Vocabulary

Merchandising: Any direct efforts to encourage sales of a product, increase consumer awareness, etc.

Above-the-line advertising: Mass media advertising, such as television, radio and newspaper.

Below-the-line advertising: Forms of advertising at the point of sale or directly on the product, such as packaging, store displays, etc.

Now listen to a recording of a model presentation.

Practice 2

You are a design consultant working for Land Inc., a New York-based financial services company. The company plans to build new offices for its European headquarters in Brussels. There are three proposals for the design. Present an overview of each proposal to senior executives of the company.

a) Fox Lee Associates: British -$6.0m - conventional air conditioning and heating system -Neo-classical design	b ) Shikishima: Japanese -$8.5m -ultra-modern -solar energy-based heating and air-conditioning
c ) Harald Khaan Group: American -$8.0m -20% more office space -low running costs, conventional heating - modern design -exceptional energy conservation

Practice 3

Prepare an informal presentation on a topic of your own choice.

• It does not have to concern your work or studies but should be a topic which interests you.

• Think about having a clear introduction (see Unit 2) and a clear structure.

• Include visual aids (see Unit 6) if you like.

Give the presentation to your colleagues.

Exercise 6. Reading.

Read the following article and write its summary in 300 words.

Delivery

The most important element of an oral presentation is, of course, the content and ideas you are trying to communicate. However, the communication of content is often impeded by a poor manner of delivery. 'Delivery' is the way in which you actually deliver or give your presentation.

Nerves

Nervous Mannerisms

What do you do when you are nervous?

Everyone has different reactions to nervousness. By being aware of your particular nervous mannerism, you can work to overcome them.

Here are some common mannerisms exhibited when giving a speech.

Do you do any of them?

• Bite your fingernails

• Tap your feet

• Wave your hands/arms

• Play with your hair

• Move around a lot

• Speak too fast

• Speak too slowly

• Become stiff

• Shake/Shudder

• Play with objects in pockets, etc.

• Make strange facial expressions

• Say ?uh???uhm?

• Tap on the table/podium

• Repeat yourself

• Breathe heavily

• Sweat

• Giggle

• Pause inappropriately

• Clam up/Become speechless

• Shift your eyes

• Move your head around

• Gesture inappropriately

Most speakers are a little nervous at the beginning of a presentation. So it is normal if you are nervous. Pay special attention to the beginning of your presentation. This is when you establish a rapport with your audience. During this time, try to speak slowly and calmly. After a few moments, you will relax and gain confidence.

Audience Rapport

You need to build a warm and friendly relationship with your audience. Be careful to establish eye contact with each member of your audience. Each person should feel that you are speaking directly to him or her.

Body Language

What you do not say is at least as important as what you do say. Your body is speaking to your audience even before you open your mouth. Your clothes, your walk, your glasses, your haircut, your expression – it is from these that your audience forms its first impression as you enter the room.

All speakers feel a little nervous, at least when starting a presentation. That is quite natural. As the speaker, you are the centre of attention and you know that everybody is looking at you. What you need to communicate is a feeling of confidence and relaxation. Your body can help you to do this. The clothes you wear, the way you stand or walk, your facial expressions, your hand and arm movements – these are the language of your body, your body language.

Body language communicates at least as much as words. Even when you are not speaking, even before you start speaking, your body is communicating to your audience.

Actors use body language very effectively. They cannot act without body language. Every time you watch a film on television or in the cinema, you are watching actors using body language to convey a particular character, an emotion, a feeling, a situation.

So look on body language as a positive, powerful tool to help you in your mission.

• First of all, your appearance (clothes, hair etc)! It is essential that you dress appropriately and have well-groomed hair. Your audience will be distracted if your clothes are sloppy or flashy.

• Smile! When you enter, or as you are being introduced, smile warmly. Not too much! It should be a warm and sincere smile. You may feel nervous at this time. But this is when the audience is assessing and analysing you. So stand erect and remain calm.

• Do not lean on the podium or table. Leaning on a support suggests to your audience that you are weak or nervous.

• Continue to smile slightly at the beginning of your presentation. Then become gradually a little more serious as you tell your audience what you are going to talk about.

• Do not point your finger at the audience. This can seem very aggressive. If you want to use your hands, show your open palms with your hands spread wide. This is generally an appealing, positive gesture.

• Use occasional arm movements to underline important points. If you wave your arms around all the time, you will simply distract your audience. You will not communicate your real message. But the occasional arm movement can be useful in stressing something important.

• Look at your audience. Maintain eye contact. Make eye contact with every person in the room. Do not look only at one person. Look at each person individually, as though you are talking to that person as an individual. Would you buy a car from a car salesman who refused to look at you when talking to you?

• Do not walk around too much. It may make you feel better to walk up and down like a lion in a cage, but it is distracting for your audience. However, you can certainly walk a little, change your position occasionally, perhaps to make an important point or just to add variety to your presentation.

• Use your head! Movements of your head and expressions of your face can add weight to what your words are saying. When making a negative point, you can shake your head from side to side. When making a positive point, you can nod your head up and down. You can raise your eyebrows, for example, or remove your glasses for special effect or to underline a point.

• Control your voice! Speak slowly and clearly. To underline a special point, go even more slowly. Repeat a sentence if it is important. That's right. Repeat a sentence if it is important. You can also say the same thing again in a different way. Let your voice go up and down in volume (speak loudly, then quietly). And - sometimes - you can just stop speaking completely. Say nothing for a short time. A silent pause is a very powerful way of communicating.

Cultural Considerations

Try to learn about any particular cultural matters that may affect your audience. Cultural differences can often be seen in body language. To a Latin from Southern France or Italy, a presenter who uses his hands and arms when speaking may seem dynamic and friendly. To an Englishman, the same presenter may seem unsure of his words and lacking in self-confidence.