Presentation Preparation

The lights dim. A lone presenter walks up to the podium, shuffles his notes and hits the projector switch. Nothing happens. He tries again. The tension mounts. All eyes are focused on the presenter as he breaks out in a sweat and starts randomly hitting buttons.

There's nothing that strikes greater fear in the heart of a presenter than the thought of equipment failure. After all, the entire audience is relying on you. So it makes sense that a good presenter will have a number of tried and tested techniques for dealing with equipment meltdown. We asked readers to share those tips with us. In this article we've decided to defer to their expertise! Here's how they responded…

1. You're stranded in a technology-barren meeting room. Your presentation is recorded on your laptop and there's no projector in the room – how do you cope?

The overwhelming advice from readers was to keep your cool. As one reader explained, "I wrote the presentation so I know it by heart and I have an index card with my key points. I know my material…I can do it in my sleep!"

According to another reader, "You wing it. You should be thoroughly familiar with what you are going to present and be able to deliver it without your computer-based presentation."

In other words, a truly professional presenter knows their material – slides should be a garnish, not the entire presentation. If you're familiar with your material, but need something to prompt you, try as one reader suggests: "Use your laptop to trigger your memory, and deliver your presentation without props. Promise the audience that you will print out any relevant graphs or diagrams after the session."

Several innovative readers suggested that if you can't do without visual aids – create your own!
"Grab a flip chart, masking tape and markers. Translate the key points to the flip chart paper. Between your flipcharts and the handouts you've given them - things should go fine."

"Connect your laptop to a printer and generate handouts. Then create full-size overheads to use with an antiquated overhead projector. Then breathe a sigh of relief and wait for the most appreciative audience of all time!"

"Find a whiteboard or easel with large paper and write two words down for each agenda item. Use the whiteboard and/or large paper for illustrations."

"I act out my presentation – charades style – while using available props such as potted plants and speaker phones to create a theatrical set. I award points to audience members if they can 'guess the concept."

2. You've planned to visit several Web pages over the course of your presentation. When you arrive at the facility, you realize there isn't an Internet connection in the room – what do you do?

If you work in a technology-savvy organization it's easy to forget that the tools you take for granted in your office may not be available elsewhere. But remember: a true professional doesn't make any assumptions. As two seasoned respondents explain, "Stay away from relying on too much technology in your presentations. I find the old tried and true manual approaches work best sometimes."

"Don't assume you'll have an Internet connection...ask during your planning phase. Have a backup 'offline' copy of the Web pages you're referencing ready as a reference (a non-responsive server could also sidetrack you from time to time)."

Remember, if you have no idea what to expect from a particular facility, it pays to establish a relationship with the facility manager before you're in a crisis situation. It's part of your responsibility as a presenter to ensure that the equipment you need is present. As one reader suggests, "Establish a good contact with the facility and make sure they understand your needs before arriving…I carry extra cables and have a selection of adapters. Usually I check out the facility the day before the presentation."

Of course, the material from a particular Web page may be vital for your presentation. If this is the case, plan ahead. There are several short-cuts to visiting a Web site during a presentation. All it takes is a little advance preparation. Try one of the following tips:
"If you're planning to visit Web pages, you should cache them ahead of time on a zip disk. If you haven't cached them and have time (and a zip disk), find an Internet connection and cache what you need."

"Insert a hyperlink into your presentation. Or scan the page into your PowerPoint slides or cut and paste the information in."

If you didn't do any of these things and you're in the midst of your presentation, you could try and salvage your professionalism with one of these strategies:
"Summarize the points to be made using the Web sites, draw story boards on a whiteboard and give URLs."

"Put URLs in the handout notes, make references to them, and tell the audience they may browse at their leisure."

Don't forget, no matter what kind of equipment glitches you encounter, the most important thing is: "Let the show go on – never let them see you sweat."
3. Your planned presentation is an AV extravaganza with PowerPoint, video, Web links, and audio effects. Your meeting rooms however are in high demand, and AV technicians have just informed you that you can have just one of the following pieces of equipment:
Laptop Video
Projector Audio

Which do you choose and why?
It looks like the projector is the preferred prop for professional presenters. It was selected by 75% of the respondents! As one presenter put it, "I can always use overheads with some secret gimmicks to maintain interest. It's my knowledge and style that is the reason I am there. I will survive."

