Chapter Twenty-Nine Business and Professional Presentations

Chapter Twenty-Nine Table of Contents zDifferences between Public Versus Presentational Speaking zTypes of Presentations

Business and Professional Presentations zPresentational Speaking: reports delivered by individuals or groups within the business or professional setting.

Differences between Public versus Presentational Speaking zThe audience for a presentation can be as small as three people. zPresentational speaking is less formal than public speaking.

Differences between Public versus Presentational Speaking zTopic Selection zAudience Composition zAudience Participation zSpeaker Expertise

Differences between Public versus Presentational Speaking: Topic Selection zTopics for business presentations are either assigned or assumed as part of one’s role in a project.

Differences between Public versus Presentational Speaking: Audience Composition zListeners who attend a business or professional presentation are more likely to be part of a “captive” audience.

Differences between Public versus Presentational Speaking: Audience Participation zIn business or professional presentations verbal interaction is generally the rule rather than the exception.

Differences between Public versus Presentational Speaking: Speaker Expertise zRather than “experts,” presentational speakers are more properly thought of as “first among equals.”

Types of Presentations zThere are five common types of business and professional presentations, each with its own purpose, audience, and organization.

Types of Presentations zSales Presentations zProposals zStaff Reports zProgress Reports zCrisis-Response Presentations

Types of Presentations: Sales Presentations zSales presentation: attempt to lead a potential buyer to purchase a service or a product described by the presenter.

Types of Presentations: Proposal zProposal: persuades listeners to favor one course of action over another.

Types of Presentations: Staff Reports zStaff reports: inform managers and other employees of new developments. zAudience is usually a group.

Types of Presentations: Staff Reports zOrganizing a staff report: yState the problem or question. yProvide a description of procedures and facts. yDiscuss the most pertinent facts. yProvide a conclusion. yOffer a recommendation.

Types of Presentations: Progress Reports zProgress report: updates clients or principals on developments in an ongoing project. yAudiences vary greatly. yNo set pattern of organization.

Types of Presentations: Crisis-Response Presentation zCrisis-Response Presentation: reassures an organization’s various audiences and restores its credibility.

Types of Presentations: Crisis-Response Presentation zThe presentation may target one, several, or multiple audiences, both inside and outside of the organization. zA variety of organizational strategies ranging from denial to admitting responsibility and asking for forgiveness.