suals, tl

amples
signed j

the pres

Making Oral profess·

ers? Pro

Presentations
 Luis Lamela makes presentations
to a variety of internal and external
audiences including medical
professionals, providers, clients.
CAC Medical Centers,
headquartered in Coral Gables,
Florida, is a comprehensive medical
delivery network comprised of 28
single- and multispecialty medical
he key to a successful oral presentation is to keep things simple. centers in south Florida. It is a
federally qualified health
I try to stick to three points. I give an overview of the points,
maintenance organization (HMO).
present them to the audience, and summarize them at the end. Its parent company is United
HealthCare Corporation, a national
My purpose and the audience mix determine the tone and leader in health care management.
focus of the presentation, the kind of vi-
als,the number of anecdotes, and the jokes or ex-
pies that I use. Most of my presentations are de- "My purpose and the audience mix determine
gnedto sell, to explain, or to motivate. When I plan the tone and focus of the presentation. ~ ~
epresentation, I think about the audience. Are they
IOfessionalsor nonprofessionals? Purchasers or sell-
? Providers or users? Internal or external?
WhenI make a presentation, I use the visuals as the outline. I will not use
tes.I like to select the kind of visual that not only best supports the message
1 also best fits the audience and the physical location. Power Point, slides,
'erheadtransparencies, and flip charts are the four main kinds of visuals I use.
PowerPoint and slide presentations work well when I am selling a product
If anidea to large groups (15 people or more). In this format, I like to use ex-
pies and graphs and tables to support my message in a general way.
Insmall presentations, including one-on-ones and presentations where the
udienceis part of the actual process, I like transparencies or flip charts. They
low me to be closer to the audience and to be-more informal.
Iget very, very nervous when I speak in public. I handle my nervousness by
usltrying to look as if, instead of talking to so many people, I'm walking in and
. g to a single person. I don't like to speak behindJecterns. Instead, I like to
~Ioutand just be open and portray that openness: ''I'm here to tell you a story./I
Itry not to lecture but to use anecdotes, and I think that people find them
teresting and relate better to them. For example, our multispecialty medical
t€nlersdiffer according to the demographics of the area. In Hispanic areas,
amination rooms need to be bigger because as Hispanics we bring the con-
~plof the extended family right into the examination room. But if we're go-
g 10 build a center in an Anglo area, exam rooms will be smaller.
Itry very hard for people to enjoy my presentations by showing enthusi-
om on the subject and by being sincere. In addition, it helps that I am speak-
gabout something that I very strongly believe in and something that I re-
y, really enjoy doing.

Make Your Message
Memorable*
At a beverage conference in Spain,
Nick Rosa, then president of The Nu-
traSweet Company, began, "Every
time I practice soccer with my sons,
aged seven and eight, I am reminded
of the generation game, When I con-
sider my area of expertise, my boys
represent this new generation per-
fect~y' First, they're young, Second,
they're thirsty, Third, they have grown
up with diet drinks in the fridge,"
Then Nick launched into his speech,
Six months later he met a confer-
ence delegate who greeted him by
saying, "How's it going? I haven't
seen you since that great speech
where you talked about your kids,"
By adding a personal touch, Nick
helped make his speech memorable,
*Quoted from Elizabeth Urech, Speaking
Globally: Effective Presentations Across
International and Cultural Barriers
(Dover, NH: Kogan Page, 1998),31,
he power to persuade people to care about something youbeliel
T
in is crucial to business success. Making a good oral presentation
more than just good delivery: it also involves developing a strat
that fits your audience and purpose, having good content, and
ganizing material effectively. The choices you make in eachofth
areas are affected by your purposes, the audience, and the situation.
Oral presentations have the same three basic purposes that written documen
have: to inform, to persuade, and to build goodwill. Like written messag
most oral presentations have more than one purpose.
Informative presentations inform or teach the audience. Training sessio
in an organization are primarily informative. Secondary purposes maybe
persuade new employees to follow organizational procedures, rather thand
ing something their own way, and to help them appreciate the organizatio
culture (zz p. 62).
Persuasive presentations motivate the audience to act or to believe.Gi\'
information and evidence is an important means of persuasion. In additi
the speaker must build goodwill by appearing to be credible and sympath
to the audience's needs. The goal in many presentations is a favorable rate
decision. For example, speakers making business presentations may trytoper
suade the audience to approve their proposals, to adopt their ideas, or tobu
their products. Sometimes the goal is to change behavior or attitudes ortore-
inforce existing attitudes. For example, a speaker at a meeting of factoryll'or
ers may stress the importance of following safety procedures. A speakera
church meeting may talk about the problem of homelessness in the commuru
and try to build support for community shelters for the homeless.
Goodwill presentations entertain and validate the audience. In an aft
dinner speech, the audience wants to be entertained. Presentations at
meetings may be designed to stroke the audience's egos and to validateth
commitment to organizational goals.
Make your purpose as specific as possible.
Weak: The purpose of my presentation is to discuss saving for retirement.
Better: The purpose of my presentation is to persuade my audience to put their 401KfundsIn s
and bonds, not in money market accounts and CDs,
or: The purpose of my presentation is to explain how to calculate how much moneysomec
needs to save in order to maintain a specific lifestyle after retirement.
Note that the purpose is not the introduction of your talk; it is the principle
guides your choice of strategy and content.
Giving a presentation is in many ways very similar to writing a message,
of the chapters up to this point-on using you-attitude and positive emph
developing reader benefits, analyzing your audience, designing slides,0\
coming objections, doing research, and analyzing data-remain relerant
you plan an oral presentation.
A written message makes it easier to
• Present extensive or complex financial data.
• Present many specific details of a law, policy, or procedure.
• Minimize undesirable emotions.
 Oralmessages make it easier to
Useemotion to help persuade the audience.
focusthe audience's attention on specific points.
\nswerquestions, resolve conflicts, and build consensus.
~lodifya proposal that may not be acceptable in its original form. What CEOs Learn about
Getimmediate action or response. Presentations*
Oraland written messages have many similarities. In both, you should Executives preparing to take their
companies public make scores of
\dapt the message to the specific audience.
presentations in dozens of towns
ihowthe audience how they would benefit from the idea, policy, service, over a few short weeks. The pur-
orproduct. pose of this "road show" is to intro-
Overcomeany objections the audience may have. duce the company to investment
professionals-persuading them to
Useyau-attitude and positive emphasis.
buy, or at least to chart, the stock.
Usevisuals to clarify or emphasize material. To prepare for these crucial pre-
pecifyexactly what the audience should do. sentations, many CEOs take lessons.
Four days of intensive training from
one expert costs $20,000. Here are
some of the lessons three CEOs
learned:
strategyis your plan for reaching your specific goals with a specific audience. • Trip Hawkins, CEOof The 300 Co.
malloral presentations, simplify what you want to say. Identify the one idea 'I had to suppress my 'ums' and
III want the audience to take home. Simplify your supporting detail so it's 'ahs'-people don't know how
'y ta follow. Simplify visuals so they can be taken in at a glance. Simplify many times they use those in
urwords and sentences so they're easy to understand. conversation. And I have a ten-
Anaral presentation needs to be simpler than a written message to the same dency to look around too
~dience. If readers forget a point, they can turn back to it and reread the para- much-my eyes were zigging
and zagging around the room. '
laph.Headings, paragraph indentation, and punctuation provide visual cues
• Scott Cook, Chairman of Intuit
In an after- helpreaders understand the message. Listeners, in contrast, must remember 'If I got negative questions, I'd
ons at sales hatthe speaker says. Whatever they don't remember is lost. Even asking ques- get defensive and put a chill on
alidate their insrequires the audience to remember which points they don't understand. things .... He taught me that
Analyzeyour audience for an oral presentation just as you do for a written when somebody asks a nega-
essage.If you'll be speaking to co-workers, talk to them about your topic or tive question, restate it posi-
IOposal to find out what questions or objections they have. For audiences in- tively, answer it positively. ,
dethe organization, the biggest questions are often practical ones: Will it • Timothy Koogle, CEO of Yahoo!
ork? How much will it cost? How long will it take?l 'He had me ... loosen up. Get
Thinkabout the physical conditions in which you'll be speaking. Will the au- rid of the podium death
grip .... Connect with the audi-
eneebe tired at the end of a long day of listening? Sleepy after a big meal?
ence physically, with my eyes
illthegroup be large or small? The more you know about your audience, the
Encourage them to drink in a
tteryou can adapt your message to them.
really important slide by having
Forexample, Matt Hession knew that his audience of pharmacists didn't a big pause in my speech. '
antta talk to salespeople. So he devised a one-minute presentation which he
'Quotations quoted from Quentin Hardy,
'ersas entertainment-and as a challenge. Figure 17.1 gives his script. He
"Meet Jerry Weisman, Acting Coach to
'esoffhis watch to drive home the point that he really will take only a minute CEOs," The Wall Street Journat, April 21,
thepharmacist's time. He starts off with reader benefits (:cc p. 72) and uses 1998, B1.
lessage. All
~emphasis, ~'ehalogicaldescription (:cc p. 233) so that the pharmacists can see them-
lides, over- Il'esenjoying those benefits. Because the commission structure is compli-
relevant as ted,that goes in a handout rather than in the presentation itself. When he calls
nextweek, he says, "This is Matt. I did the one-minute presentation .... They
I'aysremember me." And 90% of them eventually sign contracts.

