Ch-17

suals, tl amples signed

Making Oral Presentations

j

the pres profess· ers? Pro

he key to a successful oral presentation

is to keep things simple.

I try to stick to three points. I give an overview present them to the audience, and summarize My purpose

them at the end.

and the audience mix determine

focus of the presentation, als,the number

of the points,

of anecdotes,

the tone and

the kind of vi-

and the jokes or ex-

pies that I use. Most of my presentations

"My

are de-

purpose and the audience mix determine

the tone and focus of the presentation. ~ ~

gnedto sell, to explain, or to motivate. When I plan epresentation, I think about the audience. Are they IOfessionalsor nonprofessionals?

Purchasers or sell-

? Providers or users? Internal or external? WhenI make a presentation,

I use the visuals as the outline. I will not use

tes.I like to select the kind of visual that not only best supports the message 1 also best fits the audience

'erheadtransparencies,

and the physical location. Power Point, slides,

and flip charts are the four main kinds of visuals I use.

PowerPoint and slide presentations If

work well when I am selling a product

anidea to large groups (15 people or more). In this format, I like to use expies and graphs and tables to support my message in a general way. Insmall presentations,

including one-on-ones and presentations

udienceis part of the actual process, I like transparencies

where the

or flip charts. They

low me to be closer to the audience and to be-more informal. Iget very, very nervous when I speak in public. I handle my nervousness by usltrying to look as if, instead of talking to so many people, I'm walking in and . g to a single person. I don't like to speak behindJecterns.

Instead, I like to

~Ioutand just be open and portray that openness: ''I'm here to tell you a story./I Itry not to lecture but to use anecdotes, and I think that people find them teresting and relate better to them. For example, our multispecialty t€nlersdiffer according

to the demographics

medical

of the area. In Hispanic areas,

amination rooms need to be bigger because as Hispanics we bring the con~plof the extended family right into the examination

room. But if we're go-

g 10 build a center in an Anglo area, exam rooms will be smaller. Itry very hard for people to enjoy my presentations

by showing enthusi-

om on the subject and by being sincere. In addition, it helps that I am speakgabout something

that I very strongly believe in and something

y, really enjoy doing.

Luis Lamela makes presentations to a variety of internal and external audiences including medical professionals, providers, clients. CAC Medical Centers, headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida, is a comprehensive medical delivery network comprised of 28 single- and multispecialty medical centers in south Florida. It is a federally qualified health maintenance organization (HMO). Its parent company is United HealthCare Corporation, a national leader in health care management.

that I re-

Make Your Message Memorable* At a beverage conference in Spain, Nick Rosa, then president of The NutraSweet Company, began, "Every time I practice soccer with my sons, aged seven and eight, I am reminded of the generation game, When I consider my area of expertise, my boys represent this new generation perfect~y' First, they're young, Second, they're thirsty, Third, they have grown up with diet drinks in the fridge," Then Nick launched into his speech, Six months later he met a conference delegate who greeted him by saying, "How's it going? I haven't seen you since that great speech where you talked about your kids," By adding a personal touch, Nick helped make his speech memorable, *Quoted from Elizabeth Urech, Speaking Globally: Effective Presentations Across International and Cultural Barriers (Dover, NH: Kogan Page, 1998),31,

he power to persuade people to care about something youbeliel in is crucial to business success. Making a good oral presentation more than just good delivery: it also involves developing a strat that fits your audience and purpose, having good content, and ganizing material effectively. The choices you make in eachofth areas are affected by your purposes, the audience, and the situation.

T

Oral presentations have the same three basic purposes that written documen have: to inform, to persuade, and to build goodwill. Like written messag most oral presentations have more than one purpose. Informative presentations inform or teach the audience. Training sessio in an organization are primarily informative. Secondary purposes maybe persuade new employees to follow organizational procedures, rather thand ing something their own way, and to help them appreciate the organizatio culture (zz p. 62). Persuasive presentations motivate the audience to act or to believe.Gi\' information and evidence is an important means of persuasion. In additi the speaker must build goodwill by appearing to be credible and sympath to the audience's needs. The goal in many presentations is a favorable rate decision. For example, speakers making business presentations may trytoper suade the audience to approve their proposals, to adopt their ideas, or tobu their products. Sometimes the goal is to change behavior or attitudes ortoreinforce existing attitudes. For example, a speaker at a meeting of factoryll'or ers may stress the importance of following safety procedures. A speakera church meeting may talk about the problem of homelessness in the commuru and try to build support for community shelters for the homeless. Goodwill presentations entertain and validate the audience. In an aft dinner speech, the audience wants to be entertained. Presentations at meetings may be designed to stroke the audience's egos and to validateth commitment to organizational goals. Make your purpose as specific as possible. Weak:

The purpose of my presentation is to discuss saving for retirement.

Better:

The purpose of my presentation is to persuade my audience to put their 401KfundsIn s and bonds, not in money market accounts and CDs,

or:

The purpose of my presentation is to explain how to calculate how much moneysomec needs to save in order to maintain a specific lifestyle after retirement.

Note that the purpose is not the introduction guides your choice of strategy and content.

of your talk; it is the principle

Giving a presentation is in many ways very similar to writing a message, of the chapters up to this point-on using you-attitude and positive emph developing reader benefits, analyzing your audience, designing slides,0\ coming objections, doing research, and analyzing data-remain relerant you plan an oral presentation. A written message makes it easier to • Present extensive or complex financial data. • Present many specific details of a law, policy, or procedure. • Minimize undesirable emotions.

Oralmessages make it easier to Useemotion to help persuade the audience. focusthe audience's attention on specific points. \nswerquestions, resolve conflicts, and build consensus. ~lodifya proposal that may not be acceptable in its original form. Getimmediate action or response. Oraland written messages have many similarities. In both, you should \dapt the message to the specific audience. ihowthe audience how they would benefit from the idea, policy, service, orproduct. Overcomeany objections the audience may have. Useyau-attitude and positive emphasis. Usevisuals to clarify or emphasize material. pecifyexactly what the audience should do.

