Preparing For The Presentation

     Being a “successful” presenter means different things to different people. For some, simply getting through the presentation without a total nervous meltdown would be a Herculean effort while others find the applause of an audience the ultimate reward. No matter how you personally define success, there are some common elements that will help the novice or seasoned presenter alike become better-prepared for that important presentation.
     There are precious few people in this world who have their message so down pat and deliver it so frequently that they don’t need to prepare. For the rest of us, however, the process of preparing is the difference between excellence and mediocrity, success and disaster.  
     One of the common mistakes made by the infrequent presenter is creating content that seems to make good sense but misses the mark with the audience. The process of creating presentations becomes so intense that the presenter gets too close to the information. Details that are relatively unimportant to the audience are included in the presenter’s rush to be understood. By partnering with an objective support person who knows the profile of the attendees, your coach can help assess when the presentation detail becomes cumbersome or is forcing the length of the presentation beyond the allotted time. If you find that it becomes near

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impossible to keep the presentation on schedule, it might be helpful to reassess the scope of the information covered. Fewer topics will allow you to create more detail but once again, audience expectations and time should always drive the content development process.
     Another common mistake made by many presenters is in representation of information. Although it’s all too natural to think in terms of words and phrases to express ideas, most audiences find it difficult to sit through presentations that consist only of bullets and text. Once the audience gets into the habit of reading your presentation, there becomes little need for the presenter. Support text bullets points with graphical images. Retention of concepts is dramatically increased when easy-to-understand illustrations, graphs, charts or photographs are used in place of words. The spoken portion of a presentation, supported by appropriate graphics will set you apart from the crowd.
     There are many different types of presentations and audiences. Some are informal while others require a high degree of professionalism.
     Understanding the context of your presentation will determine variables like what clothes you choose to wear on presentation day, whether you adopt a formal or conversational style of delivery and how much freedom you take to leave the podium to interact with the audience. Misinterpreting the nature of the audience can nullify good presentation content. For example, some presenters like to adopt an interactive delivery style by posing questions to their audience, soliciting feedback and moving off a raised plat form to create more audience intimacy. Although this approach might work well for a seminar or workshop, you probably wouldn’t try it in an executive boardroom. Know your audience and develop a delivery strategy that will work.
     For those who think practice is a greatly overrated precursor to presenting, consider these essential benefits to getting comfortable with your presentation content, as soon as possible. Well-rehearsed presentations become less scripted and mechanical in delivery and more conversational. A strong comfort level with content means you have more freedom to take your eyes off of your laptop screen and notes, casting your attention towards the audience.
     Effective presentation elements like analogies and stories are easier to create and integrate when your content is well defined and understood.
     Presentation introductions, closing comments and proper spoken transitions between topics are essential to a good presentation. Planning those mission-critical elements is much easier to do when your presentation delivery is locked down tight.
     Presentations will always get us recognized but not always for the right reasons. Audiences don’t expect perfect presentations but they do expect prepared presenters. Being a well-prepared presenter is the best way to show your audience that you respect their attention and time. Perfection is unattainable, excellence is well within your power!

                  Stand And Deliver

  1. Eye Contact Is Key 

Forward-facing rows are best for informational meetings. For decision-making meetings, set up the room so decision-makers face each other.

  2. Tell Them What to Expect

 Tell your audience specifically what they will learn in the course of the meeting and how they will be able to apply their new knowledge. Clear goals keep attendees focused on their responsibilities as active participants.

  3. The Three-Part Rule Of Clear Communication

 An effective way to communicate well is to remember this three-pronged rule: Tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them.

  4. Delivering a Presentation:

 Get comfortable with your material.   Watch your timing. Be sure you don't have too much material to get through.  Highlight the points that have to be made.   Deliver the presentation just slightly above the conversational mode.

Maintain frequent eye contact with the entire audience.  Keep a glass of water at the podium.  Don't think about the delivery of the presentation as you are delivering it.

Delegate the responsibility for the sound system, lighting, and visual aids to others.   Enjoy your topic and share your enjoyment with the audience.

 Contact the Chamber of Commerce of any city you are to speak in. They will give you loads of information to familiarize you with the local surroundings and help you personalize your remarks.

Have a perfect understanding of your time frame and what is expected of you.

Station someone in the back of the room whose sole job is to put out fires for you. Let them search for extra chairs, adjust the lights, quell outside noise, welcome late arrivals, and catch      slamming doors.  Make a special effort to contact the competitors of the company you are addressing. Nothing gets the audience's attention like the mention of an arch rival.