~ooseone of three basic kinds of presentations: monologue, guided discus-

n,ar interactive.
*"When I walk into a store, I spot the clerk closest to the pharmacist. Because the pharmacist is behind the
counter, I can't get to him directly. So I speak loudly, and I know he is overhearing what's going on. If I walk
in looking like a salesman, the pharmacist immediately thinks, 'I don't want to buy anything or talk to you.' I
nullifiJ that feeling right off the bat. The pharmacist thinks, 'He's entertainment. It's only a minute, and it
doesn't cost anything.' I'm not threatening anymore. Customers smile; they want to hear what I have to say. I
take off my watch to show that I'm serious. "
My name is Matt Hession with Key Medical. I know the pharmacist is real busy. But
when he has a moment, I have a one-minute presentation. (Start to take off watch.) And
he can leave his wallet in his pocket.
*"As I walk behind the counter, I try to assess how promising a partner this would be. How busy is the place?
Is it handling any medical equipment-like walkers-already? Is the back of the store neat, clean, and well
organized? I'm also thinking of anything I can quickly add to personalize the presentation. For example, if
there is a pediatrician next door, I'll point out that we handle nebulizers-small machines used by kids with
asthma--and that we can get same-day approval on Medicaid. I hold up my watch again to emphasize that I'm
serious about this taking only one minute."

(The clerk acknowledges and relays the request. But the pharmacist has overheard the
conversation. "I'llbe with you in a bit," he says. A couple of minutes later, he motions for
me to step behind the counter. As we shake hands, I introduce myself again and hold up
the watch.)
*"I am telling the pharmacists that this is something the chains do not have. This strikes an ill/mediate note.
Independent pharmacists, who are usually also the store owners, complain that chains like Wal-Mart have
certain advantages. Now, they think, they will have an edge. They have two questions: How much time will it
take? How l1/uch will it cost me? I answer those right up front."

