Presentation Best Practices

10
Presentation Best Practices Mark Yolton | Senior Vice President SAP Community Network March 2011
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I was asked for insight into presentation best-practices, so I compiled a short deck to summarize some of thesebased on input from colleagues who are good and/or frequent presenters.

Transcript of Presentation Best Practices

Page 1: Presentation Best Practices

Presentation Best Practices

Mark Yolton | Senior Vice PresidentSAP Community NetworkMarch 2011

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© 2011 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2

Agenda

The Reality … Common Pitfalls Modeling the Pro’s Speaker Practices

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Common Presentation Pitfalls

5 Key Barriers to Effective Presentations

1) Agonizingly Long Watch Your Timing

2) What’s the Point? Identify Objectives

3) Visually Boring Images & Graphics

4) Fumbling Presenter Rehearse

5) Pontificating Sage on Stage Engage

Sources: Various Experts…

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Model the Pro’sFind Someone to Emulate & Do What They Do, How They Do It

Ignite Your Enthusiasm¹ Engage your listeners’ passion by tapping into your own

What Not to DoStrike: “Maybe” “I think” “Kinda” “Sorta”

Navigate the WayPresent your theme as a mantra so listeners remember it

Nitty GrittyOutline your presentation

Sell the BenefitExplain the real-world problem, then your solution

Hot TipEncourage others to reach their potential

Paint a PictureUse a storyline & stories to structure your presentation

 Big IdeaRe-enforce an optimistic outlook ¹ Carmine Gallo @ Bnet.com, “How to Present Like Steve Jobs” (June2008).

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Speaker Practices - SnapshotBefore | During | After

PRE- EVENT Understand your audience

Begin with objectives in mind

Research your subject matter

Make the presentation relevant

Create Storyline

Relevant, clear, concise visual aids

Put essential things first

Anticipate Q’s & prepare A’s

Time mgt. – respect the audience

Practice, Practice, Practice

DURING PRESENTATION Dress professionally

Exude confidence & authority

Present with enthusiasm

Engage the audience

Ask questions

Vary presentation modes

Remember to pause

Don’t lecture: teach / converse

Challenge the audience

Be yourself … w/ personality

Re-cap audience benefits

End with actions

POST-EVENT Stay to engage in the back of the room

Collect audience feedback

Follow-up on Action Items

Address all requests

Make presentation materials available

Open access to contact and follow-ups

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Speaker PracticesPre-event

• Research Organization(Google), Contacts

(LinkedIn/Twitter), show interest in them (as individuals, their companies)

Determine scope of topic, angle

• Attend pre-event networking/social time

Face-to-face banter to attendees Introductions to individuals – gauge who

the leaders are, learn pain points/challenges

How they/their business relate to the event/topic

Gauge expectations/goals of attendees

• Understand structure and storyline (focus on top points)

•PRACTICE Special focus on beginning (capture

audience attention) and ending (leave a favorable impression)

• Understand Audience • External vs internal, tailor

messages (use something from their website, news/industry)

• Create Storyline Within your own remarks,

personalize, customize and thread insight about overall picture, set expectations for talk

• Highlight 3 Key Elements Grounding the audience =make

sure everyone is on the same page

Capture top 3-5 topics only: focus on what matters and defer the rest

Drive discussion – leave with Call to Action

• Audience wants you to be successful, interesting, and to deliver value

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Speaker PracticesDuring Presentation

• Look professional – dress for the role: expert, peer, authority, etc.

• Be optimistic, upbeat and honest (but positive) – your energy matters; if you’re interested, they will be, too

• Be crisp, funny and high energy – humor is an icebreaker and infuses good energy

• Be conversational as much as possible, make it interactive - ask questions to engage audience

• Express a strong point-of-view…not “maybe”, “sorta” or “kinda” – even controversial is good. It’s OK to be memorable, to disagree (respectfully)

• Address a problem or opportunity -> approach/options -> outcome/benefits

• Use lots of anecdotes, stories – from your personal experience when possible

• Tell a story, paint a picture, show a vision

• Read the audience for queues – do they get it, go slower/faster, confusion, what to reiterate (if needed)

• Engage audience in discussion/questions –invite participation and feedback

• 3 presentation key elements: content, visual and delivery (most important of 3)

• Consider the different uses of flipcharts or whiteboards

• Note Location of Account Exec/Contact/Host in audience for time/stage queues

•Engage with movement, move around, pick focus point(s) in each quadrant in seating layout to direct your attention

• Use graphics to tell a story or evoke emotion

• Be personable, conscious of body language (be open in gestures)

• Recap key points / give reasoning – repeat, summarize and recap

• Leave contact information at end of presentation for follow-up

• End preso with “what if…” thoughts to plant a seed

• Show your personality! Be yourself, be authentic… you’re unique and interesting!

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Speaker PracticesPost-event

• Post-event networking – remain available for questions, comments, more offline conversations, biz card exchange

• Follow-up for feedback with Acct Exec./Contact/Host

• Send final slide deck to event organizer/contact

• Update contact list from business cards

• Gather feedback from external audience

• Review surveys or feedback from team and audience

• Adapt “lessons-learned” into next presentation

• Follow up with PPT to offline conversations

• Find something to follow-up on, to extend the connection

• Send “thank-you” notes and invite follow-up

• Follow-through on all commitments made in offline discussion

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Good Luck …

… Have Fun!

Mark Yolton | Senior Vice PresidentSAP Community [email protected]

With full credit to my expert colleagues for their contributions to this compilation: Chip Rodgers, Marco ten Vaanholt, Dan Maloney, Jonathan Becher, Kaj van de Loo, Peter Graf, Denis Browne.