Stand and deliver: Seven Steps to Presentation Success

The 7 Step Process

Step 1: Define your purpose

• The purpose: what you want your audience to remember and do as a result of hearing you.

• It has to be specific.

Primary Purpose

• Fresh, practical and relevant

• Strong, logical, clear sequence of ideas

• Present in small, digestible chunks

Step 2: Profile your audience

• Build credibility by citing experts

• Use solid, concrete, real life facts

• Keep it simple and clear• Create an emotional link• Be interactive

Step 3: Map your structure

1. Grab the audience’s attention

2. Provide reasons for listening

3. Describe what you will talk about

1. Support each point with evidence

2. Use the latest information

• Parts of the conclusion:– Summarize your

presentation

– Provide closure

– Motivate the audience to respond

• Titles and headlines are used to create flow and direction

• Use transition wordsProvide mini internal summariesHelp hold your audience’s attention

• Organizational patterns– Sequential– Topical order– Contrast and comparison

Step 4: Add drama and impact

• Support to prove your points• Different types of evidence• Quotes must make a point• When using statistics and

graphs: – Numbers must be

understandable – Use comparisons

• Make the last item your most important

• Determine your message first

• Think K.I.S.S.

• Organize your content around 3-5 points

Step 5: Rehearse until perfect

• Rehearse until perfect

• Time your presentations

• Always practice standing up

• Use key words and phrases

• Write statistics and quotes

Step 6: Deliver with style

• Speak to the audience

• Do not read your text

• Choose the right words

• Avoid fillers

• Vary your pace to generate interest

• Lean on the podium

• Put your hands on your hips

• Fold your arms

• Sway

• Clasp your hands behind your back

• Stand in the fig leaf position

Step 7: Review and revise

• Control loudness• Sharpen articulation• Pinpoint strengths and

weaknesses• Practice with a colleague

or friend • Do not try to fix

everything at once

How to Design Persuasive PowerPoints

• Add impact, create interest, and focus the eye

• Use color to inform or persuade

• Evoke emotions or stimulate an emotional response

• The biggest mistake is to use too many colors

• Use the same background color

• Tailor your colors to your audience

• Background and foreground colors should contrast

• Avoid using multiple typefaces.

• Preferably, you should use: – Times New Roman– Arial– Tahoma

• Only use two typefaces to add variety and contrast.

• Font sizes:– Titles: 48 to 40 points– Subtitles: 24 to 36 points– Text: 18 to 24 points

• Sometimes, single line spacing could look cramped.

• Bold text is the most useful special effect.

• Make your bullets the same size as the text type

• Word lists should be written as short, punchy statements

• Place the most important points at the top

• Slash all unnecessary words• Capitalize the first letter in a list

• DIAGRAMS:– The ideal diagram does three

things:• Informs• Explains • Simplifies

– Keep it simple– Use the thirty-second test– Break complicated diagrams into

multiple parts

• ART AND ILLUSTRATIONS:– Helps your viewers

remember and understand your message much more quickly

– Choose the right image– A photo or image must

reinforce the central message

References

Mills, H. (2007). Power Points!: how to design and deliver presentations that sizzle and sell. New York: AMACOM.

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