We're in the home-medical-equipment business. Our company has developed a

program just for independently owned community drugstores. Our program costs you
nothing and takes up very little of your time.
Here's how it works: a customer walks into your store and sees one of the signs that we
provide to you, indicating that you can get customers any type of home-medical
equipment. The customer inquires about a home oxygen system that her father needs.
You answer, "Let me get our equipment partner on the phone for you." You dial our 800
number and tell us who you are, the name of your store, and its location. Then you give
us your customer's name and her question. We either talk to the customer right there or
call her at home-your choice. We see if we can answer her questions and help to meet
her needs. If it results in a sale or rental, we deliver the equipment, and we teach the
customer how to use it. We do the insurance filing or billing. We service the equipment.
The whole nine yards. Your job is to educate your customers that they can obtain home-
medical equipment through you.
*"It would take longer than a minl/te, obviously, to explain the commission structure. There are three different
scenarios--a sale, a rental, or a lease-to-own option--and I can't cover those in under two minutes. And with
customers in earshot, we don't have privacy, anyway. But I will give answers on two questions the
pharmacists often ask: Where is your home office, and how do you deliver these things? The details are very
clearly spelled out in the material I give them."
When
Here's a copy of our partnership agreement. It spells out your commission structure as diet, or
well as other important concerns.
 In a monologue presentation, the speaker speaks without interruption;
estionsare held until the end of the presentation, where the speaker func-
nsas an expert. The speaker plans the presentation in advance and delivers
withoutdeviation. This kind of presentation is the most common in class sit-
lions,but it's often boring for the audience. Good delivery skills are crucial,
eethe audience is comparatively uninvolved. Adapting the Presentation
LindaDriskill suggests that guided discussions offer a better way to present to the Audience*
aterialand help an audience find a solution it can "buy into." In a guided dis-
sian,the speaker presents the questions or issues that both speaker and au- When Jerry Stackhouse turned pro,
eneehave agreed on in advance. Rather than functioning as an expert with many companies made presenta-
1theanswers, the speaker serves as a facilitator to help the audience tap its tions designed to sign him to repre-
sent their products. Fila won, in part
1\In knowledge. This kind of presentation is excellent for presenting the re-
because of a presentation and visu-
ultsof consulting projects, when the speaker has specialized knowledge, but
als specifically adapted to Mr.
eaudience must implement the solution if it is to succeed. Guided discus- Stackhouse,
:ons need more time than monologue presentations, but produce more audi- During his initial presentation to
eeresponse, more responses involving analysis, and more commitment to Mr, Stackhouse, Fila executive Howe
result.2 Burch placed a poster directly
Aninteractive presentation is a conversation, even if the speaker stands up across from where Mr. Stackhouse
frontof a group and uses charts and overheads. Most sales presentations are was sitting, It listed the names of 18
teractivepresentations. The sales representative uses questions to determine NBA Nike endorsers in fuzzy, hard-
ebuyer's needs, probe objections, and gain provisional and then final com- to-read type. But there was no mis-
:litmentto the purchase. Even in a memorized sales presentation, the buyer taking the slogan printed in big let-
ters: "Looks like the Swoosh [Nike's
'illtalk at least 30% of the time. In a problem-solving sales presentation, top
logo] is becoming a blur. At Fila,
lespeople let the buyer do 70% of the talking up until the action close
Stackhouse will be a Standout."
:a p. 286).3
Mr, Burch also brought along a
prototype of the Stackhouse shoe, a
model that was ready to go into
production but just needed a name.
easurethe message you'd like to send against where your audience is now. At a second meeting, Mr. Burch ar-
youraudience is indifferent, skeptical, or hostile, focus on the part of your rived carrying a paper bag that he
essagethe audience will find most interesting and easiest to accept. placed on a side table. Mr. Stack-
Don'tseek a major opinion change in a single oral presentation. If the audi- house asked, "Is that my shoe in
the bag?"
mee has already decided to hire an advertising agency, then a good presenta-
Fila knew right then that it had
oneanconvince them that your agency is the one to hire. But if you're talking
Mr, Stackhouse in the bag, too,
asmall business that has always done its own ads, limit your purpose. You
ay beable to prove that an agency can earn its fees by doing things the owner 'Paragraphs 2-4 quoted from Roger
Thurow, "A Rookie Guard Scores Big at
't do and by freeing the owner's time for other activities. A second presen- Marketing," The Wall Street Journal,
lionmay be needed to prove that an ad agency can do a better job than the February 9, 1996, A6,
allbusiness could do on its own. Only after the audience is receptive should
outry to persuade the audience to hire your agency rather than a competitor.
Makeyour ideas relevant to your audience by linking what you have to say
theirexperiences and interests. Showing your audience that the topic affects
emdirectly is the most effective strategy. When you can't do that, at least link
etopicto some everyday experience.

Whenwas the last time you were hungry? Maybe you remember being hungry while you were on a
diet, or maybe you had to work late at a lab and didn't get back to the dorm in time for dinner.

nning a Strong Opening and Close

hebeginning and end of a presentation, like the beginning and end of a writ-
document, are positions of emphasis. Use those key positions to interest the
dienceand emphasize your key point. You'll sound more natural and more
 effective if you talk from notes but write out your opener and close in advanc This present
and memorize them. (They'll be short: just a sentence or two.) utives to sta
Consider using one of the four modes for openers that appeared in Chapter 1 Youroper
startling statement, narration or anecdote, question, or quotation. The more Some speakl
you can do to personalize your opener for your audience, the better. Recent joke can tur
Strategy for a Corporate
events are better than things that happened long ago; local events are bett rected again
Speech* than events at a distance; people they know are better than people whoareonh elves almos
names.
Securitydirectorsofthe 50 most
prominentinternationalbanksmeet
periodicallyto discusscommon
problems.BankAmerica'sBobBeck
wantedto talkto the groupabout Humor isr
chemicaldependencyand before you bt
BankAmerica'sapproachto the The end 0
problem.
This presentation to a company's executive committee went on to show that close, you co
Audience's initial position: Re-
sistant.Mostfavoredtesting,not the company's distribution system was inadequate and to recommend a third (2) refer to yc
treatment. warehouse located in the Southwest. \'i\'id, positi\
One point to leave with audi- problem you
ence: Treatmentisa practicalal- combines a II
ternativethat works. dience what i
Adapting message to audi-
ence: Usedtermsfromsports,
banking,and securityto makeit A mother was having difficulty getting her son up for school. He pulled the covers over his head. Plain and simp
easyforaudienceto identifywith "I'm not going to school:' he said. "I'm not ever going again." ucts. We need
message.Backedup pointswith "Are you sick?" his mother asked. out Turn it in a
detailsand statistics.Explained "No:' he answered. "I'm sick of school. They hate me. They call me names. They makefunofme
problemsofdrugtesting.Didnot statement6
Why should I go?"
ask foraction.
Opener: Hard-hittingstatisticson
"I can give you two good reasons:' the mother replied. "The first is that you're 42 yearsold.And
the second is you're the school principal. ,,4 When you
howmuchchemicaldependency written style.
costs USbusinesses- $26 billion
ntences anc
a year.
This speech to a seminar for educators went on to discuss "the three knotti ound a bit d
Outline: (1) Chemicaldependency
as a disease;the sizeofthe prob- problems in education today." Educators had to face those problems; the nouns, a less'
lem;testingas the usualresponse. couldn't hide under the covers.
(2) BankAmerica's treatmentap-
proach:policy,programdesign,and
educationinthe workplace.(3) The
businessadvantagesoftreatment:
protectsinvestmentintrainedpeo-
ple;confinesbusinesslosses
causedbychemicaldependency.
*Based on Robin Welling, No Frills, No This presentation to a group of potential clients discusses the value of u m
Nonsense, No Secrets (San Francisco: the services of a professional financial planner to achieve one's goals f
International Association of Business
Communicators, 1988), 290-93. retirement.

