TIPS & SUGGESTIONS FOR MAKING PRESENTATIONS

STRATEGY
Understand your purpose and role. This is basically answering the questions:
Who is your audience? Why do I make the presentation? What does the
audience expect from my presentation? What knowledge do I want my audience
to have after they leave the presentation room?
Adapt your message to the audience. Again, answer questions like: What are
their needs and desires? What is their knowledge level? What is their attitude to
the topic?
You should be concrete, specific, practical, and relevant.
Clarify your objectives - is it to motivate the audience? ... inform? ... persuade? ...
teach? - each calls for a different approach.
Research your topic and prepare it in accordance with your goals.
LANGUAGE
Speak slowly
Use short sentences
Use small words
Avoid phrases that are difficult to pronounce
PRESENTATION STRUCTURE
Good presentations follow this formula:
Tell the audience what you are going to tell them
Then tell them
At the end tell them what you have told them
1. Opening
o greet the audience (for example, 'Good morning, ladies and gentlemen'),
and tell them who you are
o demonstrate why the topic is important (ie: why they should listen to you)
2. Outline of Main Points
o show the points you will cover and the order in which you will cover them
3. Detail of Main Points
o follow the order of your outline
o limit the information you present, because listeners cannot process as
much information as readers can
o be clear when you pass from one point to another one, since listeners
cannot follow as easily as readers can
o use examples and illustrations for statements that are difficult for the
audience to understand. Graphic illustrations and other visual aids not only
help to clarify your message, but also add colour and credibility
4. Conclusion
The conclusion should answer the question, "So what?" telling the audience what
was important about the information you conveyed.
o Give a summary of your main points

5. Question Period
Asking questions
o ask "friendly" questions - don't use questions to embarrass
o avoid asking risky questions - that is, questions that may imply lack
of knowledge or intelligence
o give respondents time to think and phrase their answer
o don't let respondent wander or attempt to take control of the
presentation; a polite "thank you, that's what I was looking for" can
get you back on track
Answering questions
o prepare yourself by thinking of possible questions and rehearsing
before the presentation
o paraphrase or repeat all questions to be sure that you understand
what is being asked and that the audience has heard the question
o keep everyone involved by speaking to the entire audience instead
of just the person who asked the question.
o be firm and assertive in your answer without being aggressive or
defensive
o answer the questions clearly and concisely without going off road
o be Honest: if you can't answer the question, say so
VISUAL AIDS
In order to help your audience concentrate on your presentation and understand what
you are saying, it is advisable to use visual aids. Such aids also add variety and interest
to your lecture, and help your audience to remember your presentation longer than they
would with words alone.
1. Font
o use large font. The minimum font size you should use is 18-point type, and
24-point font is even better.
o except for very short titles, capitalize only the first letter of a sentence or
phrase
o choose a readable font. Serif fonts (those with extenders on the ends of
more letters) are easier to read from a distance than sans serif fonts.
Times New Roman is a serif font. Arial is a sans serif font.
2. Colour and Background
o use colour to serve a function, not merely to decorate. For example, colour
can be used to reinforce the logic of your structure (ex: title in one colour
and text in a different colour) or for emphasis.
o the colour of titles and text should contrast sharply with the background
colour. Otherwise, your audience will not be able to read your slides.
3. Graphs and Charts
o avoid overly complex graphs and charts that will have your audience trying
to understand the slides rather than listening to you.
o do not use unnecessary shading, borders, 3D effects or legends.

PREPARATION
Take the time to practice your presentation with the visual aids so that you use
them effectively.
Learn to use the hardware.
Learn to use the software.
Limit the information on each chart. Your audience will always read whatever is in
front of them, no matter what you are saying. If using a PowerPoint presentation,
program the slide to show one line at a time.
Practice your presentation so that you feel comfortable talking and changing
slides.
If English is not your first language, please take the time to write your
presentation and have the grammar proofed by someone.
GENERAL POINTS
Practice your presentation so that you feel comfortable talking to your audience
and looking at your audience, not at a piece of paper.
Notes are very important to help you remember points and to keep yourself
organized. So prepare cue cards which have key words and phrases (and
possibly sketches) on them. Don't forget to number the cards in case you drop
them. However, you should not be reading 100% of the time.
Out of respect for those who are listening to your presentation, please dress
appropriately. Business dress is expected (suit, shirt and tie, or dress
shirt/sweater are acceptable). T-shirts, sandals and shorts are not acceptable.
Room lighting should be considered. Too much light near the screen will make it
difficult to see the detail. On the other hand, a completely darkened room can
send the audience to sleep. Try to avoid having to keep switching lights on and
off.
Look at the audience as much as possible, but don't fix on an individual - it can
be intimidating. Pitch your presentation towards the back of the audience,
especially in larger rooms.
Avoid moving about too much. Pacing up and down can unnerve the audience,
although some animation is desirable.
Keep an eye on the audience's body language. Know when to stop and also
when to cut out a piece of the presentation.
Be interactive. Involve the audience in the presentation by asking questions,
asking to give examples, asking to comment, asking to do short practical
exercises, short experiments if possible. This wont let the audience sleep.
DON'Ts
Don't be late for the presentation.
Don't be afraid to pause and take a deep breath or two before you begin (or
during your presentation, if required).
Don't speak in a monotone or mumble.
Don't read your notes.
Don't forget your audience.
Don't avoid eye contact.

Don't use technical terms unfamiliar to your audience provide clear explanations
and definitions.
Don't stand in front of your visual aids.
Don't leave a visual aid in place that is no longer relevant to the current topic.
And don't forget to have a bit of fun

PODIUM PANIC
Everyone experiences stage fright, speech anxiety, or talking terror. Surveys show that
fear of speaking in front of groups is one of the greatest fears people have. Some
surveys find people actually claiming that the thought of giving a speech is more
frightening than falling off a cliff, financial difficulties, snakes, and even death.
The following lists some techniques people use for coping with this fright:
Your audience understands your nervousness; they know what you are feeling
and will forgive it; similarly they will forgive honest mistakes
Nervousness is usually invisible; most will not notice the small changes in your
voice or occasional mistakes; most speakers who describe themselves as
nervous appear confident and calm to the audience
Be yourself; let the real you come through; relax, practice some deep breathing
techniques;
Begin in your comfort zone; practice with friends; share your fears with friends
check out the room first; check out the space, the equipment, the lights
Concentrate on the message
Begin with a slow, well-prepared introduction; have a confident and clear
conclusion
Most important: be prepared and practice
DID YOU KNOW?
A study from the University of Minnesota revealed that if you give a presentation
using visual aids, your audience is 43% more likely to be convinced of what you
say and is willing to pay 26% more for the same product or service.
Words alone account for 7% of the impact in face-to-face communication, voice
quality 38%, and visual factors 55%.
It has been estimated that an audience will forget more than 75% of what they
hear within 24 hours.
Thomas Jefferson suggested that the most valuable of all talents is that of never
using two words when you can use only one. Concise language reflects the
principle of KISS Keep it Short and Simple.
Some experts recommend spending one hour preparing every minute of a
presentation.
Of all the information the mind stores, 75% is received visually, 13% through
hearing, and 12% through smell, taste, and touch. Visual aids improve learning
by 200%, retention by 38%, and understanding complex subjects by 25% to
40%. Visual aids in colour get an 85% higher attention span.