In an afterons at sales alidate their

lessage. All ~emphasis, lides, overrelevant as

strategyis your plan for reaching your specific goals with a specific audience. malloral presentations, simplify what you want to say. Identify the one idea III want the audience to take home. Simplify your supporting detail so it's 'y ta follow. Simplify visuals so they can be taken in at a glance. Simplify urwords and sentences so they're easy to understand. Anaral presentation needs to be simpler than a written message to the same ~dience. If readers forget a point, they can turn back to it and reread the paralaph.Headings, paragraph indentation, and punctuation provide visual cues helpreaders understand the message. Listeners, in contrast, must remember hatthe speaker says. Whatever they don't remember is lost. Even asking quesinsrequires the audience to remember which points they don't understand. Analyzeyour audience for an oral presentation just as you do for a written essage.If you'll be speaking to co-workers, talk to them about your topic or IOposal to find out what questions or objections they have. For audiences indethe organization, the biggest questions are often practical ones: Will it ork? How much will it cost? How long will it take?l Thinkabout the physical conditions in which you'll be speaking. Will the aueneebe tired at the end of a long day of listening? Sleepy after a big meal? illthegroup be large or small? The more you know about your audience, the tteryou can adapt your message to them. Forexample, Matt Hession knew that his audience of pharmacists didn't antta talk to salespeople. So he devised a one-minute presentation which he 'ersas entertainment-and as a challenge. Figure 17.1 gives his script. He 'esoffhis watch to drive home the point that he really will take only a minute thepharmacist's time. He starts off with reader benefits (:cc p. 72) and uses ~'ehalogicaldescription (:cc p. 233) so that the pharmacists can see themIl'esenjoying those benefits. Because the commission structure is complited,that goes in a handout rather than in the presentation itself. When he calls nextweek, he says, "This is Matt. I did the one-minute presentation .... They I'aysremember me." And 90% of them eventually sign contracts.

~ooseone of three basic kinds of presentations: n,ar interactive.

monologue,

guided discus-

What CEOs Learn about Presentations* Executives preparing to take their companies public make scores of presentations in dozens of towns over a few short weeks. The purpose of this "road show" is to introduce the company to investment professionals-persuading them to buy, or at least to chart, the stock. To prepare for these crucial presentations, many CEOs take lessons. Four days of intensive training from one expert costs $20,000. Here are some of the lessons three CEOs learned: • Trip Hawkins, CEOof The 300 Co. 'I had to suppress my 'ums' and 'ahs'-people don't know how many times they use those in conversation. And I have a tendency to look around too much-my eyes were zigging and zagging around the room. ' • Scott Cook, Chairman of Intuit 'If I got negative questions, I'd get defensive and put a chill on things .... He taught me that when somebody asks a negative question, restate it positively, answer it positively. , • Timothy Koogle, CEO of Yahoo! 'He had me ... loosen up. Get rid of the podium death grip .... Connect with the audience physically, with my eyes Encourage them to drink in a really important slide by having a big pause in my speech. ' 'Quotations quoted from Quentin Hardy, "Meet Jerry Weisman, Acting Coach to CEOs," The Wall Street Journat, April 21, 1998, B1.

*"When I walk into a store, I spot the clerk closest to the pharmacist. Because the pharmacist is behind the counter, I can't get to him directly. So I speak loudly, and I know he is overhearing what's going on. If I walk in looking like a salesman, the pharmacist immediately thinks, 'I don't want to buy anything or talk to you.' I nullifiJ that feeling right off the bat. The pharmacist thinks, 'He's entertainment. It's only a minute, and it doesn't cost anything.' I'm not threatening anymore. Customers smile; they want to hear what I have to say. I take off my watch to show that I'm serious. "

My name is Matt Hession with Key Medical. I know the pharmacist is real busy. But when he has a moment, I have a one-minute presentation. (Start to take off watch.) And he can leave his wallet in his pocket. *"As I walk behind the counter, I try to assess how promising a partner this would be. How busy is the place? Is it handling any medical equipment-like walkers-already? Is the back of the store neat, clean, and well organized? I'm also thinking of anything I can quickly add to personalize the presentation. For example, if there is a pediatrician next door, I'll point out that we handle nebulizers-small machines used by kids with asthma--and that we can get same-day approval on Medicaid. I hold up my watch again to emphasize that I'm serious about this taking only one minute."

(The clerk acknowledges and relays the request. But the pharmacist has overheard the conversation. "I'llbe with you in a bit," he says. A couple of minutes later, he motions for me to step behind the counter. As we shake hands, I introduce myself again and hold up the watch.) *"I am telling the pharmacists that this is something the chains do not have. This strikes an ill/mediate note. Independent pharmacists, who are usually also the store owners, complain that chains like Wal-Mart have certain advantages. Now, they think, they will have an edge. They have two questions: How much time will it take? How l1/uch will it cost me? I answer those right up front."

We're in the home-medical-equipment business. Our company has developed a program just for independently owned community drugstores. Our program costs you nothing and takes up very little of your time. Here's how it works: a customer walks into your store and sees one of the signs that we provide to you, indicating that you can get customers any type of home-medical equipment. The customer inquires about a home oxygen system that her father needs. You answer, "Let me get our equipment partner on the phone for you." You dial our 800 number and tell us who you are, the name of your store, and its location. Then you give us your customer's name and her question. We either talk to the customer right there or call her at home-your choice. We see if we can answer her questions and help to meet her needs. If it results in a sale or rental, we deliver the equipment, and we teach the customer how to use it. We do the insurance filing or billing. We service the equipment. The whole nine yards. Your job is to educate your customers that they can obtain homemedical equipment through you. *"It would take longer than a minl/te, obviously, to explain the commission structure. There are three different scenarios--a sale, a rental, or a lease-to-own option--and I can't cover those in under two minutes. And with customers in earshot, we don't have privacy, anyway. But I will give answers on two questions the pharmacists often ask: Where is your home office, and how do you deliver these things? The details are very clearly spelled out in the material I give them."