According to Towers Perrin, the profits of Fortune 100 companies would be 25% lower-they d
down $17 billion-if their earnings statements listed the future costs companies are obligatedto
for retirees' health care.
'presentation on options for health care for retired employees urges exec-
esto start now to investigate options to cut the future costs.
louropener should interest the audience and establish a rapport with them.
espeakers use humor to achieve those goals. However, an inappropriate
canturn the audience against the speaker. Never use humor that's di-
edagainst the audience. In contrast, speakers who can make fun of them- Cultural Styles of
esalmost always succeed: Presentations*

When you make an international

presentation, be sensitive to your
host country's cultural preferences
for presentations,
Humorisn't the only way to set an audience at ease. Smile at your audience In Japan, speak in a modest, per-
1reyou begin; let them see that you're a real person and a nice one. sonal, conversational style. Look at
:heend of your presentation should be as strong as the opener. For your the whole group; remember that the
oldest person is probably the most
'f-, you could do one or more of the following: (1) restate your main point;
important. Plan carefully so that
referto your opener to create a frame for your presentation; (3) end with a
your presentation fits in the avail-
od,positive picture; (4) tell the audience exactly what to do to solve the able time-and remember that in-
blemyou've discussed. The following close from a fund-raising speech terpretation cuts your actual speak-
Jlbinesa restatement of the main point with a call for action, telling the au- ing time in half.
neewhat to do. In Sweden, don't save points for a
question-and-answer session.
Swedes consider it rude to ask ques-
ilain and simple, we need money to run the foundation, just like you need money to develop new prod- tions at the end of a presentation: to
do so suggests the speaker has not
xIs,We need money to make this work, We need money from you, Pick up that pledge card, Fill it
been clear. Instead, include all your
ut, Turnit in at the door as you leave, Make it a statement about your commitment, , , make it a big
material in the body of the presenta-
:ialement.6
tion. The best close is a well-crafted
question that applies the material
Whenyou write out your opener and close, be sure to use oral rather than from the presentation, leaving the
audience something to think about.
nttenstyle. As you can see in the example close above, oral style uses shorter
tencesand shorter, simpler words than writing does. Oral style can even <Based on Bronwen Jones, Doing Busi-
JIlda bit choppy when it is read by eye. Oral style uses more personal pro- ness in Japan: An ABC for Better Com-
munications ([Tokyo:] JETRO, 1991), 16;
, a less varied vocabulary, and more repetition. and H. Ned Seelye and Alan Seelye-
James, Culture Clash (Lincolnwood, IL:
NTC Business Books, 1995),30-31.

5ualscan give your presentation a professional image. As more and more

'inessesbuy computer graphics packages, more and more presentations use
esor overhead transparencies, which, confusingly, are often called slides,
,Youdesign the graphics on your computer, then give the disk to a service
Jreau that produces slides. As color printers become more common, business
~plewill be able to produce color overhead transparencies in-house.
Onestudy showed that presenters using overhead transparencies were per-
il'edas "better prepared, more professional, more persuasive, more credible,
dmoreinteresting" than speakers who did not use visuals. They were also
relikely to persuade a group to adopt their recommendations? A study
mparingthe use of different kinds of visuals found that presenters using
esappeared more professional, but presenters using overhead transparen-
seemed more interesting. Colored overhead transparencies were most ef-
tivein persuading people to act.s
seat least 14-point type for transparencies; 18-point is even better. If pos-
Ie,use a square area for your text or visual, rather than the whole vertical
oe,so that your transparency will fit on the screen without your having to
lYe it. For PowerPoint slides, use 44-point type (or larger) for titles and main
~ds.Your smallest subheading should be no smaller than 28-point type.
 Well-designed visuals can serve as an outline for your talk (seeFigurer.
eliminating the need for additional notes. Plan at most one visual forere
minute of your talk, plus two visuals to serve as title and conclusion.Don't
to put your whole talk on visuals. Visuals should highlight your mainpOlO Choose t
not give every detail. wers th
Use these guidelines to create and show visuals for presentations: points.
• Make only one point with each visual. Break a complicated point down ubpoin
into several visuals. lationshi
toryals
• Give each visual a title that makes a point.
mto the
• Limit the amount of information on a visual. Use 35 words or less;use
simple graphs, not complex ones.
• Don't put your visual up till you're ready to talk about it. Leave it upun
your next point; don't turn the projector or overhead off.
See Chapter 6 for information on designing slides and Chapter 16 forin!
mation on how to present numerical data through visuals.
see the BAC Web site for links to sites on how to use advancedPOI
(@) Point techniques and for backgrounds, graphics, and MIDIsyou
use royalty-free in your presentations.
 'Iiuals work only if the technology they depend on works. When you give
: ntations in your own office, check the equipment in advance. When you
'e a presentation in another location or for another organization, arrive
lysothat you'll have time not only to check the equipment but also to track
111 a service worker if the equipment isn't working. Be prepared with a
'kupplan to use if you're unable to show your slides or videotape.
IOUcan also involve the audience in other ways. A student giving a presen-
on on English-French business communication demonstrated the differ- Howdoyoupersuadeinvestors,
e in US and French handshakes by asking a fellow class member to come bankers,andsecuritiesanalyststo
10 shake hands with her. Another student discussing the need for low-salt wantto investinyourcompany?
ucts brought in a container of salt, a measuring cup, a measuring spoon, Youtellthema story.
twoplates. As he discussed the body's need for salt, he measured out three PresentationcoachJerry
Weissmanleadsbusinesspeople
'poons onto one plate: the amount the body needs in a month. As he dis-
throughan entiredayonidentifying
'ed the amount of salt the average US diet provides, he continued to mea- the beststory.Presentationskills
out salt onto the other plate, stopping only when he had lY.; pounds of (likebuildinginpausesso listeners
I-the amount in the average US diet. The demonstration made the dis- canabsorbinformation) comelater.
ancy clear in a way words or even a chart could not have done.9 To make Beforecoaching,clientDavid
that his employees understood where money went, the CEO of a specialty Angeldescribedhiscompanylike
lingshop in Algoma, Wisconsin, printed up $2 million in play money and this:"InformationStorageDevices
ded out big cards to employees marked Labor, Depreciation, Interest, and so providesvoicesolutionsusingthe
.Then he asked each "category" to come up and take its share of the rev- company'sunique,patented
ues.The action was more dramatic than a color pie chart could ever have multilevelstoragetechnique.... "
.10 Another speaker who was trying to raise funds used the simple act of Aftercoaching,Angerstartedhis
presentationthisway:"Wemake
g people to stand to involve them, to create emotional appeal, and to
voicechips.They'reextremelyeasy
'ea statistic vivid: to use.Theyhaveunlimited
applications.Andtheylastforever."
·Based on Dan Gillmor. "Putting on a
speaker]wastalkingto a luncheonclub about contributingto the reliefof an area that had been hit Powerful Presentation," Hemispheres,
atornado.Thenews report said that 70% of the people had been killedor disabled.The roomwas March 1996,31-32.
~up[with]ten peopleat each round table. He asked three persons at each table to stand. Then he
d."... Youpeoplesittingare dead or disabled.Youthree standing have to take care of the mess .
. dneedhelp,wouldn'tyoU?"11

