Chapter 14 LECTURE NOTES
Business Presentations
CHAPTER SYNOPSIS
According to an AT&T and Stanford University study, the No. 1 predictor of success and upward
mobility is how much you enjoy public speaking and how effective you are at it. Because
speaking skills are useful at every career stage, this chapter is devoted to helping students use
speaking skills in making effective oral presentations. Students will learn how to present as part
of a team and in front of live and virtual audiences. Students will also develop strategies for
success before, during, and after presentations. They will also learn techniques for designing
effective visual aids using PowerPoint, Prezi, and SlideRocket presentation software tools.
Reassure students that they will increase their comfort level and deliver a professional
performance if they focus on the following: preparation, organization, audience rapport, visual
aids, and delivery. Students will also learn effective techniques for communicating as a team and
addressing an intercultural audience. Furthermore, they will be introduced to strategies for
improving telephone and voice mail skills.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Recognize various types of business presentations, and discuss two important first steps in
preparing for any of these presentations.
2. Explain how to organize the introduction, body, and conclusion as well as how to build
audience rapport in a presentation.
3. Create effective visual aids and handouts using today’s multimedia presentation technology.
4. Specify delivery techniques for use before, during, and after a presentation.
5. Organize presentations for intercultural audiences, in teams, and as slide decks.
6. List techniques for improving telephone skills to project a positive image.
WHAT’S NEW IN THIS CHAPTER
Reorganized the chapter to reduce the number of objectives from eight to six to streamline
the material and improve student comprehension.
Changed the Zooming In feature to discuss Guy Kawasaki and his celebrated 10/20/30 Rule
of PowerPoint.
Incorporated six pithy Reality Check quotations to demonstrate the importance of
presentations in the workplace.
Added a new section outlining typical types of business presentations to help readers see the
relevance of this chapter to workplace demands.
Included a new Career Coach feature offering tips to help students gain and keep audience
attention during presentations.
Updated the section devoted to planning visual aids and multimedia presentations by
including coverage of Prezi and SlideRocket, two new presentation software tools.
Added tips for creating zoom presentations, which are growing in popularity in the
workplace.
Designed new graphics and infographics to illustrate current trends in workplace
presentations.
Explained how to develop presentations using slide decks.
Added a new section and graphic explaining smartphone best practices to better prepare
students for the realities of workplace communication.
Added several new activities to allow students to apply chapter content to current real-world
situations.
LECTURE OUTLINE
I. Preparing Effective Oral Presentations (p. 501)
A. Speaking Skills and Your Career
Speaking skills play an important role in career success and rank high on
recruiters’ wish lists.
PowerPoint slides 1-3
B. Types of Business Presentations
Briefings – a concise overview or summary of an issue
Reports – progress reports, status reports, and convention reports
Podcasts – an online, prerecorded audio clip delivered over the Web
Virtual Presentations – used to connect team members who are separated
geographically
Webinars – a Web-based presentation, lecture, workshop, or seminar
PowerPoint slide 4
C. Knowing Your Purpose
Determine whether your goal is to persuade or inform.
Have a clear idea of what you want your audience to remember.
PowerPoint slide 5
D. Knowing Your Audience
Analyze your audience.
Anticipate the audience’s reactions to your presentation.
Adapt your presentation as needed.
Figure 14.1 Succeeding With Four Audience Types
PowerPoint slides 6-8
II. Organizing Content for Impact and Audience Rapport (p. 504)
Step 1: Tell them what you’re going to say.
Step 2: Say it.
Step 3: Tell them what you have just said.
PowerPoint slides 9, 10
A. Capturing Attention in the Introduction
Capture listeners’ attention and get them involved.
Identify yourself and establish your credibility.
Preview your main points.
