Presentation Skills
TTI WORKBOOK CONTENT
A.Career Advancement System
1. Personal Assessment
a. presentation and image profile
b. communication skills inventory
c. learning styles analysis
d. career assessment
2. Goal Planning
a. a purpose statement
b. clarification of career and life goals
c. economic attitudes survey
d. creation of goals-timeline chart
3. Training and Development
a. practice of skills
b. video feedback
c. interview and rule-play
d. community resources
e. wardrobe and color
f. action plan
B. Presentation and Image Development
1. Personal Assessment
2. Presentation Skills
a. preparation, writing and delivery
b. warm-up exercises and stress reduction
c. body language, vocal variety and eye contact
d. audience participation, motivation, storytelling and
humor
e. solutions:
1. nervousness
2. extemporaneous speaking
3. equipment
4. attention
5. q&a
6. employees' potential
3. Image Development
4. Development of Presentation Package
a. marketing and selling yourself
b. networking
c. action plan
C. Concept and Product Presentation
1. Personal Assessment
2. The Presentation
a. active listening and mirroring
b. positioning strategies
c. product display
3. Evaluation
a. assess clients and environments
b. presentation effectiveness
4. Development of Sales Package
a. selling self, concept and product
b. action plan
PRESENTATION DEVELOPMENT BOOK
TABLE OF CONTENTS
6/86
PART ONE: GROUND RULES
Chapter I. STYLE
Image - Internal and External (each unique)
Presentation " " " ( " " )
Attitude Is Everything
Confidence and Self-esteem
Balance - Home, Vocation and Community
Perception and Worldview
In the world for others
Kauffman appendix
Chapter II. CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Known and the Unknown
Meaning of Life
Unique Qualities-Vehicles-Results
Second Life - Planning
Same 24 Hours
Spiral and Core
The Structure of Balance - Actively Creating A Reality
Short, Medium and Long Term Balance
PART TWO:
ASSESSMENT AND SKILL BUILDING
Chapter III. PERSONAL ASSESSMENT
If You Saw Yourself As Others Do You'd Walk Out
The Image Others See (The first thirty seconds)
Double Messages
Paralinguistics-All Those Other Moves
Posture and Gestures
Face and Voice - Variety
Physiology - The Tool
Brain and Mouth
Clothes and Color
WhatTo Do With Your Hands
Chapter IV. WORKING THE ENVIRONMENT
Acoustics and Voice Projection
Room Size, Shape and Color
Seating Designs
Where To Stand - Where To Look
Sound Systems
Visual Aids
Lighting
Scott's Laws (If It Should, It Won't - So Get Two)
Chapter V YOUR AUDIENCE OR CLIENTS
Attention and Retention
Learning Styles - Cognitive Difference
Mood Control
Brain Speed
Response Time
Standing ovations
Interaction (notes and handouts)
Questions
Conflict Resolution
Chapter VI CONTENT AND PRODUCT - WHAT YOU SELL
Multi-leveled Selling
Persuasion - A Skill Used By Two Year Olds
Needs and Desires
Training With Video Feedback
Chapter VII QUESTIONS MOST OFTEN ASKED
What do I do with my hands?
What if I forget where I am or where I'm going?
What if my time is shortened or lengthened?
Should I use notes?
What should I do if the lights go out?
What if the equipment breaks down?
What if I have to do my own introduction?
How do I get the audience to come up and talk after my speech?
THE
TAYLORED
IMAGE
It is remarkable how much mediocrity we live with, surrounding ourselves
with daily reminders that the average is acceptable. Our world suffers from terminal normality. Take a moment to assess all of the things around you that promote your being "average." These are the things that keep you powerless to go beyond a "limit" you arbitrarily set for yourself. The first step to having what you really want is the removal of everything in your environment that represents mediocrity, removing those things that are limiting. One way is to surround yourself with friends who ask more of you than you do. Didn't some of your best teachers, coaches, parents, etc.?