ee Figure 172)
isual for e\ er
sion. Don't try
r main point e the information that is most interesting to your audience and that an-
,: the questions your audience will have. Limit your talk to three main
tions: mls.ina long presentation (20 minutes or more) each main point can have
oint down Jpoints.Your content will be easier to understand if you clearly show the re-
mshipbetween each of the main points. Turning your information into a
".also helps. For example, a controller might turn charts of financial data
thefollowing story:

,Increaseinsales income is offset byan increase in manufacturingcosts. Why?Because the cost

"'1aterial
isout of line.Materialcosts for product #503 tripled last month.An analysis of the three
showsthat the cost of materials jumped 800% on the second shift. Now,the problem is to
.outwhythe second shift uses so much more material than the other shifts making the same
1.12
Ivanced Po", r
IDls you can
Up each point with solid support. Statistics and numbers
'lCk can be con-
109 if you
present them in ways that are easy to hear. Simplify numbers by
xing them to two significant digits.
 Hard to hear: If the national debt were in pennies, it would take 17,006,802,720 people,each • Exclud·
carrying 100 pounds of pennies, to carryall of our debt. obviou
Easier to hear: If the national debt were in pennies, it would take 17 billion people,eachcarry by disc
pounds of pennies, to carryall of our debt.13 when t
In an informative presentation, link the points you make to the knowleJ • Pro-con
An Alternative your audience has. Show the audience members that your information This pat
to PowerPoint* swers their questions, solves their problems, or helps them do their jobs.\\' in its pOl
you explain the effect of a new law or the techniques for using a new machm • 1-2-3. Di
[OnceBarbaraWaughhadanalyzed short inf
use specific examples that apply to the decisions they make and the workth
hersurveydata-po 367-she had
do. If your content is detailed or complicated, give people a written outline profits fe
to plana presentation.J
Buthow
couldshecaptureandcommuni- handouts. The written material both helps the audience keep track of 10 Make y
catewhatshe'dlearned?How points during the presentation and serves as a reference after the talk is oler reread; th
couldshesharethispowerful cri- Quotations work well as long as you cite authorities whom your audlen els of deta
tiquewithseniormanagement? The genuinely respects. Often you'll need to paraphrase a quote to put it into_ ture of yo
lastthingshewantedwasto pIe language that's easy to understand. Be sure to tell whom you're citing: /I
Early in
preachthroughPowerPoint. Soin- cording to Al Gore," "An article in Business Week points out that," and sofa overview
steadofcreatingbullet-point
slides, Demonstrations can prove your points dramatically and quickly. During
shedrewonherexperiencewith investigation of the space shuttle Challenger disaster, the late physicist Richa
streettheatreandcreateda "play"
Feynman asked for a glass of water. When it came, he put a piece of the SF
aboutHPLabs.Sheworkedpas- First, I'd lik
shuttle's a-ring into the cold water. After less than a minute, he took it outan
sagesfromthesurveysintodia- Open She It
logueandthenrecruitedexecutives pinched it with a small clamp. The material kept the pinched shape when
help.
toactas staffmembers,andjunior clamp came off. The material couldn't return to its original shape.14 A techni
peopletoactas executives.
The cal explanation could have made the same point: the a-ring couldn't functi
troupeperformedfor30 senior in the cold. But the demonstration was fast and easy to understand. It didn An over
managers."Attheendoftheplay, require that the audience follow complex chemical or mathematical formu al 0 can pr
the managerswereveryquiet," In an oral presentation, seeing is believing. wonders w
Waughremembers."Thenthey To be convincing, you must answer the audience's questions and objectio Offer a c
startedclapping.Itwasexciting. plicit state
Theyreallygotit.Theyfinallyun- tyle. The fa
derstood."
Some people think that working women are less reliable than men. But the facts showthatworr to introduc
'Quoted from Katherine Mieszkowski, "I take fewer sick days than men do.
Grew Up Thinking That Change Was
Cataclysmic. The Way We've Done it
Here is to Start Slow and Work Small." Now we com
Fast Company, December 1998, p. 152. However, don't bring up negatives or inconsistencies unless you're sure
pie In Colum
the audience will think of them. If you aren't sure, save your evidence for
question phase. If someone does ask, you'll have the answer.

Most presentations use a direct pattern of organization, even when the gIla!
to persuade a reluctant audience. In a business setting, the audience 1 m
hurry and knows that you want to persuade them. Be honest about your~
and then prove that your goal meets the audience's needs too.
In a persuasive presentation, start with your strongest point, your best
son. If time permits, give other reasons as well and respond to possible a
tions. Put your weakest point in the middle so that you can end on a tr
note.
Often one of five standard patterns of organization will work:

