It is about placing an idea for perusal and consideration; it is about persuasion of a message built on logic and arguments; it is about reinforcing a point with oratory skill graphics and audio. The biggest advantage presentations bring to the campaigner is that they allow the impact that written words may lack and create a sense of immediacy inviting response. And communicator power helps the power to sink in effectively.
Yet the most important thing to remember is that it’s not about delivering a speech. You are actually talking to someone and he deserves to be comfortably inducted to an idea. A good presenter makes the audience think continually. What they think depends on how the presentation is structured, because only through the patterned delivery you can control and direct their thinking with the input of cultured presentation skill. It is worthwhile to impact with the ideas but it is all the more important and challenging in making it interesting. You cannot afford to bore your audience. You would have lost the game even before you have started, in such eventuality.
The entire process could be divided into three parts, each demanding respective importance and accordingly structured by inputs from experts in the team
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What are there fears, worries and biases? What can motivate them? Who could be friend who could be the opposition? And finally who is the final decision maker. A person who takes the final decision would be the man or woman who has a stake the outcome. And he will be the person to judge you. Speak to his views. That does not mean you are surrendering you point of view If you are convinced that it will produce a better result, but you would actually tailor you content to juxtapose on his views and show how it makes more sense.
Strategies your Presentation-What you deliver will have to be planned and structured. It will have to have a strategy on which you build your message and also decide the media through which you deliver it.
Prepare for the Presentation Situation-After deciding on the presentation strategy, importance has to be attached to the preparation on the presentation.
- Clients concentrate on what they want to hear.
- Sometimes good ideas, for reasons that may not seem logical, face rejection.
- A fresh idea could be resisted. So use tact to handle such situation.
- Remember their unfamiliarity with you could make them skeptical on your caliber. So prepare well.
Planning the Presentation-
- The first thing its tone.
- The ideal way would be to show a relaxed stayed yet not letting the seriousness of your thoughts escape the notice of your prospect. KEEP YOURSELF FLEXIBLE. We know the mission must be accomplished and here’s how we are going to get there.
- If possible choose the time of presentation when your client could be in relaxed frame on mind. The theme should start making sense right form the begging. Remember, you always have to get across an idea with your target. Make it strong.
The opening of a presentation should be positive and interesting to help establish an early vibe with the audience. Use anecdotes relevant to the plan; arouse curiosity; quote someone; ask a question… do whatever it takes to get his focus in your talk. Don’t pull the curtains suddenly. A good way is to summaries the conclusion and asks for audience agreement.
The idea you want to present will work best when you have structured it logically.
- Evaluating the opportunities and identification of the problems that needs to be addressed.
- Anticipation of expected questions and counter argument. The good presenter will lay high emphasis on this and prepare himself with all possibilities.
- Recapping with key points to re- establish the argument.
Assemble logic. Construct your argument with a series of key reasons
Silver-line arguments. Use analogies and metaphors to illustrate a point. Make them knocks holes into prejudiced thinking.
Attract attention on salience. Identify and focus on critical problems to be solved. Use leading questions to weave the proposed solutions around it.
Apply memory hooks. Finally use massage strategy to intensify memorability of key points. Remember, the audience is unlikely to remember the whole presentation with all the logic built into it. He need not! But it is not worth to have him forget the key elements of your point of view.
The presentation environment communicates a message of its own. so, if it is within your control make the environment support your pitch.The minute you take to the stage you are the protagonist with a responsibility to score. Like the stage actor, you have to use your pitch, tone, style, emotions, sensory, et al. but unlike the actor your performance is limited only to make the point imposingly sink in, rather than aiming at audience applauds for stirring performance. If you are seated and have to rise to address the audience, stand up in one smooth motion. But your positive body language you give the audience the feel of facing a professional and confident person.
Your appearance- dress, poise, posture, gesture, expressiveness, movement and mannerism combine into body language that adds to the quality of your message. Eye contact plays a crucial part in the delivery of the message. And begin with saying something interesting in a warm and friendly manner. This is what brings you the initial rapport, and this is the horse you will have to ride through the presentation to impose your point of view.
IF YOU BELIEVE IN IT YOU CAN MAKE THEM BELIEVE TOO!
Your point of view becomes acceptable when you show your convinced behind it. This means that you have to convince yourself first on the strength of the perspective you wish to present before you sell that to your audience. In an article in advertising age, Sunanne Townsend wrote: you are the most powerful weapon when you are most sincere, most enthusiastic, most honest, most involved and most genuinely excited. Personify your conviction by emphasizing your point with analogies and case histories.
To plane interactive frames with your audience at significant points of your presentation. This will keep up the tempo of their involvement in the presentation. There are other simple ways to get them back on the track.
- Stop speaking-The silence would pull back their attention or give them an opportunity to clarify a point of confusion.
- Pick up pace, animate your delivery. This way you invite some fresh attention.
- Move and inject small entertainment. A jocular analogy on a point can get
- Finally, if it has been too long at a stretch, call for a break.
You should also anticipate disagreements and prepare your justifications in greater detail to respond to audience’s satisfaction. Break lengthy questions into pieces and handle them point by point. This way you have a better opportunity to justify your views. Never bluff your way out. And finally, leave behind relevant documents for ponder.
Measure the impact-Most presenters ignore this area, yet a measure of the solutions or the idea that is put across, can give you the clue to the potency of the concept. Audience critique through a feedback format that you could leave behind.
BE AGILE Be expressive like the popular TV compeer.
CONNECT Stimulate your audience with eye contact;
OPTIMISE YOUR MESSAGE
Use visual hooks to keep the audience in focus and serve as signposts for your logic. Generally it is difficult to sell what you can’t show. Use audio selectively to stimulate mood and imagination.
Presentation Hiccups
- Inadequate planning.
- Presentation done by a person not thorough with plan or context.
- Not making eye contact.
- Not adapting to a natural style.
- Leaving them confused and distanced form the message core.
- Not inviting interactions.
- Culture, background, and bias
- Noise
- Stress
Smart Tips
- Pause and ask the audience if you are being understood correctly.
- Do not run through the presentation. stop at strategic moments, pause and give the audience a chance to comment or ask questions.
- Empathies with your audience. Make your presentation match the audience sentiments and thoughts.
- Do not lose eye contact. And be easy.
- Vary tone and pace to pitch up attention.
- Never overlook signs of confusion. Stop, ask with candor the concern and attempt to clarify with confidence.