The Goal of Your Presentation is. . .

The Same as ALL Communication:
Verbal, Written, or Visual.

0You want the audience, as quickly as possible to – GET IT!
(GET IT!: Completely understand the meaning of your message.)

They may not agree with everything you say. They may not agree with anything.
Unless they GET IT!, there can not be a discussion, or action, going forward.

To accomplish this Goal, you, the speaker, must do three things.

1. Educate
   • The attendees should leave your venue knowing more than they did when arriving about your topic, lots more.
2. Entertain
   • We like to be entertained, don’t we!
   • If you are entertaining your guests, you’ll have their attention. If you have their attention the odds of GETTING IT! are increased.
3. Explain
   • You should explain your message simply enough they GET IT! the first time. If they are thinking, “What is he talking about? I don’t have a clue what that means.” they will tune you out and never GET IT!

Content is the first component of your presentation and it needs Structure so the audience can follow, understand, and contemplate your message.

Structure of a Presentation

1. Title
   1. The title of your presentation should be like the subject line of an email, marquee of a theatre, spine of a book on a shelf, and headline of a newspaper article.
      • If those don’t grab potential attendees attention, they won’t open the email, enter the theatre, take the book off the shelf, or read the article.
      • Compose a Title for your presentation that makes people want to attend.
        • Keep in mind, when composing that title, we will do more to avoid pain than seek pleasure. A title with emotion attached to it, “Lessen the Fear of Public Speaking!” will get more attention than one without it, “Speaking 101.”
2. Introduction
   1. As the speaker, it is your responsibility to write your Introduction, not the person introducing you.
   2. Your Introduction is not your bio.
      • No one cares where you went to school, how many years you’ve been married, and the fact you like to collect Spainish coins.
      • Your Introduction should answer three questions:
        • WHY this subject?
        • WHY this speaker?
        • WHY now?
      • This is not a place to be modest!
        • Include information about yourself that gives credibility to why you have the right to address your topic. People are investing time and money to attend your presentation and WHY this speaker is important to them.
        • It is far better for a third party, the emcee, to expound on your WHY than for you to do this.
3. Opening
   • Your Opening has two parts.
     1. Grab the attention of your audience.
     2. Tell them what you’ll be telling them.
        • Include when and how you’ll be handling questions.
          • This will eliminate interruptions in your presentation that can throw  you off your plan, cause you to possibly lose control, and increase your anxiety.
4. Body of Presentation
   • Your presentation should make three to five points to attendees.
   • Each point should be supported by a reinforcing story.
     • The best stories are your personal stories, not the stories of Abe Lincoln and his honesty or Thomas Edison and his persistence in developing the incandescent bulb.
       • You have those personal stories of overcoming adversity, honesty, and hard work. No one else, unless you’ve given permission, can tell your stories. Use them in your presentation!
5. Q & A
   1. It is best to tell people, in your Opening, how you’ll be handling questions. Taking them before your Closing is preferred.
      1. If interrupted during your talk, use this verbiage: “Do me a big favor, please, and write that question down. If I don’t answer it during the presentation, be sure to ask me during the Q&A session.”
6. Closing
   • Your Closing is the opposite of your Opening.
     1. Tell the audience what you told them.
     2. Have a strong Closing.
        • The last thing you say and do will be the first thing they will remember.
7. After-Duction
   • This can be an integral part of your presentation
   • It Is delivered by the emcee.
   • It Is the speaker’s responsibility to write.
   • The AFTER-Duction serves several purposes.
     1. Thank the Speaker!
     2. Reinforce something of value in their message.
        •  “One of my take-aways is. . .”
     3. Help, where appropriate, the speaker sell products and services.

Delivery is the second component of your presentation. It has two parts,
each with a number of elements.

• Verbal delivery
  • Enunciation and Pronunciation.
    • If your audience doesn’t understand the words you’re speaking, they’ll never GET IT!
    • Projection
      • Project your voice to the back of the room.
      • Don’t shout.
        • No one likes to be shouted at. Plus, it will hurt your vocal cords.
      • Use a mic if necessary.
    • Inflection
      • Emphasize the places in your sentences you want to stand out.
    • Cadence
      • Don’t talk so quickly your audience can’t follow you.
      • Do not talk so s-l-o-w-l-y you put them to sleep!
    • Pause
      • Pause after being introduced and before your opening, almost to the point where your audience thinks you’ve lost it.
        • Your strong opening will really grab their attention at this point.
      • Pause to let people absorb and consider your message.
      • Pause when their is laughter or they’ll miss your next statements.
• Non-verbal delivery
  • Important: Non-verbal communication can be voluntary and involuntary. Be aware of this because the audience believes what it sees.
    • If you sometimes roll your eyes when you hear or see something you disagree with, keep it in check!
  • Eye contact
    • “Your eyes are the gateway to your soul!”
    • Eye contact shows ‘confidence in your competence.’
    • Look an attendee directly in the eye. Finish a thought. Move on to another attendee in a different part of the venue, and repeat the process.
    • Don’t stare. No one likes to be stared at.
  • Gestures
    • Make gestures natural, and not stiff.
    • Exaggerate them for large audiences.
    • Don’t point!
      • Gesture with your thumb instead.
    • Know all gestures are not universal.
      • A thumbs up in the US means “Great going!” but has an entirely different meaning in other cultures.
    • Facial expressions
      • These, also, should be natural.
      • A smile is universal and contagious!
    • Posture
      • Standing erect with shoulders back shows self confidence and integrity.
      • Leave change and keys in your briefcase and don’t your put hands in pockets.
      • No fig leaf, parade rest, or superman stances!

Follow the above formula and advice and your next presentation will be – NO SWEAT!

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About the Author
Fred E. Miller is a speaker, a coach, and the author of the book,
“No Sweat Public Speaking!”

Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their
Networking, Public Speaking, and Presentation Skills.

They do this because they know:

Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities.

They also know:
We perceive really great speakers to be Experts.
Perception is reality, and we like to work with Experts.

He shows them how to:
Develop, Practice, and Deliver ‘Knock Your Socks Off Presentations!’ with –
NO SWEAT!

Services:

• Keynote Speaker
• Workshop Facilitator
• Breakout Sessions
• Public Speaking and Presentation Coaching
  Topics:

• Lessening The Fear of Public Speaking with – NO SWEAT!
• Crafting Your Elevator Speech, Floor by Floor with – NO SWEAT!
• Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities.
• We are All Self-Employed!

Fred E. Miller
[email protected]
nosweatpublicspeaking.com
https://www.amazon.com/author/fredemiller
314-517-8772Connect/Follow me:
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Photo Credit: Smuzz