1P-16-0912-Superior-Presentations

per slide.24

Essentially, there are four places to find digital images:25

•The easiest place to derive graphics is your own cache of proprietary images. Personal photos are especially useful when connecting with your audience through storytelling. If you develop graphs or tables, think twice about their necessity in your interpretation. If you are

able to make the detailed information more relatable through a simpler visual, always opt for the other choice.

• For a nominal fee, royalty-free websites like VeerSM, iStock PhotoSM, ShutterStockSM or ThinkStockSM offer a wide variety of photos and illustrations. Royalty-free images can be highly targeted and offer continuity in image styles throughout the entire presentation.

•Found on websites like FlickrSM, creative commons images are conditionally free. The most frequent condition is that credit is

given to the photographer either under the photo or on a credit slide at the end of the presentation. This option has the potential to yield specific photos rather than metaphorical or conceptual photos.

•Using screenshots allows you to illustrate your point by highlighting information that is seen daily. Putting context to this point: if illustrating the need for a new furnace, take a screen shot of the accounting software that has broken down by line item all of the HVAC repairs and maintenance items needed. Programs like Skitch or SnagIt™ allow you to draw attention to specific elements of your screenshot, like the grand total.

•Attempting to grab photos from places other than these four sources can potentially violate copyright laws. Each infringement can carry a penalty of up to $300,000 per instance.26

Videos are another great way to keep your audience involved in your message, as long as it’s short, simple and relevant. Aim for a 30 second clip, but if it needs to be longer, two to three minutes should be the maximum. If you want to take this to the next level, use a program like ScreenFlow™ to record and edit a short video clip to highlight the parts most relevant to your message. Be sure to embed the video in the slides instead of having the video play in a different program

or screen. If necessary, you can remove the audio so you can talk over the video. If you want to have a video playing in the background while you present, make sure it is simply that–background. You don’t want to compete with the video for

24Ibid.

25Ibid.

26“FAQs: Can I Use Someone Else’s Work? Can Someone Else Use Mine?” U.S. Copyright Office. U.S. Copyright Office, 16 July 2012. Web. 01 Aug. 2012. <http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-fairuse.html>.

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Practicing also allows you to perfect your timing. Whether it’s comedic, technological or just relevance-based, practice will allow you to combat any hiccups without an audience watching.

Additionally, when running through your presentation, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and prepare for the onset of Murphy’s Law–which stipulates that if anything that can go wrong, it usually will. In presentations, this almost exclusively pertains to technical glitches. Should this happen, a trial run of a technical glitch will keep you in control over the situation, not the other way around. Save your presentation locally, to a USB drive and on an online host like DropboxSM.

Depending on the size/importance of your presentation, it may be a good idea to conduct at least one trial run in front of an audience. One tactic to judge your message’s efficacy is to omit your introduction and conclusion. When finished, ask them to list what they found most important, interesting, memorable or confusing. If they are able to touch on all your main points, you have met your goal!

Phase 4: Delivery

So it’s D-day. Zero hour … and you find yourself freaking out.

Be calm. You can do this. You know this inside and out. You have carefully crafted your message, designed an engaging presentation, and practiced, practiced, practiced.

Let’s start with the basics of a well-executed delivery.

First, it’s important to always look your best and dress for success. What this means for you will vary depending on the topic, venue and the many extenuating circumstances. Know, but don’t obsess, that your audience is basing their opinion of the speech, either fairly or unfairly, on their perception of you.

