UNIT-2 DELIVERY OF BUSINESS PRESENTATION

Structure

2.1 Introduction
2.2 Before the Presentation
2.3 During the Presentation
2.4 After the Presentation
2.5 Let us Summarise
2.6 Suggested Sites

2.1 INTRODUCTION

‘Good public speakers are not always born with the talent, but get there through
preparation and hard work’ – Mary Dutton, Corporate Trainer, Canada.

Ashwini Menon is the branch manager of the Mysore branch of Dollars Bank. The bank
has won several awards for customer service and the Mysore branch has recently won the
bank’s internal award for being the best branch in the southern region. Ashwini has
worked with the bank for the past 17 years and has been managing the branch for the last
two years. She has been part of the customer service initiative and knows what the bank
does differently from other banks. The award has been a prestigious one making Ashwini
and her team very proud. However, Ashwini is very agitated and nervous at the moment
because she has been invited to give a 30 minute talk on what their bank does differently
to a group of 35 staff of other banks from around the region. Ashwini has been an athlete
and a good student in college, yet speaking before an audience, she feels, is just not her
cup of tea.

Her senior colleague Srinivasan sees her nervousness and offers to share some tips on
delivering effective presentations with her. Four days before the event Srinivasan and
Ashwini sit down to jot down the main points of her talk. After the content of her
presentation is finalised, Srinivasan shares some tips on delivering effective
presentations. This unit examines some of the factors which make this process easy.

96
2.2 BEFORE THE ACTUAL PRESENTATION

Srinivasan advises Ashwini and tells her that a lot of people who seem to make
presentations effortlessly actually put in a lot of ‘before the event’ practice. He promises
to help Ashwini do that well.

Checking room and equipment:

The first tip he gives her is to understand the equipment and find out more about the
room. They find out that the meeting is to be held in Conference Auditorium II in the
bank premises.

It is a good idea to check the layout and size of the room. It is important to find out
whether the room is large, small, and well spaced out or cramped. It is also useful to
check whether the speaker will be on a raised platform or at the same level as the
audience. If there is a podium do have a colleague or friend check out visibility. Some
typical arrangements are as follows where the audience is denoted by ‘o’ and the
presenter by ‘x’.

Horseshoe
X

O O

O O

O O

O O O O O

Traditional Seating
X

O O O O O O O

O O O O O O O

O O O O O O O

O O O O O O O

O O O O O O O

97
Speaker on a podium
X

O O O O O O O O

O O O O O O O O

O O O O O O O O

O O O O O O O O

O O O O O O O O

Understanding the layout of the room and seating can help the presenter deliver a better
presentation.

If using an overhead projector or mikes, it is also a good idea to check that these are in
working condition. If you are using OHPs or flip charts check that the text is visible from
all parts of the room. If you are going to be using a laptop for a PowerPoint presentation,
do check that the projector jack is compatible with the output in the laptop.

Practice:

As Ashwini is nervous, Srinivasan suggests that she practise her presentation. He tells her
there are two ways to do this – the first is making the presentation aloud before a mirror,
before an imaginary audience. This would help Ashwini look at herself as the audience
would see her and help increase her confidence.

Additionally, this helps her to time herself and trim down the material based on her pace.

Understanding the layout of the room and practising helps Ashwini feel better. While
practising, she takes Srinivasan’s support and he gives her some more tips on managing
her spoken and body language.

We will understand these better in the next section on actually making the presentation.

2.3 DURING THE PRESENTATION

In unit 1, in the section on preparing the presentation material we explored the various
choices a presenter has and how facts, figures, visual etc make things interesting for the
audience. Yet the most interesting aspect for the audience is the presenter himself or
herself.

Audiences form impressions of whether they think the talk is going to be interesting
within the first couple of minutes after the beginning. In unit 1 we saw how it is
important to share the agenda and set audience expectations accurately at the start. It is
also important to make a good impression on the audience for it is believed that ‘first
98
impressions are last impressions’. We do not get a second chance with the audience.