Here's a copy of our partnership agreement. It spells out your commission structure as well as other important concerns.

When diet, or

In a monologue presentation, the speaker speaks without interruption; estionsare held until the end of the presentation, where the speaker funcnsas an expert. The speaker plans the presentation in advance and delivers withoutdeviation. This kind of presentation is the most common in class sitlions,but it's often boring for the audience. Good delivery skills are crucial, eethe audience is comparatively uninvolved. LindaDriskill suggests that guided discussions offer a better way to present aterialand help an audience find a solution it can "buy into." In a guided dissian,the speaker presents the questions or issues that both speaker and aueneehave agreed on in advance. Rather than functioning as an expert with 1theanswers, the speaker serves as a facilitator to help the audience tap its 1\In knowledge. This kind of presentation is excellent for presenting the reultsof consulting projects, when the speaker has specialized knowledge, but eaudience must implement the solution if it is to succeed. Guided discus:ons need more time than monologue presentations, but produce more audieeresponse, more responses involving analysis, and more commitment to result.2 Aninteractive presentation is a conversation, even if the speaker stands up frontof a group and uses charts and overheads. Most sales presentations are teractivepresentations. The sales representative uses questions to determine ebuyer's needs, probe objections, and gain provisional and then final com:litmentto the purchase. Even in a memorized sales presentation, the buyer 'illtalk at least 30% of the time. In a problem-solving sales presentation, top lespeople let the buyer do 70% of the talking up until the action close :a p. 286).3

easurethe message you'd like to send against where your audience is now. youraudience is indifferent, skeptical, or hostile, focus on the part of your essagethe audience will find most interesting and easiest to accept. Don'tseek a major opinion change in a single oral presentation. If the audimee has already decided to hire an advertising agency, then a good presentaoneanconvince them that your agency is the one to hire. But if you're talking asmall business that has always done its own ads, limit your purpose. You ay beable to prove that an agency can earn its fees by doing things the owner 't do and by freeing the owner's time for other activities. A second presenlionmay be needed to prove that an ad agency can do a better job than the allbusiness could do on its own. Only after the audience is receptive should outry to persuade the audience to hire your agency rather than a competitor. Makeyour ideas relevant to your audience by linking what you have to say theirexperiences and interests. Showing your audience that the topic affects emdirectly is the most effective strategy. When you can't do that, at least link etopicto some everyday experience.

Whenwas the last time you were hungry? Maybe you remember being hungry while you were on a diet, or maybe you had to work late at a lab and didn't get back to the dorm in time for dinner.

nning a Strong Opening and Close hebeginning and end of a presentation, like the beginning and end of a writdocument, are positions of emphasis. Use those key positions to interest the dienceand emphasize your key point. You'll sound more natural and more

Adapting the Presentation to the Audience* When Jerry Stackhouse turned pro, many companies made presentations designed to sign him to represent their products. Fila won, in part because of a presentation and visuals specifically adapted to Mr. Stackhouse, During his initial presentation to Mr, Stackhouse, Fila executive Howe Burch placed a poster directly across from where Mr. Stackhouse was sitting, It listed the names of 18 NBA Nike endorsers in fuzzy, hardto-read type. But there was no mistaking the slogan printed in big letters: "Looks like the Swoosh [Nike's logo] is becoming a blur. At Fila, Stackhouse will be a Standout." Mr, Burch also brought along a prototype of the Stackhouse shoe, a model that was ready to go into production but just needed a name. At a second meeting, Mr. Burch arrived carrying a paper bag that he placed on a side table. Mr. Stackhouse asked, "Is that my shoe in the bag?" Fila knew right then that it had Mr, Stackhouse in the bag, too, 'Paragraphs 2-4 quoted from Roger Thurow, "A Rookie Guard Scores Big at Marketing," The Wall Street Journal, February 9, 1996, A6,

Strategy for a Corporate Speech*

effective if you talk from notes but write out your opener and close in advanc and memorize them. (They'll be short: just a sentence or two.) Consider using one of the four modes for openers that appeared in Chapter 1 startling statement, narration or anecdote, question, or quotation. The more you can do to personalize your opener for your audience, the better. Recent events are better than things that happened long ago; local events are bett than events at a distance; people they know are better than people whoareonh names.

This present utives to sta Youroper Some speakl joke can tur rected again elves almos

This presentation to a company's executive committee went on to show that the company's distribution system was inadequate and to recommend a third warehouse located in the Southwest.

Humor isr before you bt The end 0 close, you co (2) refer to yc \'i\'id, positi\ problem you combines a II dience what i

Securitydirectorsofthe 50 most prominentinternationalbanksmeet periodicallyto discusscommon problems.BankAmerica'sBobBeck wantedto talkto the groupabout chemicaldependencyand BankAmerica'sapproachto the problem. Audience's initial position: Re-

sistant.Mostfavoredtesting,not treatment. One point to leave with audience: Treatmentisa practicalal-

ternativethat works. Adapting message to audience: Usedtermsfromsports,

banking,and securityto makeit A mother was having difficulty getting her son up for school. He pulled the covers over his head. easyforaudienceto identifywith "I'm not going to school:' he said. "I'm not ever going again." message.Backedup pointswith "Are you sick?" his mother asked. detailsand statistics.Explained "No:' he answered. "I'm sick of school. They hate me. They call me names. They makefunofme problemsofdrugtesting.Didnot Why should I go?" ask foraction. "I can give you two good reasons:' the mother replied. "The first is that you're 42 yearsold.And Opener: Hard-hittingstatisticson the second is you're the school principal. ,,4 howmuchchemicaldependency costs USbusinesses- $26 billion a year. This speech to a seminar for educators went on to discuss "the three knotti Outline: (1) Chemicaldependency problems in education today." Educators had to face those problems; the as a disease;the sizeofthe probcouldn't hide under the covers. lem;testingas the usualresponse. (2) BankAmerica's treatmentapproach:policy,programdesign,and educationinthe workplace.(3) The businessadvantagesoftreatment: protectsinvestmentintrainedpeople;confinesbusinesslosses causedbychemicaldependency. *Based on Robin Welling, No Frills, No Nonsense, No Secrets (San Francisco: International Association of Business Communicators, 1988), 290-93.