• Chronological. Start with the past, move to the present, and end by
looking ahead .
• Problem-causes-solution, Explain the symptoms of the problem, iden
its causes, and suggest a solution. This pattern works best when the
audience will find your solution easy to accept.
 lCiudingalternatives. Explain the symptoms of the problem. Explain the
rioussolutions first and show why they won't solve the problem. End
discussinga solution that will work. This pattern may be necessary
henthe audience will find the solution hard to accept.
rro-con.Give all the reasons in favor of something, then those against it.
. pattern works well when you want the audience to see the weaknesses
itsposition.
Creation
·2·3.Discuss three aspects of a topic. This pattern works well to organize
1. Think of your last summary slide
ortinformative briefings. "Today I'll review our sales, production, and first-then make sure each of
ralitsfor the last quarter." those key bullet points are
\lakeyour organization clear to your audience. Written documents can be clearly explained in the body of
your presentation.
ad;they can use headings, paragraphs, lists, and indentations to signal lev-
2. Use simple, clear graphics and
01detail.In a presentation, you have to provide explicit clues to the struc-
pictures of familiar people to
01 your discourse. capture attention and build au-
Earlyin your talk-perhaps immediately after your opener-provide an dience identification.
erviewof the main points you will make. 3. Get someone else to check
spellings and the logical flow of
your slide show. Another pair of
:t.l'd liketo talk about who the homeless in Columbus are. Second, I'll talk about the services The eyes will often pick up an error
Shelterprovides. Finally, I'll talk about what you-either individually or as a group--ean do to that you have missed. '
Presentation
P
1. Practice, Practice, Practice.
Rehearse several times-aloud
luloverviewprovides a mental peg that hearers can hang each point on. It and standing up, with the same
canprevent someone from missing what you are saying because he or she equipment you will use for your
derswhy you aren't covering a major point that you've saved for later.Is presentation.
2. Make eye contact with more
Offer a clear signpost as you come to each new point. A signpost is an ex-
than one audience member dur-
:itstatement of the point you have reached. Choose wording that fits your
ing the course of your presenta-
e.Thefollowing statements are four different ways that a speaker could use tion.
mtroducethe last of three points: 3. Always carry backup disks of
your presentation program, your
slide show, and any special
Jwwe cometo the third point: what you can do as a group or as individuals to help homeless peo- fonts that were used in its cre-
ure that ation.
inColumbus.
e for th
'Quoted from Shonan Noronha and John
Rhodes, "Power Presentations."
Presentations. special advertising sec-
tion, n.p.

e goal)
e is in a
ur goal

est r a-
le obj c-
a strong

ivering an Effective Presentation

diences
want the sense that you're talking directly to them and that you care
:theyunderstand and are interested. They'll forgive you if you get tangled
ma sentence and end it ungrammatically. They won't forgive you if you

Being Interviewed
by Ute Press*
Business people and community
leaders are often interviewed by the
press, To appear your best on cam-
era, on tape, or in a story,
• Try to find out in advance why
you're being interviewed and
what information the reporter
wants,
• Practice answering possible
Questions in a single sentence,
A long answer is likely to be cut
for TV or radio news,
• Talk slowly, You'll have time to
think, the audience will have
more time to understand what
you're saying, and a reporter
taking notes will record your
words more accurately,
• To reduce the possibility of be-
ing misquoted, bring along a
cassette recorder to tape the in-
terview, Better still, bring two-
and offer to give one tape to the
interviewer.
'Based on James L, Graham, "What to
Do When a Reporter Calls," IABC
Communication World, April 1985, 15;
and Robert A. Papper, conversation with
Kitty Lockyr, March 17, 1991,
seem to have a "canned" talk that you're going to deliver no matter who
audience is or how they respond. You can convey a sense of caring toyour
dience by making direct eye contact with them and by using a conversati
style.
Dealing with Fear
Feeling nervous is normal. But you can harness that nervous energytoh
you do your best work. As one student said, you don't need to get ridof)
butterflies. All you need to do is make them fly in formation.
To calm your nerves before you give an oral presentation,
• Be prepared. Analyze your audience, organize your thoughts, prepare
visual aids, practice your opener and close, check out the arrangement
• Use only the amount of caffeine you normally use. More or less mayma
you jumpy.
• Avoid alcoholic beverages.
• Relabel your nerves. Instead of saying, ''I'm scared," try saying, OM)
adrenaline is up." Adrenaline sharpens our reflexes and helps us do our
best.
Just before your presentation,
• Consciously contract and then relax your muscles, starting with yourfeet
and calves and going up to your shoulders, arms, and hands.
• Take several deep breaths from your diaphragm.
During your presentation,
• Pause and look at the audience before you begin speaking. George,
• Concentrate on communicating well. peaking v
• Use body energy in strong gestures and movement.
• Close yo
you find
This pitc
Using Eye Contact
• Sing do
Look directly at the people you're talking to. In one study, speakers II and sing
looked more at the audience during a seven-minute informative speech\ • !fyou ha
judged to be better informed, more experienced, more honest, and friendli highest f
than speakers who delivered the same information with less eye contact of the dis
An earlier study found that speakers judged sincere looked at the audien
Wheny
63% of the time, while those judged insincere looked at the audience only~
easily. If yo
of the time.17
ing. When J
The point in making eye contact is to establish one-on-one contact withthe
you can che
individual members of your audience. People want to feel that you'ret
ment. If yo
ing to them. Looking directly at individuals also enables you to be morec
of the room
scious of feedback from the audience, so that you can modify your approach
The bigg
necessary.
voice all the
dare especi.
like "Our i
To enunc
People will enjoy your presentation more if your voice is easy to listentll~ ferent soun
find out what your voice sounds like, tape-record it. Also tape the voice one are
people on TV or on campus whose voices you like and imitate them. Ina t n't matter.
weeks, tape yourself again. pensate, pr
 who th Organizations such as
your u Toastmasters International
ahon help members become
more effective speakers by
providing a good place to
Making Effoct/Vt1 CDmmunlcor:lon practice their skill and
A Worldwide RClJlity receive feedback from
their peers.
to h Ip
of your

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ent .
mak
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:;eorgeFluharty and Harold Ross suggest three ways to find your best
akingvoice:
Joseyour ears with your fingers and hum up and down the scale until
JU find the pitch where the hum sounds loudest or most vibrant to you.
JUspitch will be near your optimum pitch.
'mgdown the scale as far as you can go without forcing. Call this note do
kers h dsing up the scale to sol. This note will be near your optimum pitch.
ech v.er :youhave a piano, locate the lowest note you can produce and also your
friend Ii r 19hestfalsetto note. Your optimum pitch will be approximately one fourth
contact. fthedistance from your lowest note.1S
audien
Shenyou speak to a group, talk loudly enough so that people can hear you
only 21
ly. Ifyou're using a microphone, adjust your volume so you aren't shout-
',Whenyou speak in an unfamiliar location, try to get to the room early so
t with th
;cancheck the size of the room and the power of the amplification equip-
u're talk
.t.Ifyou can't do that, ask early in your talk, "Can you hear me in the back
more c n-
:heroom?"
pproach If
le bigger the group is, the more carefully you need to enunciate, that is,
ceaHthe sounds of each word. Words starting or ending withf, t, k, v, and
reespeciallyhard to hear. "Our informed and competent image" can sound
'Ourinformed, incompetent image."
Ioenunciate,use your tongue and lips. Researchers have identified 38 dif-
sten to. 1i :ntsounds. Of these, you make 31 with your tongue and 7 with your lips.
voice f 1earemade with the jaw, so how wide you open your mouth really does-
. In a f matter.If the tongue isn't active enough, muscles in the throat try to com-
sate,producing sore throats and strained voices.19

