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Get Ready to Make Successful Presentations

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

•  Describe the elements of a successful presentation.

•  State the benefits of learning to make effective presentations.

•  State the key actions for ensuring that a presentation is successful.

•  Identify your goals for this course.

In today’s competitive business world, you need all the skills you can muster to get ahead. One important skill is the ability to make presentations that communicate what you know clearly and persuasively. A carefully prepared, well-delivered presentation can inform, convince, and excite people in a way that written documents and other forms of communication are unable to match.

This course provides practical strategies for making presentations that achieve results. In this chapter, you’ll begin by looking at reasons why some presentations fail to achieve their objectives and examining the elements of a successful presentation. You’ll examine the benefits of learning to make presentations and preview the key actions for making sure your presentations achieve specific objectives. Finally, you will identify your goals for this course.

ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATION

What makes one presentation successful and another a dismal failure? Is a good presentation one in which you get through all the information in the allotted time? When the audience laughs at the right moments? When no one gets up and leaves in the middle?

If you considered a particular presentation a success, it included several key elements. If you thought something was lacking, chances are that one or more of the following elements was missing or incomplete.

Matching Subject and Audience

No matter how good a sales pitch, it’s not very useful unless you have some interest in, or need for, the product or information. Similarly, although an audience might enjoy an entertaining presentation, it will be useful only if people have some interest in, or need for, the information.

When people leave a presentation thinking, “That was a waste of time!” it’s often because the presenter looked at the topic only from his or her point of view. Experienced presenters know that successful presentations begin with an evaluation of what their audience already knows, needs to know, and wants to know.

Organizing Information Effectively

If a poorly organized journal article is confusing and difficult to read, you can read it over and over again until you get the message. With a presentation, you only have one chance to “get it.” It’s the presenter’s job to organize the information so you can follow and understand the points as they are presented.

Successful presenters create an outline that follows logically from point to point. They include supporting statements or evidence for their main points so that listeners can easily follow the rationale for the main argument the speaker is trying to convey.

Choosing the Right Amount of Information

Presenters who overestimate what can reasonably be covered in the amount of presentation time they have often ruin their presentation by speeding up their delivery or skipping important points.

Successful presenters understand that an audience can take in only so much information. They carefully estimate how much information they can include without “overloading” the audience. They use practice sessions to check their timing and adjust the content as needed.

Starting and Ending on Time

There can be many reasons why a presentation fails to start on time. Two of the most common are that audience members arrive late or that equipment is not working properly. Presentations go into overtime when presenters try to cover too much information, allow discussions or question and answer sessions to ramble, or feel they need to make up for a late start.

But presenters have a responsibility to respect the audience’s need to adhere to a time schedule. Successful presenters know that it’s unfair to ask people to come on time just to sit around and wait, or to expect them to pay attention when the presentation runs too long.

Speaking to Be Heard and Understood

Imagine trying to watch a play in which the actors mumbled and stared at their feet. It would be difficult or impossible to follow. In the same way, an audience needs to be able to hear and understand a presenter’s words. If the presenter speaks indistinctly or too softly, talks to her notes, or faces the flip chart instead of the audience, the message may be lost completely.

Successful presenters practice their presentations aloud. They speak loudly enough to be heard and slowly enough so the audience can follow without falling asleep. They use a conversational tone. They pronounce words clearly and distinctly.

Choosing the Right Presentation Aids

Carefully prepared and carefully used presentation aids, such as overhead transparencies, computerized slides, handouts, and videos, can add interest and help the audience understand the points.

Too many presentation aids, visuals crammed with tiny type, or slides flashing by every 15 seconds are distracting and confusing. Experienced presenters make sure that each presentation aid serves a useful purpose. They keep presentation aids simple and clear. They make sure the audience knows where to look at any given time. They always have backup plans in case equipment malfunctions.

Communicating Confidently

Successful presenters establish rapport right away and maintain that rapport throughout the presentation. They project the sense of confidence that comes from careful planning and preparation. They know how to reduce and control the symptoms of anxiety and nervousness.

BENEFITS OF LEARNING TO GIVE SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATIONS

The good news is that anyone who is willing to devote the necessary time and attention can reap the benefits of learning to give successful presentations. That’s what Ricardo learned from his boss, LuAnn.

Everyone knows that Ricardo can be relied on to do the best job possible in any situation. That’s one reason LuAnn decided to promote him to the new position of department spokesperson. Ricardo was pleased with his promotion—until he discovered that he would have to make a monthly presentation to division heads. “No way,” he told LuAnn. “I’m no good at talking in front of people. I just can’t do it.”