The projector's versatility won points with all of the respondents. Almost everyone who selected the projector suggested that you could create slides or overheads beforehand, and still keep the audience involved in your presentation. As one veteran presenter pointed out, you can avoid the worst disasters by planning ahead.

"You can re-create nearly anything with a projector while you're presenting. I'm assuming you'd have your own laptop (to use as a script). Who in the world would bring their presentation on a disk and hope the in-house laptop can support what's on it???"

Another respondent argued in favor of the laptop:

"I should be prepared enough to do without the video and, if time allows, copy the video to the laptop. The audio equipment is not necessary as the laptop should have a sound card, so I can connect the microphone to the laptop and use it if necessary. The projector would be missed, but I would have to rely on myself to convey the messages the projector would be showing."

There you have it! Hopefully these survivor tips will help you salvage you own presentation in the event that disaster strikes.

The first 90 second Mean so Much

It’s vital that the first moments of your presentation grab your audience’s attention. Not only does a great introduction provide an overview of what will be discussed, but it should also convince the audience that your presentation will be relevant. So how can you prepare an introduction that’s exciting and intriguing? Read on!

1. Ask a Question
Ask either a rhetorical question or one that seeks a response from the audience. If you want the audience to respond, make it easy for them to do so. Ask a question that can be answered with a yes or no, or call for a show of hands. For example, "How many of you are tired of unproductive and inefficient meetings?"

2. State a Fact
Begin with a fact or statistic that supports the topic of your presentation. For example, if your topic is the importance of meeting efficiency you could use a statistic such as, "Most professionals attend a total of 61.8 meetings per month and research indicates that over 50 percent of this meeting time is wasted."

3. Tell a Joke
However, be sure that the joke is appropriate! If you have any doubts, select another joke or a different method. Also be sure that the joke is relevant to your topic and the speaking situation.

4. Tell a Relevant Story
Everyone loves a well-told story, especially a personal story that relates an experience you had with some aspect of the topic being discussed. People are drawn to hearing about the experiences of others, and stories provide an opportunity for the audience to get to know you.

5. Use a Quotation
With the help of the Internet, it’s easy to find a quote for just about any topic.

6. Make an Emphatic Statement
A powerful statement captures the attention of your audience and sets a dynamic tone for your presentation. For example, "It’s time to take control of your unproductive meetings. Refuse to let them eat away at your bottom line any longer!"

No matter which type of introduction you select, make it enthusiastic! If you’re interested in what you’re saying, the audience will have a reason to be. And remember to practice your introduction several times before presentation day because, as they say, you won’t get a second chance to make a great first impression.

Keeping your Audience Interested

You've been delivering your presentation for the last 30 minutes. You're using PowerPoint for your notes and visuals. You look into the audience and notice that people are yawning, looking at their watches, and fidgeting in their seats. How do you rescue this presentation from the doldrums?

If your audience is snoozing in their seats, you need a tried and true way of waking them up! The vast majority of readers stated that involving the audience in your presentation is the only sure-fire way to keep them focused. As one respondent put it, "No audience participation = sleep."

If your presentation isn't specifically tailored to encourage audience participation, don’t panic. Try one of the following suggestions:

	"Change tracks! Stop the presentation, pull up a blank slide and ask the audience to brainstorm with you. It’ll make the presentation interactive and the audience will feel there's a point to being there!"
	"Ask questions, move around the room. Skip over the boring ‘filler’ slides and get to the good stuff. Get the audience to brainstorm in anticipation of your next point."
	"Step away from the presentation (figuratively and literally) and pose some direct questions to the audience to wake them up and get them more involved. Cracking a joke is useful but what happens if it falls flat? Ugh!"
The other strategy favored by respondents is to get participants up and moving. Never underestimate the rejuvenating effects of a short break and some fresh air. As two of our readers suggest:
	"Ask everyone to stand up, stretch and shake their hands. In brain-based research it's called change of state. It’s very revitalizing! It is very normal behavior...give the poor audience a break!"
	"Make participants change seats, have an impromptu coffee break or fast-forward to the interactive part of the presentation to get the audience moving and speaking."

