1. WELCOME! NON-SUCKY GREETINGS TO ALL OF YOU! #not2suck
HOW
NOT 2 SUCK
NOT 2 YOUR WORK
AT PRESENTING SUCK
Because bad presentations can kill good ideas
Megan Mead & Michael Gibson

2. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
MEGAN MEAD ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER
CREATIVE SUITCASE, AUSTIN
Megan Mead · FA Visual Communica-
B
tions, double minor
in Theatre Marketing
· yrs theatrical training
15
experience
Michael Gibson · orked with brands such
W
as ATT, 7-11, FedEx, Gallo
Wines, The Long Center,
Westcave Preserve
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3. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
MICHAEL GIBSON DIRECTOR, GRAD PROGRAMS: DESIGN
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS
Megan Mead ·
28 years professional design
design research background
in visual communication
design, IxD, UxD
and industrial design
· member of UNT’s Design
Research Center faculty team
· design research collaboration
ILLUSTRATION: LANCE TRACHIER management experience
UNT COM DESIGN STUDENT in children’s health, education
urban revitalization
03

4. WHAT WE WILL TALK
ABOUT TODAY
· why presenting well is a big deal
· what good presentations do/should achieve
· how to give a good presentation
· some story telling strategies acting techniques
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5. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
WHY IS MAKING A GOOD
PRESENTATION A BIG DEAL?
BAD PRESENTATIONS CAN KILL GOOD IDEAS
· audiences/clients have a hard time separating a good
idea from a poor presentation
· it’s your responsibility to help client’s/project partners
choose the ideas(s) that is/are best for them
· avoid singing a great song badly
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6. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
WHY IS MAKING A GOOD
What we’ll be presenting
PRESENTATIONyou today
to all of A BIG DEAL?
A GOOD PRESENTATION CREATES VALUES
The Presentation Tri-force:
sustains valuable relationships CLIENT
between these 3 kingdoms
IDEA
YOU YOUR
TEAM
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7. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
WHY IS MAKING A GOOD
PRESENTATION A BIG DEAL?
MEGG’S SALARY SAGA
· how I talked my way into my job
· presenting well can have a concrete effect
on your career path
· Age is relative — skills are not.
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8. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION SHOULD…
MAKE THE COMPLEX UNDERSTANDABLE
· in ways that make sense to your audience/clients
· they won’t advocate for what they can’t understand
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9. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION SHOULD…
CREATE EMPATHY
· understanding an idea(s) is different than caring
about it
· why they should care and how it will create value
for them now and in the future
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10. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION SHOULD…
MEET THE FOLLOWING PRIMARY GOALS
· it is well-organized
· it is engaging
· it is professional
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11. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS WELL-ORGANIZED:
THE 3 “P’S” OF PRESENTING
· plan
· prepare
· practice
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12. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS WELL-ORGANIZED:
THE 1ST “P:” PLAN WELL
· Don’t overload your slides!
· Be a diva—nothing, not even your slides— should upstage you
· Tell a well-structured story. “You’re not Quentin Tarrantino:”
don’t jump into the middle; provide an easy-to-follow storyline…
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13. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS WELL-ORGANIZED:
THE 1ST “P:” PLAN WELL | STORY STRUCTURE
1 2 3
INTRO/FRAMING OUTLINE KEY POINTS REITERATE KEY POINTS
WHY THEY SHOULD CARE ARTICULATE THEM SUMMARIZE
SUPPORT W/ RATIONALES END W/ MEMORY BITE
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14. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS WELL-ORGANIZED:
THE 2ND “P:” PREPARE
· tailor your presentation to your audience (a CEO requires
info delivery different from a CD, or a Board President)
· vocal warm-ups: prep it up to step it up
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15. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS ORGANIZED:
THE 2ND “P:” VOCAL WARM UPS | WHY?
· Preps: Your voice is your #1 tool
· Relaxes: Your voice can betray you
“A warm voice is a confident voice”
· Focuses: Take a minute for yourself
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16. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS ORGANIZED
THE 2ND “P:” VOCAL WARM UPS | HOW?
· shake it out: get loose and get silly to get ready
· BDGD: warm up your vocal muscles
· tongue twisters: get your mouth ready for any sound,
any sentence—anything
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17. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS ORGANIZED
THE 2ND “P:” TONGUE TWISTERS
· Unique New York. You need New York. You know you
need unique New York.
· toy boat, toy boat, toy boat…
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18. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS WELL-ORGANIZED
THE 3RD “P”: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
· do not “wing it”
· practice in a way(s) that works for you
· if you practice well, you will present well
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19. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS ENGAGING
DON’T READ STRAIGHT FROM THE SLIDES
· they can read, so you should talk
·
straight reading kills your vocal projection
· undermines the strength of your ideas
it
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20. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS ENGAGING
IMPROV EXERCISE #1: SPEAK ON THE FLY
· things rarely go by script—practice extemporaneous speaking
· ow: grab a magazine, pick a page at random, and speak
h
about its contents for 60 seconds non-stop
· hy?: doing this helps you practice speaking on the fly,
w
as well as the ability to think on your feet
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21. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS ENGAGING
SHOW SOME ENTHUSIASM
· if you aren’t excited, they won’t be either
· channel your nervousness
· fake it ’til you make it
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22. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS ENGAGING
IMPROV EXERCISE #2: BE IN THE SPOTLIGHT
· practice drawing positive attention to yourself whenever
you can
· ow: be an audience volunteer, read out loud to your spouse
h
or pet, make announcements at work
· why?: practice creates confidence confidence
is more engaging
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23. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS ENGAGING
BODY LANGUAGE STAGE PRESENCE
· stay open: don’t cross your arms or slump your shoulders
· stay respectful: stand or sit professionally confidently
· stay appropriate: utilize the “cone of movement”
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24. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS PROFESSIONAL
ATTIRE ATTITUDE
· act as if time and money are on the line every time
· dress, speak act appropriately
· when in doubt, dress up speak up
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25. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS PROFESSIONAL
IMPROV EXERCISE #3: RULE OF AGREEMENT
· how: don’t deny your scene partner’s declarations
· why?: this helps you appear more professional unified
· use “and” rather than “no”
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26. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
TO SUMMARIZE
BE YOURSELF, BUT BETTER
· a good presentation is a genuine presentation
· find what works, forget what doesn’t
· be true to you (just be a less nervous you)
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27. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER...
PRESENTING WELL IS PARAMOUNT
· plan, prepare practice
· utilize some of these tips tricks to improve
your presentation performance
· above all, be organized, be engaging be professional
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28. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
Q A
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