Delivering Highly Effective Presentations

Lance BairdVP, Business Strategy and Development

DELIVERING HIGHLYEFFECTIVE PRESENTATIONS

Steve Jobs is often regarded as one of the best presenters of our day.

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He wasn’t just good. He was insanely great! How?

Implementing the following techniques will help (black turtleneck optional).

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10 TipsDelivering Highly Effective Presentations

Let’s get started…

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1. Deliver residual messages.

Delivering residual messages is critically important when presenting.

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10 TipsDeliver Residual Messages

• The main idea(s) you want left in the audience’s minds after all else is forgotten

• Completes the following sentence:I want every member of my audience to understand and accept that ________________________

• Characterized by four qualities

• Complete sentence

• Provable assertion

• Concise

• Specific

(Source: Dr. Andy Gustafson, The Pennsylvania State University)

If you wanted your audience to remember only one thing, what would it be?

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2. Repeat the residual messages.

Delivering residual messages isn’t enough. They must be repeated to “stick.”

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10 TipsRepeat the Residual Messages

• Message repetition and memory retention are highly positively correlated

• We forget 90% of what we learn in a class within 30 days

• We do the majority of this forgetting with the first few hours after the class

• It all hinges on the first 30 seconds of memory

(Source: Dr. John Medina, author, Brain Rules, 2008)

Repeat to remember!

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Dr. John Medina is an accomplished author and an expert on this subject.

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He’s also published a book for parents of small and unborn children.

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3. Treat the presentation like an event.

If presentations are like an event, then you’re the conductor.

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10 TipsTreat the Presentation Like an Event

• People do business with people they like

• Therefore, it’s important to sell ourselves in addition to the organizations we represent

• As hosts of the meeting, we bear the responsibility of creating a highly organized, memorable event

• Send an agenda

• Deliver the presentation by the agenda

• Keep the party going

• Follow up with action items in writing – speed counts!

Simple things we likely already know. Keep them in practice!

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10 TipsTreat the Presentation Like an Event

"One easy way to improve the level of trust, anytime and anywhere, is

simply to increase the speed with which people respond to communication. When people return our calls or e-mails quickly, it sends a signal that we can rely on them because our connection, however distant, is important enough to claim some of their attention. Response time is one indicator of the degree of trustworthiness of the other individual.” -- Art Kleiner, editor, strategy+business

Respond to your colleagues and customers quickly. Speed counts!

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4. Speak extemporaneously.

Keep it real. Be very well-rehearsed, but not robotic.

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10 TipsSpeak Extemporaneously

“The extemporaneous mode of speaking is the most effective method of delivery for most presentations. This method of speaking gives the impression that the speaker is talking with the audience. Because the presenter will not be reading from a script, he

or she can maintain eye contact with the audience and be open to any feedback the audience provides, such as a look of confusion or understanding.” -- Axzo Press, LLC, Effective Presentations, 2002.

Some more context on “speaking extemporaneously.”

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10 TipsSpeak Extemporaneously

(preparation)

(formality)

ImpromptuOff-the-cuff with

very little preparation

ExtemporaneousThorough preparation with great spontaneity Manuscript

Thorough preparation,

written and read

MemoryMemorized,

written and recited

(Source: Dr. Andy Gustafson, The Pennsylvania State University)

You can still use cue cards, just don’t let them control your presentation!

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5. Research the audience.

Another timeless principle to consider before the big day.

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What’s in it for me?

Your audience will be silently asking this question throughout your delivery.

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LinkedIn is a simple, yet powerful, tool for audience research.

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The Outlook Social Connector also is extremely helpful toward this end.

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6. Start strong, finish stronger.

All presentations should have a strong opening and closing. Why?

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10 TipsStart Strong, Finish Stronger

(attention)

(time)

(Source: Dean Minuto, SalesBrain)

Optimal memory retention

Limited memory retention

We’re naturally “wired” to remember the beginnings and ends of things.

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10 TipsStart Strong, Finish Stronger

• Starting the presentation

• Tell them what you’re going to tell them (agenda)

• Establish rapport as quickly as possible

• Finishing the presentation

• Tell them what you told them (use residual messages)

• Be gracious

• Ask for Q&A

A few tips to optimize your presentation’s start and finish.

