I compiled a small list of qualities that I believe all presentations must have to leave a lasting impression on the audience and result in a good presentation!(aside from rehearse, since rehearse is not a 'quality')
A-Appeal,Awakening
R-Rehearse, Reveal
T-Tantalizing, Touching
To appeal to your audience, you must first know your audience. You must make sure you are on the same page as your audience, or you will loose them before you even start. I always try avoiding 'talking down', or 'at' the audience, which is easy to do if you are presenting difficult material, or information they do not already know about. In this case analogies are a must, to make the information relatable!
Awakening is something that happens within the audience as a good presentation takes place. You want to awaken something within them, to cause interest, change and excitement! This can be done with enthusiasm, a little emotion and a presentation that is effortless and not crammed with too much information...which will do the opposite and put your audience into 'zombie mode'(sleeping with their eyes open)!
Rehearsing may seem silly at first, but is necessary. Going into a presentation without practicing, is the equivalent of going on a road trip without a map, or trying to run a marathon without first training for it. I usually rehearse in an empty room, until I have the information basically memorized, so that it flows. I then will give my presentation to whomever is at my house. I pay attention to the non-verbal cues that I am loosing them as an audience and tweak the presentation. Tweaking the presentation is when I'll take out information that is possibly too wordy or not working, then add hooks and stories where they need be added.
Reveal- Revealing is sharing, or announcing something that was before unknown. Any time, the audience feels they are being let in on a secret, you can be assured they are engaged in the presentation....this is VERY important!
Tantalizing- Being tantalized by something, is when something is desired, but is just out of reach! Having a tantalizing presentation is to keep the interest of the audience!
Touching- People remember what they feel, before they remember what you say. A presentation that is touching, is lasting. As part of the module this week, I watched a PowerPoint about Presentations by Steve Jobs. In that presentation, it was stated that when emotion is triggered, the brain releases dopamine, which aids in memory! (I joke that this is why, when my boyfriend makes me mad...I definitely remember!-ha ha)
I am re-inter rating my discussion post here because I think it definitely applies!
Presentations and speaking in front of people are two of my absolute favorite things. My father was a preacher and I am little bit of an attention hog...it all helps! ha ha
I fell in love with the art of presentation after I attended my first high school assembly. Dr. Pheifer, the principle of the massive 5A Cooper High School in Abilene, TX (there were 500 freshman in my class) was able to hold the ENTIRE student body attention for 45 minutes straight. I remember sitting on the edge of my seat because I couldn't wait for her next analogy. Dr. Pheifer, was a master presenter. I was on speech and debate team throughout my entire high school years and always aspired to speak as eloquently as she did!
That being said, I've sat through a bazillion BORING PowerPoint presentations, many of them during my five year stint at RAF Mildenhall as Lead Travel Agent, ITT. The Air Force, in my opinion, has mastered the art of 'death by PowerPoint'. I feel there isn't much of a standard set, most people don't enjoy speaking in front of people and people don't practice!!!
I make my eleven year old practice her presentations every night for three nights prior to presenting. After each presentation, she comes home beaming with confidence and excitement, that HER presentation was one of the better ones. What's wrong with striving for the best?
We all should do so, our audiences will thank us!
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