When you make a presentation on
video, be informal and friendly.
Look at the camera when you talk
to create the effect of making eye
contact with the audience.
Since the sound reproduction
equipment may deaden voices,
make a special effort to vary pitch
and expression. Don't interrupt an-
other speaker. Two people talking at
the same time on camera produce
gibberish.
Dress for the camera.
• Don't wear white. Only very ex-
pensive cameras can handle
pure white.
• Don't wear bold stripes, checks,
plaids, or polka dots.
• Don't wear large accessories.
• Red, blue, and green photo-
graph well. If an entire outfit in
red seems too bold, consider
wearing a red tie or blouse.
'Based on Robert A. Papper, conversa·
tion with Kitty Locker, March 17, 1991.
Tongue twisters can help you exercise your tongue and enunciate m
clearly. Stephen Lucas suggests the following:
• Sid said to tell him that Benny hid the penny many years ago.
• Fetch me the finest French-fried freshest fish that Finney fries.
• Three gray geese in the green grass grazed .
• Shy Sarah saw six Swiss wristwatches.
• One year we had a Christmas brunch with Merry Christmas mush to
munch. But I don't think you'd care for such. We didn't like to munch
mush much.2o
You can also reduce pressure on your throat by fitting phrases to youride
If you cut your sentences into bits, you'll emphasize words beginning \\1
vowels, making the vocal cords hit each other. Instead, run past wordsbe,
ning with vowels to emphasize later syllables or later words:21
Choppiness we must take more responsibility not
hurts vocal Qlly for
cords: (Alrselves
And
(Alr families but for
(Alr communities
And
(Alr country.
Smooth We must take more
phrasing Responsibility
protects Not only for our
throat: selves and our
Families but for our
Communities and our
Country.
You can reduce the number of uhs you use by practicing your talk seIer
times. Filler sounds aren't signs of nervousness. Instead, say psychologit
Columbia University, they occur when speakers pause searching for thene
word. Searching takes longer when people have big vocabularies or talkabo
topics where a variety of word choices are possible. Practicing your talkma
your word choices automatic, and you'll use fewer UhS?2
Vary your volume, pitch, and speed. Speakers who speak quickly andI
vary their volume during the talk are more likely to be perceived as com
tent.23 Sound energetic and enthusiastic. If your ideas don't excite you,II
should your audience find them exciting?
Standing and Gesturing
Stand with your feet far enough apart for good balance, with your kn
flexed. Unless the presentation is very formal or you're on camera, youc
walk if you want to. Some speakers like to come in front of the lecternto
move that barrier between themselves and the audience.
Build on your natural style for gestures. Gestures usually work bestIlh
they're big and confident.
Using Notes and Visuals
Unless you're giving a very short presentation, you'll probably want to
notes. Even experts use notes. The more you know about the subject
greater the temptation to add relevant points that occur to you as you
Adding an occasional point can help to clarify something for the audience
 Jingtoo many points will destroy your outline and put you over the time
:lit.
Putyour notes on cards or on sturdy pieces of paper. Most speakers like to
-l-by-6-inchor 5-by-7-inch cards because they hold more information. Your
need to be complete enough to help you if you go blank, so use long
ra esor complete sentences. Under each main point, jot down the evidence
Illustrationyou'll use. Indicate where you'll refer to visuals.
h to ~ookat your notes infrequently. Most of your gaze time should be directed On behalf of Greenpeace USA,
Jlembersof the audience. Hold your notes high enough so that your head Christopher Childs gives more than
unch
.n't bob up and down like a yo-yo as you look from the audience to your 100 presentations a year to
'esand back again. schools, colleges, and churches.
your id a "For the question-and-answer
ing \'. ith Uyou have lots of visuals and know your topic well, you won't need notes.
period, I try to stay in touch with
rds begin- :JOssible,put the screen to the side so that you won't block it. Face the audi-
our campaigners to find out what's
,e,notthe screen. With transparencies, you can use colored marking pens to most important. But I also try to
.attentionto your points as you talk. Show the entire visual at once: don't stay aware of my personal motiva-
erup part of it. If you don't want the audience to read ahead, prepare sev- tions. When I'm very clear about
lll'isuaisthat build up. In your overview, for example, the first visual could what I want to accomplish, the
·yourfirst point, the second the first and second, and the third all three questions take care of
'I1ts. themselves ...
·eepthe room lights on if possible; turning them off makes it easier for peo- "Occasionally I get hostile ques-
tofallasleep and harder for them to concentrate on you. tions, and while I try to deal ,On a
factual level with the issues, I look
to see if I can tell what's going on
with the person. Oftentimes they're
ndling Questions not hostile at all, but very con-
Darefor questions by listing every fact or opinion you can think of that chal- cerned. When it's workable in a
esyour position. Treat each objection seriously and try to think of a way to public forum, I might suggest to
11 withit. If you're talking about a controversial issue, you may want to save them what I hear them really say-
ing. Often they really appreciate the
pointfor the question period, rather than making it during the presenta-
effort."
· Speakerswho have visuals to answer questions seem especially well pre-
'c'<!. 'Quoted from Jess Wells, "Stage
talk SEe'\ ral Presence: Professional Speakers Share
Juringyour presentation, tell the audience how you'll handle questions. If Their Techniques," Publish, December
hologist at
uhavea choice, save questions for the end. In your talk, answer the ques- 1990,82
or the ne t
:lS or objections that you expect your audience to have. Don't exaggerate
r talk about
lIclaimsso that you won't have to back down in response to questions later.
talk mak
Juringthe question period, don't nod your head to indicate that you un-
tanda question as it is asked. Audiences will interpret nods as signs that
ly and wh
. agreewith the questioner. Instead, look directly at the questioner. As you
as comp -
werthe question, expand your focus to take in the entire group. Don't say,
e you, wh
at'sa good question." That response implies that the other questions have
poorones.
::theaudience may not have heard the question or if you want more time to
:u<,repeatthe question before you answer it. Link your answers to the points
. madein your presentation. Keep the purpose of your presentation in
your kne
d, and select information that advances your goals.
rat you can
':aquestion is hostile or biased, rephrase it before you answer it. "You're
ctern to r
gwhether.... " Or suggest an alternative question: "1 think there are prob-
withboth the positions you describe. It seems to me that a third solution
chisbetter than either of them is .... "
~casionallysomeone will ask a question that is really designed to state the
er's own position. Respond to the question if you want to. Another op-
tosay, ''I'm not sure what you're asking," or even, "That's a clear state-
tofyour position. Let's move to the next question now." If someone asks
utsomething that you already explained in your presentation, simply an-
.rthequestion without embarrassing the questioner. No audience will un-
landand remember 100% of what you say.
 If you don't know the answer to a question, say so. If your purpose is • Overco
form, write down the question so that you can look up the answer belor • Use yOll
next session. If it's a question to which you think there is no answer, askll • Use vis
one in the room knows. When no one does, your "ignorance" is vindical, • Specify
an expert is in the room, you may want to refer questions of fact to hima • An oral p
Answer questions of interpretation yourself. same aud
At the end of the question period, take two minutes to summarize your • In a mon(
point once more. (This can be a restatement of your close.) Questions m' advance c:
may not focus on the key point of your talk. Take advantage of having the: speaker p
to repeat your message briefly and forcefully. have agre
the anSW6
ownkno
Making Group Presentations question
Plan carefully to involve as many members of the group as possible in spt provisio
ing roles. • Adapt yo
The easiest way to make a group presentation is to outline the presentat • Use the b
and then divide the topics, giving one to each group member. Another mt emphasi
ber can be responsible for the opener and the close. During the question per. • Using vis
each member answers questions that relate to his or her topic. more per
In this kind of divided presentation, be sure to
• Use a dir
• Plan transitions. • Limit yo
• Enforce time limits strictly. immedia
• Coordinate your visuals so that the presentation seems a coherent whole vou will
~ignpost
• Practice the presentation as a group at least once; more is better.
• To calm
The best group presentations are even more fully integrated: the gn
• Be prep
writes a very detailed outline, chooses points and examples, and creates\': sual aid
alS together. Then, within each point, voices trade off. See the BAC\\
(@) site for links to advice on giving this sophisticated kind of teamp
sentation. This presentation is most effective because each voicespe
• Use on
• Avoid
• Relabel
only a minute or two before a new voice comes in. However, it works Oni adrena
when all group members know the subject well and when the group pI best.
carefully and practices extensively.
Whatever form of group presentation you use, be sure to introduce ea Just befor
member of the team to the audience and to pay close attention to each other
• Consci
other members of the team seem uninterested in the speaker, the audiencege and cal
the sense that that speaker isn't worth listening to.
• Take se
During Y
• Pause
• Informative presentations inform or teach the audience. Persuasive • Concen
presentations motivate the audience to act or to believe. Goodwill • Use bo
presentations entertain and validate the audience. Most oral presentations • Convey a
have more than one purpose. with the
• A written message makes it easier to present extensive or complex • Treat ques
information and to minimize undesirable emotions. Oral messages make you had tJ
easier to use emotion, to focus the audience's attention, to answer you mad
questions and resolve conflicts quickly, to modify a proposal that maynot • Repeat tn
be acceptable in its original form, and to get immediate action or response heard it 0
• In both oral and written messages, you should questions
• Adapt the message to the specific audience. • The best g
• Show the audience how they benefit from the idea, policy, service,or outline, cI