S.E. on "mastery"
SPEECH ORGANIZATION
FOR BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS
Introduction
1. Engage audience attention
2. Establish rapport with audience
3. Create audience interest in topic
4. Overview - Whole to the parts
5. CONNECTIVE PHRASE
Point Number ONE
1. Subpoint(s)
2. Supporting materials
3. CONNECTIVE PHRASE
Point Number TWO
1. Subpoint(s)
2. Supporting materials
3. CONNECTIVE PHRASE
Point Number THREE
1. Subpoint(s)
2. Supporting materials
3. CONNECTIVE PHRASE
Conclusion
1. Tie it all together - Parts to the whole
2. Try to have audience actually "feel" your position 3. Tie back into introductory attention getter
4. Answer your introductory provocative question
5. Take opening story one step further
6. Use proverb, aphorism, quotation, or a small bit of poetry
7. Avoid mumbling the final clincher
8. Avoid thanking your audience
WRITTEN v.s. ORAL STYLES
1
* Shorter sentences and words of fewer syllables are characteristic of oral style.
* Sentence fragments are acceptable, as are contractions.
* Even in a formal setting, a speech will still be more colloquial than an essay on the same topic.
Written Style
Oral Style
____________________________________________________________________
As mentioned above... As I said a few minutes ago...
One cannot avoid individuals with We can't avoid people like that.
this characteristic.
A hypothetical case in point might be a situation where government... Imagine this. Suppose Uncle Sam...
It is unlikely that such will result. Well, maybe.
Subjects were randomly assigned Here's how we did our research. First
to either a control group or one of we randomly assigned the subjects to
three experimental treatment four groups. Next we gave all four
groups, pretested for inital groups a pretest to see what attitudes
attitudes toward the topic, then they held toward the topic. Then
post-tested after each experimen- three of the groups heard persuasive
tal group had received a persuasive appeals, one a medium level, one a messages. One had a high level of fear low level. Last, we post-tested the
message containing one of three attitudes of all four groups, including
levels of fear appeals. the control group that received no
message.
Sprague, Jo and Stewart, Douglas The Speakers Handbook. (Orlando, Florida:
HBJ Publishers, 1984), 218.
FOUR STAGES OF MOTIVATION
IN A PERSUASIVE PRESENTATION
Attention
The speaker must first motivate the audience to listen to the speech.
Need
Auditors must become aware of a compelling, personalized problem.
Satisfaction
The course of action advocated must be shown to alleviate the problem.
Visualization
Psychologically, it is important that the audience have a
vivid picture of the benefits of agreeing with the speaker, or the evils of alternatives.
Action
The speech should end with an overt call for the listeners to act.
___________________________________________________________
Imagine Your Audience Saying
Or Thinking To Themselves:
2
Ho Hum
The audience must be stirred from lethargy or
complacency.
Why Bring
A gripping attention getter is suspect unless quickly tied
That Up?
into some legitimate area of concern. You need to explore
the range of the problem and introduce your solution.
For
Elaboration and documentation must be provided.
Instance?
So What?
In closing, you should call for a behavioral commitment.
Tell the listener what to
do.
1 Ehninger, D., Monroe, A. H. and Gronbeck, B.E., Principles and Types of Speech Communication,
8th ed. (Glenview, Ill.: Scott, Foresman & Co., 1980), 142-158.
2 Bordon, R.C., Public Speacking As Listeners Like It. (New York: Harper & Row, 1935), 3-18.
THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF YOUR PRESENTATION
Too Long:
1. Polish and tighten your language and phrasing. Speak simply.
2. Cut any supporting evidence and examples that duplicate effort.
3. Consider cutting out an entire main point.
4. Use a one-liner that capsulizes your point instead of telling the whole
story.
5. Eliminate any long stories, jokes, narrations, unless they are absolutely
essential to the theme of the speech. 6. Consider using means other than speech to transmit technical or detailed
information. Use handouts and visual aids.
Too Short:
1. Find important ideas that are not developed enough relative to the other
primary points.
2. See if you are too concise. The spoken word is fleeting and needs
repetition, embellishment and illustration to bring home the
exact emphasis that you want to deliver.