This presentation to a group the services of a professional retirement.

of potential financial

clients planner

discusses the value of u m to achieve one's goals f

According to Towers Perrin, the profits of Fortune 100 companies would be 25% lower-they d down $17 billion-if their earnings statements listed the future costs companies are obligatedto for retirees' health care.

Plain and simp ucts. We need out Turn it in a statement6

When you written style. ntences anc ound a bit d nouns, a less'

'presentation on options for health care for retired employees urges execesto start now to investigate options to cut the future costs. louropener should interest the audience and establish a rapport with them. espeakers use humor to achieve those goals. However, an inappropriate canturn the audience against the speaker. Never use humor that's diedagainst the audience. In contrast, speakers who can make fun of themesalmost always succeed:

Humorisn't the only way to set an audience at ease. Smile at your audience 1reyou begin; let them see that you're a real person and a nice one. :heend of your presentation should be as strong as the opener. For your 'f-, you could do one or more of the following: (1) restate your main point; referto your opener to create a frame for your presentation; (3) end with a od,positive picture; (4) tell the audience exactly what to do to solve the blemyou've discussed. The following close from a fund-raising speech Jlbinesa restatement of the main point with a call for action, telling the auneewhat to do.

ilain and simple, we need money to run the foundation, just like you need money to develop new prodxIs,We need money to make this work, We need money from you, Pick up that pledge card, Fill it ut, Turnit in at the door as you leave, Make it a statement about your commitment, , , make it a big

:ialement.6 Whenyou write out your opener and close, be sure to use oral rather than nttenstyle. As you can see in the example close above, oral style uses shorter tencesand shorter, simpler words than writing does. Oral style can even JIlda bit choppy when it is read by eye. Oral style uses more personal pro, a less varied vocabulary, and more repetition.

5ualscan give your presentation a professional image. As more and more 'inessesbuy computer graphics packages, more and more presentations use esor overhead transparencies, which, confusingly, are often called slides, ,Youdesign the graphics on your computer, then give the disk to a service Jreau that produces slides. As color printers become more common, business ~plewill be able to produce color overhead transparencies in-house. Onestudy showed that presenters using overhead transparencies were peril'edas "better prepared, more professional, more persuasive, more credible, dmoreinteresting" than speakers who did not use visuals. They were also relikely to persuade a group to adopt their recommendations? A study mparingthe use of different kinds of visuals found that presenters using esappeared more professional, but presenters using overhead transparenseemed more interesting. Colored overhead transparencies were most eftivein persuading people to act.s seat least 14-point type for transparencies; 18-point is even better. If posIe,use a square area for your text or visual, rather than the whole vertical oe,so that your transparency will fit on the screen without your having to lYe it. For PowerPoint slides, use 44-point type (or larger) for titles and main ~ds.Your smallest subheading should be no smaller than 28-point type.

Cultural Styles of Presentations* When you make an international presentation, be sensitive to your host country's cultural preferences for presentations, In Japan, speak in a modest, personal, conversational style. Look at the whole group; remember that the oldest person is probably the most important. Plan carefully so that your presentation fits in the available time-and remember that interpretation cuts your actual speaking time in half. In Sweden, don't save points for a question-and-answer session. Swedes consider it rude to ask questions at the end of a presentation: to do so suggests the speaker has not been clear. Instead, include all your material in the body of the presentation. The best close is a well-crafted question that applies the material from the presentation, leaving the audience something to think about.
Well-designed visuals can serve as an outline for your talk (seeFigurer. eliminating the need for additional notes. Plan at most one visual forere minute of your talk, plus two visuals to serve as title and conclusion.Don't to put your whole talk on visuals. Visuals should highlight your mainpOlO not give every detail. Use these guidelines to create and show visuals for presentations: • Make only one point with each visual. Break a complicated point down into several visuals. • Give each visual a title that makes a point. • Limit the amount of information on a visual. Use 35 words or less;use simple graphs, not complex ones. • Don't put your visual up till you're ready to talk about it. Leave it upun your next point; don't turn the projector or overhead off. See Chapter 6 for information on designing slides and Chapter 16 forin! mation on how to present numerical data through visuals. see the BAC Web site for links to sites on how to use advancedPOI Point techniques and for backgrounds, graphics, and MIDIsyou use royalty-free in your presentations.

(@)

Choose t wers th points. ubpoin lationshi toryals mto the

'Iiuals work only if the technology they depend on works. When you give : ntations in your own office, check the equipment in advance. When you 'e a presentation in another location or for another organization, arrive lysothat you'll have time not only to check the equipment but also to track 111 a service worker if the equipment isn't working. Be prepared with a 'kupplan to use if you're unable to show your slides or videotape. IOUcan also involve the audience in other ways. A student giving a presenon on English-French business communication demonstrated the differe in US and French handshakes by asking a fellow class member to come 10 shake hands with her. Another student discussing the need for low-salt ucts brought in a container of salt, a measuring cup, a measuring spoon, twoplates. As he discussed the body's need for salt, he measured out three 'poons onto one plate: the amount the body needs in a month. As he dis'ed the amount of salt the average US diet provides, he continued to meaout salt onto the other plate, stopping only when he had lY.; pounds of I-the amount in the average US diet. The demonstration made the disancy clear in a way words or even a chart could not have done.9 To make that his employees understood where money went, the CEO of a specialty lingshop in Algoma, Wisconsin, printed up $2 million in play money and ded out big cards to employees marked Labor, Depreciation, Interest, and so .Then he asked each "category" to come up and take its share of the revues.The action was more dramatic than a color pie chart could ever have .10 Another speaker who was trying to raise funds used the simple act of g people to stand to involve them, to create emotional appeal, and to 'ea statistic vivid:

