Successfully Speaking: Advance preparation yields successful presentations

Located in Springfield, Jane Sanders has expertise in gender communication, presentation skills, meeting facilitation and small-business success.

Any savvy businessperson would agree that strong presentation skills yield better results in the form of more sales, approved budgets, satisfied audiences and the like.

In the Oct. 14 issue we discussed how to analyze requirements for a presentation and how to prepare your introduction. This week, we will continue with preparation, specifically the body and conclusion of your speech, pitch or presentation.

Identify and order key points. What are the key messages you want to communicate? Every presentation has main points, or modules. The key points in this article, which is a form of presentation, are the statements in bold type. Notice how they are written in the same format or verb tense.

Identify your key points and their sub-points. Things to consider when determining the order of your messages include logic and commonality, clarity and simplicity, and priority. For example, you may want to put the more complex messages toward the end after simpler ones have been covered. In case your allotted time is cut, consider ordering your points by priority.

Select and organize supports. Supports are the life of your presentation. They add color, texture and persuasion to facts and figures. Supports can include stories, statistics, definitions, poems, testimonials, quotes, cartoons and unlimited visual props.

Any time you run across a story, cartoon, quote, quip or statistic that catches your attention, hang on to it! Start a "keepers" file. Just because these keepers don't perfectly relate to your content doesn't mean you can't use them effectively to make a point, or to support your facts or opinions. Your verbal transition can easily tie it to your material.

A favorite quote is by Wayne Gretsky, an awesome hockey player. "You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take." Do I make presentations about hockey? No, but I often need to make a point about taking risks.

In my GenderSmart program, I use several cartoons that effectively reinforce the points I want to make. However, very few of them are specifically about gender communication in the workplace. Their content can be tied to my material though, with a one-sentence verbal transition.

Testimonials can be strong supports during sales presentations. Show a letter from a satisfied client, with the key parts highlighted. Better yet, bring a videotape of the client to your meeting for a live testimonial!

Parents learn something every day from their kids. Write down those innocent yet wise observations, and you will have some good material. Just make sure these supports truly are unique and powerful; don't let your understandable lack of objectivity get in the way. Gift books filled with everyday wisdoms or lessons or children's comments can be very effective.

Provide direction signals. Audience members space out during presentations; our brains simply need a break. When that participant comes back to life, he or she needs to quickly find where you are in your presentation. Help them accomplish this by using transitions and signals throughout your presentation.

Direction signals include verbal transitions and building agendas such as I, II, III or A, B, C. Mini-summaries are effective and involve a one-sentence summary of the point just covered as lead-in to the next point. So after you select and prepare the supports for your key points, make sure you have clear direction signals that make it easy for audience members to follow along.

Prepare the summary and conclusion. Succinctly and quickly tell them what you told them, a verbal outline of sorts. Then, with your conclusion, ask clearly for what you want. That may be a project, a raise, an order, a behavior change, a vote or any number of end results.

Finally, close with impact. Leave them wanting more and thinking about your presentation after you are gone. Don't be afraid to be dramatic! Use one of the supports we discussed earlier a quote, story or poem, or a profound or pithy question.

Strong supports can make the difference between a boring or mediocre presentation and a powerful, effective one. And they make preparation and delivery more fun for you, too, which means you will do a better job.

Next month we'll discuss tips to help improve delivery skills and reduce anxiety.