Setting up equipment: Arrive early, set up your equipment and arrange your notes,
handouts etc. Check whether the audio-visual equipment works.

Attire: It is important to be well turned out and suitably dressed for the occasion and the
audience profile. If you are not sure what to wear, formal yet comfortable clothes are a
safe bet. This also means that one must not wear loud or very dressy clothes. Women
must take care to avoid noisy or distracting jewellery such as jangling bracelets or
bangles. Wearing the right clothes also helps in enhancing the presenter’s confidence.

Posture: Stand erect holding your head high, it boosts your confidence and it tells the
audience you are professional. It helps to stand with your feet slightly apart as this is a
comfortable ‘at ease’ position and allows you to turn around comfortably and also see the
whole audience instead of just the section in front of you.

Voice: Your voice says a lot about whether you are enjoying making the presentation. It
should be pleasant and energetic. When you arrive early, speak aloud and check the
acoustics of the room. Check if you will be audible from the back of the room. Ensure
that you do not speak too softly or too loudly.

Tone and pitch: Like musical notes the tone and pitch of your voice determine your
vocal quality. Ensure that you do not speak in a flat monotone. This could lull the
audience to sleep. Vary your tone to hold audience interest. Also ensure that your voice is
not too high pitched as this can be jarring on the ears. A very low pitch bores audiences –
so speak in a medium pitch with a natural tone. Focus on this aspect when you practise
your presentation aloud.

Pace: An important aspect is the rate at which you speak. When nervous we tend to
speak too fast. Consciously slow down during a presentation and speak more clearly than
usual.

Choice of vocabulary: Remember your audience needs to understand what you are
saying so keep your choice of words simple and positive. Instead of using complex
words, use simple words and supplement what you are saying with more examples.

Eye contact: You can hold audience interest by making eye contact with them. Use a
sweeping movement so you glance at everyone in the room. This gives each person in the
room the feeling that you are talking to them. If you are nervous, stop a little longer at a
person who seems to be responding by nodding before moving on to glance at others.
This will make you feel less nervous.

Gestures and movement: Some presenters use their hands to support what they are
saying. Gestures include facial expressions, movement and hand movements. It would be
very restricting to keep your hands stiffly on either side. Keeping your hands in a relaxed
position and using them occasionally to make a point is effective. Moving around
slightly is possible if you are not using a podium. Otherwise it is best to restrict your
movements to a small area of about a couple of feet. Using gestures and moving around
99
is fine as long as this is within limits. Overdone, it can be very distracting, so be aware of
your gestures.

Establishing and maintaining rapport with the audience:

When you begin your presentation with an anecdote or set expectations at the beginning,
you have already established rapport. Smiling, making eye contact and acknowledging
their nods are all ways of establishing rapport with the audience.
If you need more information, refer Unit 3, Block I of Course III on Non –verbal
Communication.

Being prepared for equipment failure:

– One aspect that experienced presenters always focus on is being prepared for
technical failure. If your presentation is a PowerPoint presentation and the
projector fails, always carry back ups in the form of a pen drive (USB drive) or
even printouts of your slides.

– If nothing else works, be prepared to capture the key points on a flip chart or
board.

– Also be prepared to speak louder if the microphone fails. If your presentation

includes audio and video clippings, be prepared with slides that capture their gist
as a back up. Preparing this way helps you to feel more confident and in control.

One last tip is to be prepared 120% for the presentation. What this means is that like a
magician, the presenter also needs to have more examples and anecdotes ready and up his
or her sleeve to pull out and use if the audience gets restless or to break the monotony.

Once you have finished your presentation, summarise the key points before moving on to
questions from the audience.

2.4 AFTER THE PRESENTATION

We come back to the story of Ashwini and Srinivasan. With each tip and practice
Ashwini is feeling more confident about making the presentation. She is now all charged
up and ready to go. At this point Srinivasan asks her if she knows what has to be done
after the presentation.