For starters, one can rarely be overdressed for a presentation. If you’re looking for an excuse to treat yourself to a manicure, a presentation may be a qualifier. However, the goal for your attire is to be an unspoken extension of your message. The best example is Steve Jobs. While he was praised for various aspects of his public speaking abilities, his presentation wardrobe acted as an extension of the Apple™ brand: his black mock-turtleneck represented simple luxury–just like the

© 2012 4imprint, Inc. All rights reserved

iPhone®. Posthumously, demand for his St. Croix turtleneck, which retailed for $175, increased nearly 100% according to the manufacturer.31

Looking your best also establishes your authority. Take the example of the infamous Kennedy-Nixon debate of 1960, the first series of televised presidential debates in history. In substance, the candidates were nearly identical. For those who listened to the debate on the radio, they perceived that Nixon had a

slight advantage. For the television viewers, Kennedy was the clear victor. The viewers drew their conclusions based on their visual perception of Nixon, who was ghostly pale after a severe bout of influenza. He had refused make-up and his clothes hung off his sickly frame. Conversely, Kennedy had recently

campaigned in southern California and was looking tan, fit and well-rested. The viewers’ perception of the message was heavily influenced by the candidates’ appearances, a message they clearly took to the polls that November.32 Imagine how the course of history might have changed if Nixon had a new shirt and agreed to sit in the make-up chair …

Now that you’re feeling prepared and looking good, it’s time to focus on how you actually verbalize your message. Throughout this Blue Paper, we have explored what to say, and how to say it–both verbally and visually, but we have yet to explore injecting your mannerisms into the message. Based on a report released by the Economist Intelligence UnitSM, four of the six most important attributes of communication have nothing to do with what you say.33 These attributes include tone of voice, facial expressions, subconscious body language and conscious movements and gestures. The other two characteristics–the words you choose and how you engage your audience–are framed long before your delivery.

While the interpretation of body language is not an exact science, much can be gathered from both conscious and unconscious movements. Only a limited

number of emotions can be attached to a wide variety of gestures. Note that the audience is unknowingly summing up whether to trust your words based on these movements. Best practices would encourage you to have an open stance, giving the impression that you are welcoming, transparent and trustworthy. A closed stance–with hands in pocket or arms folded in front of you–acts as a barrier to communication. Making eye contact with your audience is another unspoken indicator of trust.

31 Friedman, Megan. “Brand Behind Steve Jobs’ Iconic Turtleneck Sees Sales Boost.” Time NewsFeed. Time Inc., 6 Oct. 2011. Web. 03 July 2012. <http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/10/06/brand-behind-steve-jobs-iconic-turtleneck-sees-sales-boost/>.

32 Tyner Allen, Erika. “The Kennedy-Nixon Presidential Debates, 1960.” The Museum of Broadcast Communications. Web. 27 June 2012. <http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=kennedy-nixon>.

33 The Power of In-Person. Digital image. Econimist Intelligence Unit/ Cisco. Web. 21 June 2012. <http://www.cisco.com/web/telepresence/economist-infographic.html?CAMPAIGN=Economist+Campaign&CO UNTRY_SITE=us&POSITION=link&REFERRING_SITE=cisco&CREATIVE=Call+Out&keycode=216968_5>.

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Naturally, it is this establishment of trust that will make your overall presentation a success. If you’re deemed unreliable by the audience, your message will fall flat. To build a lasting trust, insinuate that this presentation is only the beginning of a larger dialogue. The closing slide bearing your contact information will invite the audience to interact beyond the presentation. To prompt the conversation, ask your viewers to contact you with feedback on the presentation. This will double as a learning experience for you.

When finished, sincerely thank your audience for the time, attention and/or participation. If you want your audience to leave with a literal takeaway, be sure to also include your contact info on your handouts. Making yourself available extends your credibility.

Superior presentations make a lasting impression

So there you have it. The layering of common sense and storytelling artistry, sprinkled with some basic principles of psychology and topped with a charismatic personality is undoubtedly a recipe for oratory success. The overall objective of your presentation is to engage your audience. Make them think. Make them laugh. Let them walk away with a new perspective.

The legendary Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”34 If your audience leaves educated, convinced, entertained or uplifted, you have effectively delivered an experience.

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34 Kelly, Bob. Worth Repeating: More than 5000 Classic and Contemporary Quotes. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2003. Print.

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