EFFECTIVE PRESENTATIONS KEY POINTS FROM THE FILM: ’THE PRESENTATION’

THE BEGINNING : HOOK YOUR AUDIENCE: get their attention in your first sentence PROJECT YOUR VOICE TO THE FURTHEST PERSON IN THE ROOM OUTLINE THE AIM OF YOUR TALK

THE MESSAGE HAVE A CLEAR STRUCTURE: present this to your audience KEEP VISUAL AIDS SIMPLE: two or three points per OHP slide (if using PowerPoint the message is the main thing; don’t distract the audience’s attention from the message with over-elaborate background designs) KEEP ‘MESSAGE’ OR MAIN POINTS CLEARLY IN YOUR MIND AS YOU SPEAK

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE EXPLAIN YOUR IDEAS CLEARLY & SIMPLY: don’t patronise your audience, but keep the language plain and simple DON’T USE JARGON - UNLESS THE AUDIENCE UNDERSTANDS IT APPEAR INTERESTED IN YOUR SUBJECT

YOU & THE AUDIENCE VARY YOUR PACE & TONE OF VOICE DON’T READ FROM A SCRIPT: use notes to remind you of main points BE CONSCIOUS OF YOUR BODY LANGUAGE. Be yourself; if it is ‘you’ to move around and use hand gestures, do it.

HANDLING NERVES BE PREPARED: this will reduce the anxiety REMEMBER KEY POINTS (or have them written on cue cards) LEARN FIRST LINE BY HEART DON’T BE AFRAID TO PAUSE: if you forget what you wanted to say, just pause, glance at your notes and remind yourself

Control Your Breathing When you are anxious your heart-rate can increase. This can affect your voice, and make you want to race to the end of your presentation. If you find yourself in this situation before starting. Take a deep breath – hold it for a couple of seconds – let it out slowly. Do this for a few minutes before you start your presentation. Remember too, people are on your side; the audience wants you to do well.