For a moment she looks confused but then smiles slowly and says, “Questions!”
Srinivasan is very proud and acknowledges that it is the right answer. Together they
discuss question handling and come up with the following tips -

– At the outset when you set the expectations of the audience – you can either
encourage them to ask questions during the presentation or wait until the
presentation has ended. This depends on the presenter’s comfort.

100
 – The advantage of questions during the presentation is the change from the
monotony. The disadvantage is the break in the presenter’s rhythm and very little
time for him or her to think through the answer.

– Whether the questions come in between the presentation or at the end, you have
already prepared your FAQs so it is likely that you have an answer.

– When someone asks a question, listen carefully; thank the person and then
answer.

– Use the person’s name whenever possible.

– After answering, check whether you have answered the question

satisfactorily or if needed, share some more illustrations.

– If for some reason you do not have the answer, say so honestly and offer
to find out and get back to the audience.

– Outline how much time you have for questions by politely saying – “We
have 10 minutes for questions and answers after which we close our
session.”

– If there are any steps for follow up, mention them and then close he
presentation. If you have an anecdote or story, use it for a memorable
close after the question and answer session.

– Finally, remember to thank the audience for their time.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Please visualize the following scene in a Conference Room with one presenter and five to
six people as audience. Please read the dialogue, understand the context and answer the
questions below.

Scene : Conference Room / Auditorium

Characters : One presenter and 5-6 people as audience

At the beginning the audience is just settling down and the speaker who is formally
dressed is about to start a presentation on ‘How I learnt to make presentations’ . The
seating arrangement is horseshoe shaped and the speaker is on the same level as the
audience. There is a flip chart stand in the corner.

Speaker : Good morning ladies and gentlemen, my name is Sunil Kumar and I’m the
export manager of the software division of AMCA International. I’m told that you are all
in roles which to some extent require making presentations.
In the next 15 minutes I will share some of my experiences as someone who has learnt to
101
enjoy presentations and I hope at the end of our interaction you will feel a lot more
confident about speaking in public. Feel free to stop me at any point and ask questions.
I do not have a PowerPoint presentation but will capture key points on the flip chart in
the centre. (walks over to the centre and with a sweeping move makes eye contact with
the whole group).

We are a small team of four people and provide service to our clients across 23 countries.
We believe in ‘seeing is believing’ ( writes this on the flip chart)
so we try and showcase our new products to all clients whether they are in that line of
business at the moment or not. We find that actually showing them the product works
very well. We invite people over to our factory and show them the manufacturing process
rather than just share brochures.

Personally, I believe that it is important to reach out to your clients and establish rapport
with them periodically. This is where the presentation part comes in. Apart from the
times I am prepared to make a formal presentation, there are also times when I bump into
people at airports or dinner meetings when I share a little bit of information about our
range of products. These informal presentations can also create great impact.

So I have learnt that it is best to be prepared. ( Pauses and look around the room – Writes
‘be prepared’ on the flip chart)

I have tried notes and cue cards in the past, but I find that while I’m trying to read out
from my notes, I’ve lost the thread of what I was saying. When I get back to my notes, I
sometimes cannot remember where I stopped. So I now use a sheet of paper or cardboard
cue cards, just plain cardboard rectangles 10 cm X 5 cms where I put down key words in
bold letters that I can read from a distance. I also move from one topic to the other
quickly, keeping the conversation flowing. (Writes cue cards on the flip chart)

(Spots someone who has raised his hand as if to ask a question – stops)

Yes, I think we have a question. Please introduce yourself and let’s hear your question.
(Smiles and gestures to the person)

Audience member – Hello, my name is Kiran and I just wanted to know how many cue
cards you keep per presentation. Also is there a recommended number of cards?

