How to create an effective presentation

creatingan effective presentation
Bhupesh Shah, B.Sc., MBA |ethnicomm inc. Nov 2nd, 2009

You have two options when you walk into a room. You can own the room. Or it can own you. Richard Levick
© 2009 ethnicomm inc.

Tell me and I will forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I will understand
Chinese Proverb

Agenda

Planning for your presentation
do your homework
know your audience
information required to accept your proposal
brief outline - informal notes
highlightsor key points only
make it actionable

What are the physical conditions affecting your audience?
size of group
distance from speaker
hunger or fatigue
smoker
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickulas

Structure of your presentation

The Opening...connects you with your audience
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cedrouille/

Purpose Statement – why are you here and why should I care?

Development

Refocus – just showed you why I am here and why you should care

The Closing
“umm..that’s it” or “thank you” is not acceptable
summarize important points
refer back to central concept
give a sense of closure

Strong presentations require both content and style. Content without style goes unnoticed, and style without content has no meaning.Michael Alley

Organizing content
create a storyboard
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystalcampbell/

Content and visual support
plan visuals so your words flow more naturally around them

ethnic marketing in Toronto

Your slides
few words
brief < 7 lines
exploit the impact of white space
make each slide count
double-check grammar, spelling and capitalization

Charts/Tables/Figures
easy to see
label important parts
callouts or arrows for emphasis
attract and focus your audience’s attention
use
colour

A picture is worth a thousand words...so use lots of them!
Weather Forecast for Monday, November 2
8 am – 7 pm
Source: http://www.theweathernetwork.com

Which do you prefer?
Weather Forecast for Monday, November 2
8 am – 7 pm
Source: http://www.theweathernetwork.com

If I am reading directly off of this slide, then my back is probably turned to you. You are probably way ahead of me because you can read faster than I can speak. And by now you are probably thinking “why am I sitting here reading this when I could be doing something more interesting”
So...instead of reading off of the slide, I’m better off looking at you, making eye contact, and ensuring that you are getting my message. You can read the slide and then think about what you just read, ask a question or continue listening.
Do NOT read! Present!

The way audiences receive your message
50% how it looks
40% how it sounds
10% what you say
Source: 1000ventures.com

The audience can sense it
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yummy1986/
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yummy1986/

Body language
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickulas

Engage
eye contact shows trustworthiness, confidence and involvement
graceful/calm movement shows confidence and helps keep the audience’s attention

Capture their attention
slowly sweep the room
connect every few seconds or with each new sentence
make eye contact to draw people in
do NOT distract your audience
Image source: propellor.com

Controlling your audience
be aware of their mood
ask questions
make eye contact and pause...silence attracts attention
reiterate key ideas, emphasize major points
repetition is good...repetition is good...repetition is

Controlling the flow of your presentation
Black
White
1-2-3-n

Keep it going right to the end!
stay within the time limits – not too short and not too long
have a strong conclusion – reemphasize the core of your message
Image source: nikoda.com.au

Smooth finish - don’t end abruptly!
In conclusion, I suggest…
As a final point, I wish to state...
As you can see...
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/offchurch-tam/

Common presentation mistakes

Spelling, grammar, bullets, colours...
I’m in a hurry so I didnt chuck for spelling an grammer. Microsoft has automatic spell and grammar check so it know when make error anyways.
forgot to make sure my bullets are correctly spaced and aligned
need some space between points
but wow I can get a lot of points in one slide this way
Doesn’t this look cool? Is it easy to read? Does it excite you and suggest that I know what I’m doing?
I wanted to attract your attention so I’m playing with the alignment.
Centre text with a bullet to really stand out
what do you think?

Font style
serif fonts like Times Roman are difficult to read on a screen
especially when they are less than 24 point
Verdana or other san serif fonts are easier on the eyes

Go BIGor go home!
Just because it looksbig on your monitor doesn’t mean that someone at the end of the classroom or boardroom can read it!
Font size
Image source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/LG_L194WT-SF_LCD_monitor.jpg

Importance of doing a final check
not checking if the text is easy to read on various backgrounds
using bullet points that are distracting

using DIFFERENT bullets for each line
bullet colour

Your performance must include vocals

Slide transitions, animations and sounds...
this is NOT the time to get funky!
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chad_dunbar

ESPECIALLY sounds!

Why should you not do this?
Distracting
Annoying
Takes attention away from your message
Might make you look like you are playing with a new toy and NOT serious about presenting

When to use slide transitions and animations (not sounds).

Professionalism
respect the audience by being prepared
never block the screen or look back
don’t hide behind the podium
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sookie/

A team from the beginning to the end

HUG
Harmonious in style, colour and design
Understandable at a glance
Graphically rich

KISS

Your recommendations have to have impact and be actionable
“lean and mean” – just the essentials
appropriate visuals
smooth transitions
comment on the material
repeat your major points
help the audience understand your message

YOU are presenting

Thank you!