3. Make sure you have proven all your points. Double-check your evidence
to be sure that you haven't assumed too much or made some logical
leaps that are not justified.
4. Have you researched the topic enough?
CREATING MORE POWERFUL
INTRODUCTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
Introductions
Don't
begin with, "Before I start I'd like to say..." You have already started.
Don't
ever begin with an apology like: "I'm not really prepared" or "I don't
know much about this, but..."
Don't
be dramatic to the point of assuming a whole new identity or persona.
Leave that to the impersonators and give
your
speech
yourself.
Don't
use an attention getter that has no real link to your topic.
Don't
make your introduction seem disproportionately long.
Don't
use stock phrases like "Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking"
or overworked apocryphal stories. Have a colleague critique your
personal collection of sayings.
Don't
startle your audience by coming out of a yogalike trance into an
explosion of oral energy. Engage your audience before your start.
Don't
start with a long quotation that leaves your audience wondering
where the quotation ends and your words begin.
Conclusions
Don't
end with an apology:
"I guess I've rambled on long enough."
"I don't know if I've made this clear."
"I'm not usually this hyper; it must be the coffee."
Don't
trail off. Do your audience the courtesy of wrapping things up and
using a clincher.
Don't
introduce a whole new idea in your conclusion. The body of your
speech is the place for that.
Don't
make the conclusion disproportionately long. It is a summary and
ending.
Don't
end a speech in a style or mood that is at odds with the tenor of the
rest of the speech. You do your listeners a disservice if you have kept
them laughing up to the very end only to hit them with a stark recitation
of doom.
Don't
use the phrases "in conclusion" or "in summary" in any part of the
speech other than the actual conclusion.
Date: / /
PRESENTATION SKILLS FEEDBACK FORM
Speaker__________________________ Evaluator________________________
PRESENTATION
Excellent Good Fair Other Comment
Image
wardrobe ___ ___ ___ ___________________
impact __________________
believable ___ ___ ___ ___________________
relaxed ___ ___ ___ ___________________
enthusiasm/energy ___ ___ ___ ___________________
compelling/moving ___ ___ ___ ___________________
audience response ___ ___ ___ ___________________
visual aids ___ ___ ___ ___________________
Body Movement
movement ___ ___ ___ ___________________
posture ___ ___ ___ ___________________
gestures ___ ___ ___ ___________________
Facial Expression
animated ___ ___ ___ ___________________
friendly ___ ___ ___ ___________________
natural/genuine ___ ___ ___ ___________________
appropriate to
speech content ___ ___ ___ ___________________
Eye Contact
natural/smooth ___ ___ ___ ___________________
1-5 sec. each
person ___ ___ ___ ___________________
no set pattern ___ ___ ___ ___________________
Voice
vocal variety ___ ___ ___ ___________________
rate or pace ___ ___ ___ ___________________
use of pauses ___ ___ ___ ___________________
use of non-words ___ ___ ___ ___________________
articulation ___ ___ ___ ___________________
CONTENT
clarity ___ ___ ___ ___________________
conciseness ___ ___ ___ ___________________
personalized ___ ___ ___ ___________________
visual language ___ ___ ___ ___________________
organization:
1. introduction ___ ___ ___ ___________________
2. body ___ ___ ___ ___________________
3. conclusion ___ ___ ___ ___________________
GENERAL COMMENTS
POSSIBLE PRACTICE SCHEDULES
____________________________________________________________________
Type of speech Major policy Routine oral report in a
address business setting
____________________________________________________________________
Assignment was Several weeks before Twenty-four hours before
made
____________________________________________________________________
Research and outline One week before Evening before
completed
____________________________________________________________________
Early practice Two-one week Afternoon or evening
sessions before: discuss ideas before: talk through
with colleagues. Six, basic ideas with
five days before: talk friends or colleagues.
through speech once Evening before:
a day. practice aloud one to
three times
____________________________________________________________________
Middle practice Four days before: Morning of speech:
sessions give speech on give speech to
videotape, review colleague, if possible.
with advisers, repeat
____________________________________________________________________
Final practice Three, two, one day Day of speech:
sessions before: practice practice aloud once.
aloud once a day. Review notes just
Read notes or outline before leaving for speech
about once a day.
