Presentations: The Basics

CTL Presentation Skills team

http://ctl.utsc.utoronto.ca/ac

…hello!

Today’s Agenda

▪ We’ll explore and discuss some key questions about presentations

▪ 45 minutes in length (aim to end 5 minutes to the hour)

▪ Please feel welcome to ask questions at any point throughout this workshop!

…this much time left!

What is the GOAL of your presentation?

What is the GOAL of your presentation?

▪ To entertain

▪ To persuade

▪ To move action

▪ To demonstrate knowledge mastery

▪ To inform

▪ To confuse or misdirect

▪ To touch emotions

Should you care who your audience is?

Should you care who your audience is?

The best presenters will “speak” to their audience, using the right tone and message

Types of Audiences:

▪ EXPERTS

▪ MANAGERIAL/PROFESSIONAL

▪ GENERAL PUBLIC/LAY AUDIENCE

YES!

What “IS” a presentation?

What “IS” a presentation?

▪ The Speech

▪ Body Language

▪ Use of Equipment

▪ The Environment

▪ PreparationBender, P. U. (1993). Secrets of power presentations: focusing on

effective, dynamic and impressive business

presentations. Achievement Group,[1994].

How do you BEGIN your presentation?

How do you BEGIN your presentation?

▪ Go from the familiar to the unfamiliar

▪ Tell a Story

▪ Acknowledge the occasion & audience

▪ Quotations

▪ Make a striking statement

▪ Use an unusual

statistic

▪ Ask the audience a challenging question

▪ Ask for a show of hands

▪ Make a Promise

▪ Present an outline

Bender, P. U. (1993). Secrets of power presentations: focusing on

effective, dynamic and impressive business

presentations. Achievement Group,[1994].

How do you FINISH your presentation?

How do you FINISH your presentation?

▪ Summarize your presentation

▪ Close with an Anecdote

▪ With a Call to Action

▪ Ask a Rhetorical Question

▪ Make a Statement

▪ End the same way you began

Bender, P. U. (1993). Secrets of power presentations: focusing on

effective, dynamic and impressive business

presentations. Achievement Group,[1994].

What can you do in-between?

What can you do in-between?

Structure your presentation:

▪ Chronological/Historical: Past, Present, Future

▪ Sequential: First, Second, Third

▪ Categorical: Oranges, Apples, Bananas

▪ Compare and Contrast Extremes

▪ Hierarchical: Top, Middle, Bottom

▪ Reviews Options & Give Recommendations

▪ Expanding Radius: Individual, Neighbourhood, Community

Bender, P. U. (1993). Secrets of power presentations: focusing on

effective, dynamic and impressive business

presentations. Achievement Group,[1994].

How do you get your message across?

How do you get your message across?

▪ Speak to—not at—your audience

▪ Face the audience

▪ Don’t rush it

▪ Know what you can skip

▪ Respond to questionsKosslyn, S. M. (2007). Clear and to the point: 8 psychological principles for compelling

PowerPoint presentations. Oxford University Press.

THANK-YOU!

CTL Presentation Skills team

http://ctl.utsc.utoronto.ca/ac