Effectively Standing Out

1. Effectively Standing Out (or All presentations provide a great deal of happiness when they end.) By Leeland Artra President, Hero Network™ LLC E-Mail: leeland@heronetwork.com Objective: Develop effective techniques for making winning presentations. Topics Covered: Differences between poor, good and great presentations, how to structure details, dealing with distractions, etc.

2. Why Are You Here? • Recognize need to persuade an audience • Feel existing presentation skills can improve • Looking for ways to improve future presentations Objective: Enhance or learn skills to create strong presentations that provide good information and are persuasive Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.

3. Why am I here? • Computer researcher & educator for 16 yrs • Developed and implemented 3 professional training and certification series • Given successful presentations & courses to live audiences of up to 35,000+ • Special training for writing questions, creating tutorials and giving persuasive presentations • Need some consulting referrals and thought this would be good marketing • No one else volunteered Car sickness is the feeling you get whenthe monthly car payment is due.

4. The Plan • Introduction • Planning • Style • Step-by-Step • Packaging • Visuals • Administering Your Talk • Evaluation Sheets Chances of a white Christmas in New York: 1 in 4.

5. Why Develop Presentation Skills? • Ability to create and give effective presentations was ranked one of the top five required skills in today’s technical workforce • 83% of jobs require technical skills, but 75% of all jobs also want at least a basic presentation competency • Presentation skills will affect your professional future Success is a choice.

6. Interesting Presentation Facts • Audiences: • Start with a very positive attitude and high expectations of value to be received • Do not have expectations of absolute professionalism • Speakers usually are best at telling their story • People remember the stories that teach them lessons Every presentation is an opportunity to have a positive impact on people "Decaf" is a four letter word in my world.

7. The least important part of a presentation is? • The audience • Visual aids • Current events • Speaker’s clothing "A conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of thinking.“Anonymous

8. Presentation Principles • Present only enough to persuade • Avoid too much information • Have one clear goal in mind • Use tools • Keep attention • People do not remember a lot • goals - memorable and keep people listening • boredom breeds discontent • Repeat main ideas often It is incredibly difficult to build the chickenand the egg at the same time.

9. A Great Presentation Is • Audience learns one to three important skills or tips that will help them succeed. • Audience develops respect for the speaker. "A witty saying proves nothing.“Voltaire (1694-1778)

10. Common Speaking Fears • Speaking in public causes death by embarrassment • You’ll be nervous forever • I’ll get nervous and forget what to say • The audience knows more then I do • I’ll look completely dumb if I get asked a hard question I can’t answer "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man'scharacter, give him power." Abraham Lincoln

11. The Plan • Introduction • Planning • Style • Step-by-Step • Packaging • Visuals • Administering Your Talk • Evaluation Sheets "A pat on the back is only a few centimetersfrom a kick in the butt." Dilbert's Law of Work

12. Planning • Checklists are an invaluable tool • Organize your thoughts under stress • Your Memory is fallible • Only help people who use them Androphobia - fear of men

13. Starting Out • Pick the main points • Choose what to cover and what to leave out • Design the visuals (with notes) • Decide on extras • Multiple speakers must plan how to present a coordinated picture and agree on question handling “Advanced BASIC” # 42 of 45 top oxymorons

14. Preparations • Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse • Introductions • Openings • Closings • Transitions • Questions • Hand-offs • Presenting without practice just causes you to look less professional “Software documentation” # 25 of 45 top oxymorons

15. On Site Preparations • Get there early (60-90 minutes) • Examine the room layout and decide the location for materials & co-speakers • Test your equipment, visuals, light controls, audio systems and find out if you can adjust the temperature • Locate physically the bathrooms and phones • Ask when and where any breaks will be (coffee, lunch, etc.) “Business ethics” # 29 of 45 top oxymorons

16. The Plan • Introduction • Planning • Style • Step-by-Step • Packaging • Visuals • Administering Your Talk • Evaluation Sheets “Peace force” 16 / 45 top oxymorons

17. Style Style shapes the audience’s perceptions of you and your message. • There are three measures audiences use • Audience perception of you matters • bad perception make you ineffective • rarely “what” matters more than “who” • Common errors "Words were given to man to enable him to conceal histrue feelings." Voltaire

18. Style Is Measured By • Your Authority • Attention getting • Your Energy • activating • Your Awareness • meaningful You will be memorable The question is “in what way?” "Don't use a big word where a diminutiveone will suffice." Anonymous

19. Rules To Remember • First impressions last a long time • The audience is evaluating you continually • They do remember • Each encounter lets them adjust their perceptions • Communication is an act of a listener • You are talking to a group “’Be Yourself’ is about the worst adviceyou can give to people.” Mark Twain

20. Oh Those Pesky Butterflies Errors Starting too soon Pockets, at ease, crossed arms, sumo wrestler, praying, fig-leaf Fiddling with toys, jingling change “You know,” “uh,” “like,” “any ways” Corrections Interview a attendee Balanced stance, open smile, hands at your sides Nothing in your hands Stop, Think, Speak There are more than 10 million bricks in theEmpire State Building.

21. Dealing With Verbal Habits Very difficult to stop saying “like” or “you know” or “any hoo” or …. Solution: Pick a charity Put jar on your desk Get LOTS of quarters Tell all your friends Every time they catch you SOME money goes in the jar (no quarters, a dollar or worse) The Bible has been translated into Klingon.

22. Hiding Behind A Podium • Myth: • A commanding speaker uses the lectern • Reality: • Podiums are a barrier blocking your gestures Step out and connect Starfish don't have brains.

