Learn to make effective presentations

Part of every business owner's or manager's time is devoted to the presentation of plans or ideas -- or it should be. In the broadest sense a presentation can be defined as every encounter you have with every person you meet. When you are asked to appear in front of one or more people for the purpose of explaining, educating, convincing or otherwise sharing information with them, you have a presentation.

Ralph C. Smedley once said, "A speech without a specific purpose is like a journey without a destination." The purpose of any presentation, written, oral or visual, is communication. To communicate in an effective manner you must state your facts in a simple, concise and interesting way. A carefully worded presentation can relay facts, trends and statistics, give instruction, or sell an idea or plan. Remember a clear, convincing presentation 10 minutes long may accomplish more than one lasting an hour.

Planning a presentation is essential. Once complete, it can become part of your regular arsenal of information to share with vendors, potential customers or lenders. Answering some basic questions can help in this process:

What are you selling? Are you selling a plan of action, a product, a service or support for an idea? Pinpoint your main goal and express it in as few words as possible.

To whom are you selling? Know your audience. Adapt your presentation to fit your listeners. Try to know as much about your audience as possible -- is their time limited, what are their interests, do they have authority to make decisions about your selling point, and is a visual aid needed?

In what environment do you expect the message to be received? Will the audience be friendly or adversarial? Is it a close-minded group or more open-minded one? Will the presentation be given in the morning or right after lunch? Will the audience be in a hurry -- anxious to get home after a long day? Are you "on the spot" for any reason?

The strategy you formulate should be based on knowledge of what you are selling, who you are selling to, the barriers you may encounter and the atmosphere in which the presentation may be given.

Once the presentation is ready, it is time to develop the presenter. First impressions count, and early in the presentation the presenter will be judged by the audience. The speaker's walk, facial expressions, hand movements and clothing will be observed. What the audience thinks, whether one or many people, can help or hinder the credibility of what the presenter has to share. A simple, natural and relaxed style usually gains the most acceptances as does using a variety of voice, hand and body movements. As a presenter keep in mind the following suggestions:

Speak up. Make yourself heard.

Keep your back to the wall.

Watch the audience and make eye-to-eye contact.

Stand erect and control nervous habits. Don't fuss with clothing, or use annoying gestures. Avoid verbal crutches such as "Uhh" in between thoughts or ending with "OK?"

Relax and smile.

Use stories to make your point.

Reaffirm your most important points at the end of your presentation.

Now, you are ready to effectively present yourself and your business. Not so sure? Practice at home and with friends. Practice, listen and then try again. As you may have heard before -- practice makes perfect.