speaker] wastalkingto a luncheonclub about contributingto the reliefof an area that had been hit atornado. Thenews report said that 70% of the people had been killedor disabled.The roomwas ~up[with]ten peopleat each round table. He asked three persons at each table to stand. Then he d."... Youpeoplesittingare dead or disabled.Youthree standing have to take care of the mess . . dneedhelp,wouldn'tyoU?"11

ee Figure 172) isual for e\ er sion. Don't try r main point tions: oint down

e the information that is most interesting to your audience and that an,: the questions your audience will have. Limit your talk to three main mls.ina long presentation (20 minutes or more) each main point can have Jpoints.Your content will be easier to understand if you clearly show the remshipbetween each of the main points. Turning your information into a ".also helps. For example, a controller might turn charts of financial data thefollowing story:

,Increaseinsales income is offset byan increase in manufacturingcosts. Why?Because the cost "'1aterial isout of line.Materialcosts for product #503 tripled last month.An analysis of the three showsthat the cost of materials jumped 800% on the second shift. Now,the problem is to .outwhythe second shift uses so much more material than the other shifts making the same 1.12

Ivanced Po", r IDls you can

Up each point with solid support. Statistics and numbers present them in ways that are easy to hear. Simplify xing them to two significant digits.

'lCk

109 if you

can be connumbers by

Howdoyoupersuadeinvestors, bankers,andsecuritiesanalyststo wantto investinyourcompany? Youtellthema story. PresentationcoachJerry Weissmanleadsbusinesspeople throughan entiredayonidentifying the beststory.Presentationskills (likebuildinginpausesso listeners canabsorbinformation) comelater. Beforecoaching,clientDavid Angeldescribedhiscompanylike this:"Information StorageDevices providesvoicesolutionsusingthe company'sunique,patented multilevel storagetechnique.... " Aftercoaching,Angerstartedhis presentationthisway:"Wemake voicechips.They'reextremelyeasy to use.Theyhaveunlimited applications. Andtheylastforever." ·Based on Dan Gillmor. "Putting on a Powerful Presentation," Hemispheres, March 1996,31-32.

Hard to hear: Easier to hear:

An Alternative to PowerPoint* [OnceBarbaraWaughhadanalyzed hersurveydata-po 367-she had to plana presentation.J Buthow couldshecaptureandcommunicatewhatshe'dlearned?How couldshesharethispowerful critiquewithseniormanagement? The lastthingshewantedwasto preachthroughPowerPoint. Soinsteadofcreatingbullet-point slides, shedrewonherexperiencewith streettheatreandcreateda "play" aboutHPLabs.Sheworkedpassagesfromthesurveysintodialogueandthenrecruitedexecutives toactas staffmembers,andjunior peopletoactas executives. The troupeperformedfor30 senior managers."Attheendoftheplay, the managerswereveryquiet," Waughremembers."Thenthey startedclapping.Itwasexciting. Theyreallygotit.Theyfinallyunderstood." 'Quoted from Katherine Mieszkowski, "I Grew Up Thinking That Change Was Cataclysmic. The Way We've Done it Here is to Start Slow and Work Small." Fast Company, December 1998, p. 152.

If the national debt were in pennies, it would take 17,006,802,720 people,each carrying 100 pounds of pennies, to carryall of our debt.

• Exclud· obviou by disc when t

If the national debt were in pennies, it would take 17 billion people,eachcarry pounds of pennies, to carryall of our debt.13

In an informative presentation, link the points you make to the knowleJ your audience has. Show the audience members that your information swers their questions, solves their problems, or helps them do their jobs.\\' you explain the effect of a new law or the techniques for using a new machm use specific examples that apply to the decisions they make and the workth do. If your content is detailed or complicated, give people a written outline handouts. The written material both helps the audience keep track of 10 points during the presentation and serves as a reference after the talk is oler Quotations work well as long as you cite authorities whom your audlen genuinely respects. Often you'll need to paraphrase a quote to put it into_ pIe language that's easy to understand. Be sure to tell whom you're citing: cording to Al Gore," "An article in Business Week points out that," and sofa Demonstrations can prove your points dramatically and quickly. During investigation of the space shuttle Challenger disaster, the late physicist Richa Feynman asked for a glass of water. When it came, he put a piece of the SF shuttle's a-ring into the cold water. After less than a minute, he took it outan pinched it with a small clamp. The material kept the pinched shape when clamp came off. The material couldn't return to its original shape.14 A techni cal explanation could have made the same point: the a-ring couldn't functi in the cold. But the demonstration was fast and easy to understand. It didn require that the audience follow complex chemical or mathematical formu In an oral presentation, seeing is believing. To be convincing, you must answer the audience's questions and objectio /I

Some people think that working women are less reliable than men. But the facts showthatworr take fewer sick days than men do. However, don't bring up negatives or inconsistencies unless you're sure the audience will think of them. If you aren't sure, save your evidence for question phase. If someone does ask, you'll have the answer.

Most presentations use a direct pattern of organization, even when the gIla! to persuade a reluctant audience. In a business setting, the audience 1 m hurry and knows that you want to persuade them. Be honest about your~ and then prove that your goal meets the audience's needs too. In a persuasive presentation, start with your strongest point, your best son. If time permits, give other reasons as well and respond to possible a tions. Put your weakest point in the middle so that you can end on a tr note. Often one of five standard patterns of organization will work: • Chronological. Start with the past, move looking ahead .

