Presenting the Results - Oral Presentation
Presenting the Results - Oral Presentation
The ability to communicate orally is extremely important to effective management in general and to the marketing research function in particular What can be done to ensure the oral presentation is as effective as possible The following five suggestions will be discussed in this section.
1. Don't read
2. Use visual aids
3. Make sure the start is positive
4. Avoid distracting the audience
5. Involve the audience
Don't Read
Not everyone will agree with this first suggestion; however, it is the f conviction of these authors that the risks and disadvantages of rea ' overwhelm the advantages. The biggest problem with reading is that it is usually boring for the reader and for the audience. Very few can make a script sound interesting, and those few usually do even better without a script. Further, it is necessary to develop the ability to communicate orally in front of a group without a script, in preparation for those occasions when there is no time to prepare a script or when the presenter must adapt to new developments in the middle of a presentation. If someone relies too heavily on a script and uses it in what may be limited opportunities to give presentations, this important capability will not be developed as rapidly and completely as possible.
The advantages of a script are that the time of the presentation and the choice of words are not left to chance and the presenter is protected from an attack of stage fright. The alternative is good preparation, a set of notes, and rehearsal. The notes should provide (1) an outline so that the proper flow is maintained and (2) a list of items that should be included. The presenter sometimes will want to consult the notes only occasionally to make sure that something has not been omitted. More detailed notes can be consulted more frequently. To avoid distraction, the notes should be on a lectern or on cards or a clipboard, positioned so that they can be managed easily with one hand. Especially when the length of the presentation needs to be carefully controlled, rehearsal is essential. Often, five or more rehearsals can be worthwhile. It is even better if feedback is available in the form of a practice audience or from a videotape. Stage fright can be combatted with deep breathing, pauses, and experience. There is no substitute for experience.
Use Visual Aids
Visual aids perform several functions. First, they provide a way to give impact to information and to focus attention on important points. Second, ideas that are extremely difficult to express in words often can be communicated easily with visual aids. Finally, they help to provide variety to the presentation. Visual aids include transparencies, charts, handouts, slides, videotapes, films, samples, demonstrations, and role playing. Transparencies, charts, slides, and handouts are probably the most widely used.
Transparencies are easy to make and can be carried in a file folder. They provide the advantage of controlling the audience's attention. The transparency can be exposed one line at a time by covering the rest with a piece of paper. The audience thus focuses on what is being uncovered at the moment and does not wander ahead of the presentation. The presenter can write on the transparency to make a point during the presentation. The key to successful use of transparencies is to use readable, large type and to minimize the number of words or numbers used. Experienced and skilled users of transparencies often use only five or fewer lines per transparency, with each line containing only a few words or numbers. One rule of thumb
is that a single transparency should contain no more than 30 words or items of data.
Similar guidelines apply to charts and slides, which share most of the characteristics of transparencies. Charts are more versatile than transparencies but are less convenient to make and carry. Slides are better for large audiences, since they can be seen more easily, but they require time to prepare and are not easily modified. Thus, they are not suitable for a presentation that is still being developed and refined.
The use of handouts provides the audience with something to take notes on and to take with them. As a result, the burden of taking notes is greatly reduced. Sometimes when transparencies are used, the audience's note-taking task is so difficult that it becomes distracting. Handouts free the audience to attend and participate more fully in the presentation. Their disadvantages are that they must be prepared physically and the audience is tempted to look ahead. There is always the distraction of making sure everyone is on the right page (numbering the pages helps).
Make Sure the Start Is Positive
The start should be positive, confident, and involving. Sometimes a period of silence can be used effectively to get attention. It is useful to stimulate and involve the audience immediately, perhaps by a provocative question or statement. Absolutely never apologize at the outset, even in jest. If you tell the audience you are nervous, unprepared, or unknowledgeable, even in the context of a humorous line, they will tend to believe you.