Day of speech:
practice aloud once.
Review notes just
before speaking
____________________________________________________________________
A short word on
the condition of
SOCIETY
in general,
I
N with the
T importance of
EDUCATION
to its stability,
R
O which leads to
the topic of
TEACHER
TRAINING
BODY
OF
SPEECH
Reiteration of how
TEACHER
TRAINING
is important
C
O to
EDUCATION
as a whole, which
N
C as we know is
L important to the
maintenance of
SOCIETY
Emotion In Your Presentation
When adding emotion to your speech, remember the old adage, "although some is good, more is not always better."
DEVOID OF EMOTION
A dose of 600 rems produces acute radiation illness. Japanese A-bomb
victims experienced a variety of physical symptoms and usually died
within two weeks of exposure.
MODERATE EMOTION
A dose of 600 rems or more produces acute radiation illness. Thousands of Japanese A-bomb victims died from this sickness within two weeks of the bomb explosions. Such exposure to radiation kills all actively dividing cells in the body: hair falls out, skin is sloughed off in big ulcers, vomiting and diarrhea occur, and then, as the white blood cells and platelets die, victims expire of infection and/or massive hemorrhage.1
EXCESSIVE EMOTION
The bomb has fallen, and you're unlucky enough not to have been killed immediately. There's nothing you can do except sit there dumbly, in your own vomit and excrement, while the omnipresent radiation kills off the process of life. With no cell growth, your skin becomes leprous and detaches from your body in great clumps; but you don't notice because your white blood cells have died and dark swelling has overtaken all of your body, immersing you in a pain that will not subside until a weakened artery in your brain bursts in a final geyser of black blood.
On any topic there are these three levels. What you have to do very early is discern where your audience draws the dividing lines. Try to include the optimal amount of emotional appeal-not so little that you fail to touch them, not so much that you turn them off.
1 Helen Caldicott, Nuclear Madness (Brookline, Mass.: Autumn Press,
1978),29.
EVALUATING YOUR BODY'S SPOKEN IMAGE
Speaker________________________ Date _____________________
____________________________________________________________________
POSTURE POSTURE
Nervous/uneasy 1 2 3 4 5 Poised
Uncertain 1 2 3 4 5 Confident
Uncomfortable 1 2 3 4 5 Comfortable
Slouching 1 2 3 4 5 Erect
Stiff 1 2 3 4 5 Relaxed
________________________________________________________________________________
GESTURES GESTURES
Artificial/wooden 1 2 3 4 5 Natural/spontaneous
Random 1 2 3 4 5 Meaningful
Passive 1 2 3 4 5 Lively
Furtive 1 2 3 4 5 Expansive
Vague 1 2 3 4 5 Precise
Detracted from 1 2 3 4 5 Enhanced verbal
verbal message message
________________________________________________________________________________
BODY MOVEMENTS BODY MOVEMENTS
Lifeless/dull 1 2 3 4 5 Fluid/animated
Awkward 1 2 3 4 5 Graceful
Random 1 2 3 4 5 Purposeful
Drew attention away 1 2 3 4 5 Enhanced attentive-
from speech ness to speech
________________________________________________________________________________
FACIAL EXPRESSIONS FACIAL EXPRESSIONS
Deadpan 1 2 3 4 5 Animated
Unfriendly 1 2 3 4 5 Friendly
Artificial 1 2 3 4 5 Natural/genuine
Incongruent 1 2 3 4 5 Appropriate to
speech content
________________________________________________________________________________
EYE CONTACT EYE CONTACT
Forced/artificial 1 2 3 4 5 Natural/smooth
Followed set pattern 1 2 3 4 5 No set pattern
Did not establish 1 2 3 4 5 Established bonds
visual bonds with listeners
NON-VERBAL BEHAVIOR RESEARCH
The average
sales
increase at firms employing non-verbal training techniques has been 41 percent. Individual performance is even more astounding.