  5. Addressing the Audience Stand on the left side of the room -- that is, the left side from the audience's point of view.   You should be at a 45-degree angle to the room. This  establishes a non-threatening stance and opens your body to the screen when you need to gesture or move.

Don't turn your back on your audience. If you're facing the  screen, and the audience is facing the screen, then who is     presenting?   If you're using an LCD projector/panel, take advantage of the loop-through cable for simultaneous viewing of your laptop/monitor screen, so you can face the audience 100% of the time.

Extending your palm outward is a very friendly hand gesture.

Say a phrase and pause, then say a phrase and pause. Each      pause gives you a chance to make eye contact, or to breathe, or to take a moment to think.

If you know a person's name, use it when you reference that      person.

If you nod your head to a person in the audience, chances are   they will return the gesture and nod back to you. Agreement      means to use phrases such as "Do you agree?" or "Am I      correct?"

Remember: You can't get an emotion unless you give that      emotion, first. You can't get excitement from people unless you  give excitement to them. You can't get a smile unless you smile first.

Don't hide your hands from the audience (behind your back or in your pockets). Avoid situations where your hands are clasped together in front of you. When your hands touch for an extended period (10 seconds or more), the audience tends to look at them and not at your face. The distraction reduces your effectiveness.

 If you must count, raise your hand above your head and count for everyone to see. This will force you to limit those times you count obsessively and it will add impact to those times you need to count emphatically. 

           Using Color in Your Presentations

     Color is a creative tool. You can count on color to make an impression–good or bad–with your audience, everything from the colors you wear, the colors in the room’s décor, or the colors in your presentation and materials. Keep some basic guidelines in mind, and color can make your presentation even more successful.
     Try colors in your company logo to subtly heighten morale, or to imprint your message during a sales call. (Repeat the basic shape of your logo, too, for a double dose of reinforcement.) If you’re presenting in a city that’s going wild for a winning sports team, the use of the team colors can bring you victory.
     Limit your palette. Select two or three main colors for your presentation and stick to them. Whatever colors you choose, make sure your contrasts are strong, strong, strong–especially if your visual incorporates print. Clarity of message is key and many decision makers have aging eyes. Consider the size of the room, too, when making color choices. Primary colors and neon brights can be overwhelming in a small setting; pastels and neutrals can bleach out in a large auditorium.
     Color packs a powerful punch. Think about how you’d like to influence your audience’s feelings about your message–then use color to help make that happen.
     Color persuades. Presenters using color are 43% more effective at committing audience members to a “call to action.” So says a study done at the University of Minnesota back in 1988. Want your audience to act? Add impact with color.
     Color enhances perception. Research at Cal State showed that the use of color in presenting educational materials cut learning time in half, with 40% greater retention, and a whopping 300% greater mastery of the subject. Want your audience to “get it”? Give it in color.
     Color saves time. According to studies undertaken at Bethlehem Steel, Martin Marietta, and Aetna Health, the use of color can slash training time by 2 to 50%. Want your audience up to speed, faster? Accelerate with color. 
     Color sells. A Field Sales study showed that 20-25% more sales calls are closed with electronic presentations that use color. Want your audience to buy? Color pays off.
     Color psychology is a precise science, taking into consideration factors like cultural conventions and biases, size of audience, and make-up of audience–gender, age, profession, ethnic background. “The subconscious is always at work out there,” warns Scott West, President of Communication.  Visuals, Inc. “You need to learn to make it work for you. Color is a vital tool.” 
     West, who developed the P.R.I.S.M. © system to help clients take a more in-depth approach to developing their presentations, offers these suggestions:

     The higher the level of management you’re addressing, the deeper you should take your colors; shade the red toward burgundy, the blue toward indigo, the green toward forest.

Green invites reflection, study, and analysis; it holds attention longer than other colors. Dark shades of green are excellent for financials and for training modules. Brighter greens promote emotional reactions of profitability, success, high-growth potential.

Peach, the harmonic blending of brown with red, promotes giving. Use it when your goal is to raise funds.

Many industries have their own “color codes,” using various set colors to symbolize differing scenarios. Do your research. And if you’re presenting in another country, check into their cultural biases to ensure positive reception of your message.

One final caution: They don’t call it a “riot of color” for nothin’! It’s easy to get caught up in the fun of creating with color, but your audience should remember your message, not the vivid array of colors you used. Color is an effective support tool for any presentation–the message reigns supreme.