Helpful advice Effective Visual Aids

1. Planning. As you plan your presentation, ask yourself the following questions.

• Space. How much space do the visual aids in my room give me? (Especially consider board space.) Is this enough for my presentation?

• Clarity. How clear is my handwriting when I am under pressure? Should I write as I go or prepare written material in advance?

• Type of visual. What types of visuals would work best for the purposes of my presentation and for my audience? Should I prepare handouts so audience members can take them home, or would presenting information on an overhead transparency be enough? Are there good reasons for doing both?

• Timing. When will I show the material to the audience? For instance, if using handouts, will I give them out before, during, or after my presentation? What will I say to let the audience know my plan?

2. Preparation. As you prepare your visuals, keep the following questions in mind:

• Font size/type. What font size or size of handwriting should I use? Could the audience see it clearly? What font style is best? Is it easy to read?

• English. Are there any grammatical mistakes? Spelling errors?

• Organization. Is the material on the visual organized clearly for the purpose of the presentation, e.g.,я chart to show comparison and contrast?

• Amount of material/legibility. Is the amount of material sufficient to convey the main points with 1-2 visuals per minute (typically)?

3. Delivery

• Not blocking. What can I do and/or say to my audience before I present to make sure all visuals are easily seen?

• Positioning. Where will I stand and where will I look as I am explaining my visual?

MAKING PRESENTATIONS

Persuasive speaking for business assignment #1 topics for presentation

Some more Hints for a Successful Presentation

Preparation

• Planning – Plan your presentation carefully. Thorough preparation will make you more confident and help you to overcome your nervousness.

• Objectives – Think about what you want to achieve. Are you aiming to inform, persuade, train or entertain your audience?

• Audience – Whom exactly will you be addressing? How many people will be attending? What do they need to know? What do they already know? What will they expect in terms of content and approach?

• Content – Brainstorm your ideas first. Then decide which are most relevant and appropriate to your audience and to your objectives and carry out any research that is necessary. Be selective! Don’t try to cram too much into your presentation.

• Approach – A good rule of thumb is to “tell your audience what you’re going to say, say it, then tell the audience what you’ve said.” Try to develop your key points in an interesting and varied way, drawing on relevant examples, figures, etc. for support as appropriate. You might also like to include one or two anecdotes for additional variety and humor.

• Organization – Think about how will organize you content. Your presentation should have a clear, coherent structure and cover the points you wish to make in a logical order. Most presentations start with a brief introduction and end with a brief conclusion. Use the introduction to welcome your audience, introduce your topic / subject, outline the structure of your talk, and provide guidelines on questions. Use the conclusion to summarize the main points of your presentation, thank the audience for their attention, and invite questions.

• Visual Aids – If you have a lot of complex information to explain, think about using some charts, diagrams, graphs, etc., on an overhead projector or flipchart. Visual aids can make a presentation more interesting and easier to understand, but make sure they are appropriate and clear – don’t try to put too much information on each other.

• Rehearsal – Allow time to practice your presentation – this will give you a chance to identify any weak points or gaps. You will also be able to check the timing, and make sure you can pronounce any figures and proper names correctly and confidently.

Delivery

• Nerves – You will probably be nervous at the beginning or your presentation. Don’t worry – most people are nervous in this situation. Try not to speak too fast during the first couple of minutes – this is the time you establish your rapport with the audience and first impressions are very important. You may find it helpful to memorize your introduction.

• Audience Rapport – Try to be enthusiastic – your interest in the subject matter will carry your audience along. Look around your audience as you speak – eye contact is essential for maintaining a good rapport. Your will also be able to pick up signals of boredom or disinterest, in which case you can cut your presentation short.

• Body Language – Stand rather than sit when you are delivering your presentation and try to be aware of any repetitive hand gestures or awkward mannerisms that might irritate your audience.

• Voice Quality – You must be clearly audible at all times – don’t let your voice drop at the end of sentences. If you vary your intonation, your voice will be more interesting to listen to and you will be able to make your points more effectively.

• Visual Aids – Use your visual aids confidently, making sure you allow your audience time to absorb information from flipcharts and transparencies.

• Audience reaction – Be ready to deal with any hostile questions. Polite, diplomatic answers are a good disarming tactic, but if you should find yourself “ under fire”, suggest that the audience keep any further questions until the end of the presentation and continue with your next point.

Language

• Simplicity – Use short words and sentences that you are comfortable with. There is no benefit in using difficult language.

• Clarity – Active verbs and concrete words are much clearer and easier to understand than passive verbs and abstract concepts. Avoid jargon unless you are sure all your audience will understand it.

• Signaling – Indicate when you have completed one point or section in your presentation and are moving on to the next. Give your audience clear signals as to the direction your presentation is taking.

Choose any of these articles or given by your teacher to present with your partner, and then decide who will present the summary and who will do the commentary. Read the article at home and choose the key words you each want to use to make the main points clear to your listeners. Use simple, direct vocabulary.

You may find these articles in the Internet.

Advertising Industry

1. Auto Rivalries Make Madison Avenue a Frantic Street

2. For Michael Moore, Controversy Is Marketing

3. Kellogg to Phase Out Some Food Ads to Children

Airplane Industry

4. Airbus Hopes Its Planes, Not Its Setbacks, Will Stand Out

5. Airbus Nets Another 50 A350 Sales (Firm Denies Discounting)

6. Fast, Dazzling, Large and Deluxe: Growing Niche of Business Planes

7. Boeing Going Strong with Orders for 787s

Airline Industry

8. Ready for Take-Off: Asia is set to become the world's biggest air-travel market

9. The Battle of the North Atlantic: Europe is allowing more competition

Automotive Industry

10. Move Over G.M., Toyota is No. 1

11. In Sweden, It's Global Warming vs. Big, Heavy Cars (Volvo, Saab)

12. Detroit's Big Three Lost Buyers Last Month

Crisis Management

13. Train Wreck: Toy Maker RC2 recalls toys manufactured in China using lead paint

14. IPhone Spin Goes Round and Round

Finance

15. US Regulators Track Insider Trades Worldwide

16. Who Needs Pocket Change When You’ve Got Plastic?

17. India's Economic Boom Transforms Stock Trading Into a National Pastime

18. Sense of Loss Persists 10 Years After Asian Financial Crisis

19. Carbon Trading: Where Green Is Green

20. Europe Looks At Controls On State-Owned Investors

21. Dow Again Soars to Record High Despite Unease

Cosmetics Industry

22. Behind L'Oreal's Makeover in India: Going Upscale

Food Industry

23. Coke and PepsiCo Agree to Curb Animal Tests

Globalization

24. At IBM, A Smarter Way to Outsource

25. Haves and Have-Nots of Globalization

26. In Africa, One Step Forward and Two Back (Review of The Bottom Billion by Paul Collier)

27. A Tower of Babel in Accounting

Human Resources

28. Listing Top Jobs but Charging Candidates to See Them

Management of Organizations

29. Companies Give Green an Office in the Executive Suite

Consumer Electronics

30. Apple’s Lesson for Sony’s Stores: Just Connect

31. Gadget Designers Take Aim at Women, and Not Just by Adding Pink

32. Chasing the iPhone

Retail

33. Wal-Mart Cuts Back Expansion