Business Presentations
Developing Effective Business Presentations: Presentations require preparation.
Presentations are a form of communication.
Organization, preparation, and audience analysis are key components to successfully preparing for a presentation.
Factors for consideration: purpose of the speech, projected time length, appropriateness of topic for your audience, and the knowledge or amount of information you can access on the topic
What is your speech meant to accomplish? Inform, demonstrate, persuade, entertain, ceremonial speech (toast, eulogy, etc.) Understanding this develops purpose.
Have a clear goal in mind. Try to write it out in one sentence. Write your thesis statement. This is the key to the success of your speech. It enables you to write out the most important topics in one declarative sentence. Consider the most important aspects of your topic. Remember your time constraints!
Make it audience-centered. Why should the audience listen to what you have to say? How does it affect them? Having an "other-orientation" will make for a successful presentation.
Appeal, Appropriateness & Ability are considerations for the presentation. If you do not seem interested in the topic why should your audience be interested? Presentation should appeal to the audience--your spark of curiosity will be contagious.
Know if your subject is interesting and/or suitable for your audience. Consider your venue and how much the audience may/may not know about the topic.
Know yourself. Do you have the credibility to speak on the specific topic? Do you have experience with the topic? If not, how well how you researched it?
Organization. The key to success.
Use credible sources. Consider several sides of an issue so that you have a well-rounded, well-researched understanding of the topic.
Organize while researching. Keep a source list. Organize thoughts into main points.
Aids both audience and speaker.
Consider ethos, logos, and pathos when communicating. Ethos--the speaker's character and expertise. Logos--the logic of the presentation. Pathos--the use of emotion as a persuasive element.
5 Main Parts of Speech/Presentation: attention statement, introduction, body, conclusion, and residual message.
Create an outline--a framework that organizes main and subordinate ideas in a hierarchical series of Roman numerals and alphabetical letters
Determine an organizing principle--a core assumption around which everything else is arranged
Use transitions to help things flow smoothly from one point to the next.
Presentations to Inform: Teaching someone something
Presentations to Persuade: Presenting arguments to move, motivate, or change your audience
Business Presentations in Action
Focus: helping the audience to understand a topic, issue or technique more clearly
Remember to be audience-centered. The speech can incorporate the speaker's point of view, but not attitude or interpretation
Shares ideas w/audience, increases their understanding, changes their perspective, or helps them gain new skills
May be an explanation, report, description, or demonstration of how to do something
The importance of audience-centered focus
Purpose & Organization!
Be able to answer the following questions from the audience perspective: How is your topic relevant to me? What will I learn from you? Why are you interested in this topic? How can I use the knowledge or skills you present to me? What is new about what you propose to present? Are you going to bore me? Is this topic really as important as you say it is?
Focus on clear main points. Limit the amount of details. Pace yourself carefully. Be clear and concise. Utilize visuals in tasteful and effective methods.
Include time for Q&A, if possible. Look for ways to involve listeners actively.
What learning styles might be present in your audience? Addresses various learning styles through various methods will make your speech more effective.
Persuasion is the process. Motivation is what begins the process. It's the force that causes change. Persuasive presentations must include motivating data and content.
Stimulate, convince, call to action, increase consideration, develop tolerance of alternate perspectives
How does this information meet a need in the audience's life? Having our interpersonal needs met is a huge motivator.
Argument should be presented with logical points, supporting each point with appropriate sources.
Credibility!
Persuasive argument styles: Classical rhetorical strategy; argument by generalization, analogy, sign, consequence, authority, principle, or testimony. Combine 2 or 3 strategies to increase your power of persuasion.
Evidence! How can you support the points that you are making?
Appeal to the emotions. Emotions are something every human possesses. They are essential to the persuasive presentation.
Ethos, logos, and pathos
Motivate. Don't manipulate. Big difference.
Opportunities to present communication in the business world abound. Here are a few to note and to prepare for:
Sound bites, slogans, quotes, telephone conversations, audio recordings, meetings, celebratory events (roasts & toasts), media interviews, speaker introduction, presenting or accepting an award, serving as master of ceremonies, viral messages.
The same principles apply. Be concise and clear. Language should be vivid. Pace your speech so you are understandable. Make it memorable.
It's all about communication
It's all about communication! Remaining audience-centered focused with attention to details, time constraints, purpose, etc. will assist in all types of business communication. Organization, consideration, and revision are all necessary parts of the preparation part of communication.