Oral presentations vary in style, range, complexity, and formality. These talks may be designed to inform, to persuade, or both.

• Avoiding Presentation Pitfalls (Common Errors)
  • Speaker
  • Makes no eye contact
  • Seems like a robot
  • Hides behind the lectern
  • Speaks too softly/loudly
  • Sways, fidgets, paces
  • Rambles or loses her/his place
  • Never gets to the point
  • Fumbles with notes or visuals
  • Has too much material
  • Visuals
  • Are nonexistent
  • Are hard to see
  • Are hard to interpret
  • Are out of sequence
  • Are shown too rapidly
  • Are shown too slowly
  • Have typos/errors
  • Are word-filled
  • Setting
  • Is too noisy
  • Is too hot or cold
  • Is too large or small
  • Is too bright for visuals
  • Is too dark for notes
  • Has equipment missing
  • Has broken equipment
• Planning Your Presentation
  • Work from an explicit purpose statement
  • Analyze your listeners
  • Who are my listeners (strangers, peers, superiors, clients)?
  • What is their attitude toward me or the topic?
  • Why are they here?
  • What kind of presentation do they expect?
  • What do they already know?
  • What do they need to know?
  • How large is their stake in this topic?
  • Do I want to motivate, mollify, inform, instruct, warn?
  • What are their biggest concerns or objections?
  • What do I want them to think, know, or do?
  • Analyze your speaking situation
  • How much time will I have to speak?
  • Will other people be speaking before or after me?
  • How formal or informal is the setting?
  • How large is the audience?
  • How large is the room?
  • How bright and adjustable is the lighting?
  • What equipment is available?
  • How much time do I have to prepare?
  • Select a type of presentation
  • Informative
  • Training/instructional
  • Persuasive
  • Action Plan
  • Sales
  • Select an appropriate delivery method
  • The memorized delivery
  • The impromptu delivery
  • The scripted delivery
  • The extemporaneous delivery
  • Preparing your presentation
  • Research your topic
  • Aim for simplicity and conciseness
  • Anticipate audience questions
  • Outline your presentation
  • Plan your visuals
  • How to design readable visuals
  • Make visuals large enough to be read from anywhere in the room
  • Don't cram too many words, ideas, designs, or type style, into a single visual
  • Keep words and images simple
  • Break information into chunks
  • Summarize with key words, phrases, or short sentences
  • Use 18-24-point, sans serif type)
  • Display only one point per visual unless previewing or reviewing
  • Give each visual a title that announces the topic
  • Use color sparingly, to highlight key words, facts, or the bottom line
  • Use the brightest color for what is most important
  • Label each part of a diagram or illustration
  • Proofread each visual carefully
  • Choose the right visual medium
  • PowerPoint, or other presentation software
  • With presentation software, you can:
  • Create slide designs in various colors, shading and textures
  • Create drawings or graphs and import clip art, photographs, or a variety of other images
  • Create animated text and images
  • Create dynamic transitions between slides
  • Amplify each slide with speaker notes
  • Sort your slides into various sequences
  • Precisely time your presentation
  • Shower you presentation directly on a computer screen or projector, online, as overheads, or as printed handouts
  • Transparencies
  • Whiteboards,dry erase boards, and chalkboards
  • Posters
  • Outline of presentation or other handouts
• Delivering Your Presentation
  • Rehearse your delivery
  • Check the room and setting beforehand
  • Cultivate the human landscape
  • Get to know your audience
  • Be reasonable
  • Display enthusiasm and confidence
  • Don't preach
  • Keep your listeners oriented
  • Open with a clear and engaging introduction
  • Give concrete examples
  • Provide explicit transitions
  • Review and interpret
  • Plan for how you will use any non-computer visuals
  • Prepare
  • Organize
  • Do not begin with a visual
  • Do not display a visual until you are ready to discuss it
  • Tell viewers what they should be looking for in a visual
  • Point to what is important
  • Stand aside when discussing a visual, so everyone can see it
  • Don’t turn your back on the audience
  • Remove the visual promptly after discussing it
  • Switch off equipment that is not in use
  • Do not end with a visual
  • Manage your presentation style
  • Use natural movements and reasonable postures
  • Adjust volume, pronunciation, and rate
  • Maintain eye contact
  • Manage your speaking situation
  • Be responsive to listener feedback
  • Stick to your plan
  • Leave listeners with something to remember
  • Allow time for questions and answers
• How to Manage Listener Questions
  • Announce a specific time limit
  • Listen carefully
  • If you can't understand a question, ask that it be rephrased
  • Repeat every question, to ensure that everyone hears it
  • Be brief in your answers
  • If you need extra time, arrange for it after the presentation
  • If anyone attempts lengthy debate, offer to continue after the presentation
  • If you can't answer a question, say so and move on
  • End the session with "We have time for one more question" or some such signal
• Webinars and Distance Presentations
  • A webinar, or Web-based seminar, allows you to deliver a presentation via the Internet.
  • Face-to-face settings are still most effective
  • Webinars minimize the cost of bringing everyone to one location