Handout given by: Profs.

Ibha Kumar & Sumitra Balakrishnan

OUR PRESENTATION SHOULD BE :

I. PURPOSE
S = Specific
M = Measurable
A. When the purpose is to INQUIRE
A = Acceptable
R = Realistic
T = Timely

A. When the purpose is to INFORM

B. When the purpose is to ENQUIRE

C. When the purpose is to PERSUADE

D. When the purpose is to ENTERTAIN

II. THE AUDIENCE

A. Audience SIZE

1
B. Audience ATTITUDE

C. Audience KNOWLEDGE

D. Audience PARTICIPATION

III. PLANNING & PREPARATION

PLANNING:
 Think before speaking
 Be positive
 Rehearse
 Keep to the time limit
 Be clear, truthful & sound interesting

PREPARATION
 With regard to the SUBJECT
 With regard to the AUDIENCE
 With regard to YOURSELF
(The Speaker’s Problem)

P
repare well
ractice well
ositive Mental Attitude

2
IV. MESSAGE ORGANIZATION

A. OPENING :
REMEMBER IT IS YOUR INTRODUCTION TOO

 With a JOKE
 With an ANECDOTE/STORY
 With BACKGROUND INFORMATION
 With a PREVIEW
 With a BENEFIT
 With a GOODWILL STATEMENT

B. BODY :

 Should have facts & figures

 Should relate part to whole
 If subject has two sides, present both
 Repeat important points
 Be natural, spontaneous & clear

CLOSE :
CLOSING SHOULD ALSO BE FORCEFUL
 Do not quit before you finish
 Sum up
 Invite questions
 Specify if any action is desired
 Be positive & optimistic
 Conclude if you say so

3
 EFFECTIVE VISUALS

TO 1. GIVE COMPLEX INFORMATION 2. GIVE EMPHATIC INFORMATION

3. DRAW ATTENTION

FLIP CHARTS
*Move your flipchart into view only when you are ready to use it
*Test your markers in advance
*Use two charts to display contrasting ideas
*Never write more than five lines of five words
*Use only the upper two-thirds of each page
*Abbreviate words that are difficult to spell
*Pre-write your notes with pencil
*Stand on the “right” side
*Never use flip charts with audience of more than
50 people.

BLACK/WHITE BOARD
*Use for instant clarification
*Write legibly
*Use ‘appropriate’- color chalk; avoid pink
*Keep out of way to help audience see
*Clean it before leaving the podium

POWER-POINT SLIDES

*Make sure that you are extremely confident in handling the power
point presentation
*The ‘design’ of the slide should be chosen according to the type of
presentation you are to make or the kind of audience you are to address
*Sounds/music during slide shows is often ‘distracting’ rather than
‘attention catching’
*Music accompanying the slide be played at a very low volume
especially if the speaker needs to speak while the slide is displayed
*Alphabets/words/sentences dropping sequentially on the slide is
effective, however do not continue speaking simultaneously. Attention of
the audience is more on the slide show than on what you are saying

4
*Have reliable power supply.

HANDLING THE ‘Q’ & ‘A’ SESSION

*Anticipate and prepare for tough questions

*Plan to handle questions at the end
* Set a time limit
* Number the questioners serially
* Move closer to the audience
* Have a few questions ready to get things started
* Use questions to repeat or amplify points
* If you don’t know an answer, say so
* Trust yourself to answer the question
* Listen hard for the question being asked
* Make sure the question is answered
* Disarm the long winded
* Prepare for hostile questions
* If possible, find something to agree
* Never argue with a questioner. You can’t win
* Don’t keep your hands on hips. Don’t point fingers
* Answer the questions as best and as honestly as you can.
__________