PRESENTING SKILLS

PRESENTING SKILLS

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Journal Overview

This Journal is mainly focused on Presenting Skills. This journal is a reflective write-up on what the webinar was about, what was learned from it and how the knowledge gained from it can be applied to my future career.                                 

2. PRESENTING SKILLS
2.1 Summary

Presentation skills can be defined as a set of abilities that enable an individual to: interact with the audience; transmit the messages with clarity; engage the audience in the presentation; and interpret and understand the mindsets of the listeners.

 

2.2 Learning Outcome

Presenting information clearly and effectively is a key skill in getting your message across. Today, presentation skills are required in almost every field, and most of us are required to give presentations on occasions. While some people take this in their stride, others find it much more challenging.

If you have effective presentation skills, this means you are good at communicating. By speaking clearly and getting your ideas and message across to people well, there will be less miscommunication in your life. This means less stress and happier relationships.

Presentation skills are the skills you need in delivering effective and engaging presentations to a variety of audiences. These skills cover a variety of areas such as the structure of your presentation, the design of your slides, the tone of your voice and the body language you convey.

 

2.3 What is a Presentation?

A presentation is the process of presenting a topic to an audience. It is typically a demonstration, introduction, lecture, or speech. Meant to inform, persuade, motive, demonstrate & build a relationship.

A presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product.

 

2.4 What is Presentation Skills?

Presentation skills are the skills you need in delivering effective and engaging presentations to a variety of audiences. These skills cover a variety of areas such as the structure of your presentation, the design of your slides, the tone of your voice and the body language you convey.

Present as if it is a conversation between you and the audience. There is a big difference between creating conversations and talking at someone. If you give your audience the impression that you are talking at them, that are going through their mind as you present your information.

 

2.5 Presentation Designs

Presentation style is how you give your presentation orally. When delivering public speeches or public presentations there are many different styles or ways in which you can give your presentation.

 Presentation Design Styles

Using Text & Graphical Elements

Colours & Emotions

 

2.6 The Big Three Design

Great presenters like Steve jobs would divide product presentations in the three parts. Three main parts make it easier for audience to understand and retain in memory.

A Steve Jobs presentation followed a very specific structure that left the audience with no choice but to focus on the message being conveyed. Each presentation began with a roadmap, he broke every segment into three parts, and he never spoke on one topic longer than ten minutes.

A person can only retain small amounts of information in their short-term memory. That is why a Steve Jobs presentation always had three or four message points. However, the number three was more common than four because he discovered that the “Rule of Three” is one of the most powerful rules of communication theory.

Most of Jobs’ presentations were broken down into three parts and his product demos were broken down into three features.

The “rule of three” can be leveraged by every presenter. One of the hardest tasks you’ll have to do when building your presentation is narrow your message down to its core.

Build your presentation around the three most important ways your product solves your customers’ problems.

This will allow your audience to retain the information that you give them and increase their likelihood of purchasing the product at the end of the presentation.

Steve Jobs broke up his presentation every ten minutes because he understood that’s the approximate length of a person’s attention span.

The point is to make sure your audience remains attentive to you throughout the entire presentation.

 

2.7 Villain vs Hero Approach

This approach is to show weightage to a matter by introducing the problem/villain. Once Villain is established the solution/hero can be presented.

If you are writing with only Heroes and Villains, you are limiting yourself. A Hero is a Main Character who is also a Protagonist. A Villain is an Influence Character who is also an Antagonist.

What is the difference between a Main Character and a Protagonist? The Main Character represents the audience position in the story: It is the character the audience most cares about, most empathizes with. The Protagonist is the character who drives the plot forward.

 

2.8 The Big 4

Four main areas to be developed to improve presentation delivery.

·  Tone of Voice: Voice tone is extremely important to highlight the weightage and importance of matters while also important to keep people interested. Develop this with the “Storytelling exercise”.

·  Body Language: Majority of movement is limited during presentations. Stand on two feet. Open palms & relaxed arms majority of the time. Closed palms to make a point. Walk among audience. Story telling exercise to be practice to focus on your body language.

·  Data Presentation: Use comparisons and relativity to present important facts. Try to share handouts of important Data figures prior to presentation. Ask questions and clarify. Use key insights. One of the best ways to present is the insight sandwich model.

·  Dress Code: Follow the guidelines provided for dress code. Understand why the dress code is important. Learn to match the colours to maximum effect.

  

2.9 How to work a room

This is the activity of establishing presence and connection with people in a designated area.

Learn how to identify people who are open to discussion. Pick up on uninterested audience members and their reactions. Meet and have conversations with strangers, join clubs and practice dealing with crowds of people. Do your research on the crowds and their expectations.

When you present, you are in charge of the room. The audience has effectively handed you control and is sitting back waiting for you to do something. You may have prepared a specific talk, but if you see that is not working, you can always change it. You are, after all, the expert.

You can, for example:

·       Skip through some slides to a section that they may find more interesting.

·       Ask your audience whether there is particular information that they were expecting that you are not providing.

·       Suggest that everyone looks a bit sleepy, and maybe it would be better to start questions early, or have a discussion; or

·       Ask the audience at the start of the presentation what they are expecting and what they want you to cover. That way, you can tailor the presentation to fit their expectations.

Just as when you are facilitating, you want to help your audience get the most out of your presentation. The best way to do that is to accept feedback—which may include smiles, nods of interest, or people getting their phones out.

 
2.10 Associate with audience on a personal level

In the presentation context, this is done by using storytelling method. Ask audience for their experiences. Relate to audience and there concerns regarding topic at hand. Try to build rapport prior to presentation.

 

2.11 Pick up on audience reactions

Learn about body language and nonverbal communication methods. Learn how to show confident and open body language. Comme up with lce-breakers.

Good presentation skills involve asking yourself; ‘What do my audience want to know? What will they find interesting about my topic?’ Brainstorm ideas and write them down to create an interesting presentation.

 

2.12 Key Mistakes

Ensure grammar and spelling correct. Ensure a consistent theme throughout presentation. Do not read from the presentation beyond the contents provided. Ensure to pause and ask questions from the crowd.

Keep your presentation simple by focusing on 3 important points you want to communicate. Keep your message focused and stick to what you want to say. If you have information that is not relevant to your message, do not include it.

 

3. Conclusion

Presentation skills are the skills you need in delivering effective and engaging presentations to a variety of audiences. These skills cover a variety of areas such as the structure of your presentation, the design of your slides, the tone of your voice and the body language you convey.

Present as if it is a conversation between you and the audience. There is a big difference between creating conversations and talking at someone. If you give your audience the impression that you are talking at them, that are going through their mind as you present your information. Build your presentation around the three most important ways your product solves your customers’ problems. This will allow your audience to retain the information that you give them and increase their likelihood of purchasing the product at the end of the presentation.

Keep your presentation simple by focusing on 3 important points you want to communicate. Keep your message focused and stick to what you want to say. If you have information that is not relevant to your message, do not include it.