focus on delivering the most
engaging presentation possible. You will achieve your best performance if you
speak effectively, project a positive image, and keep your audience engaged.
The following are some basic suggestions for effective speaking practice:
Make your presentation conversational.
Do not talk from a script. Talk from your notes only if you have to.
Avoid the use of jargon or terms that may be unfamiliar to the audience.
Face your audience and make eye contact. Avoid standing behind a podium, if
you can help it.
Walk around your audience or use movement when you want control, more
involvement, or to become one of the group.
Watch the audience for nonverbal clues about their response.
Gesture in a relaxed, natural way and do not jingle keys or coins in your pockets.
Breathe. It helps you relax and reduces filler language such as "um" and "er."
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Presenting Effectively 2
Choose words carefully
The
more
powerful
a
leader
becomes, the more people will hang
on
their
every
word.
As
a
consequence, leaders should be
careful about what they say to avoid
confusion and potential problems.
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Presenting Effectively 3
Use your voice
To use your voice to its best advantage, consider the following:
Keep the tone of your voice natural and conversational.
Speak loudly enough for everyone to hear if you do not have a
microphone. Check the acoustics when you rehearse.
Use a microphone for a large group or a large space, and
practice beforehand to find a comfortable speaking volume.
Avoid rapid-fire or drawn-out speech. Practice with a tape
recorder or a colleague to get feedback.
Be expressive. Don't speak in a monotone. Raise and lower
your voice to make your point.
Enunciate and pronounce words clearly.
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Presenting Effectively 4
Project a positive image
Your confidence in and commitment to your message
are reflected by your demeanor and body language. To
optimize your effectiveness, make sure to do the
following:
Project confidence through your dress and presence.
Make sure your facial expressions convey interest in
the audience. If you are too nervous to look at the
entire audience, focus on individuals instead.
Make and maintain eye contact with audience
members.
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Presenting Effectively 4
Keep the audience engaged
Most speakers confront one or several difficult audience members: the tuned out,
the overloaded, or people so busy that they are forever thinking about other
pressing issues. People in these groups will not likely hear what you have to say
unless you take measures to grab their attention, and hold onto it.
To keep your audience's interest level high:
Change what you're doing (e.g., make a sudden pause or change your vocal tone)
Ask for a show of hands
Add humor
Provide analogies and vivid examples
Introduce personal stories
Employ compelling statistics and expert testimony
Use visuals, such as illustrations, charts, and graphs, to good effect
Ask a question
Questions taken from the audience can both engage the listeners and provide you
with opportunities to furnish greater detail in areas that matter to your audience.
However,
it is important that you be well prepared for the questions you28will
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receive.

Presenting Effectively 5
Evaluate a presentation
Watching someone else present can
give you a vivid appreciation of
which behaviors are effective and
which are ineffective.

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Handling Questions 1
Anticipate questions
Some people feel that if there are no questions, the
presentation is a success.
However, if your listeners are engaged and are
working with you, they most likely will have questions
for you.
Anticipate questions by focusing on your listeners'
concerns and how your presentation might strike
them.
Rehearse your talk with someone else and ask for his
or her questions.
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Handling Questions 2
When should you answer questions?
Many speakers take questions at the end of their presentation. This
allows them to complete a talk within a specified time and be sure the
audience has the whole picture. If you choose this approach:
Make the transition to your question and answer (Q&A) session clear.
Maintain control of the Q&A session by repeating the question and
giving the answer to the whole group, not only to the questioner.
Some speakers also take questions during the presentation, thinking
that it keeps people engaged and gives you immediately feedback
about how well they understand your message. Use this approach with
caution since it may cause you to lose control of your talk.
Finally, other speakers take questions at specific points during the
presentation. Such times might include when you want people's
reactions or when you want their ideas. However, if you choose this
approach, be sure to identify these points ahead of time and flag them
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your presentation so you do not forget to stop for questions.

Handling Questions 3
How should you handle questions?
Many times, the success of your
entire presentation will be judged on
how well you handle the question
and answer session.

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Making Group
Presentations 1
Assign presenters

Often, you would like other people to contribute to your

presentation. You may be presenting the results of a group effort, or
you may feel that their presence and experience will help you
achieve your objective.
You should allocate speakers either by their areas of expertise with
the topic or by their presentation strengths and weaknesses.
For example, people with strong presentation skills are the best
candidates for opening and closing the talk, where persuasiveness
counts most. They can also be most effective during difficult time
slots such as before and after lunch and at the end of the day.
If possible, arrange for a group rehearsal prior to the presentation so
that each person is aware of what others are presenting.

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Making Group
Presentations 2

Structure the flow

A typical group presentation flows as follows:
The first speaker introduces the other speakers
briefly and introduces the topic.
Each subsequent speaker provides a transition to the
next one with a sentence: "Now Mr. Sharma will cover
. . ."
The last speaker summarizes the whole presentation.
You should also plan in advance how the group will
handle questions. Each speaker should be prepared
to answer questions in a particular area and to follow
up if another speaker needs help. If possible, avoid
having every speaker comment on every question.34
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Making Group
Presentations 3
Coordinate visuals

Visuals can pose logistical challenges for a group

presentation. Extra planning can ensure that your visuals
enhance your message rather than distract your audience. To
make the most seamless presentation possible:
Have someone other than the speaker handle the visuals
during the presentation, unless the speaker prefers to do so.
Practice to achieve synchronization if someone else is
handling the visuals.
Make sure that all slides or overheads follow the same
format.
If speakers are using different media, coordinate how you will
make
the transition smoothly.
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Evaluating Your
Presentation 1
Before the presentation
Evaluating your presentation is an important part of
understanding its impact.
Before the presentation, practice your presentation
on test audiences and get their feedback.
Assemble people who are similar to your audience
profile.
For example, if you are presenting to experts on the
topic, ask an expert.
Test as many features of your presentation as you
can: the visuals, logic, etc.
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Evaluating Your
Presentation
2
During the presentation
During the presentation, look for cues that will help you gauge
audience reaction. Body language can indicate interest or
boredom: Are listeners nodding their heads in agreement or
sitting with their arms crossed? The questions they ask can
help you identify areas of your presentation that need
clarification.
If possible, have another person in the audience take notes on
audience reaction for you. You can make notes on those issues
immediately after the presentation while it is still fresh in your
mind. In many situations it is appropriate to directly ask the
audience how it's going. For example, "Does this make sense
so far?"
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Evaluating Your
Presentation 3
After the presentation
After the presentation, assess its overall effectiveness. Ask for
feedback from credible participants. Note what went well and
what needs to be improved. Ask yourself:
Was your objective achieved? Did you make the sale? Persuade
the audience to adopt your recommendation?
Did the audience seem engaged and attentive?
If you're going to give the presentation again, what changes can
you make to improve it?
What general lessons did you learn about presenting?
Creating and delivering a presentation is a process that, like any
other process, can be improved. Once you identify the root
causes of below-standard performance, you can address them
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directly.

Practice

Practice makes a perfect-

man

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Questions ?
Let us begin now.

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Thank you
For Your Patience

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