Presentations
Presentations are "an integral part of business life," and while much attention has been placed on developing the content of a presentation for effectiveness, the etiquette of presentation has been much neglected.
Technology is a major foible for many presenters: a great deal of time is wasted (to the frustration and annoyance of anyone in attendance) dealing with technical problems, which ultimately reflects poorly on the presenter. The presenter should show up early to set-up and test to minimize technical difficulties.
Attire is a consideration - as a presenter, you are physically on display. Professional attire (suite and tie) is recommended unless it would make you "overdressed" for a given event.
When feasible, greeting attendees at the door is advised: it gives you the ability to gauge their general attitude as they're coming in, enable you to spot the important people and those who may be "trouble," and it generally creates a connection with each member of the audience on a personal basis before you have to deal with them as a crowd.
When the presentation begins: stand and listen to your introduction, shake hands with the presenter, then pause for a moment before taking the podium. The first order of business is to thank your presenter for having invited you.
It is advisable to remove your wristwatch and place it near your notes, so that you can check the time discreetly (to ensure your presentation is on track, as running over is bad form) - otherwise, the audience may interpret your gesture as being in a rush.
Announcing the schedule and agenda up-front is also effective in keeping attention - otherwise, the presentation may seem to go on and on, without structure. If you seem to be "losing": the audience, you may need to break from your agenda (sometimes literally - take an unscheduled break)
Being enthusiastic and sincere in your presentation is important. Especially since you (should) have rehearsed, or given the same presentation repeatedly, it may become rote to you, and your delivery will seem disinterested.
The author advises getting off the stage, using a lavaliere microphone rather than a handheld, and being "among" the audience. The audience is more likely to pay attention and interact with a "roaming" speaker than with a talking head on the stage.
Do not rely overmuch on visual aids. Speakers have been led to believe they are effective, or use them to distract attention from themselves, but they have been found to be far less important than the oral presentation itself.
Slides can be used to present information graphics to augment the verbal program, but they are not to replace it entirely. Of paramount importance: do not read your own slides. Ideally, the audience should glance at them briefly, then return their attention to you, the speaker.
Gimmickry is particularly bad: animating what does not need to be animated, using video and audio clips, etc. In general, avoid it unless it is the most effective way yo get your point across.
Voice is most important: be audible, clear, and articulate. Vary your tone and pace, and remember to use pauses strategically (silence creates anticipation and attention).
Be aware of verbal tics, and avoid casual phrases. Say "thank you" instead of "thanks," "yes" instead of "yeah," and so on.
Eye contact is important. The author recommends a "one person, one thought" approach - make eye contact with a single individual when making a point, and do not switch to another until the point is completed.
Hand gestures should be controlled - they can be used effectively to illustrate points, but if they are always in motion, they lose their ability to emphasize specific points.
Announcing in advance that there will be time allotted for Q&A at the end will minimize interruptions during the presentation.
The Q&A session afterward can be problematic, as it is completely unrehearsed. Try to avoid "grading" the audience on their questions ("that's a good question" is a verbal tic a presenter should avoid). Also, during an answer, focus your attention on the person who asked a question, not to the audience in general - this is a two-way conversation to which others are witnesses.
If the presentation goes over an hour, schedule breaks and let the audience know in advance.
After concluding, thank the audience for their time and attention, and participation. Thank the individuals who invited and introduced you (again).
If possible, move to the door at the end to the presentation and individually thank the attendees, just as you greeted them.
Plan your exit casually - do not sprint for the door and leave immediately. When possible linger to interact with your audience afterward.
Some tips:
- Be prepared to proceed without technology (PowerPoint slides and visual aids) if you cannot remedy the situation.
- If you sneeze or cough,. Turn away from the audience, apologize briefly, and continue
- If you audience seems to be getting bored, turn up your own energy, change your physical position, call an unscheduled break, etc.
- Hecklers are rare, but they do pop up. Be prepared to deal with them courteously
- Do not run out of time, and do not "keep" your audience beyond the scheduled time for your presentation. For any reason. Ever.