So the bottom line is, if you find that your presentation is more of a sedative than a stimulant, get your audience involved. Ask questions, open the floor up to discussion, get them to brainstorm with you – anything that gets people thinking! Alternatively, schedule a quick break. Get the blood flowing with a quick stretch, walk around the room or a seat swap. And next time you’re planning a presentation, schedule a quick break every 50 minutes. It’ll work wonders for audience morale.

Talk to the Hand

It's 3 pm on a Tuesday afternoon and you're delivering an important presentation to one of your company's most prestigious clients.

Things get off to a good start, your audiovisual equipment is working and there's no need to refer to your notes; you know this speech inside and out. You're a little nervous but that's to be expected. Besides, you have your trusty podium to hide behind between PowerPoint slides. You know it's important to connect with the audience so as you go through your presentation you glance at the picture on the back wall every so often – a little trick you picked up – to look like you're making eye contact.

Ten minutes into your "awesome" presentation you ask a question and no one responds. You look up from your PowerPoint show and glance around the room only to see bobbing heads, glazed-over eyes and…hey, the president of the company has dozed off. Oh no, it looks like instead of "knocking 'em dead," you've knocked 'em out!

The Real Challenge...
Unfortunately many people think that once they've organized all the information they need for a presentation, their work is over. In reality preparing is only half the work. The real work is holding people's interest long enough to get your point across. You can write the greatest speech in history but if you can't keep your audience's attention, how will they ever know?

To ensure your message is received loud and clear, try paying attention to body language – both your own and that of your audience.

Beat Boredom
You can greatly improve your presentations by simply paying attention to the messages you send your audience with your body language. Are you standing in the same spot for the entire presentation? Is your voice flat and uninteresting? Or maybe you aren't using any hand gestures to get your point across. All of these things can make a presentation a little boring.

Celeste Sulliman, Assistant Professor, Communication at UCCB, says one of the keys to keeping your audience interested is making eye contact with your entire audience, not just one or two people. "This draws the audience into your presentation and allows you to make an interpersonal connection with them."

Remember to move around! You don't have to do cartwheels, but do shift from one area of the room to another periodically. You might also try moving forward so you're closer to your audience instead of hiding out behind your podium.

Don't speak in a monotone voice as if you're reciting your speech word for word. Sulliman suggests that you be enthusiastic and animated. Speak to your audience in a conversational manner just as you would to someone in a business meeting.

Decoding the Silent Signals
You can also improve your presentation by noticing the messages your audience sends back to you through their own body language. Check out their reactions to what you're saying. Are people nodding their heads in agreement or are they just nodding off? If they look puzzled, stop and allow them to ask questions.

Watch for signals of boredom or misinterpretation. Are they leaning toward you to listen or are they sitting back with their arms folded? When members of your audience are slouched back in their seats letting their eyes wander it usually means they're uninterested in what you're saying. But if they're sitting back with their arms folded across their chest, staring at you, they may have been offended by something you've said. If you're paying close attention, you can catch this and clarify your statement without any negative feelings.

The best speakers make you feel as if they're having a normal conversation – not spewing out a memorized speech. So relax and remember these tips – they may just help you avoid turning your presentation into nap time.

To learn more about body language, visit:
www.top7business.com/archives/success/092298.html
www.usatoday.com/careers/news/usa024.htm

REFERENCE:
Celeste Sulliman, PhD. Assistant Professor, Communication, University College of Cape Breton. Personal communication. December 7, 2000.

Source: Merriam-Webster Collegiate Webster Dictionary

How to tell a better story

Think of the most impressive presentation you’ve ever seen. What made it so incredible? It’s likely the presenter told stories and shared anecdotes from his own life experiences. Effective storytelling is one of the most powerful tools a presenter has. Here are some ideas for improving your storytelling ability.