Speaker: Thank you, Kiran. That’s a wonderful question and I can understand why this
puzzles you. I would say there is no recommended number, but more than 10 cards
becomes difficult to shuffle and handle. I would say for a 15 minute presentation, I use
around 2 cards, but each person must find out what works for them. I have friends who
do not use any. (looks at Kiran and smiles)

Does that answer your question Kiran? Yes? Good!

I would also like to add that when you are new to making presentations you need a lot
more support, once you get used to it, the number of cards may come down too. (looks
down and shuffles his cards. Puts his left hand in his pocket and continues)

102
Most of us have some good and some bad presentations. (Writes ‘good and bad
presentations’ on the flip chart). And I gauge success by the response from the audience.
The trick is to set the tone right, have a well thought out presentation. It helps if you have
anecdotes or illustrations. (Writes ‘well thought out’, ‘anecdotes’ on the flip chart)

I remember a time when I was asked to make a presentation to a group of Managers in an

IT company- the presentation was very dull and I wondered what went wrong. I
wondered if I had missed something when someone told me that at least 50% of the
audience had come to the presentation after a team lunch to celebrate the launch of their
product! They were simply not in the mood to listen.

I think these are things beyond our control and we should not blame ourselves for these.
(Writes ‘something beyond our control’)

On the other hand, I have had some great presentations where the audience was
enthusiastic, participative and had a lot of interesting questions. (Holds up his hands in
the air to gesture – it is beyond our control).

We need to be prepared for both kinds of audiences. (Underlines the word ‘prepared’ on
the flip chart)
The best way to do this is to have well thought out subject matter and practise well so the
flow is logical.

Don’t take anything that happens personally – look at it as a learning experience. ( Writes
‘do not take personally’ on the flip chart)

Oh yes, if I were to share the most useful tip, I would say it is to breathe right. Before the
presentation, take a few deep breaths, look around the room (looks round the room in a
sweeping glance and smiles), smile and begin. (Walks around when summarizing and the
group’s eyes keep following his movements)

Always go into a presentation expecting things to go well. If you have planned well and
practised, chances are it will go well. (Writes ‘be optimistic’ on the flip chart).That’s
really what I had to say.

To sum up – some of the key points we discussed are the need to make presentations in
the workplace, and how to prepare for them with cue cards. We also learnt that we need
to try out different approaches to see what works for us.

We could have a good or bad audience response – it is difficult to predict. The way to
handle this is not taking it personally and staying calm throughout. It also helps to be
optimistic and expect things to go well.

(Looks around and smiles) If there are any more questions, I’ll be happy to take
them.’………….

103
 1. Check your understanding of all the points you just read in the unit and fill in the
grid below. Ensure you have at least 4 points in each column.

S.no What the presenter did well What he could do better

2. Answer these questions based on the above scene.

– What are the top three tips that Sunil offered?

– How does he measure the success of a presentation?
– What advice does he offer on things that are beyond our control?
– Do you think Sunil handled the question well? Give reasons for your response.
– According to Sunil, which is the most important tip he can offer?

2.5 LET US SUMMARISE

In this unit we saw that however much we prepare, the most important aspect is the
delivery of the presentation. It is important to start the presentation effectively. During
the presentation it is important to stay in control of your material as well as establish
rapport with the audience.

We must be very aware of our non-verbal communication. Our facial expressions and
gestures must support what we are saying. We must take care not to have distracting
movements or gestures.

We learnt how to deal with questions and close the presentation with a punch. We also
saw why we need to summarise the key points of the presentation.

With all these inputs Ashwini Menon delivers a great presentation and her audience is
delighted. Aswini feels on top of the world and thanks Srinivasan profusely. Srinivasan is
equally proud as Ashwini has been a hard worker, keen learner and optimistic presenter.
How about you? Do you feel more confident about making a presentation now? Well,
best of luck!

104
2.6 SUGGESTED SITES

www.youtube .com has several videos of presentations. Please make sure that you view
the good ones and pick up valuable tips. Here is another useful site as well –

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1141889/effective_presentation_skills/

105