Research findings from UCLA suggest that feelings and
attitudes
are expressed seven percent of the time with words, 38 percent with tone of voice, and 55 percent non-verbally.
Buyers
can easily tell when appropriate nonverbal expressions fail to match verbal presentations.
All non-verbal messages transmitted by the client should call forth a
supportive
non-verbal message from the sales representative.
G. Gschwandtner
Discrete
mirroring
enhances communication by putting the other person at ease.
L. L'Herisson
Images, settings, and body language.... they carry the messages; and indeed, in some cases, they are
the messages
.
Meaning of any
gesture
depends on cultural norms, personal style, the physical setting, what has gone before, and what both parties anticipate for the future.
Facial expression, along with tone of voice, accounts for more than
90 percent
of the communication between people.
Even
without
saying a word we are sending messages to a client.
When a person is communicating well, the body language moves
in concert
with the words.
M. McCaskey
One function of visual behavior is simply the announcement of a
readiness
to communicate.
Cranach
Speakers look at listeners for
cues
on which to base future behavior.
Speakers can
regulate
conversations with eye movement.
Kendon
Those who engaged in longer, but less frequent
gaze
, were better liked than those who interacted with short, frequent looks.
There is a greater
GSR response
in subjects looking at a person's eyes than when looking at their mouth. Likewise with
heart rate.
High
eye contact
was rated more positively - friendly, self-confident, natural, mature, and sincere.
Harper, Wiens, & Matarazzo
READING THE PROSPECT
Positive Signals
Any one of the following can signal "yes" or "maybe":
* Straightening up their desk when you enter.
* Firm, warm handshake not terminated abruptly.
* Sits up, and sometimes forward, in their seat with interest,
not belligerence. Leans slightly toward you.
* Arms uncrossed, "open," sometimes on desk.
* Relaxed hands, more "open," less fistlike, not flat on desk.
* Face and mouth open, not obstructed by hands. Their body and
face generally centered and keyed on you when you are
speaking.
* Sits relatively still, swivels only to face or follow you.
* Relaxed facial muscles (especially the jaw); mouth may even
be open slightly during listening.
* Legs crossed, casually open, or scissored apart at the knee.
* Legs crossed, ankle rests on opposite knee, the nearest hand
rests on raised ankle.
* Any casual personal action, like tying a shoe, loosening a
belt, or preening.
* Eyes open and relaxed, clear, and maintaining reciprocal
contact. (However, in a male/female situation, beware of
flirting.)
* Pupils large. If they start to narrow and not in response to
bright light, you're turning him off.
* "Mirrors" your positions and expressions gradually, as you
win them over.
* Breathes normally.
* Smiles or laughs at something funny.
* Even, relaxed movements.
* Pats their hair or grooms in some way.
* Strokes their chin (a fairly common "maybe").
* Makes single or double, positive head-nods (more than
three is effected nod-service).
* Moves reluctantly if they have to take a call.
* Takes off or unbuttons their jacket. Loosens their collar or tie.
* Takes off their glasses or looks over them to see you.
* Invites you away from their desk into an informal area.
(Careful: The prospect might be trying to defuse the encounter
by turning it into a social thing. Stick to business; you
can be sociable later.)
* Touches you, i.e., a light touch, prod, or a slap on the back,
arm, or shoulder. A hand guiding you or a nudge with an
elbow. (Women, beware: You almost never touch a man. Be
extremely wary of male prospects touching you. Touching
can be his effort to disarm you and win your affection so you
won't react so badly to his ultimately
not
buying. The worst
touch is the patronizing one that is likely to be bestowed
upon petite young saleswomen by older male prospects.)
* Assumes a more casual position.
* Moves something between you and them on the desk out of
the way.
* Leans toward you promptly to receive things (papers, pens,
samples).
* Shows you pictures or awards or anything from their personal
life.
* Puts their feet up on something, although not in your face.
* Moistens their lips.
* Looks skyward when trying to remember something.
