Presenter Toolkits Practical Pointers for Presentations

Transcription

1 Practical Pointers for Presentations Don t Leave Home Without Them Supplies List Hint: Recycle one of those bags you get at conferences to serve as a permanent supplies kit. After each presentation, restock the toolkit with any supplies you have used, so you ll be ready for your next presentation. Keep a copy of this list in the bag. Duct tape (to hold down cables and rope off seating areas) Scissors Wall fastenings: masking tape, push pins, scotch tape and/or T-pins Pens, pencils, and pencil sharpener Packet of Kleenex Mints or cough drops Small sewing kit (with safety pins) Markers: permanent and dry erase Clear plastic bags (a couple will come in handy some time) Cell phone and charger Name tents and/or name tags Small first aid kit (someday you ll need a BandAid) Small stapler and extra staples Small clock Sticky notes in various sizes and colors Stain remover pen (such as Tide to Go) Anti-static spray

2 Prepared for Almost Anything Audio Visual Checklist Most of these items will fit in a small zippered pouch you can pack with your laptop. You ll probably never need some of these items, but if you do, you ll be so glad you have a full-stocked audio-visual support kit. Adapters (especially three-prong) Plugs Extra projector light bulbs Extra batteries for anything that uses them Extension cord and power strip Pliers Small screwdriver Flashlight Remote control (to advance your slides) Fully-charged laptop Friend with full-charged laptop Complete copy of presentation on backup media Hard copy backup of presentation

3 Nerves, Jitters, and Remedies Suggestions for fighting stage fright Attend to basic needs Use the bathroom. Have a Kleenex handy. Pour a glass of water (no ice). For dry mouth, suck on a mint (no gum!); or lightly chew your tongue (to cause salivation). Think positive Avoid negative thoughts and negative people. If you see a co-worker who drives you crazy, walk away or hide. Move Burn nervous energy. Make focused versus unfocused movements. Walk, don t pace. Make some notes; don t shuffle papers. Breathe deeply. Make eye contact Speak opening lines directly to someone at rear of room. Address one thought while focusing on one person (you ll be thinking about them instead of yourself). Be prepared Know opening lines inside and out. Memorize a list of ad-lib remarks to help you deal with problem situations. You misspeak. 1) Correct yourself simply and calmly, then continue: Let me try that one more time I need to fix that. The correct number is 2) Quote Yogi Berra, I think I just made a wrong mistake. You are attacked in 1) Stay calm. some way. 2) Quote former president George Bush: I feel like a javelin thrower who won the coin toss and elected to receive. A disturbance (something is loudly dropped, announcements on PA system, etc.) Fire/weather evacuation alarms 1) Pause, allow audience to react briefly. 2) If it won t embarrass the person who caused the problem, say You think that job s hard, you should be up here! 3) Say, that was part of the program plan (pause), the part we didn t rehearse. Know where the nearest exits are and be able to offer clear directions.

4 Tips for Using Speaker Notes Option Pros, Cons, and Cautions No Notes Results in the best audience impression Do only if you have necessary delivery skills Outline/Note Cards Practice is important, or it will be easy to incorrectly estimate time You may want to write full presentation, then reduce manuscript to abbreviated notes Full Manuscript Results in the best content Guaranteed timeframe Precise wording and accuracy Calms nerves: you know what you re going to say Allows you to deliver copies Don t read it! Formatting suggestions for standard sized paper or note cards Do This: Use large typeface or print large Leave wide margins Number each page or card Fasten with paper clips, not staples Important Info or Key Points? Underline or highlight with color Separate major sections with clear markings Why: Easier to read Easy to add last minute notes Do you need to ask? Someday they will be dropped! Flipping stapled pages is awkward and noisy Quicker to spot Prompts you to pause and make clear transitions The Most Important Advice About Notes Don t forget to take your notes or script. Take two copies, and pack/carry them in different places.

5 PowerPoint Showtime Features These functions are available only when viewing (not editing) a slide show. B Black screen. Toggles: Press B to blacken screen, press again to return to show. W White screen. Toggles: Press W to whiten screen, press again to return to show. N / P Next/Previous. N advances presentation to next slide (or next automation effect). P reverses to previous slide (or previous automation effect). Handy when you are at an unfamiliar keyboard and don t want to search for the page up/page down keys. <#>, Enter Jump to specific slide. Key the number of the desired slide, followed by Enter. (If you want to return to your starting place, remember the number of that slide, and repeat the process.) Ctrl+P, Enter Right click, Screen, Speaker Notes Rightclick, <other options> Turn mouse to pen. Press Ctrl+P, followed by Enter. Now when you move the mouse, you will be drawing on the slide. Press E to erase any marks you make on the screen. Press Esc to end pen mode and return to normal mouse function. Make a note without leaving the show. Rightclick to bring up the slide show view menu. Click on Screen, then Speaker Notes. A text box will appear for you to write a note that is embedded as a Speaker Note. There are other useful Go To Slide Pointer Options shortcuts from the slide show View menu. If you select Go to Slide, you will see a list of all slides in the show, hyperlinked for quick navigation. If you select Pointer Options, you can turn your mouse into a highlighter, and you can choose a variety of colors for marking on the slide being viewed.