Page 56 - DENG401_Advance Communication Skills

Unit 2: Presentation Skill

6. Moving about among the audience. Notes
7. Taking help of the visual aids.

2.4.10 Making the Presentation: Do it!

Everything about the presentation is ready and so is the speaker. The only thing left is to face the
audience in a confident and positive manner and leave a mark on them. When the speaker is in
the process of finally presenting the matter to the audience, he needs to be extremely careful
about the introduction and conclusion of the presentation. While commencing, one thing needs
to be kept in mind: capture the attention of the audience right at the start by making the opening,
spell binding.
Even during the presentation, the speaker will have to put in a lot of efforts to mould them to his
way of thinking. Different strategies could be adopted for the same: Quiz, music or game. These
are commonly known as “ice breakers”.
Variety in the manner of presentation of material by incorporating variations in the pitch and
volume is important. Emphasis should be laid on the right words and at the right moment.
Together with this, the use of pauses cannot be neglected. If used correctly, their impact can be
long-lasting. Pauses at correct junctures also give the audience time to think and absorb all that
is being said. It serves a dual purpose: (i) reveals that the speaker is thinking, modulating and
speaking impromptu; and (ii) gives the listeners time to absorb the spoken material.

The speaker should keep in mind the fact that the conclusion or the grand finale is his show.
How he conducts it, will determine if he will be accepted by the audience. The presenter should
keep the time factor in mind and reserve the last ten or fifteen minutes for the summary where
he winds up his presentation, incorporating all ideas and suggestions made in the course of the
presentation. In other words, the sender should be sensitive to the unspoken dictates of time and
audience. He should know where and when to stop.

How should you deliver the Presentation?
Notes

1. Do not read: A presentation is essentially an oral face-to-face communication. It is
basically in the form of a well-structured discussion with an objective of making the
audience understand the concept. To discuss your ideas, you should not read them
out, neither from the screen nor from anything written out by you. It is a common
mistake to just repeat by reading out what the audience has before them projected
on the screen. What you should do is to explain what is there on the screen. You can
draw the audience’s attention to the points projected, numbers, and figures shown
on the screen. But the purpose should be to explain them and not merely read them
out.
2. Use “you attitude” to ensure audience involvement: Tell the audience how your
information is going to bring value to them. How do they stand to gain from the
presentation? Why should they listen to you? Answer that question to be able to
make your presentation relevant to the needs and interest of your listeners. All such
considerations act as motivation raisers. They ensure the audience’s involvement in
your delivery of the presentation.

3. Give the outline of the content: In the beginning itself, tell the audience the outline
of the content of your presentation. This will help them know the contents of the
presentation. They will also be able to know the direction of your argument.
Contd...

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