* Gets up and paces while thinking. (they're on the fence--push
them over to your side.)
NEGATIVE SIGNALS
Any one or combination of the following can signal "no":
* Sits dead center, close behind their desk.
* Leans way back, clasps their hands, or crosses their arms.
* Sits belligerently upright or forward with palms down on
the desk or their hands folded directly in front of them, a
defensive bulwark.
* Sits squarely, feet flat, leans forward somewhat, shoulders
slightly shrugged, and places both palms on their thighs;
elbows are out and thumbs point at one another.
* Swivels away from you in their chair.
* Signals termination of a short, perfunctory handshake.
* Avoids eye contact.
* Closes their eyes in long, frequent blinks as you talk.
* Points their pen or fingers at you.
* Holds their fingers up to enumerate points of their reponses,
palms toward you.
* Uses their hands as masks and shields to hide their mouth and
face.
* Hands closed, almost in fists.
* Forearms held up, a shield or obstacle between you.
* Feet flat on the floor, legs together, not crossed.
* Forehead furrows, eyebrows knot.
* Eyelids narrow, pupils pinpointed.
* Lips and mouth tight, set, and dry.
* Puts on their jacket. Tightens their tie. Buttons their jacket.
* Plays with or arranges things on the desk or fidgets while you talk.
* Does a series of more than three head nods. (Such a series is
usually forced. Call it "nod service.")
* Doesn't return your smile. Keeps a serious look at all times.
* Puts on their glasses for no reason.
* Supports their head with their hands.
* Uses their hair to hide their eyes. Women with longer hair tend
to use this a lot; they can block most of their face with a wall
of hair.
* Bites down hard, displaying taut jaw muscles.
* Keeps plucking imaginary lint off their clothes.
* Puts their hands behind their head, like a pillow.
* Quick, jerky moves.
* Bites their lips.
* Opens and closes desk drawers, as if looking for something.
* Lets you catch them looking at their watch or clock.
* Head or body tilted to the side, or way back.
* Hands scratching or touching parts of head or face.
* Keeps getting up.
* Their tongue in their cheek.
* Deep, labored breathing.
* Turns their body generally to the side or away from you when
you talk, straight at you when their on the attack.
* Smiles when you haven't said anything funny. Beware of the
prospect that smiles right from the beginning of the call; their
using it as a mask.
* Moves quickly to take all their calls.
* Obvious universals, such as negative head shakes or yawns,
intentional or unintentional.
* Doesn't lean forward when you hand or show them something.
Takes thing slowly and reluctantly.
* Pushes up the middle of their forehead with their fingers
(boredom, irritation).
* Puts their fingers to the side of their nose (doubt).
* Rubs their nose a lot (but doesn't have a cold).
* Lifts their hand or index finger a bit while listening. (They will
disagree with that point.)
* Puts their finger to the space between their lip and nose. (If they're
talking, they just exaggerated or lied; if they're listening, they are
displeased.)
* Hunches, chin to chest. (You are invading personal space.)
* Drums their fingers, rocks in their chair, hunches, "blocks"
with their shoulder, moves or turns away, and blinks over-
much or overlong. ( A typical you-are-invading-personal-
territory display.)
CLASSIC NONVERBAL GESTURES AND POSTURES
BEAR HUG
Arms across chest, is one of the
most common ways of getting a
grip on yourself
SEA GULL
Hands and arms extended from the
sides forming sea gull wings
AUCHTUNG!
Arms stiff, wrists firmly nailed
to pelvis
FLESH WOUND
One arm hangs useless at the side,
the other hand serves as a tour-
tourniquet above or below the elbow
RIGORMORTIS ARMS
After using the arm for a gesture,
the arm drops to the thigh with a slap
FIRING SQUAD
Legs slightly spread, hands tied
behind back
CHOIRBOY/GIRL
Hands clasped at waist level, every
finger entwined
BEGGAR
Hands clasped at chest level with
fingers entwined
FIG LEAF
Demurely crossed hands, strate-
gically placed
JITTERBUG
Hand gestures move at the speed of
light to keep up with every syllable
spoken. No connection to meaning.