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• Problem-causes-solution, Explain the symptoms of the problem, iden its causes, and suggest a solution. This pattern works best when the audience will find your solution easy to accept.

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lCiudingalternatives. Explain the symptoms of the problem. Explain the rioussolutions first and show why they won't solve the problem. End discussinga solution that will work. This pattern may be necessary henthe audience will find the solution hard to accept. rro-con.Give all the reasons in favor of something, then those against it. . pattern works well when you want the audience to see the weaknesses itsposition. ·2·3. Discuss three aspects of a topic. This pattern works well to organize ortinformative briefings. "Today I'll review our sales, production, and ralitsfor the last quarter." \lakeyour organization clear to your audience. Written documents can be ad;they can use headings, paragraphs, lists, and indentations to signal lev01detail.In a presentation, you have to provide explicit clues to the struc01 your discourse. Earlyin your talk-perhaps immediately after your opener-provide an erviewof the main points you will make.

:t.l'd liketo talk about who the homeless in Columbus are. Second, I'll talk about the services The Shelterprovides. Finally, I'll talk about what you-either individually or as a group--ean do to P

luloverviewprovides a mental peg that hearers can hang each point on. It canprevent someone from missing what you are saying because he or she derswhy you aren't covering a major point that you've saved for later.Is Offer a clear signpost as you come to each new point. A signpost is an ex:itstatement of the point you have reached. Choose wording that fits your e.Thefollowing statements are four different ways that a speaker could use mtroducethe last of three points:

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Creation 1. Think of your last summary slide first-then make sure each of those key bullet points are clearly explained in the body of your presentation. 2. Use simple, clear graphics and pictures of familiar people to capture attention and build audience identification. 3. Get someone else to check spellings and the logical flow of your slide show. Another pair of eyes will often pick up an error that you have missed. ' Presentation 1. Practice, Practice, Practice. Rehearse several times-aloud and standing up, with the same equipment you will use for your presentation. 2. Make eye contact with more than one audience member during the course of your presentation. 3. Always carry backup disks of your presentation program, your slide show, and any special fonts that were used in its creation. 'Quoted from Shonan Noronha and John Rhodes, "Power Presentations." Presentations. special advertising section, n.p.

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ivering an Effective Presentation diences want the sense that you're talking directly to them and that you care :theyunderstand and are interested. They'll forgive you if you get tangled ma sentence and end it ungrammatically. They won't forgive you if you

seem to have a "canned" talk that you're going to deliver no matter who audience is or how they respond. You can convey a sense of caring toyour dience by making direct eye contact with them and by using a conversati style. Being Interviewed by Ute Press* Business people and community leaders are often interviewed by the press, To appear your best on camera, on tape, or in a story, • Try to find out in advance why you're being interviewed and what information the reporter wants, • Practice answering possible Questions in a single sentence, A long answer is likely to be cut for TV or radio news, • Talk slowly, You'll have time to think, the audience will have more time to understand what you're saying, and a reporter taking notes will record your words more accurately, • To reduce the possibility of being misquoted, bring along a cassette recorder to tape the interview, Better still, bring twoand offer to give one tape to the interviewer. 'Based on James L, Graham, "What to Do When a Reporter Calls," IABC Communication World, April 1985, 15; and Robert A. Papper, conversation with Kitty Lockyr, March 17, 1991,

Dealing with Fear Feeling nervous is normal. But you can harness that nervous energytoh you do your best work. As one student said, you don't need to get ridof) butterflies. All you need to do is make them fly in formation. To calm your nerves before you give an oral presentation, • Be prepared. Analyze your audience, organize your thoughts, prepare visual aids, practice your opener and close, check out the arrangement • Use only the amount of caffeine you normally use. More or less mayma you jumpy. • Avoid alcoholic beverages. • Relabel your nerves. Instead of saying, ''I'm scared," try saying, OM) adrenaline is up." Adrenaline sharpens our reflexes and helps us do our best. Just before your presentation, • Consciously contract and then relax your muscles, starting with yourfeet and calves and going up to your shoulders, arms, and hands. • Take several deep breaths from your diaphragm. During your presentation, • Pause and look at the audience before you begin speaking. • Concentrate on communicating well. • Use body energy in strong gestures and movement.

Using Eye Contact Look directly at the people you're talking to. In one study, speakers II looked more at the audience during a seven-minute informative speech\ judged to be better informed, more experienced, more honest, and friendli than speakers who delivered the same information with less eye contact An earlier study found that speakers judged sincere looked at the audien 63% of the time, while those judged insincere looked at the audience only~ of the time.17 The point in making eye contact is to establish one-on-one contact withthe individual members of your audience. People want to feel that you'ret ing to them. Looking directly at individuals also enables you to be morec scious of feedback from the audience, so that you can modify your approach necessary.

People will enjoy your presentation more if your voice is easy to listentll~ find out what your voice sounds like, tape-record it. Also tape the voice people on TV or on campus whose voices you like and imitate them. Ina t weeks, tape yourself again.

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Joseyour ears with your fingers and hum up and down the scale until JU find the pitch where the hum sounds loudest or most vibrant to you. JUspitch will be near your optimum pitch. 'mgdown the scale as far as you can go without forcing. Call this note do dsing up the scale to sol. This note will be near your optimum pitch. :youhave a piano, locate the lowest note you can produce and also your 19hestfalsetto note. Your optimum pitch will be approximately one fourth fthedistance from your lowest note.1S Shenyou speak to a group, talk loudly enough so that people can hear you ly. Ifyou're using a microphone, adjust your volume so you aren't shout',Whenyou speak in an unfamiliar location, try to get to the room early so ;cancheck the size of the room and the power of the amplification equip.t.Ifyou can't do that, ask early in your talk, "Can you hear me in the back :heroom?" le bigger the group is, the more carefully you need to enunciate, that is, ceaHthe sounds of each word. Words starting or ending withf, t, k, v, and reespeciallyhard to hear. "Our informed and competent image" can sound 'Ourinformed, incompetent image." Ioenunciate,use your tongue and lips. Researchers have identified 38 dif:ntsounds. Of these, you make 31 with your tongue and 7 with your lips. 1earemade with the jaw, so how wide you open your mouth really doesmatter.If the tongue isn't active enough, muscles in the throat try to comsate,producing sore throats and strained voices.19

Organizations such as Toastmasters International help members become more effective speakers by providing a good place to practice their skill and receive feedback from their peers.

