# Presentation: 224100

## How To Prepare And Deliver An Executive Presentation

- Michael P. Gonzales
- December 15, 2005

## Communicate Visually

- 83% through seeing
- 11% through hearing
- 3% through smell
- 2% through touch
- 1% through taste

## Five Questions To Ask Yourself

_***Who***_ will attend your briefing?
_***What***_ is the purpose of the presentation?
_***Why***_ are they attending?
_***How***_ will you support your presentation?
_***Where***_ is the presentation taking place?

**Notes:**
Who will attend your briefing, and how many of them will there be? Prepare your content to reflect this.

What is the purpose of the presentation?  Are you explaining a new project, giving them a run-down on something they need to do, report or give an update on something in progress, etc.

Why are they attending?  Is it mandatory of voluntary?  What’s in it for the audience?

How will you support your presentation?  What visuals, aides, handouts and specific points will you use?

Where is the presentation taking place, and how will this affect your delivery?  Will you need a microphone, flipcharts, a podium, etc.

## In the First 15 Seconds...

- Economic level
- Education level
- Trustworthiness
- Social position
- Level of sophistication
- Social heritage
- Education heritage
- Success level
- Moral character

## When to tell...when to show...when to show and tell

- Verbal - inspire
- Visual - fact-oriented, educate
- Visual/Verbal - get the commitment

## Presentation Format 

*Opening*: 10% – 20% of the allotted time
*Body*:  65% - 75% of the allotted time
*Summary*: 10% - 20% of the allotted time
*Conclusion*: 30 Seconds or less

## Before The Presentation, Always

- Be prepared
- Know your facts
- Brainstorm

**Notes:**
Be prepared.  Never give a presentation on a topic that you aren't comfortable with or you do not have time to prepare. Solicit friends, trade organizations, libraries, and the Internet.

Know your facts.  If you don't know an answer, say you don't and that you will find out.  Get the questioner's business card and contact them afterward.

Be clear and concise in the information you present; your audience must do the same when asking questions.  

Write out an outline, to keep your ideas organized.  Even if you think you know your topic, an outline will prevent you from rambling and from forgetting key points.  

Brainstorm   Generate more ideas than you will need and write them down.  Make notes on stories and examples.  Solicit ideas  from others who are knowledgable.

## Map Your Persuasive Strategy

**Persuasive **
**Presentation**

**Introduction**

**Subject/Problem**

**Point of View**

**Your Plan/Proposal**

**Disadvantages of Plan**

**Advantage of Plan**

**Summarize**

**Conclusion**

## Seven Tips To Open A Presentation

- Something newsworthy
- Startling fact or statistic
- Compliment the audience
- Share human interest/personal experience

## Seven Ways To Open A Presentation, cont’d

- Tell a joke – be _**very**_ careful what sort of joke you tell
- Cite a quote
- - If you can’t make it simple, you don’t understand it
- Refer to location

## Map Your Persuasive Strategy

**Persuasive **
**Presentation**

**Introduction**

**Subject/Problem**

**Point of View**

**Your Plan/Proposal**

**Disadvantages of Plan**

**Advantage of Plan**

**Summarize**

**Conclusion**

## During The Presentation - Always

- Relax - take a deep breath
- Use good posture
- Use eye contact

**Notes:**
Relax. Take a deep breath. When we get nervous, we breathe shallowly. If you concentrate on breathing deeply, you'll get enough air to speak and ease your panic.

Use good posture. We have more power and energy when we stand erect with weight balanced equally on our feet.

Use eye contact. This will help your audience know that you are speaking to them, not at them. Find a few supportive faces and hold their eyes as you make a point.

Be a good listener.  Good listeners make good speakers. 

## During The Presentation - Always

- Be a good listener
- Summarize or paraphrase a question back
- Forget perfection

**Notes:**
Summarize or paraphrase a question back to the questioner to make sure you have heard it right.  This also lets the questioner know that you are interested in what they are asking.  Stop a questioner who is taking too much time by suggesting you can speak with them after the presentation.

Forget perfection.  You’ll probably make a mistake or two in speaking, something could go wrong with the audio-visual equipment, etc.  Do not let mistakes fluster you!  Make a light joke of it to keep the audience’s attention, or take a deep breath. 

## Gestures

- Short and choppy – Nervous and tense
- Open and purposeful – Confident
- Hands clasped – Tentative; closed
- Hands behind you – Hiding something

## Gestures, cont’d

- Arms crossed – Know it all; closed
- Constantly shifting weight – Not firm on what you say
- Standing tall; well planted – Stands firm; trustworthy

## Never ...

- Read a speech word for word
- Never allow yourself to be rushed
- Never use inappropriate language
- Never use stories that were told to you in confidence

**Notes:**
Never read a speech word for word, it can bore your audience and make them wonder why you didn't just give it to them as a handout. Transfer your speech to mental or written notes  Make your notes easy to read, big lettering and plenty of open space.  Use cue words or short phrases to remind yourself of key points.

Never allow yourself to be rushed.  If you must cut material from your presentation because of lack of time, you determine what should be cut, not anyone else.

Never use inappropriate language or stories that put down a culture or a disability.  

Never use stories that were told to you in confidence, even if you don't use identifying names or places.  If something is told to you in confidence, it should stay in confidence.

## Four Ways To Close A Presentation 

- Challenge/call to action
- Point to the future
- Transition/bridge
- Summarize briefly

**Notes:**
Challenge/call to action (motivate audience to do something)
Point to the future (how can we solve our present problems, etc).
Transition/bridge (“So far we’ve talked about”...)
Summarize briefly (what you’ve presented)

## Conclusion

- Be prepared
- Will you be ready?

## Fearless Q&As...

- Unclear
- Don’t know
- Too personal
- Hostile statement
- Rambling question
- Your view is challenged
- You are asked a tough question

## Q&A Shield

- _Possible Questions__	__	__Answers_

## Four Don’t for Q&As

- Don’t ask for approval
- Does that answer your question?
- Don’t look at the questioner when you have finished
- Don’t value the question

## Pointers

- Speak and listen often, different organizations
- Feedback
- Know how to use the equipment
- Have a backup
- Don’t put too much on a slide
- Handouts
- Business Cards

**Notes:**
PowerPoint is good, but it may not be your best choice or only choice of a visual aid.

Make sure you know how to use PowerPoint and the accompanying equipment.

Show only the main points or key words.  Avoid placing too much text on a slide. Rule of thumb:  5-7 words per line and 5-7 lines per page.

Use the "bells and whistles" only if they have a purpose

- Facts + Facts = Facts
- Facts + Emotion = Interpretation

## You Can and Will Deliver an Outstanding Executive Presentation

**Thank You**