PHANTOM ITCH
The unconscious need to scratch or
rub any part of the body.
Presentation and Professional Image Development
Designed for professionals who present themselves and their ideas to peers, clients or the general public, this program includes:
Personal Assessment
* Profile of presentation and professional image
* Inventory of communication skills
Presentation Skills
* Understanding concepts of Presentation, Environment and Audience
* Guidance in the preparation, writing and delivery of presentations
* Warm-up exercises and stress-reduction techniques
* Video feedback to improve body language, vocal variety and eye contact
* Ways to market and "sell" yourself
* Communication techniques including audience participation and motivation,
storytelling and humor
* Dealing with presentation challenges such as extemporaneous speeches,
microphones, visual aids and props, attention grabbers and question-and-answer sessions
Image Development
* Coordination of overall image
* Wardrobe and color consultation
This one-on-one training concentrates on your specific communication, presentation and image development needs. You will experience positive verbal and nonverbal behavior changes even after the first session. There is no one image that is supreme. Your unique qualities are enhanced with training allowing you to instruct, entertain and persuade any audience.
TIPS FOR THE EFFECTIVE USE OF VISUAL AIDS
People believe what they see before believing what they hear, and they remember what they both see and hear in reference to either one separately. Since your objectives include being believed and helping your audience remember what you have told them, visual aids make a vital contribution to reaching those goals.
SEVEN GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF VISUAL AIDS
1.
Show the visual aid while you are talking about it
Cover it or turn off the projector when you want attention directed back to you. Your audience cannot concentrate on both at the same time.
2.
Be sure that everyone in the audience can clearly see the aids.
Visibility to the people at the rear of the room is your guide. Make letters large with plenty of space between lines. You can be certain of clarity by following what is known as the seven-seven principle. Use no more than seven lines on a transparency or slide and a maximum of seven words per line.
3.
Limit the amount of information on any one visual to a single main idea.
Don't fill it up with words. The visual should be a summary of what you are saying, not the entire speech.
4.
Use title phrases on each visual to supplement the material.
For example, write "Spending Increases" rather than "Chart 1."
5.
Talk to your audience, not to the visual aid.
Maintain eye contact even when your listeners are looking at the visual. This will help you judge their understanding.
6.
Don't overdo it.
You need not illustrate every point in the speech.
7.
Rehearse.
Nothing is more important than adequate preparation. Know how and when you will use the visual, and practice until you can do it smoothly. Anticipate all possible problems, especially when machines are involved.
DIRECT AIDS
These include the chalkboard, cardboard poster, flipchart, physical model, handout, flannel board, magnetic board, and hook-and-loop board. There are two general categories of two-dimensional visuals: those prepared in advance and extemporary aids (both require advance planning).
Prepared Visuals
(carboard posters, etc.)
* Introduce the visual before reading it.
* Make sure the easel is sturdy.
* Keep the visual high enough so those in the back can see; don't stand in front of it.
* Thoroughly explain the information on the visual before elaborating.
* Use color contrasts for easy visibility.
Extemporary Visuals
(chalkboard, flipchart)
* Start with a clean blank visual (although you might wish to write in light
pencil what you plan to write later for the audience).
* Keep your time at the visual short; abbreviate.
* Print clearly, using large strokes.
* Stand sideways as you write.
* Erase the board or flip to a new page before going to the next point.
PROJECTED AIDS
These include slides, overhead transparencies, motion pictures, and videotape. Guidelines for the first two (single-frame media) include:
* Make sure the equipment is working and a spare bulb is on hand.
* Bring your own visuals with you. Don't trust them to someone else,
especially to airline baggage.
* Use as much color as possible. Be sure the visual can be seen and read.
* Give the audience several seconds to study each visual as it is flashed on
the screen.
* Keep a visual on the screen as long as the projector is turned on. Don't
blind your audience with a blank white light.
* Avoid keeping the room dark for more than 10 minutes. You want your
audience to stay awake.
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