Tongue twisters can help you exercise your tongue and enunciate m clearly. Stephen Lucas suggests the following:

When you make a presentation on video, be informal and friendly. Look at the camera when you talk to create the effect of making eye contact with the audience. Since the sound reproduction equipment may deaden voices, make a special effort to vary pitch and expression. Don't interrupt another speaker. Two people talking at the same time on camera produce gibberish. Dress for the camera.

• • • • •

Sid said to tell him that Benny hid the penny many years ago. Fetch me the finest French-fried freshest fish that Finney fries. Three gray geese in the green grass grazed . Shy Sarah saw six Swiss wristwatches. One year we had a Christmas brunch with Merry Christmas mush to munch. But I don't think you'd care for such. We didn't like to munch mush much.2o You can also reduce pressure on your throat by fitting phrases to youride If you cut your sentences into bits, you'll emphasize words beginning \\1 vowels, making the vocal cords hit each other. Instead, run past wordsbe, ning with vowels to emphasize later syllables or later words:21 Choppiness hurts vocal cords:

we must take more responsibility not Qlly for (Alrselves And (Alr families but for (Alr communities And (Alr country.

Smooth phrasing protects throat:

We must take more Responsibility Not only for our selves and our Families but for our Communities and our Country.

• Don't wear white. Only very expensive cameras can handle pure white. • Don't wear bold stripes, checks, plaids, or polka dots. • Don't wear large accessories. • Red, blue, and green photograph well. If an entire outfit in red seems too bold, consider wearing a red tie or blouse. 'Based on Robert A. Papper, conversa· tion with Kitty Locker, March 17, 1991.

You can reduce the number of uhs you use by practicing your talk seIer times. Filler sounds aren't signs of nervousness. Instead, say psychologit Columbia University, they occur when speakers pause searching for thene word. Searching takes longer when people have big vocabularies or talkabo topics where a variety of word choices are possible. Practicing your talkma your word choices automatic, and you'll use fewer UhS?2 Vary your volume, pitch, and speed. Speakers who speak quickly andI vary their volume during the talk are more likely to be perceived as com tent.23 Sound energetic and enthusiastic. If your ideas don't excite you,II should your audience find them exciting?

Standing and Gesturing Stand with your feet far enough apart for good balance, with your kn flexed. Unless the presentation is very formal or you're on camera, youc walk if you want to. Some speakers like to come in front of the lecternto move that barrier between themselves and the audience. Build on your natural style for gestures. Gestures usually work bestIlh they're big and confident.

Using Notes and Visuals Unless you're giving a very short presentation, you'll probably want to notes. Even experts use notes. The more you know about the subject greater the temptation to add relevant points that occur to you as you Adding an occasional point can help to clarify something for the audience

Jingtoo many points will destroy your outline and put you over the time :lit.

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Putyour notes on cards or on sturdy pieces of paper. Most speakers like to -l-by-6-inchor 5-by-7-inch cards because they hold more information. Your need to be complete enough to help you if you go blank, so use long ra esor complete sentences. Under each main point, jot down the evidence Illustrationyou'll use. Indicate where you'll refer to visuals. ~ookat your notes infrequently. Most of your gaze time should be directed Jlembersof the audience. Hold your notes high enough so that your head .n't bob up and down like a yo-yo as you look from the audience to your 'esand back again. Uyou have lots of visuals and know your topic well, you won't need notes. :JOssible, put the screen to the side so that you won't block it. Face the audi,e,notthe screen. With transparencies, you can use colored marking pens to .attentionto your points as you talk. Show the entire visual at once: don't erup part of it. If you don't want the audience to read ahead, prepare sevlll'isuaisthat build up. In your overview, for example, the first visual could ·yourfirst point, the second the first and second, and the third all three 'I1ts. ·eepthe room lights on if possible; turning them off makes it easier for peotofallasleep and harder for them to concentrate on you.

ndling Questions Dare for questions by listing every fact or opinion you can think of that chalesyour position. Treat each objection seriously and try to think of a way to 11 withit. If you're talking about a controversial issue, you may want to save pointfor the question period, rather than making it during the presenta· Speakerswho have visuals to answer questions seem especially well pretalk SEe'\ ral hologist at or the ne t r talk about talk mak ly and wh as comp e you, wh

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Juringyour presentation, tell the audience how you'll handle questions. If uhavea choice, save questions for the end. In your talk, answer the ques:lS or objections that you expect your audience to have. Don't exaggerate lIclaimsso that you won't have to back down in response to questions later. Juringthe question period, don't nod your head to indicate that you untanda question as it is asked. Audiences will interpret nods as signs that . agreewith the questioner. Instead, look directly at the questioner. As you werthe question, expand your focus to take in the entire group. Don't say, at'sa good question." That response implies that the other questions have poorones. ::theaudience may not have heard the question or if you want more time to :u<,repeat the question before you answer it. Link your answers to the points . madein your presentation. Keep the purpose of your presentation in d, and select information that advances your goals. ':aquestion is hostile or biased, rephrase it before you answer it. "You're gwhether.... " Or suggest an alternative question: "1 think there are probwithboth the positions you describe. It seems to me that a third solution chisbetter than either of them is .... " ~casionallysomeone will ask a question that is really designed to state the er's own position. Respond to the question if you want to. Another optosay, ''I'm not sure what you're asking," or even, "That's a clear statetofyour position. Let's move to the next question now." If someone asks utsomething that you already explained in your presentation, simply an.rthequestion without embarrassing the questioner. No audience will unlandand remember 100% of what you say.

