|
|
|
|
Presentations--Effective Openings
News Article: Advanced
Ruth Sasaki
GlobalEnglish Magazine, originally published June 4, 2004
Have you ever sat through a presentation, listening to someone present page after page of data, and wondered where the presenter was going with it?
It's like being a passenger in a car and not knowing the destination. You don't know where you're going, how long it's going to take, or whether you're on the right road or not. Not only is the journey frustrating, it seems endless. Thirty minutes or an hour later, the journey has ended--but you still don't know where you are, where you've been, or why you went in the first place.
A presentation is like a journey, with the presenter as tour guide.
At the beginning of a trip, a good tour guide must establish credibility and rapport with the group members so that they feel enough trust to go with him or her. The tour guide must orient the travelers by telling them the destination and schedule, with a little preview of the main points of interest along the way. Finally, a good tour guide should engage and motivate the travelers; then they will feel curiosity or excitement and look forward to the trip.
In the opening of a presentation, a good presenter accomplishes all of the above.
Establishing credibility and rapport
People tend to make judgments based on first impressions. Therefore, it's important to establish credibility quickly when giving a presentation. The opening is critical. In these first few moments, audience members will decide to listen--or not.
In the U.S., the fastest way to establish credibility is to project confidence. A presenter who appears to be nervous may lose credibility. Behaviors that signal nervousness include speaking too softly or too quickly, avoiding eye contact, and making nervous gestures with the hands.
People often feel nervous at the very beginning; but after a minute or two, they settle down and lose their self-consciousness. Therefore, it's a good idea to practice the opening of your presentation--to actually stand up and say it out loud, several times--until you can deliver it comfortably.
Another way to establish credibility is to let the audience know (if they don't know already) why you are qualified to speak about your chosen topic. Perhaps you have written a book, completed some research, or have extremely relevant work experience. But don't go overboard. If you appear to be boasting about your credentials, you may lose rapport with the audience.
In the U.S., speakers often build rapport through informality or friendliness. Presenters will often begin a presentation with humor or a joke--a tactic that may be inappropriate in some cultures, but it works well in the U.S. as a way of relaxing the audience.
Orienting the audience
In the opening, the presenter should give the audience a preview of the presentation. The elements of a good opening include the following:
The topic: (What is this presentation about?) For example, "Today I'm going to report on the results of our latest market research."
The objective: (Why is the presenter speaking about this?) For example, "By the end of this presentation, I want all of us to be very clear on what our next steps are for the development of our new product."
The key message: (What does the presenter want to say about the topic?) "Overall, our research indicates that we are heading in the right direction, but there are two key adjustments we may want to make."
The agenda: (What are the presenter's main supporting points or key parts of the presentation?) For example: "First, I'll take you through the data. Then I'd like to discuss the implications of the data. Finally, I'd like to recommend next steps and get your feedback."
Ground rules: (How long will the presentation take? What's the process? Will the presenter take questions during or after the presentation, or both?) For example, "This presentation should take about an hour. It should take about 40 minutes to get through the data and implications; then I'd like to spend the last 20 minutes discussing the proposed next steps. Please feel free to ask questions at any time."
Engaging the audience
A straightforward opening like the example above is adequate for most internal presentations. When presenting to an unfamiliar audience, and you're not sure why they are attending the presentation, it might take a little extra effort to engage them.
In this case, you can use a more interesting opening strategy to "hook" the audience. The following are some examples:
Startling fact (it has to be true, of course): "Every year, thousands of people die in accidents involving the use of cell phones while driving."
An anecdote: "The other day I was in a department store and I saw something that made me stop and stare, open-mouthed: a man opened a door for a woman."
A rhetorical question: "Have you ever wondered where birds go on a windy day?" An extended variation of this type of opening is the quiz. A Japanese marketing manager visited one of his company's U.S. facilities and gave an informative presentation about the Japan operation. He began the presentation with a short quiz which revealed that his U.S. counterparts were not as knowledgeable about the Japan operation as they thought. He then proceeded to provide the answers in his presentation. What could have been a rather dry, straightforward recitation of facts became a fun learning experience. The audience was totally engaged.
For most purposes, it is not necessary to entertain in a business presentation. It is, however, important to be clear and concise. Try out some of these ideas in your next presentation. Your audience will be happy travelers.
Copyright 2004, GlobalEnglish Magazine
;</script>)
该网址不再展示
|
| |
|
|
2006-07-16 12:32:22
