The Effective Presenter
What do you believe are the top three or four things to remember when preparing and delivering an effective presentation?
In preparing my presentation I will focus on my objective and define one key message that people will remember and that would influence a desired outcome. Then I would concentrate on the arguments that support my message. Finally, I would identify when it is important to get audience participation, reaction and agreement.
Strong ideas to build a strong presentation. Coming from a Speech background, I also always like to make sure I understand my audience & what they are looking for in my presentation. This ties to your idea about your objective. Why is the audience there to listen to you & how can you meet their expectations?
Consideration of time of day is another key aspect for consideration.
Ryan
Research your topic, make sure to focus in the main idea, and try to make a dynamic presentation with the use of technology
Take the time to find out about your audience, and to rehearse the presentation.
Great ideas. One thing I would suggest in regard to your comment about rehearsing is to videotape yourself. Obviously not all presentations warrant this much preparation, but this can be a great tool to use for the bigger presentations. And believe me, it can also be a very humbling experience!
Ryan
1. Know your audience
2. Cover only 5 points, give or take 2.
3. Speak clearly, vary the tone, move around, and make eye contact during delivery.
4. Keep focused on the topic
5. Practice with someone.
Great ideas. Two things I would add for your consideration, not must do's but possibilities:
1. Visual handout of some kind--for those who are more visual learners this can help make your point
2. In preparation, video yourself. This can be a humbling experience but I've found it to be invaluable.
Ryan
Number One: Be prepared. Know your topic and how you plan to present it. Anticipate likely questions and cultivate a confident demeanor.
Number Two: Choose a presentation method that best suits your audience and setting. Prepare materials that are suitable to the venue. Rehearse, if possible in the location where you will present. Check the view your participants have so you are sure that non-verbal communication and visual reinforcement will actually reach your intended targets.
Number Three: Relax - speek conversationally but be sure you can be heard, speak clearly, breath, think silently, present confidently.
Great ideas Richard. In regard to being prepared & knowing your topic, if you are presenting something potentially controversial or "debatable" sometimes it's helpful to have someone play the "devil's advocate" & ask questions that might be posed to you.
Also, I always like to know when I am speaking & what surrounds me on the agenda. This allows me to know what else might be on the audience's minds so I can be more effective.
Ryan
Know your audience and the context you will be giving the presenation in. (If you get that wrong, you will have lost before you begin.) Never assume people will know what you are talking about. Be sure to introduce your topic and state the objective up front. (I have been to presentations where we had to guess what the point of the presentation was.) Don't make your slides too "busy" and NEVER EVER read your slides. They are supposed to be talking points, not a script.
I only wish you could hear applause over the computer! You hit on two huge pet peeves of mine. First of all, having a point & making it clear is vital. And then your comment about never reading your slides is dead on! I'm amazed at how many times I see this happening even at advanced management levels.
Ryan
From my experience in delivering presentations to our faculty and also our students, I've learned there are sevreal key points. The length of the presentation is very important. Be concise and to the point. Do not give too much information. Do not read stright from your visual aids. You lose the attention of the audience, becasue they can read faster then you can talk. Also, body language is important when delivering the presentation. It helps to establish a relationship with the audience, and you can use the body language of thers as cues.
Great observations. One of my biggest pet peeves is for presenters to use a powerpoint & then to read exactly what is on the slides. As you observed I can read myself & I believe the presenter should add meat to the bones that are represented on the slides.
Ryan
Knowing who your audience is, keeping it simple, using visuals, good eye contact, asking questions.
Susan Cuffari
Building on your idea of knowing your audience I would also emphasize knowing agenda: time of day, what precedes/follows you, what else have they discussed, what potentially is their frame of mind, etc.
Ryan
I believe the top three or four things to remember is your purpose, credibility, facts and main points you want to stress.
I would also consider the questions that may be asked in order to anticipate the answers.
Good ideas. I also would stress the need to keep in mind who your audience is & exactly why they are listening to you. This aligns with your main points, but also goes a little deeper as you seek to understand their motives for being there.
Ryan
Absolutely. My personal feeling is that the more preparation you can have the better. I honestly do not think there is such a thing as being "overprepared."
Ryan
I believe that preparation is the key. I was a detective for many years and can still remember being at ease in the courtroom with only a few asst prosecutors because i knew that we were both on the same page and thoroughly prepared. I also taught inservice and basic courses and if you weren't knowledgable about your presentation you could be eaten alive. Confidence, in public speaking, comes easy when you have mastered the above, and when you are confident you can be yourself and come across more clearly.I still get those butterflies but they are gone a whole lot quicker when you know you are ready.