On behalf of Greenpeace USA, Christopher Childs gives more than 100 presentations a year to schools, colleges, and churches. "For the question-and-answer period, I try to stay in touch with our campaigners to find out what's most important. But I also try to stay aware of my personal motivations. When I'm very clear about what I want to accomplish, the questions take care of themselves ... "Occasionally I get hostile questions, and while I try to deal ,On a factual level with the issues, I look to see if I can tell what's going on with the person. Oftentimes they're not hostile at all, but very concerned. When it's workable in a public forum, I might suggest to them what I hear them really saying. Often they really appreciate the effort." 'Quoted from Jess Wells, "Stage Presence: Professional Speakers Share Their Techniques," Publish, December 1990,82

If you don't know the answer to a question, say so. If your purpose is form, write down the question so that you can look up the answer belor next session. If it's a question to which you think there is no answer, askll one in the room knows. When no one does, your "ignorance" is vindical, an expert is in the room, you may want to refer questions of fact to hima Answer questions of interpretation yourself. At the end of the question period, take two minutes to summarize your point once more. (This can be a restatement of your close.) Questions m' may not focus on the key point of your talk. Take advantage of having the: to repeat your message briefly and forcefully.

Making Group Presentations Plan carefully to involve as many members of the group as possible in spt ing roles. The easiest way to make a group presentation is to outline the presentat and then divide the topics, giving one to each group member. Another mt ber can be responsible for the opener and the close. During the question per. each member answers questions that relate to his or her topic. In this kind of divided presentation, be sure to • • • •

Plan transitions. Enforce time limits strictly. Coordinate your visuals so that the presentation seems a coherent whole Practice the presentation as a group at least once; more is better.

The best group presentations are even more fully integrated: the gn writes a very detailed outline, chooses points and examples, and creates\': alS together. Then, within each point, voices trade off. See the BAC\\ site for links to advice on giving this sophisticated kind of teamp sentation. This presentation is most effective because each voicespe only a minute or two before a new voice comes in. However, it works Oni when all group members know the subject well and when the group pI carefully and practices extensively. Whatever form of group presentation you use, be sure to introduce ea member of the team to the audience and to pay close attention to each other other members of the team seem uninterested in the speaker, the audiencege the sense that that speaker isn't worth listening to.

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• Informative presentations inform or teach the audience. Persuasive presentations motivate the audience to act or to believe. Goodwill presentations entertain and validate the audience. Most oral presentations have more than one purpose. • A written message makes it easier to present extensive or complex information and to minimize undesirable emotions. Oral messages make easier to use emotion, to focus the audience's attention, to answer questions and resolve conflicts quickly, to modify a proposal that maynot be acceptable in its original form, and to get immediate action or response • In both oral and written messages, you should • Adapt the message to the specific audience. • Show the audience how they benefit from the idea, policy, service,or product.

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'O\'ercomeany objections the audience may have. ,Use you-attitude and positive emphasis. , Use visuals to clarify or emphasize material. , pecifyexactly what the audience should do. :noralpresentation needs to be simpler than a written message to the meaudience. "amonologue presentation, the speaker plans the presentation in d\'anceand delivers it without deviation. In a guided discussion, the ,eakerpresents the questions or issues that both speaker and audience I'eagreed on in advance. Rather than functioning as an expert with all :'1eanswers,the speaker serves as a facilitator to help the audience tap its wnknowledge. An interactive presentation is a conversation using uestionsto determine the buyer's needs, probe objections, and gain :rovisionaland then final commitment to the purchase. \daptyour message to your audience's beliefs, experiences, and interests. .sethebeginning and end of the presentation to interest the audience and :nphasizeyour key point. .singvisuals makes a speaker seem more prepared, more interesting, and orepersuasive. .sea direct pattern of organization. Put your strongest reason first. ..mityour talk to three main points. Early in your talk-perhaps 'lliJ1ediately after your opener-provide an overview of the main points mwillmake. Offer a clear signpost as you come to each new point. A ignpostis an explicit statement of the point you have reached. : calmyour nerves as you prepare to give an oral presentation, Beprepared. Analyze your audience, organize your thoughts, prepare visualaids, practice your opener and close, check out the arrangements. , Useonly the amount of caffeine you normally use. , Avoidalcoholic beverages. Relabelyour nerves. Instead of saying, ''I'm scared," try saying, "My adrenalineis up." Adrenaline sharpens our reflexes and helps us do our best.

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Consciouslycontract and then relax your muscles, starting with your feet andcalves and going up to your shoulders, arms, and hands. Takeseveral deep breaths from your diaphragm.

:Juring your presentation, Pauseand look at the audience before you begin speaking. Concentrateon communicating well. Use body energy in strong gestures and movement. : Inveya sense of caring to your audience by making direct eye contact iththem and by using a conversational style. "reat questions as opportunities to give more detailed information than lU had time to give in your presentation. Link your answers to the points mmade in your presentation. ·'peatthe question before you answer it if the audience may not have eardit or if you want more time to think. Rephrase hostile or biased uestionsbefore you answer them. :hebestgroup presentations result when the group writes a very detailed utline,chooses points and examples, and creates visuals together. Then, ithineach point, voices trade off.

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When a student took a job at Intel, her first assignment was to present a strategic plan to CEOAndy Grove two weeks later. Five minutes into her presenta· tion, he interrupted her: "Please flip to page 22. That's what I need to know." 'Based on Evelyn Pierce, Thomas Had· jUk, and Richard Young, "Using Verbal Protocol Research to Determine What Business Audiences Want in Docu· ments," Association for Business Com· munication Conference, Chicago, IL, November 6-9, 1996.