Figure 14.2 Outlining an Oral Presentation
PowerPoint slides 11-13
B. Organizing the Body
Chronology
Geography/space
Topic/function/conventional grouping
Comparison/contrast (pro/con)
Journalistic pattern (the five Ws and an H)
Value/size
Importance
Problem/solution
Simple/complex
Best case/worst case
PowerPoint slide 14
C. Summarizing in the Conclusion
Summarize the main themes of the presentation.
Leave the audience with a specific and memorable “take-away.”
Include a statement that allows you to leave the podium gracefully.
PowerPoint slide 15
III. Building Audience Rapport Like a Pro
A. Effective Imagery
Analogies – a comparison of similar traits between dissimilar items
Metaphors – a comparison between otherwise dissimilar items without using the
words like or as
Similes – a comparison that includes the words like or as
Personal anecdotes – a personal story that connects you to the audience
Personalized statistics – memorable statistics directly related to the audience
Worst- and best-case scenarios – descriptions of worst or best cases that are
memorable to the audience
Figure 14.3 Effective Imagery Engages the Audience
PowerPoint slide 16
B. Verbal Signposts
Previewing
Summarizing
Switching directions
C. Nonverbal Messages
Look terrific.
Animate your body.
Speak extemporaneously.
Punctuate your words.
Get out from behind the podium.
Vary your facial expressions.
IV. Planning Visual Aids and Multimedia Presentations (p. 511)
A. Types of Visual Aids
Two of the most popular visuals for business presentations are multimedia slides
and handouts.
Zoom presentations, an alternative to multimedia slides, are also growing in
popularity.
Figure 14.4 Pros and Cons of High-Tech and Low-Tech Visual Aid Options
Figure 14.5 Prezi Zoom Presentation
PowerPoint slides 17-20
V. Designing an Impressive Multimedia Presentation (p. 513)
SlideRocket is a cloud-based presentation software. Like PowerPoint, it allows users
to create slides, but it takes the emphasis off bullet points.
Figure 14.6 SlideRocket Presentation
A. Applying the 3-x-3 Writing Process to Multimedia Presentations
1. Analyze the situation.
2. Anticipate your audience.
3. Adapt the text and color selections.
4. Research your presentation options.
5. Organize your slides.
6. Create a template and select a layout.
7. Compose your presentation.
8. Design for optimal effect.
9. Revise, proofread, and evaluate your slideshow.
Figure 14.7 Revising and Enhancing Slides for Greater Impact
Figure 14.8 Designing More Effective Slides
Figure 14.9 PowerPoint Slides That Summarize
PowerPoint slides 21-26
B. Practicing and Preparing
Allow plenty of time to set up and test your equipment.
Make sure video and Web links are working.
Bring backups of your presentation (overhead transparencies or handouts) or
transfer your presentation to a CD or a USB flash drive to run on any laptop.
Transfer your presentation to the cloud (e.g., Dropbox or Google Drive can prove
beneficial).
C. Keeping Your Audience Engaged
Know your material.
Allow the audience time to absorb the information.
Leave the lights as bright as you can.
Use a remote clicker so you can move freely.
Maintain a connection with the audience by using a laser pointer to highlight slide
items to discuss.
Don’t leave a slide on the screen when you no longer discuss it.
PowerPoint slide 27
D. Seven Steps to Making a Powerful Multimedia Presentation
1. Start with the text.
2. Select background and fonts.
3. Choose images that help communicate your message.
4. Create graphics.
5. Add special effects.
6. Create hyperlinks to approximate the Web browsing experience.
7. Move your presentation to the Internet.
Figure 14.10 Seven Steps to a Powerful Multimedia Presentation
PowerPoint slides 28, 29
VI. Polishing Your Delivery and Following Up (p. 521)
A. Choosing a Delivery Method
Present extemporaneously (speaking freely without notes).
Memorize significant parts of your presentation.
Do not read from your manuscript.
PowerPoint slides 28, 29
B. Combating Stage Fright
PowerPoint slides 32-34
C. Before Your Presentation
Prepare thoroughly.
Rehearse repeatedly.
