Principles for Powerful Presentations

Presentation QuestionsWhy are you doing the presentation?How much time do you have?Who is the audience? (more later)What is the tone?

Define the AudienceWho is in the audience?Know their needsKnow their expectationsKnow what they knowHave reserve material

Use a known purposeFor Us – The Previously Written

ReportCreate Slides from an Outline

(minimum)Title SlideIntroductionKey PointsConclusion

Develop Content

Edit ContentShort PhrasesConcise TextConsistent Verb TenseStrong Active VerbsEliminate Excess ModifiersFew Prepositions

Simplify the ContentLimit – one key concept per slideUse the 6x6 Guideline

Limit – Slide to six bulletsLimit – bullet to six words

Additional Content SuggestionsText Illustrations Miscellaneous

Text Boxes Pictures Shapes Headers &

Footers Clip Art Tables

Word Art Photo Albums Hyperlinks Date & Time SmartArt

Designs Movies

Numbers & Symbols

Charts Sounds

Stand and DeliverActually giving the presentation to a live audience in real time.

Techniques to ConsiderFeature Use

Rehearse Timing Actually Speak Out Loud

Don’t Digress

Helps you determine the length of your

presentation Headers & Footers Puts important

information in your slides, notes and handouts

Hidden Slides Hides slides until their needed

Annotate a Slide Write on the slide

Delivery is up to youPractice makes perfectArrive early on the big dayMaintain eye contactSpeak slowly, clearly with sufficient

volumeTest your rangeAllow time for questions either –

during or after

What is Persuasion?

The art of persuasion is the art of finding the best available means of moving a specific audience in a specific situation to a specific decision

The Persuasion Triangle

Subject(Logos)

Presenter(Ethos)

Audience(Pathos)

Persuasion in the Real World

Presenter

Subject

Audience

Your Needs & Interests

Their Needs & Interests

Your Program’s Needs & Accomplishments

Persuading is like making a candle

Melt

Mold

Harden & Ignite!Adapted from E.M. Griffin. The Mind Changers. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale Publishers, 1976.

Melting ResistanceTo Raise

Resistance:Be insincereShout “You’re

wrong!”Use weak humorGuilt trip themUse improbable

threatsLecture them

To Melt ResistanceBe honestFind common

groundUse humor

carefullyAppreciate what

they are already doing

Give realistic pros and cons

Ask them to make your caseTry to melt resistance before meetings

Molding Opinion:Know your Audience They are concerned about local

issues and local people Make local arguments

They make decisions with both their minds and hearts

Appeal to both They feel financially pressured

Show how your programs save money or bring new money into the community

Molding Opinion: Know what moves your AudienceWhat do they all commonly want?

They want happy & healthy constituentsThey want the respect of othersThey want to be responsible leaders They want a successful communityThey want to hear success storiesThey want to avoid pain and failure

Show your programs meets their needs

Molding Opinion:Present ProfessionallyTo trust you, your audience must believe

you are a competent person, a professional

Present information accurately

The dataThe namesThe spelling & grammar

Molding Opinion:Present PersonallyNever talk down to or over the heads of

your audienceTell your story simply

Use short simple sentencesShow rather than tellIllustrate with short stories of success

Molding Opinion:Make your argument clearAnswer basic questions (5W’s & H)Show the real, positive results achieved by

your program to meet real needsShow what your program has doneShow what your program will doShow what your program cannot do if not

funded and what the cost will be to the community

In Closing, IGNITE!

People may feel for you and agree with you, but if they do not act on your behalf, your presentation fails its purpose

Harden & Ignite!:Believe in your causeTo ignite others to support your cause, first

YOU should be on fireWhy should others care if you do not?You show your convictions by your

Passionate presentationConfident presentationPositive presentation

Harden & Ignite!:Summarize & Seek a DecisionSummarize what you already agree onSmileAssume the best

Make a specific requestBe thorough but . . .Be brief

Principles for Powerful PersuasionMelt ResistanceMold Opinions• Know your audience well• Make your argument clear• Present personally & professionally

Harden & Ignite!• Believe in your cause• Summarize & make a specific request

Does it always work?Of course not!Some people come equipped with closed

minds (They’ve already decided)Some people come with busy minds (They

aren’t really listening to you)Some people will not agree with you (so if

you can’t convince them, at least help them be sorry they can’t agree with you)

Remember….The people expect us to be

accountable – to show the positive results of our land-grant programs

So inform the people about the difference you are making in people’s lives

Show the people that your services are vital to growing communities

Ask the people for active financial support without apology