	Be 100% authentic. It’s best if you use experiences from your own life. You’ll tell these stories with more emotion and involvement than a second-hand story.
	Identify with the story. If you aren’t using your own, be sure it’s an event or emotion to which you can relate. If the story you’re using doesn’t remind you of an experience you’ve had, it may come across as hollow and fake to the audience.
	Relate your story to the content of your presentation. Telling a related story will reinforce your presentation’s central message. Without stories, presentations can become unmemorable information dumps. Give the audience something to take with them once the presentation is finished.
	Get involved emotionally and physically. Let your body, face, emotions and voice help you tell the story. This technique can effectively bring any audience member to the edge of his seat.
	Paint a vivid picture. Select simple but descriptive words. Address all senses in your storytelling – what were the sights, sounds and emotions associated with the particular scenes?
	Find opportunities to practice your story. The delivery should be smooth and easy – often this takes practice.
	Test your story, anecdote or joke. If you don’t get the response you’re looking for when telling it to a group of colleagues or friends, don’t use it in your presentation!
	Maintain a record of good stories you’ve heard or experiences you’d like to share with a future audience. Write them in a book or save them to a computer file. Source: Dale Carnegie, US teacher and writter

Creating Dynamic Presentations

Unless you've been caught in a time warp the last few years, you'll have realized that presentation tools are an integral part of delivering an effective presentation. Your presentation may have informative content and professional delivery, but if you really want to connect with your audience, you'll want to consider the use of interactive tools.

Dynamic Delivery
Short attention spans are the bane of every presenter's existence. If you feel that your audience is using your presentation as an opportunity to grab a quick nap, it might be time to start thinking about a more dynamic delivery style. A great way to add some pizzazz to your presentation is to use a variety of multimedia tools to get your point across. For example, present your message using a PowerPoint presentation and then back it up with a video. Or present a competitive analysis and refer to Web pages intermittently. That way, you're reinforcing your point (which helps combat those short attention spans) and your presentation is more persuasive because several types of information are supporting your initial claim.

AV Overload
Anyone who's presented with a variety of multimedia equipment will be aware of the technical frustrations involved in trying to seamlessly integrate computers, videos, and audio effects (to name a few). A handy solution is a mobile multimedia cabinet. A good cabinet will come pre-configured with all of the necessary cables and wires, so that your equipment can be set up by a professional before your presentation begins. You just wheel the cabinet into the meeting room, plug it in, and you're ready to go. No more wrestling with cables and connections in the middle of your presentation. Instead, you can focus on your message rather than your equipment.

Creative Collaborations
A great way to shift your presentation from mundane to mesmerizing is to include a brainstorming session. Involving the audience will make your presentation more interesting for everyone. Plus, people are more likely to pay attention if there is a chance they might be called on to participate. Interactive whiteboards are an ideal way to incorporate a brainstorming session into a presentation. An interactive whiteboard provides all the advantages of a computer, combined with a traditional whiteboard. Using an interactive whiteboard allows you to switch back and forth between computer-based information and a whiteboard surface. Plus, you can save all of your notes to a computer file once your presentation is over.

Use Your Intuition
If the thought of delivering a presentation makes you break out in a cold sweat, intuitive tools should be your best friend! Presenters often avoid integrating technology into their presentations because they don't want to deal with the extra headache of learning how to operate new tools. One way to minimize those fears is to use intuitive tools. Touch-sensitive computer screens, for example, are a great way to make your delivery more natural when you're delivering a computer-based presentation. Using a remote mouse feels unnatural and can break your train of thought. Turning around to fiddle with a computer will break your connection with the audience. A touch-sensitive screen lets you use your finger as a mouse, so you don't even need to think about using unfamiliar technology during your presentation. Interactive whiteboards are an excellent way to utilize this technology as they provide touch sensitivity in conjunction with annotation capabilities and have a screen that's large enough for presentations. Check out interactive whiteboard.

Presentations have evolved to the point where a flipchart and pointer are no longer enough to engage your audience's attention. Busy schedules and increasingly creative multimedia tools mean that you need to engage your audience's senses as well as attention. So next time you're planning a presentation, make sure you look at integrating interactivity into your delivery. Play a video, add sound effects, or create some great visual aids – your audience will thank you!