Do Business Well

Here’s what to keep in mind when preparing the visual part of your presentation:

1. Everyone in the group should be able to see and read the visuals easily. Think about the size of the group. The number of people will determine the technology you should use.
2. You want to be able to keep a tight focus on what is presented when. You don’t want to display too much information at any one time. Keep to three or four main ideas on each sheet. You don’t want your audience to get confused or overloaded.
3. Remember the “wallpaper effect” we discussed in relationship to recording. Vary the size and color of the printing so that everything doesn’t look the same. Make sure you have some way of pointing to what you are talking about. It’s a way of narrowing the focus.
4. Sometimes it helps to add activity and motion to your presentation, adding to it as you go along. (The weather people on TV use this technique effectively when they draw a weather front on top of a map of the United States.) It creates interest that can liven up what otherwise might be rather boring data.

What Materials to Pick

Here are some aids to help present your visuals, each with certain powers and limitations:

1. Presentation boards are stiff and can be stood up anywhere, and the order can be shuffled from one presentation to the next. But they are a little harder to prepare than sheets (you can’t trace on top of a rough copy), they can be bulky to carry, and, depending on the size of the print, you can use them only for fairly small groups (under thirty).
2. Flip charts are like presentation boards except that you need an easel to hold the chart, and the sequence of sheets is usually fixed. However, some pads have ring holders that can be opened and closed so that the sheets can be shuffled and new ones added.
3. Large sheets of butcher paper serve as a good informal alternative. If you are going to make a brief report as part of a meeting run by the Interaction Method, you can go to the meeting room early, rip off a few sheets of paper, and write up your display with markers, just as if you were a recorder. The sheets can be rolled up and brought out when you get up to give your report. This is quick and effective. Further more, your sheets can become part of the collective group memory.
4. An overhead projector and transparencies can work very well with larger groups. Overhead projectors permit you to work in a fully lit room, face your audience, point to parts of your presentation, cover up and reveal portions of a transparency, and write on top of transparencies or blank film. The disadvantages are that you can’t display much information at one time, it’s difficult to carry around the projector, you need a room with a screen, and you need special equipment to prepare high-quality transparencies.
5. Color slides can be used simply and quickly if you have some experience with photography. Once you have the right equipment, and have tried it a few times, you can make small sketches or typewritten sheets, photograph them with a close- up lens (or any lens with a short focal distance), and take the films to a photo lab that offers same-day or overnight service. Be sure to buy film that is corrected for the type of lighting you are going to use and that can be processed by your local lab. The advantages of this technique are that you can mix true-life slides with your presentation, and many places have 35mm slide projectors. But this does require advance preparation, and unless you have a rear-screen projector, you have to darken the meeting room. Anytime you rely on technology, there is a good chance that it can fail at the last moment. Be prepared.

Facing the Music

While the skills of public speaking are beyond my post, here are a few hints to make your presentation more effective.

1. If at all possible, don’t read or memorize your material. (We are talking about brief presentations or reports, not formal lectures and the delivery of papers.) If it makes you feel more comfortable, you might write out your presentation and read it aloud a few times, but when you give it, talk from notes or the visual presentation. There is a tremendous difference between reading and normal speech in someone’s tone of voice, eye contact, and animation.
2. Face your audience. Don’t turn your back to people or bury your head in your notes.
3. Unless you need it, don’t put a table or podium between yourself and your group. It adds to the sense of distance.
4. Be aware of your body language: how you stand and move in front of the room. Don’t pace or slouch. Try to be lively and animated. Move around from time to time, closer to the group when you’re asking for questions, back toward your visuals when you want to focus the group’s attention on them. Many of the techniques for being a good facilitator apply to you as a presenter.
5. Also be aware of the body language of your audience. Are people yawning, slouching, whispering, or looking bored? These are clues you can use to modify your presentation as you go along. Maybe it’s time to ask some questions to see how you’re doing.
6. Let people know what’s happening. If you’re new to the group explain who you are and why you are making a presentation. Let them know what you expect of them. Do you want questions? What do you want them to do with your information? Give people an overview of what’s coming, an outline of how your report is organized, and a brief summary at the end.
7. If you have a lot of trouble giving presentations, if you get very nervous, be open and honest about it. Let the audience know that you feel uncomfortable and ask them for their patience and assistance. You will help break the ice and keep everyone from being uncomfortable, including you. If you’re worried, practice your presentation ahead of time by yourself and then before a friendly audience (your husband, wife, friend, or associate). Ask people for their advice. Tape your presentation and listen to it yourself.

If you follow these guidelines and take your presentation seriously, we’re sure you’ll increase your effectiveness and earn the appreciation of your associates.

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