Comments? Send us an email at insideprcomments@gmail.com, call us on the comment line at 206-600-4741, or leave us a comment on the Inside PR show blog.
This
week on Inside PR, Terry and David once again discuss the art of
presentations, focusing specifically on effective presentation skills
this week.
Also, they welcome an audio comment from Bob Ledrew. Chris Clarke contributes his weekly commentary. Finally,
Terry does his segment of Inside PRoper English.
Show Notes
00:29 David introduces the show. He invites listener feedback through email at insideprcomments@gmail.com, the comment line at 206-600-4741, or comment on the Inside PR show blog.
01:15 Terry and David talk about Third Tuesday Toronto from last week.
03:12 Terry introduces an audio comment from Bob Ledrew,
a PR practitioner and blogger from Ottawa, who talks about effective
presentation skills. This leads to a short discussion about Powerpoint
and leads into the main topic for the week.
07:30 David introduces the main topic of the week: effective presentation skills.
08:07 Terry's first point is
that when presenting, you must be yourself. You shouldn't stand in
front of an audience and perform, although you should dial it up a
little bit. David thinks your presentation self is different than your
normal self. He says the most important thing is to project your voice,
talk more measuredly, and be energetic.
10:45 Terry uses the example
of going to the theatre. The actors on stage are not speaking in their
normal voice, as they need to understood by those in the far reaches of
the theatre.
11:25 Terry offers his
second point: the need to involve the audience. Terry likes to say
something about the people he knows in the audience. He finds that
asking questions is also effective. David recommends writing down
people's names so he can refer to people by name.
14:10 Terry's third point:
Read the room. Pick up on the communication you're getting back from
different parts of the room. If you see people looking restless,
perhaps you're not reaching them.
15:20 Terry has four more
technical things you can do to increase engagement. The first is your
voice: you can speak faster or slower, louder or softer. The second is
eye contact: the audience won't believe you if you're looking
elsewhere. Terry discourages the machine-gun technique of turning your
head from left to right, back and forth, in order to make eye contact.
David's tip on eye contact: stare at their forehead. They won't be able
to tell that you're not looking them in the eyes.
20:30 As for gestures, Terry
believes that hand talkers should not try to stifle what comes
naturally. David thinks speakers need their hands to project themselves
effectively. When David finds something very important, he will reach
out and touch it on the screen. The last technical aspect from Terry is
movement. A truly great speaker can get away from the podium and walk
around. He recommends getting away from the podium if possible. David
thinks a handy tool is the slide advancer.
27:00 Terry adds a point
about the Q&A: when someone asks a question not relating to the
presentation, respect the audience by telling the questioner that
you'll answer it afterwards. With regard to the Q&A, the question
may belong to the questioner, but the answer belongs to the audience.
As you answer the question, make eye contact with the questioner, but
move along to make contact with the entire audience. The Q&A is the
last thing the audience will remember. David thinks that presenters
anchored down by a lecturne can move away from it doing the Q&A and
closer to the audience.
29:45 David ends by saying
that this business is where presentations cannot be avoided. He started
his career feeling uneasy before presentations, and now he's at a point
where he enjoys them.
33:20 Terry introduces Chris Clarke's commentary this week.
35:38 Inside PRoper English: better/best, faster/fastest, older/oldest.
37:20 David closes the show and invites listener comments: through email at insideprcomments@gmail.com, on the comment line at 206-600-4741, or comment on the Inside PR show blog. Also, they welcomes listeners to the Inside PR Blubrry site.
Music: our theme music is Streetwalker by CJacks, and is from the Podsafe Music Network; Roger Dey is our announcer.
