I was on YouTube the other day researching some information on advanced presentation techniques when all at once a video caught my eye. It was a video from a presenter that I know very well and would consider to be both engaging and credible. I looked at the comments below the presenter’s video and was horrified at how negative they were. It enticed me to see what the presenter could be doing to possibly garner that barrage of negativity. I clicked on the video and realized immediately what they had done wrong.

The presenter had made a mistake I see more often than I care to admit. They had delivered the presentation as if it were live and in a large room instead of on camera and intimate. One of the first rules you learn as a presenter is to ask as many questions and get as many answers as you can about both your audience and the room you will be delivering your presentation in.

There is a big difference between how you handle a presentation for a small room, a big room, whether or not you are on a stage or podium, is it for 1500 people or is it in front of a camera. Rule of thumb the larger the venue, the larger the gestures need to be. Gestures that are large enough to convey your message to the last row of 1500 people are going to appear to be exaggerated and unnatural to the person watching you on close video. KNOW YOUR VENUE!

I will go into discussion on gestures in a future blog but for now just know that all gestures when you are standing should be at least waist level or above. When seated at a table, they need to appear above the table. When standing, the gestures should be placed away from the body.  When seated they will be closer to the body since you  may have someone seated next to you and don't want to put their lights out.

When delivering to the media, your gestures are very close to your body and up closer to your heart area. This is so that your entire image, face, gestures and all, can fit into the small video frame. I am sure you have all seen  people on webinars who you know are moving even though you can't see the movement because the movement is happening below the picture frame. This is very disconcerting and takes the focus of your attention, as an audience member, off the message and onto the movement. Since this movement cannot be seen, it has no purpose and is a detracting factor. 

Also, when recording to video make sure you practice. Do not read directly off a teleprompter. The audience knows it immediately. I used to do voiceover work and I know immediately when someone is reading off a script. Know your material so well that all you need to do is bullet point what you want to say and let the rest come to you naturally as in a normal conversation. Focus on being relaxed and conversational no matter what venue you are in and you will find you are much more engaging to your audience.

Had the presenter in question delivered her message to the proper venue, not read from the teleprompter and been more conversational, I am sure you would have seen them to be as engaging and credible as I know them to be.

Debbie Darling - © 2013 – The Presentation Pros™

At The PresentationPros™ we often hear our program participants expressing the absolute need and expectation for PowerPoint in their presentations. While we are not against the appropriate use of slides in a presentation, we are not in favor of them becoming the presentation itself. In fact, the over-use of PowerPoint slides in recent years has greatly reduced the power of the presenter and the presentation.

Are you giving your power over to PowerPoint?

Put a check mark by each item you have a "yes" answer to:

 Do You:

√  Read the presentation from the slides along with your audience, keeping your back to the audience while you look at or read from the screen?

√  Load your slides with all of your information and presentation content? 

√  Lose your enthusiasm towards your topic when you present with PowerPoint slides?

√  Stand behind a lectern in order to have access to the equipment?

√  Use your PowerPoint as your notes?

√  Use the same PowerPoint slides for your presentation and your take-away handout?

Even just one yes to the above questions indicates you are losing powerful ground with your audience. You could, quite possibly be found guilty of  "death by PowerPoint”.

More and more, the mere mention of PowerPoint results in a low groan from our participants who are all too familiar with this type of painful experience. Heads will nod in agreement with the idea that this often-over-used tool does not need to be a part of every presentation.

To assist you with knowing where, when and how to use PowerPoint effectively, keep these thoughts in mind:

1.    In order for your audience to be engaged with you and your ideas, you will need to take the initiative to really look at them. Reading from slides keeps your focus on the content – not your audience. No matter how well prepared your words and graphs are, they will not connect you with your audience.

2.    Whenever you turn your back to the audience, stop speaking until you are facing them again and maintain an open posture. Otherwise, you risk not being heard and lose the value of the audience’s connection and their interest in you and what you are saying.

3.    Leverage your slides as the “aha” factor for your audience. Think of them like they are a billboard and not a magazine ad. This allows your audience to glance at your slide, get the message and turn their attention right back to you. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words but a picture of a thousand words isn’t worth much at all.

4.    Be careful not to become an anonymous narrator of a slide show. Although your slides are a vital component of your presentation, keep in mind you are the star of the show. Let your visuals support you – not the other way around.

5.    Whenever possible keep your body open to your audience for a more powerful connection with them. A lectern blocks this all-important connection and limits your ability to express yourself freely.

6.    PowerPoint slides and handout documents perform different functions. The handouts need the written interpretation of the data and graphs. The slide show should allow you the presenter to give the interpretation.

PowerPoint is not necessary in every presentation for you to have credibility. Don’t use visual aids just because everyone else does, or to get your outline up where you can use it for notes. Visual aids are meant to be a benefit to the audience, not a crutch for the speaker. Use visual aids wisely and judiciously. Plan on what you want to say, organize it, outline it and then decide if and where visual clarification is necessary. This will ensure your points will have power.

For more information I invite you to sign up for a course on Persuasive PowerPoint.

Debbie Darling - © 2013 – The Presentation Pros™