23. Clothing • Myth: “Your attire should match the occasion.” • Things that can cause you trouble: • Overdressing: GQ or Mademoiselle • Under-dressing: Grunge • The wrong clothes can send the entirely wrong message • Technical audiences are especially sensitive to this Sometimes I think I understand everything,then I regain consciousness.

24. Dress For Success • Follow these simple guidelines: • One notch above audience • Shoes Darker than your outfit • Long sleeves are better • Skirts appear shorter on-stage • Non-distracting ties to the middle of belt • Project a solid “professional” look and confidence will follow Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.

25. Blending In • Don’t blend in My Mother taught me TO THINK AHEAD. "If you don't pass your spelling test, you'll never get a good job!"

26. Eye Contact Errors Staring at a Spot Scanning foreheads or ties Reading your slides Reading a script Corrections Speak to one person Eyes contact for a thought or clauseAcknowledgeMove on to another audience member Practice, rehearse More people are killed by donkeys annuallythan are killed in plane crashes.

27. Great Speakers have Conversations • One on one familiar comfortable • Comfort in answering questions • Goal: Make presentation a conversation in which you help each member meet their needs Five Jell-O flavors that flopped: celery, coffee,cola, apple and chocolate.

28. Body Language • Walk in front of the projection • Match your expression to what you are saying • Too much motion distracts • Move: • Forward – emphasize, change, openness • Backward – end of point, end of questions • Towards slides – emphasize (don’t look) • Use hands – high=reinforce low=negative • Don’t forget to smile occasionally By law, in France, no pig may be addressedas Napoleon by its owner.

29. Voice • No one likes their voice • Vary the pitch and inflection • Vary the speed • Vary volume • Don’t be afraid of silence Butterflies taste with their feet.

30. Style Summary • Authority: stance, movement, clothes, voice • Energy: movement, voice • Awareness: talking to people, respond to interruptions, get out from behind lectern Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

31. The Plan • Introduction • Planning • Style • Step-by-Step • Packaging • Visuals • Administering Your Talk • Evaluation Sheets Over-constrained management is indistinguishablefrom mis-management.

32. Step By Step Teaching A major theme missing from most presentations On a bar of Dial soap: "Directions: Use like regular soap."

33. Spare Time • I don’t have a lot of spare time • Neither do most people today • If the audience had spare time they’d probably figure it all out themselves • Don’t present the entire topic • Present just how to solve a problem On a cigarette lighter label: Do not light the flame near the face.

34. Three Steps • Don’t skip the first • Make sure they buy the problem • Teach them a step by step solution • Show them a little theory (optional) On a fence: "Salesmen welcome. Dog food is expensive."

35. The Plan • Introduction • Planning • Style • Step-by-Step • Packaging • Visuals • Administering Your Talk • Evaluation Sheets Polar bears are left handed.

36. Packaging • Introductions • Openings • The most common error • Signposts • Stories • Humor • Keep things fresh Pound for pound, hamburgers cost more than new cars.

37. Introductions • Short • Relevant content • Related respect Reno, Nevada is west of Los Angeles, California.

38. Opening • Dangerous opportunity • But good • “I know who you are” • “I will not waste your time” • Relate directly to the audience • Start a “conversation” experience • Relate a short story about topic Some lions mate over 50 times a day.

39. Light Switch • Seven to ten seconds of attention is all you get • “So what?” • Mentally gone • “Coffee break is close” Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

40. The Most Common Error • Starting into the core of your talk before the audience agrees there is a reason for the talk Just when I was getting used to yesterday, along came today.

41. Signposts • Lists • Transitions • Summary of important points • Maps • In Conclusion February 1865 is the only month in recordedhistory not to have a full moon.

42. Stories • The most important tool you can use • Nothing more powerful • Demonstrate why a problem matters • Counter objections • Change decision criteria A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-termmemory, trouble with basic math, and difficultyfocusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

43. Humor • Only use relevant jokes • Keep the humor believable • Make sure the joke is acceptable in all audiences • If embarrassing make it self directed A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.

44. Keep Things Fresh • Pay attention to local and national news • Include some up to the minute content • When giving the same presentation over refresh the content • Knowing current events will help you avoid topics that might be in poor tact • A small bit of timely news or interesting item will build a rapport with audience and show preparedness On most brands of Christmas lights:"For indoor or outdoor use only."

45. Packaging Summary • Stories work well • Introductions – someone else & short • Openings – practice, plan • The most common error – make sure there is a problem before presenting a solution On Maternity Room door: "Push, Push, Push."

46. The Plan • Introduction • Planning • Style • Step-by-Step • Packaging • Visuals • Administering Your Talk • Evaluation Sheets On average, 100 people choke to deathon ballpoint pens every year.

47. Visuals • Using Visuals • What You Expected • Why Do Visuals Work • What You Didn’t Expect • Good Visuals • Spare The Eye Candy On a Japanese food processor:"Not to be used for the other use."

48. Using Visuals • Wharton Study, expanded at University of Minnesota Who Did The Best? In Favor Against With Visuals No Visuals With Visuals No Visuals Good Visuals Bad Visuals Good Visuals Bad Visuals Two-thirds of the world's eggplant is grown in New Jersey.

49. What You Expected Who Did The Best? Against In Favor With Visuals Won 67% No Visuals Won 33% With Visuals Won 67% No Visuals Won 33% • Visuals made a difference • Second place is better "Few problems can resist an all out attack.“Edwin Bliss

50. Why Do Visuals Work • Two reasons: • They alter the audience’s perception • New perception alters decision • Speakers with visuals appear • More professional • Better prepared • More persuasive • More Credible • More Interesting • More Authoritative "There cannot be a crisis today; my schedule is already full.“Anonymous