Jan 23, 2007
Comments? Send us an email at insideprcomments@gmail.com,
call us on the comment line at 206-600-4741, or leave
us a comment on the Inside PR show
blog.
This week on Inside PR, Terry and David once again discuss the art
of presentations, focusing specifically on effective presentation
skills this week. Also, they welcome an audio comment from Bob Ledrew. Chris Clarke
contributes his weekly commentary. Finally, Terry does his segment
of Inside
PRoper English.
Show Notes
00:29 David
introduces the show. He invites listener feedback through
email at insideprcomments@gmail.com,
the comment line at 206-600-4741, or comment on the
Inside PR show
blog.
01:15 Terry and David
talk about Third Tuesday Toronto from last week.
03:12 Terry introduces
an audio comment from Bob
Ledrew, a PR practitioner and blogger from Ottawa, who talks
about effective presentation skills. This leads to a short
discussion about Powerpoint and leads into the main topic for the
week.
07:30 David introduces
the main topic of the week: effective presentation skills.
08:07 Terry's first
point is that when presenting, you must be yourself. You shouldn't
stand in front of an audience and perform, although you should dial
it up a little bit. David thinks your presentation self is
different than your normal self. He says the most important thing
is to project your voice, talk more measuredly, and be
energetic.
10:45 Terry uses the
example of going to the theatre. The actors on stage are not
speaking in their normal voice, as they need to understood by those
in the far reaches of the theatre.
11:25 Terry offers his
second point: the need to involve the audience. Terry likes to say
something about the people he knows in the audience. He finds that
asking questions is also effective. David recommends writing down
people's names so he can refer to people by name.
14:10 Terry's third
point: Read the room. Pick up on the communication you're getting
back from different parts of the room. If you see people looking
restless, perhaps you're not reaching them.
15:20 Terry has four
more technical things you can do to increase engagement. The first
is your voice: you can speak faster or slower, louder or softer.
The second is eye contact: the audience won't believe you if you're
looking elsewhere. Terry discourages the machine-gun technique of
turning your head from left to right, back and forth, in order to
make eye contact. David's tip on eye contact: stare at their
forehead. They won't be able to tell that you're not looking them
in the eyes.
20:30 As for gestures,
Terry believes that hand talkers should not try to stifle what
comes naturally. David thinks speakers need their hands to project
themselves effectively. When David finds something very important,
he will reach out and touch it on the screen. The last technical
aspect from Terry is movement. A truly great speaker can get away
from the podium and walk around. He recommends getting away from
the podium if possible. David thinks a handy tool is the slide
advancer.
27:00 Terry adds a point
about the Q&A: when someone asks a question not relating to the
presentation, respect the audience by telling the questioner that
you'll answer it afterwards. With regard to the Q&A, the
question may belong to the questioner, but the answer belongs to
the audience. As you answer the question, make eye contact with the
questioner, but move along to make contact with the entire
audience. The Q&A is the last thing the audience will remember.
David thinks that presenters anchored down by a lecturne can move
away from it doing the Q&A and closer to the audience.
29:45 David ends by
saying that this business is where presentations cannot be avoided.
He started his career feeling uneasy before presentations, and now
he's at a point where he enjoys them.
33:20 Terry introduces
Chris Clarke's commentary
this week.
35:38 Inside
PRoper English: better/best, faster/fastest,
older/oldest.
37:20 David closes the
show and invites listener comments: through email at insideprcomments@gmail.com,
on the comment line at 206-600-4741, or comment on the
Inside PR show blog. Also, they
welcomes listeners to the Inside PR Blubrry
site.
Music: our theme music is
Streetwalker by CJacks, and is from the Podsafe Music Network; Roger Dey is
our announcer.
This podcasting is the first to me.
It\'s about the art of presentation
Actually, I am preparing some kind of
bidding with my members about improving
the premium image of Sweetio Banana that
Dole company launched.
Next saturday is the due date.
My team should prepare Powerpoint material
and make an announcement in the public
I will keep the presentation skills in my mind.
And I am gonna let my members know how to make a
good presentation.
Thanks for the good tips. ^o^