product. within ea,

 'O\'ercomeany objections the audience may have.
,Use you-attitude and positive emphasis.
, Use visuals to clarify or emphasize material.
, pecifyexactly what the audience should do.
:noralpresentation needs to be simpler than a written message to the
meaudience.
"amonologue presentation, the speaker plans the presentation in
When a student took a job at Intel,
d\'anceand delivers it without deviation. In a guided discussion, the
her first assignment was to present
,eakerpresents the questions or issues that both speaker and audience
a strategic plan to CEOAndy Grove
I'eagreed on in advance. Rather than functioning as an expert with all two weeks later.
:'1eanswers,the speaker serves as a facilitator to help the audience tap its Five minutes into her presenta·
wnknowledge. An interactive presentation is a conversation using tion, he interrupted her: "Please flip
uestionsto determine the buyer's needs, probe objections, and gain to page 22. That's what I need to
:rovisionaland then final commitment to the purchase. know."
\daptyour message to your audience's beliefs, experiences, and interests. 'Based on Evelyn Pierce, Thomas Had·
esentah n .sethebeginning and end of the presentation to interest the audience and jUk, and Richard Young, "Using Verbal
Protocol Research to Determine What
ther m m :nphasizeyour key point. Business Audiences Want in Docu·
ion pen d .singvisuals makes a speaker seem more prepared, more interesting, and ments," Association for Business Com·
munication Conference, Chicago, IL, No-
orepersuasive. vember 6-9, 1996.
.sea direct pattern of organization. Put your strongest reason first.
..mityour talk to three main points. Early in your talk-perhaps
'lliJ1ediately
after your opener-provide an overview of the main points
mwillmake. Offer a clear signpost as you come to each new point. A
ignpostis an explicit statement of the point you have reached.
: calmyour nerves as you prepare to give an oral presentation,
the group
I Beprepared. Analyze your audience, organize your thoughts, prepare vi-
eate~ i u
sualaids, practice your opener and close, check out the arrangements.
BAC b
, Useonly the amount of caffeine you normally use.
team pr
, Avoidalcoholic beverages.
ice pea
I Relabelyour nerves. Instead of saying, ''I'm scared," try saying, "My
'ork onl
adrenalineis up." Adrenaline sharpens our reflexes and helps us do our
roup plan best.
duce ea h 'ustbefore your presentation,
ch other. If
I Consciouslycontract and then relax your muscles, starting with your feet
dience g t
andcalves and going up to your shoulders, arms, and hands.
I Takeseveral deep breaths from your diaphragm.
:Juring
your presentation,
IPauseand look at the audience before you begin speaking.
IConcentrateon communicating well.
IUse body energy in strong gestures and movement.
: Inveya sense of caring to your audience by making direct eye contact
iththem and by using a conversational style.
"reatquestions as opportunities to give more detailed information than
lU had time to give in your presentation. Link your answers to the points
mmade in your presentation.
·'peatthe question before you answer it if the audience may not have
eardit or if you want more time to think. Rephrase hostile or biased
uestionsbefore you answer them.
:hebestgroup presentations result when the group writes a very detailed
utline,chooses points and examples, and creates visuals together. Then,
ithineach point, voices trade off.