EFFECTIVE PRESENTATIONSMs. Candice Quinones

Adapted from:

Presentation Skills: Captivate and Educate Your Audience

By Steve Mandel

Strategy• Analyze your objectives• Develop an understanding of the Audience• Clarify the core message• Plan the main and supporting ideas• Develop ways to help the audience remember the

message• Build a strong finish

Analyze Objectives• What do I want to achieve by making this presentation?• What do I want my audience to do and think after this

presentation?• What specific things do I want my audience to do after my

presentation?• How do I want my audience to feel about my subject

matter after the presentation?• How do I want my audience to perceive me and my

organization?

Understand Audience• Needs• Attitudes• Knowledge level• Environment• Demographic information

Clarify Your Core Message

Use SCIPAB:• Situation• Complication• Implication• Position• Action • Benefit

SCIPAB• Situation

• Describe the present situation• Add your insight and understanding of it• Non-controversial (something all will agree with)

SCIPAB• Complication

• Describe challenge or drawback of situation• Mention obstacles and/or risks• Potentially controversial new information

SCIPAB• Implication

• Addresses consequences of failure to act on issues raised

• Answers “so what?”• Provides sense of urgency about core message

SCIPAB• Position

• Tells the audience what you personally think of the topic• Your stance/opinion/thesis/belief about issue• Must be clear and succinct• Should be mentioned from the beginning of presentation

SCIPAB• Action

• A statement of what you want your audience to do, believe, or understand

• You can make these statements at the beginning, in the middle and at the end.• i.e. opening/closing action

SCIPAB• Benefit

• Tells the audience what is in it for them if they do what you ask

• Can be for organization, individual, or both.

SCIPAB• Works best if delivered at the beginning of your

presentation• Use it even before you do your overview.• Several short statements.

Plan Main and Supporting Ideas• The Rule of Three• Logical Flow

Help The Audience Remember

• Develop “Color Spots”• Engage your listeners

• Use slides and other visuals or demonstrations• Plan for moments of interaction• Tell stories• Use analogies• Use humor• Refer to current events• Use quotes and statistics

Build a Strong Finish• Review the Main Ideas• Restate the Core Message

Using Handouts• Uses:

• Provide audience with record and data• Reinforce important information• Summarize action items• Supply additional supporting data

Using Handouts• Decide when to hand them out

• Before• During• After

Using Slides

Remember: KISS• Keep• It• Short and• Simple

Using Slides• Avoid:

• Putting all your information on the slides• Death by PowerPoint• Using too many slides for the allotted time

Using Slides• Each slide should serve as a headline, not just a label• Headlines should capture the key point• Limit titles to two lines• Use a consistent capitalization style

Using Slides• Keep some white space between bullets• Keep bullet points to a maximum of 2 lines• Avoid sub-bullets where you can• Never read the slides to the audience

Reminders for Slides• Choose and use a consistent background• Use colors that provide high contrast• Try not to use smaller than 24pt font• Sans serif fonts are easier to read on a screen• Avoid distracting images, animations, and text variations

Use Your Slides—Don’t Let Them Use You

• Pause when you are looking at the screen• Don’t speak unless you are looking at audience• Keep the room as fully lit as possible• Talk about, discuss, and amplify the points on your slides• Interact with your audience frequently and appropriately

Summary: Use of Slides• Remember: you, not your slides, are the messenger.• Slides don’t automatically have a positive impact• Your results depend on how well you create and use your

slides• BACK UP ALL PRESENTATIONS!

Personal Appearance: Women• Clothes should fit well but not too tightly• Find 2 or 3 colors that work well with your complexion and

hair• Avoid jewelry that sparkles, dangles, or makes noise.• Make up should be simple and flattering• Your hairstyle should be professional and controlled

Personal Appearance: Men• Casual wear and suits should be well tailored• Men’s suit coats are designed to be buttoned• Shirts should fit well and the color should not be too bright• Ties can be used to complement the color of your eyes

and face• Shoes should be appropriate, comfortable and well-shined• Hair frames the face (be well-groomed)• If you’re not sure how to dress—Ask someone who might

know.

Final Rule for Effective Presentations• Practice

•Practice

•Practice!