Read here for tips on making your presentation a success!

1. Laura JacobLaura JacobLaura JacobLaura Jacob
President, Pro Way DevelopmentPresident, Pro Way DevelopmentPresident, Pro Way DevelopmentPresident, Pro Way Development
laura@prowaydevelopment.comlaura@prowaydevelopment.comlaura@prowaydevelopment.comlaura@prowaydevelopment.com

2. HR Outsourcing & Management Development
prowaydevelopment.com
linkedin.com/in/laurajacob
203.961.0227
laura@prowaydevelopment.com

3. I'm scared of getting flustered and forgetting what
I'm supposed to say!
Organizing my thoughts Keeping the attendees
engaged
Covering enough information
Time Management of the presentation Injecting
enough humor to keep people engaged
Getting stuck on (unable to remember) something
you want to say during a presentation
Public speaking - not knowing the to answer a
question, especially if I should know. Thinking on
my feet. How to engage the audience. If you don't
know your audience, how do you gear the
presentation?
Ack, a large group ©Pro Way Development LLC 3

4. ©Pro Way Development LLC 4

5. 1. Identify Your
Topic
2. Know Your
Audience
3. Define Your
Specific
Objective(s)
4. Know Yourself

6. Clarify your objectives
Know your audience
Outline your presentation
Prepare visual aids and handouts
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7. Determine your presentation’s specific
objective(s)
◦ Get buy in?
◦ Inform?
◦ Persuade?
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8. Who will I be presenting to?
What are their primary concerns, issues or needs?
◦ Be really clear about who your audience is and
why they are there
How are they motivated?
What do they expect from me?
What do I know about them?

9. WIIFM?
(“What’s in it for
me?”)

10. Determine your key points and supporting
information
Organize your content into an introduction,
body and conclusion
Consider what media or combinations of
media (visuals, handouts, etc.) you may want
to use to support your presentation
◦ Media is to support –not take over!
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11. INTRODUCTION
◦ Attention-getter:
Tell them what you will tell them:
BODY – Main Point(s) with Examples, Stories,
Quotes
◦ Point: example, etc.
CONCLUSION
Tell them what you told them:
◦ Strong concluding statement
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12. Given the presentation on ___________, the
audience will ___________.

13. Build transition statements throughout your
presentation
How will you make it interactive, if
appropriate?
Think about how you will handle notes
◦ Written?
◦ Printed – Large font
◦ Cue Cards
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14. Handouts
Flip Chart and Markers
PowerPoint and LCDs
Videotapes and VCRs
DVDs and DVD players
10

15. Avoid paragraphs of information
Avoid yellow and light fonts—harder
to see
Use pictures
MINIMUM 24 pt font (This Is 32)
Light backgrounds
Bring text up as you need it
©Pro Way Development LLC 15

16. Less is more
Eliminate charts or other information that add
little or no value
On flip charts Print BIG; use color and other
highlights
Make sure the type used fits the room (I.e.
consider room size and lighting)
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17. What questions will be asked?
What is the most difficult question that could
be asked?
What if they don’t have any questions, and
you want discussion and interaction?
Who else in the room can help you respond to
questions?
Ground rules?
Parking Lot?
12

18. Who could give you useful feedback during a
practice session?
Is it possible to use the same room you will
present in?
Is there someone who can help by asking
questions and raising objections?)
13

19. Make sure you (and the rest of the
audience) understand the question
Respond in a simple and straightforward
manner
Use others in the audience to extend or
enrich your answer
It’s OK to not have the answer (as long as
you can commit to finding the answer as
soon as possible)
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20. Eye contact
Posture and stance
Body movement
Hand movement
Facial expressions
16

21. Volume - Speak at 1.5 - 2.5 times
conversational volume
Use changes in tone, pitch and volume to add
inflection to key points
Add gestures that reinforce your words
17

22. Arrive early
Make some new friends
Make your presentation a conversation
Remember to smile
Keep breathing
Prepare for the unexpected
If you shake… don’t hold a glass of water
If you sweat… don’t wear silk
If you talk too fast… don’t drink caffeine!
If you fidget… don’t hold a felt pen
If your heart races… don’t run up to the front
If you get cotton mouth… have a drink of water nearby
don’t drink water
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23. Rehearse-out loud
State what you want from the audience
Seize the first minute-get their attention
Use analogies, anecdotes and examples
Use data and statistics
Show your enthusiasm for the subject
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24. Keep information simple
Use handouts
Prepare visual aids that “walk people through”
technical data
Use examples to explain high technical data
or complex concepts
Use reflective questions and/or brief sub-
groups to increase involvement
20

25. Prepare for interruptions
Give the audience a reason for listening up
front
Summarize with take away boxes
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Get the audience’s buy-in up front!

26. Be flippant
Read slides or read a script
Apologize for content
Go over your time limit
Make up an answer to a question
Say something in poor taste
Don’t have unnecessary slides
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27. If you tried it out on your spouse / friends
and was told it was boring
If you have something on a chart that you
can’t explain or don’t understand
If you have not prepared enough
Don’t agree to do somebody else’s
presentation at the last minute
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28. Steps I plan to take
to improve my next
presentation:

29. http://www.toastmasters.org/
Toastmasters International is a non-profit
educational organization that teaches public
speaking and leadership skills through a
worldwide network of meeting locations.
Free resources
Local groups to practice
Call Pro Way Development for additionalCall Pro Way Development for additionalCall Pro Way Development for additionalCall Pro Way Development for additional
resources and programsresources and programsresources and programsresources and programs
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30. We are measured not by what we are
But by what we seem to be.
Not by what we say
But by how we are heard.
Not by what we do
But how we appear to do it.
Unknown
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