ORAL

COMMUNICATION

SUBJECT: CORPORATE
SKILLS
INSTRUCTOR AMNA YAMEEN
Verbal communication

Non- verbal
communication AGENDA

Answering Questions
I.VERBAL COMMUNICATION
1. VERBAL STRUCTURE

Effective opening

Verbal Preview of main points

Structure Demarcated main points
Effective closing
  Always use the first minute or so of your
presentation for your opening, which is often
called a “grabber” or a “hook.”
 Tell them why you’re speaking—what they
will learn in a tell presentation or what you
hope they will do as a result of a sell
presentation— so they can listen with these
ideas in mind.
1. OPENING  Grab their attention: open with a provocative
question, a problem definition, a promise of
what your presentation will deliver, a story that
makes a business point, a vivid image, or a
striking example or statistic
 Show them “what’s in it for them” (WIIFT).
 Build your credibility, if necessary
 Use humor with caution
  Always give an explicit preview at the
beginning of your presentation.
 Your preview should let your audience know
what you will discuss and in what order.

 Examples of previews

2. OUTLINE  Longer and more formal: I will discuss sales in

each of our four regions: the Northern,
Southern, Western, and Central. Then I'll outline
how a new Customer Relationship Management
system can increase sales and revenues in all
regions.
 Shorter and less formal: Let’s take a look at the
sales figures in our four regions.
HOW TO
DELIVER A
KILLER
OPENING
  Your main points need to be organized and easy
to follow, much more so than in writing
 Limit your main points- Since people can’t
easily process more than about five items at a
time, limit your main points
 Use strong transitions- When you are

3. MAIN speaking, you need longer, more explicit

transitions between major sections and
subsections

POINTS  Ineffective short transition

 Second, . . .
 Effective longer transitions
 The second recommendation is . . .
 Let’s move on to the second
recommendation.
  Use backward look/forward look
transitions. In addition to stronger, more
explicit transitions, you also need to use
more repetitive transitions when you’re
speaking, because listeners may not

3. MAIN
remember information they hear only
once.
 Effective backward look/forward

POINTS look transition

 Now that we have looked at the
three elements of the marketing plan
(backward look), let’s turn to the
financial implications of that plan
(forward look).
3. MAIN POINTS
Include stories, analogies,
Keep their interest high- Use
one of the following techniques
every 10–20 minutes, the length
of your audience’s attention
span.
Involve them by:
and examples—not just
(1) asking a rhetorical
numbers question to get them
thinking (e.g., “So what
do the numbers show
us?”), (2) asking for a
show of hands (e.g.,
“How many of you think
our current policy is
effective?”), or (3) telling
them you’ll be asking for
their input later
Get them to speak or Recapture their attention Do something unexpected,
write by by such as
(1) giving people a few (1) flagging the (1) changing your delivery
minutes to jot down their importance of an idea noticeably,
ideas, (e.g., “the main idea to (2) mentioning their
(2) breaking them into remember from this slide names,
small groups to record is . . .”) or
(3) walking closer to
their ideas and report back (2) reminding them them, or
to the group, or “what’s in it for them,” or
(4) showing an unusual
(3) printing your slides why your ideas are
video or photograph.
three- per-page so they relevant to them.
can take notes.
  Use an effective closing.
 The Audience Memory Curve also shows that your listeners are
likely to remember your last words.
 Therefore, your closing should be more than a mere “thank you”
or the all-too-common “dribble” closing like “I guess that’s
about it.”
 Here are some options for effective closings:
 Give a summary. For a tell presentation, summarize your main
points. Although this may feel repetitive to you, your audience

4.CONCLUSION will appreciate the wrap up.

 End with the action steps. For a sell presentation, “close the
sale” by ending with the action steps, based on your
communication objective. In addition, you might remind the
audience “what’s in it for them” if they take these action steps.
 Refer to the opening. “Circle back” to the rhetorical question,
promise, image, or story you used in your opening.
 If you end with Q&A, add a second closing, similar to your first
one, so you get the last word.
 If you run out of time, do not try to rush through every point.
Instead, concentrate on your main points only, especially your
summary slide.
RESOURCES

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEDcc0aCjaA [How to do a presentation- 5 Steps to a killer opener]

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOLa9X0PTdU [common mistakes in managerial communication]
 Additional
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAnw168huqA&t=236s [Think Fast, Talk Smart]
 Ted Talk- Amy Cuddy: Your body language may shape who you are
 Don Draper clips from Mad Men
II.NON- VERBAL COMMUNICATION
1I. NON VERBAL DELIVERY SKILLS

Body Language
Nonverbal
delivery
skills
Vocal Traits
 93% OF THE
COMMUNICATION TAKES
PLACE AT THE
SUBCONSCIOUS LEVEL
 Facial Expressions

YOUR Body Movement

PRESENCE
Posture
MATTERS
Hand & Arm Gestures

Eye contact
VOICE
Fillers Rate
TRAITS

Intonation Volume
III.VISUAL AIDS
  Give your visual aids colour. Colour helps understanding
and helps people remember information
 Use pictures and diagrams instead of words. 
 Keep visual aids BRIEF.
 Determine the difference between what you will say and
what the visual aid will show.
TIPS ON USE OF  Visual aids should not provide reading material while you
VISUAL AIDS talk.
 Use the right chart or graph to support the presentation of
numerical information.
 Make visual aids dynamic if possible
 Ensure consistency of style, font, and format
 Use signposts and markers where needed.
IV. ANSWERING QUESTIONS
TIPS ON ANSWERING QUESTIONS

 Three types of Questions:

 Questions you don’t have the answer to
 Questions you cannot answer
 Negative Questions