presentation tips?

[Semidevil]

so I have a presentation for my company's management team for an idea/product that I have thought up of and created that I feel will benefit the company as a whole. the goal is to inform them of my idea and convince it to be implemented.

presentation is in about 1 week and a half in a room with at least 25 employees and management combined.

product is finished and I"m just now starting the presentation preparation(short powerpoint and speech).

no specific questions in general, but just want to see if the ATOT has any experiences and/or words of wisdom about work presentations and any suggestions to impress the company heads and to make me sound professional

thanks.

 

[olds]

Know the subject inside and out.
Don't read from the slides. Memorize them and recite them or paraphrase without looking at them.
Try to anticipate what questions will be asked (you can't possibly cover everything) and be ready with an answer.

 

[teddyv]

Do not, under any circumstances, put all the text in the PP and just read from it. Use PP for pictures, diagrams, flow charts, etc. and work on your spoken text.

 

[JoeKing]

use key words and graphics for the slides, but expand upon the idea in your own words. try to connect your proposal with somthing the company heads can relate to, be it another major company ie: when coke introduced see through underpants in 1999, or your company, like when we transitioned to see through underwear in 1999. This really helps people get their heads around the idea quickly.

other than that, smile, know your shite inside and out, and be enthusiastic about your proposal. I've done a few in my past and it's amazing how much power you have over a captive audience, so I guess have fun also

gl

 

[Capt Caveman]

Don't say 'um' a million times.

 

[kranky]

Make sure your presentation is in alignment with your audience. If your audience doesn't care about technical specs, then go light on them, for example. Don't go overboard blowing your own horn in the presentation - they know it's your idea because you're the one doing the presentation.

What are the kinds of things your company normally wants to know for these types of presentations? Be sure to include them. Also address the risks of proceeding with your plan.

Also anticipate the questions you might be asked during the presentation and be prepared to answer them. Think about things from their point of view - if you were in the audience, and you saw your presentation, what follow-up questions would you ask? If you don't know the answer, don't fake it. It's OK to say "I don't know the answer, but I'll find out and follow up with you."

Think about who the key influencers are - the people who carry a lot of weight in such decisions, even though they might not have titles which reflect it. Ask a couple of them to look over your presentation ahead of time and offer feedback.

Don't use flying text. Keep the text on the screen short. Don't simply read your slides to the audience. Have handouts of the slides available. If the time for the meeting is one hour, don't develop a one-hour presentation - you need to allow time for questions and discussion.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

do not try to memorize a script. you will fail.

use key words and if needed, a PP or other visual aid to display them so you can keep on track.

 

[Dubb]

if you have time, see if your local bookstore or library has any of edward tufte's books on information design. They are very good primers on how to present info in a clear, convincing way - both graphically and textually

 

[sao123]

phew... First time i read your topic title, I thought it said penetration tips...


Dont ever read from handouts, or just read your slides...
have each slide have just a few words or points or a technical diagram if necessary...

 

[Exterous]

Eye contact with the audience. It shows you are prepared and know the material you are talking about (instead of having to look at cards or - god forbid - your slides)

And please - like other people said - don't read from the slides. Its boring. I can read and if you're here to read to me then I don't need you

 

[ATLien247]

Some good advice has already been given about how to present, so I'll focus on what to present.

Make sure you talk about risk vs. opportunity. How would your company benefit from your idea? And what would likely happen if they passed on it?

Let them know how it affects the company's bottom line. If your audience is more of the strategist type, talk a little about TCO, ROI, break even, or whatever you think means the most to them.

Don't go into too much detail during the presentation. Instead, address things more fully as they are brought up during the Q&A.

 

[pcnerd37]

Eye Contact,
Keep your hands out of your pockets
No more than 5 bullets per slide and try to stick to 5 words or less per bullet
Know your product inside and out
Try to stay away from buzz words
DO NOT MEMORIZE A SCRIPT, just know the key points you want to talk about
Notecards are acceptable but dont read from them, only use them when you absolutely have to and dont stare at them.
If you have handouts, give them out at the end or in advance of the presentation so they wont be distracted during your presentation.
Dress professionally.
Run your idea by some fellow coworkers to get feedback and any possible flaws in your presentation or idea.
Stay away from um and uh.
Practice your presentation, but do not over practice.
You have to get their attention in the first minute or less if you hope to have it the rest of your presentation.

 

[iroast]

Good ideas: Read suggestions above.
Bad idea: Walk in wearing nothing but socks, boxers and a nice tie.