Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Mary Ellen Guffey

Copyright © 2008

Chapter 14

Effective Business Presentations

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 14, Slide 2

Getting Started

Identify Purpose: Inform or Persuade?

Narrow down.

What do you want audience to

remember, do, believe?

Know Your Audience

Hostile, Friendly, Neutral,

Uninterested?

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 14, Slide 3

Three Parts (p. 482)

Introduction Body Conclusion

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 14, Slide 4

The Intro Identify speaker.

Capture listeners’ attention; get them involved.

A promise

A story

A startling fact

Establish your credibility.

Preview the main points.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 14, Slide 5

The Body (p. 461) Two to four main points

A few key ideas

Too many details obscure main message

Transitions (1, 2, 3; first, next, last)

Organize: chronology, geography, topic, comparison, convention, etc.

Example: 3 reasons why you should vote for . . .

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 14, Slide 6

The Conclusion Review your main points.

Tell your listeners how they can use this information.

Plan a graceful exit.

Emphasize your point.

Restate your major purpose.

What one thing do you want them to take away?

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 14, Slide 7

Designing and Using Graphics

Avoid overkill.

Paraphrase.

Prepare, rehearse, repeat.

Time yourself.

Use handouts.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 14, Slide 8

Visual Aids

PowerPoint Overhead

Handouts Flip charts

Other props

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 14, Slide 9

Effective PowerPoints

Use no more than10 slides, including title.

Follow 6 by 6 rule.

Adapt text and color to room.

Use transitions, sounds, and animation to

emphasize.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 14, Slide 10

Select a familiar, relevant topic.

Prepare 150 percent (room and equipment).

Use positive self-talk.

Ignore stumbles; keep going—Don’t apologize.

Just before you talk, practice deep breathing.

Prepare for possible questions.

Overcoming Stage Fright

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 14, Slide 11

Effective Group Presentations

No one person should monopolize.

Use consistent format, wording, and design.

Transition smoothly.

Rehearse!

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 14, Slide 12

PowerPoint Practice

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 14, Slide 13

Who Am I? Speech

“What do you do?”

2 minutes

Groups of 6

Will evaluate other group members.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 14, Slide 14

Interview Speech

“Why should I hire you?”

3 minutes

Groups of 6

Will evaluate other group members.

Will hand in outline (see handouts for

example).

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 14, Slide 15

Informative or Persuasive Speech

INFORMATIVE SPEECH—describes or state how to do something; no opinions/judgments.

PERSUASIVE SPEECH—change our beliefs or actions.

Choose your topic by Nov. 15 (YOU CAN SIGN UP NOW!).

5 minutes

If you go over, your grade will be affected.

I will let you know when the first minute has passed and when you have one minute left.

Will use visual (see handouts for instructions).

If you use PPT, no more than 10 slides.

Give me a copy (six slides per page).

You don’t need a bibliography.