LuAnn understood Ricardo’s concern. It wasn’t that long ago she’d had to overcome her own reluctance to give presentations. “But then,” she told Ricardo, “I thought about all the ways in which being able to give successful presentations would be helpful to me.” LuAnn told Ricardo that learning to make presentations helped her in these ways:

•  Increased ability to communicate ideas and information. The ability to communicate clearly in a wide range of situations is essential for almost any job. Presentations are the most effective and efficient methods for communicating certain kinds of information.

•  Increased opportunities for career advancement. Delivering successful presentations increases your visibility by helping people get to know you and what you can do. The hard work you put into learning presentation skills will help you achieve your career goals.

•  Increased self-confidence. Every new skill increases self-confidence, especially when learning the new skill means challenging yourself to overcome reluctance or fear.

KEY ACTIONS FOR MAKING SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATIONS

Ricardo considered LuAnn’s reasons for learning to make successful presentations. Finally, he said, “You’re right. This is something I have to learn to do. But I’m not sure where to begin. Knowing why I want to be able to deliver presentations is one thing—knowing how to make them is another.”

“No problem,” LuAnn said. “I’ll be glad to teach you what I know.”

LuAnn explained that an interesting, dynamic, informative presentation is the result of careful thinking, attention, and hard work. “A good presentation,” she said, “looks easy. The presenter is relaxed, the information seems to flow, all the parts fit together neatly. But that doesn’t just happen. In fact, the easier it looks, the more attention the presenter paid to the three key actions for making a successful presentation.”

LuAnn described the three key actions to Ricardo. They are the key actions you will learn in this course and described below.

Planning the Presentation

Careful planning improves your chances for success in most activities. For example, you’re more likely to achieve the goals of a project if you develop and follow an action plan. In the same way, it takes careful planning to ensure that your presentations meet the audience’s needs and achieve your objectives.

To plan a presentation, you need to follow these five steps:

•  Evaluate the audience.

•  Determine what you want to accomplish.

•  Select the best type of presentation for the audience and the situation.

•  Decide what information to include and organize it in the most effective way.

•  Identify information that can be explained, illustrated, clarified, or reinforced with the help of presentation aids.

It doesn’t matter how long your presentation is, or how complicated—even a five-minute talk needs careful planning.

Preparing for the Presentation

Once you have developed a presentation plan, you need to prepare for the presentation. You’ll expand your presentation outline into a set of notes—or, occasionally, a script—that includes an introduction, transitions, and a closing. You’ll design any activities you plan to use. You’ll prepare materials and presentation aids.

The preparation process also includes setting up or becoming familiar with the room in which you’ll deliver your presentation and deciding how to handle questions. Finally, you increase your chances of success by anticipating problems, taking steps to avoid and reduce them when possible, and creating backup plans.

When you’ve planned and prepared carefully, you can enter the presentation room relaxed and confident.

Delivering the Presentation

Last—but far from least—is the delivery itself. The planning and preparation you’ve done will give you an excellent foundation for delivering an interesting, dynamic presentation. Now you need to focus your attention on communicating clearly and making sure the presentation runs smoothly.

Effective delivery starts with effective practice. You need practice to learn the material and the sequence. During practice sessions you can check the timing and your delivery technique.

When you deliver the presentation, you want to be sure to speak clearly, control your tone, pace, and volume, and use effective body language. You’ll also use presentation aids so they enhance the presentation and manage the group to keep the presentation on track.

So WHY ARE You TAKING THIS COURSE?

We all have certain characteristics, skills, and abilities that make it easier to do certain things. Some of us are good at math, some can write poetry, and some can hit a home run. Some of us speak several languages and others can write computer programs. But even when we don’t do those things easily, we all have certain characteristics that make it possible for us to learn.

You might feel that you have characteristics that make you a “natural” presenter. Or you might feel that making presentations is especially difficult for you. Nevertheless, it’s useful to identify the characteristics you possess that can help you as a presenter, and then identify the skills and abilities you need to develop.

Now imagine that you have to give a presentation in two weeks. What would you like to learn that will improve your ability to give successful presentations? Use the checklist in Exhibit 1–1 to identify your goals for this course.

Experienced presenters know that certain key elements must be present for their presentations to achieve their objectives and meet their audience’s needs. For example, successful presentations provide information people need and expect, in a way that makes the information easy to follow and understand. The presentation starts and ends on time. The presenter communicates clearly and with confidence. This ability to communicate ideas and information clearly to groups can help you achieve your career goals and increase your overall sense of confidence. But successful presentations do not just happen; they require careful planning, sufficient preparation, and effective delivery methods. To learn to make successful presentations, the first step is to gain a good understanding of your strengths and identify the skills and abilities you need to improve.