Time yourself.
Dress professionally.
Request a lectern.
Check the room.
Greet members of the audience.
Practice stress reduction.
PowerPoint slide 35, 36
D. During Your Presentation
Begin with a pause.
Present your first sentence from memory.
Maintain eye contact.
Don’t read from your notes.
Control your voice and vocabulary.
Show enthusiasm.
Skip the apologies.
Put the brakes on.
Incorporate pauses when appropriate.
Move naturally.
Use visual aids effectively.
Avoid digressions.
Summarize your main points and arrive at the high point of your talk.
PowerPoint slides 37-39
E. After Your Presentation
Distribute handouts.
Encourage questions.
Repeat questions.
Reinforce your main points.
Keep control.
Avoid Yes, but answers.
End with a summary and appreciation.
PowerPoint slides 40, 41
VII. Developing Special Presentations: Intercultural, Collaborative, and Slide Decks
(p. 524)
A. Understand Different Values and Nonverbal Behavior
Anticipate expectations and perceptions that may differ from what you consider
normal.
Express ideas in small chunks and slow down your presentation for audiences
whose English is limited.
Break your presentation into short, discrete segments.
Be aware that nonverbal behavior may be misinterpreted.
B. Adjusting Visual Aids to Intercultural Audiences
Check the audience’s understanding by asking questions.
Avoid deviating from the PowerPoint slides.
Use visual aids to help communicate your message.
Provide handouts in English and the target language.
Never use numbers without projecting or writing them for all to see.
PowerPoint slides 42, 43
C. Preparing Collaborative Presentations With Teams
1. Preparing to Work Together
Establish ground rules.
Name a meeting leader, a recorder, and an evaluator.
Decide if team will reach decisions by consensus or majority rule.
Recognize the value of conflict.
Decide how to handle teammates who are slackers.
2. Planning the Document or Presentation
Record all decisions.
Establish the purpose and identify the main issues.
Decide on the format, components, and presentation format.
Profile the audience and focus on questions audience members will want
answered.
Develop a work plan with assignments and deadlines.
3. Collecting Information
Double-check facts to be sure they are accurate.
4. Organizing, Writing, and Revising
Decide on one person to coordinate all parts of the written document or
presentation.
Build smooth transitions between presenters.
Agree on a consistent style, format, and feel in the final product.
5. Editing, Rehearsing, and Evaluating
For written reports, assign one person to examine the entire document for
consistency, format, and vocabulary.
For oral presentations, assign one person to ensure files are consistent in design,
format, and vocabulary.
Practice the presentation several times.
Practice fielding questions.
PowerPoint slides 44-50
D. Using Presentation Software to Present Slide Decks
Slide decks effectively deliver data, research findings, and proposals to receivers who
may not be able to attend a meeting and who find them easier to read and comprehend
than traditional reports. Slide decks are also easy to share and to reference.
Figure 14.11 Using Presentation Software for Slide Decks
IIX. Improving Telephone Skills (p. 530)
A. Making Telephone Calls Professionally
Plan a mini-agenda.
Use a three-point introduction.
Be brisk if you are rushed.
Be cheerful and accurate.
Bring it to a close.
Avoid telephone tag.
Leave complete voice mail messages.
B. Receiving Telephone Calls Professionally
Identify yourself immediately.
Be responsive and helpful.
Practice telephone confidentiality.
Take messages carefully.
Leave the line respectfully.
C. Using Smartphones for Business
Figure 14.12 Practicing Courteous and Responsible Smartphone and
Cell Phone Use
D. Making the Best Use of Voice Mail
On the Receiver’s End:
Don’t overuse voice mail.
Prepare a professional, concise, friendly greeting.
Respond to messages promptly.
Plan for vacations and other extended absences.
On the Caller’s End:
Be prepared to leave a message.
Leave a concise, thorough message.
Speak slowly and articulate.
PowerPoint slides 51-58