Effective Presentations Skills

Essential components of Presentation

Content:- An effective presentation must contain

adequate information Structure:- A presentation must begin logically, must consist of a body and an ending or conclusion Packaging Human element

Factors of a good presentation

Preparation Purpose Presence: It communicates a quality of being alive, to command attention Passion: Passion is about caring and concern about something Personality

Preparing the Presentation

Develop the central idea It focuses on the content of the speech Develop the main ideas The presenter make a logical division of the central idea, establish reasons for the idea being true, or support the central idea with a series of steps Gather supporting material Information that will be used in the presentation should be carefully selected

Planning Your Presentation

1. Determine Purpose 2. Assess Your Audience Success depends on your ability to reach your audience. Size Demographics Knowledge Level Motivation

Planning A Presentation
3. Plan Space Number of Seats Seating Arrangement Audio/Visual Equipment Distracters
4. What Day and Time? Any Day! Morning

Plan Visual Aids

Good visuals may serve the following purposes: They give confidence They increase audience interest They give clarity and precision They help focus on the theme of presentation Examples: Models, Charts, Maps, Graphs, Overhead transparencies, Chalkboard

The following suggestions will help in planning and using visual aids effectively
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Relevant visual aids must be chosen The presenter must be familiar with his/her visual aids and rehearse his/her presentation with using the visual aids Computer software programs such as PowerPoint presentations may be used to enhance the effectiveness of the presentation Handouts may be distributed that is charts, presentation abstracts, summaries and so on in order to complement the presentation

Organizing Your Presentation

Introduction 1.1 Get audience attention 1.1.1. Anecdote Tell a short entertaining account of an event, a short story 1.1.2. Questions Ask some interesting questions 1.1.3. Quotations Start the presentation with a relevant quotation that throws light on the central idea of the presentation 1.1.4. Humour 1.2. Introduce the subject In simple and direct language the audience has to know what the presentation is all about 1.3. Give the audience a reason to listen 1.4. Establish the credibility- He/She should be able to convince the audience that he/she is worth listening to 1.5. Preview the main ideas The preview should include a statement of the central idea and mention the main points of the presentation
1.

REHEARSING A PRESENTATION

It is important to rehearse the presentation properly because it will give him/her more confidence and avoid any distraction and deviation during actual presentation. Moreover,it will make him/her familiar with his/her message and will sufficient time to make positive changes in the presentation.

HANDLING STAGE FRIGHT

Concentrate on the three Ps: Planning, Preparation and Practice Set realistic goals Avoid negative thoughts Begin the presentation with a pause Speak slowly Learn and Practice Stress Reduction techniques

Body:-

The body contains the main content of the presentation. As the body of the presentation is structured, the speaker should choose the sequence he/she will follow from among any of the organisational patterns: Sequential Hierarchical Decomposition The main topic is broken down into subtopics and each sub-topic into smaller topics until eventually everything is broken down into very small basic units. Question oriented The Meaty sandwich A simple beginning-middle-end format in which the main meat of the exposition is contained in the middle and is proceeded by an introduction and followed by a program.

Conclusion
Summarise your presentation The main ideas should be repeated Restate the central idea Focus on a goal The speaker should focus on the specific objective of the presentation and concentrate on what he/she wants his audience to do, think and so on. Motivate the audience to respond Provide closure

Part 4: Effective Presentation Techniques

Presentation Style
3 Elements 1. Vocal Techniques
Loudness

Pitch
Rate Pause

Deviations From the Norm for Emphasis

Presentation Style (cont)

3 Elements 2. Body Language
Eye Contact, Gestures, Posture

3. Use of Space Can Everyone See You? Movement

Common Problems

Verbal fillers

Um, uh, like Any unrelated word or phrase

Swaying, rocking, and pacing Hands in pockets Lip smacking Fidgeting Failure to be audience-centered

5 Presentation Tips
1. Smile 2. Breathe

3. Water
4. Notes 5. Finish On Or Under Time