Writing for the Workplace: Business Communication for Professionals
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- Maintain eye contact with your audience
- Find the right pace
- Dress the part
- Answering Questions and Driving Your Point Home
| Delivering the Presentation It’s normal to be anxious when giving a presentation, and the single best way to avoid nervousness is to prepare. Practice, but do not memorize your talk. (You may want to memorize your outline, however) Record yourself and rehearse with your visuals. If you can video yourself, better yet. Obtain feedback so you can make changes before you speak. 88 WRITING FOR THE WORKPLACE Follow these pointers when delivering a presentation. Maintain eye contact with your audience. If you don’t, you’ll appear shifty. Look at different individuals as you speak, not just one person. Vary your tone. No one will stay engaged with monotonous droning. Avoid “upspeak�” Inflecting your voice up at the end of a sentence that isn’t a question will make audiences take you less seriously. Stand up straight. Avoid shifting your weight from leg to leg. Find the right pace. Not too fast not too slow. It’s easy to speedup when you’re nervous, so consciously pace yourself. Remove all verbal static. Audiences will tune out if your presentation contains ums, ahs, or other repetitive space-filling sounds. Look pleasant. Watch yourself as you rehearse. Are you grimacing Do you look petrified The old saying, Fake it until you make it applies here. Just because you are nervous, doesn’t mean you should look nervous. Dress the part. Know what level of attire will be best received. Use movement strategically. Only Chris Rock can getaway with pacing across the stage. Stillness (that is not statuelike) connotes confidence. If you want to make a gesture, make it large and deliberate. And never turn your back on your audience! Answering Questions and Driving Your Point Home Many people who present dread opening up the conversation toques- tions, but that stance is counterproductive. The audience is not your enemy, and you have everything to gain by engaging with its members. Say you have given a sales presentation, and potential customers have a question after the presentation. Those people are interested enough in your product to learn more but without answers to their questions, they will certainly not want to make the purchase. Look at the question period as the second half of your presentation and as an opportunity to drive home your message. The best way to not fear a question and answer portion of a presentation is to anticipate questions in advance and prepare responses. This is PRESENTATIONS especially true if you are delivering information that maybe controversial. If an audience member asks a question about a thorny point or a perceived shortcoming, answer honestly. To deal with questions effectively, follow these guidelines. Listen to the question carefully. Ask for clarification if necessary. Repeat the question in your own words. Answer the question concisely. If it’s a straightforward answer, present it clearly. For more difficult questions, use a phrase such as That is a difficult question to answer in a few words or I understand your frustration. Check to see if the question has been fully answered. Don’t answer questions to which you do not know the answers or that need more time than you can give at that moment. Limit the time frame for taking questions. Invite further questions via email, if appropriate. Remain polite and in control. End by thanking the audience. Download 3.09 Mb. Share with your friends:
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