Avoid Distracting the Audience
The presenter needs to be conscious that the audience is easily distracted. The following dos and don'ts address some common causes of distraction:
1. Take everything out of your pockets and make sure there is nothing on the lectern other than your notes. Remove pens, pointers, keys, clips—everything. It often happens, without your even being aware of it, that you will pick up objects and manipulate them until the audience is severly distracted, if not driven bananas.
2. Try to avoid the extremes of either obvious pacing or hiding behind a lectern. It can be as distracting to see a speaker clutch a lectern for support as to see someone pace back and forth. The speaker's movements should be purposeful and natural, such as stepping aside to point to a chart, standing or sitting beside the lectern, or moving closer to the audience for a short portion of the presentation.
3. Maintain good eye contact. This provides audience feedback, stimulates trust and confidence in what you are saying, and involves the audience. A speaker who avoids eye contact by looking up or down or somewhere else risks distracting the audience.
4. Be concerned with the sound of your voice. Listen to a tape of your presentation if possible. A presentation can be distracting if it is too soft, loud, fast, slow, or monotoned. Be sure to use pauses to break up the presentation and to allow the audience time to digest material.
Involve the Audience
An involved audience will be more interested. An effective technique is to intersperse questions throughout. If time does not permit a discussion, a pause at least will give the audience members a chance to reflect. Sometimes it is useful to ask each person to write down his or her opinion on a piece of paper, for instance, personal judgment of a key value in the data analysis. Another technique is to refer to the ideas of people in the audience saying, for example, "As John mentioned last week. ..."
Of particular importance is the question-and-answer part of the presentation. This often concludes the talk, but it can be permitted to occur during the presentation. Pause and make sure that the question is understood; then, if possible, give a short positive or negative response and as compact an explanation as possible. If you do not know, say so, adding appropriate) that you will get the answer by the next day. A good technique is to write the question down so you do not forget it. Equally as important the audience sees that you are taking them seriously. Anticipate questions beforehand, and rehearse answers. Sometimes it is even effective to leave things out of the presentation if they could be covered more effectively in the context of the question-and-answer section.
The ability to communicate orally is extremely important to effective management in general and to the marketing research function in particular What can be done to ensure the oral presentation is as effective as possible The following five suggestions will be discussed in this section.
1. Don't read
2. Use visual aids
3. Make sure the start is positive
4. Avoid distracting the audience
5. Involve the audience
Don't Read
Not everyone will agree with this first suggestion; however, it is the f conviction of these authors that the risks and disadvantages of rea ' overwhelm the advantages. The biggest problem with reading is that it is usually boring for the reader and for the audience. Very few can make a script sound interesting, and those few usually do even better without a script. Further, it is necessary to develop the ability to communicate orally in front of a group without a script, in preparation for those occasions when there is no time to prepare a script or when the presenter must adapt to new developments in the middle of a presentation. If someone relies too heavily on a script and uses it in what may be limited opportunities to give presentations, this important capability will not be developed as rapidly and completely as possible.
The advantages of a script are that the time of the presentation and the choice of words are not left to chance and the presenter is protected from an attack of stage fright. The alternative is good preparation, a set of notes, and rehearsal. The notes should provide (1) an outline so that the proper flow is maintained and (2) a list of items that should be included. The presenter sometimes will want to consult the notes only occasionally to make sure that something has not been omitted. More detailed notes can be consulted more frequently. To avoid distraction, the notes should be on a lectern or on cards or a clipboard, positioned so that they can be managed easily with one hand. Especially when the length of the presentation needs to be carefully controlled, rehearsal is essential. Often, five or more rehearsals can be worthwhile. It is even better if feedback is available in the form of a practice audience or from a videotape. Stage fright can be combatted with deep breathing, pauses, and experience. There is no substitute for experience.
Use Visual Aids
Visual aids perform several functions. First, they provide a way to give impact to information and to focus attention on important points. Second, ideas that are extremely difficult to express in words often can be communicated easily with visual aids. Finally, they help to provide variety to the presentation. Visual aids include transparencies, charts, handouts, slides, videotapes, films, samples, demonstrations, and role playing. Transparencies, charts, slides, and handouts are probably the most widely used.