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Author and speaker Tony Robbins is an expert on rapport and its meaning.

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7. Wake up the audience often.

If you see a similar scene when you’re presenting, it’s likely not going well.

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Limited memory retention

10 TipsWake Up the Audience Often

(attention)

(time)

(Source: Dean Minuto, SalesBrain)

Optimal memory retention

How can we keep our audience engaged throughout the presentation?

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Limited memory retention

10 TipsWake Up the Audience Often

(attention)

(time)

(Source: Dean Minuto, SalesBrain)

Optimal memory retention

How can we increase the “frequency” of their attention spans? Change!

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• The visual medium(e.g. PPT, handouts, flip charts, videos)

• The physical state of the audience(e.g. sitting, standing, raising hands)

• The participatory state of the audience(e.g. from listening to interactive)

• Where you physically stand

• Who is presenting

• The topic of discussion

• The physical state of the room(e.g. turn the lights on/off)

10 TipsWake Up the Audience Often

• Good rule of thumb – “change grabs attention”

• Things you can change:

• The mood of the room(e.g. telling a joke)

• Using someone’s name

• Using the word “you”

• Your tone of speech

• Your inflection of speech

• Your pace of speech

• Your volume of speech

• PowerPoint animation

• PowerPoint content(e.g. facts, statistics, etc.)

(Source: Daniel Willingham, author, Why Students Don’t Like School, 2009)

There are so many things you can change when presenting!

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Another great read for those interested in learning how the mind works.

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8. Smile!

It’s time to show those pearly whites!

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• Studies have proven that it’s very difficult to frown when looking at someone who smiles

• In fact, others’ smiles actually suppress the control we usually have over our own facial muscles,compelling us to smile

10 TipsSmile!

(Source: Ulf Dimberg, Sven Söderkvist, Journal of Non-Verbal Behavior, March 2011)

When you smile, the audience views you as more competent, too!

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10 TipsSmile!

(Source: Scott Adams, The Dilbert Principle)Ron Gutman gives an outstanding TED talk on the “power” of smiling.

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9. Vary the content.

A presentation full of text is totally not the way to go.

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• While the mediums can vary greatly, highly effective presentations contain four types of content:

• Facts

• Statistics

• Testimonies

• Examples

• Pros and cons to each

• Usage depends largely on the audience

10 TipsVary the Content

(Source: Dr. Andy Gustafson, The Pennsylvania State University)

What’s the balance? The answer largely depends on the audience.

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10 TipsVary the Content

(Source: Dr. Andy Gustafson, The Pennsylvania State University)

Type Definition Pros Cons Audience

Facts Matter of empirically verified reality

Definitive and objective

Boring and overwhelming (non-credible)

Very hostile

Statistics Applied math designed to collect andinterpret data

Definitive and objective

Boring and overwhelming (non-credible)

Slightly hostile

Testimonies Evidence from a witness or expert

Credibility Not relatable Slightly supportive

Examples Specific, relevant event Clarity, humanizing, relatable

Not relatable or believable, too generalizing

Very supportive

The word “hostile” should be interpreted as “unfamiliar” in this context.

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10. Practice as often as possible.

My coach used to say, “You play like you practice.” Same with presenting.

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• No matter how busy you are, make time for practice

• Practice for flow and diction, then seek feedback

• Use an audio/video recorder

• Look for variation in speed or tone, distracting filters(e.g. “um,” “er,” “like,” “you know,” etc.)

10 TipsPractice as Often as Possible

Always make time to practice. It will make a significant difference.

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Consider Toastmasters for those seeking a supportive “test” audience.

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Review10 Tips

Deliver residual

messages.

Repeat the residual

messages.

Treat the presentation like an event.

Speak extemporaneou

sly.

Research the audience.

Start strong, finish stronger.

Wake up the audience

often.

Smile! Vary the content.

Practice as often as possible.

Give the best presentation of your career. You can do it!

Lance BairdVP, Business Strategy and Development

DELIVERING HIGHLYEFFECTIVE PRESENTATIONS

lance.baird@slackandcompany.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/lanceabaird