Transparencies are easy to make and can be carried in a file folder. They provide the advantage of controlling the audience's attention. The transparency can be exposed one line at a time by covering the rest with a piece of paper. The audience thus focuses on what is being uncovered at the moment and does not wander ahead of the presentation. The presenter can write on the transparency to make a point during the presentation. The key to successful use of transparencies is to use readable, large type and to minimize the number of words or numbers used. Experienced and skilled users of transparencies often use only five or fewer lines per transparency, with each line containing only a few words or numbers. One rule of thumb
is that a single transparency should contain no more than 30 words or items of data.
Similar guidelines apply to charts and slides, which share most of the characteristics of transparencies. Charts are more versatile than transparencies but are less convenient to make and carry. Slides are better for large audiences, since they can be seen more easily, but they require time to prepare and are not easily modified. Thus, they are not suitable for a presentation that is still being developed and refined.
The use of handouts provides the audience with something to take notes on and to take with them. As a result, the burden of taking notes is greatly reduced. Sometimes when transparencies are used, the audience's note-taking task is so difficult that it becomes distracting. Handouts free the audience to attend and participate more fully in the presentation. Their disadvantages are that they must be prepared physically and the audience is tempted to look ahead. There is always the distraction of making sure everyone is on the right page (numbering the pages helps).
Make Sure the Start Is Positive
The start should be positive, confident, and involving. Sometimes a period of silence can be used effectively to get attention. It is useful to stimulate and involve the audience immediately, perhaps by a provocative question or statement. Absolutely never apologize at the outset, even in jest. If you tell the audience you are nervous, unprepared, or unknowledgeable, even in the context of a humorous line, they will tend to believe you.
Avoid Distracting the Audience
The presenter needs to be conscious that the audience is easily distracted. The following dos and don'ts address some common causes of distraction:
1. Take everything out of your pockets and make sure there is nothing on the lectern other than your notes. Remove pens, pointers, keys, clips—everything. It often happens, without your even being aware of it, that you will pick up objects and manipulate them until the audience is severly distracted, if not driven bananas.
2. Try to avoid the extremes of either obvious pacing or hiding behind a lectern. It can be as distracting to see a speaker clutch a lectern for support as to see someone pace back and forth. The speaker's movements should be purposeful and natural, such as stepping aside to point to a chart, standing or sitting beside the lectern, or moving closer to the audience for a short portion of the presentation.
3. Maintain good eye contact. This provides audience feedback, stimulates trust and confidence in what you are saying, and involves the audience. A speaker who avoids eye contact by looking up or down or somewhere else risks distracting the audience.
4. Be concerned with the sound of your voice. Listen to a tape of your presentation if possible. A presentation can be distracting if it is too soft, loud, fast, slow, or monotoned. Be sure to use pauses to break up the presentation and to allow the audience time to digest material.
Involve the Audience
An involved audience will be more interested. An effective technique is to intersperse questions throughout. If time does not permit a discussion, a pause at least will give the audience members a chance to reflect. Sometimes it is useful to ask each person to write down his or her opinion on a piece of paper, for instance, personal judgment of a key value in the data analysis. Another technique is to refer to the ideas of people in the audience saying, for example, "As John mentioned last week. ..."
Of particular importance is the question-and-answer part of the presentation. This often concludes the talk, but it can be permitted to occur during the presentation. Pause and make sure that the question is understood; then, if possible, give a short positive or negative response and as compact an explanation as possible. If you do not know, say so, adding appropriate) that you will get the answer by the next day. A good technique is to write the question down so you do not forget it. Equally as important the audience sees that you are taking them seriously. Anticipate questions beforehand, and rehearse answers. Sometimes it is even effective to leave things out of the presentation if they could be covered more effectively in the context of the question-and-answer section.
Comments
Post a Comment