Effective Oral
Presentations
Entrepreneurship 101
Nancy Schell Lynn
lynn.image2@verizon.net
© 2011 Stevens Institute of Technology. All Rights Reserved

Module ObjectivesModule Objectives
1. Provide basic skills for delivering
effective oral presentations.
2. Increase impact and enhance image as
a presenter.

Effective Oral
Presentations
Module A: Verbal Communications Skills
Module B: Non Verbal Communication Skills
Module C: Organize & Present with Visuals
Team Presentation: Starting Your Business
Growing Your Business

Example of a Bad Presentation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kql-pvnid0s

How would you like to be perceived
as a presenter?
What is your presentation style?

Qualities of an Effective
Presenter
• Confident
• Knowledgeable
• Relaxed
• Clear & Concise
• Enthusiastic
Effective presentations begin with a set of skillsEffective Presentations begin with a set of skillsEffective Presentations begin with a set of skills

Effective Oral Presentations
© 2011 Stevens Institute of Technology. All Rights Reserved
Module A: Verbal Communications Skills

VERBAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Speaking Clearly and Expressively
Liew Weng Kong
It’s not just what you say, but how you say it.

Speak Clearly and Expressively
Speak Clearly:
– Volume
– Articulation
– Accent modification
– Filler words

Avoid Fillers
ah, uh, um, like, ya know…
– Clutter speech
– Cause distraction
– Detract credibility
Practice pausing

Speak Clearly and Expressively
Speak Expressively:
– Pause
– Pace
– Inflection

Express versus Impress
An English professor wrote the following on the
board and asked students to punctuate:
“a woman without her man is nothing”
The men wrote:
“A woman, without her man, is nothing.”
The women wrote:
“A woman: without her, man is nothing.”

Verbal Communication Skills
Speak clearly and expressively
• Raise your volume
• Properly articulate words
• Avoid filler words
• Vary your inflection
• Practice pausing between thoughts
Say what you mean and mean what you say!Say what you mean and mean what you say!

Effective Oral Presentations
Module B: Non Verbal Communication Skills

NON VERBAL
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. Eyes
2. Gestures
3. Movement
4. Professional Image
How to Enhance Your Message Non-Verbally

Eye Contact
• Establish rapport
• Instill believability
• Portray authority

Eye Contact When Presenting
If scanning:
• See too much
• Feel more nervous
• Go blank
If connecting:
• Reduce nervousness
• Connect with audience
• Stay in moment
• Halo effect

Don’t just look . . . connectDon’t just look . . . connect
Eye Contact Pointers
• Divide room into quadrants
• Seek out friendly faces
• Avoid talking to your notes/screen
• Give one thought to one pair of eyes

Hand Gestures
• Show what you are
saying
• Enhance your message
Energy Center!Energy Center!

Hand Gestures When Presenting
Benefits:
• Relax entire body
• Communicate thoughts, feelings & ideas
• Add meaning to your words
• Keep audience attentive
• Appear more confident

Hand Gestures When Presenting
How:
• Be aware of “home base”
• Let hands relax at your sides
• Keep hands free
• Gesture from shoulders/above
the waist
• Consider one-handed gestures
• Use smooth, defined movements

Movement
• Balance your stance
• Move with a purpose
• Stop when delivering a key phrase
• Stay in view
You are the #1 visual!

Movement Pitfalls
• Move aimlessly
• Pace like a caged animal
• Rock, sway, or shift
• Dancing

Practice Communications Skills
• Balance your stance
• Maintain eye contact
• Increase volume and
inflection
• Describe and
emphasize
Exercise: Practice with the following examples

 That was then, this is now.
 This plan will increase profitability.
 Let’s look at the global perspective.
 You’ll see results in the next quarter.
Describe and Emphasize

Professional Image
Polished Professional Image
• Appropriate Cultural Appearance
(Company/Country)
• Appropriate Behavior

Effective Non-Verbal
Communication is No Accident
• Good Eye Contact
• Effective Gestures
• Meaningful Movement
• Professional Image

Effective Oral Presentations
Module C: Organizing and Presenting with Visuals

ORGANIZING AND
PRESENTING WITH VISUALS
1. Identify your desired outcome
2. Tailor talk to your audience
3. Select & order critical talking points
4. Outline your presentation
5. Incorporate smooth transitions
6. Include stories, examples & statistics
7. Create & deliver effective visuals

Your audience determines:
• What you say
• How you say it
• The order you say it
One Presentation Doesn’t
One Presentation Doesn’t
Fit All!
Fit All!

Caution . . .

Select & Order Talking Points
• Brainstorm all potential ideas
• Group individual ideas into key talking
points
– Examples: Background, Opportunity,
Recommendations, Benefits, Next Steps
• Order talking points according to your
audience

Outline Your PresentationOutline Your Presentation
• Introduction: attention-
grabber, thesis, purpose,
agenda (10%)
• Body: first talking point,
support, second talking point,
etc. flow (80%)
• Conclusion: summarize
main points, next steps,
desired outcome, final
statement (10%)

Incorporate Smooth Transitions
Link one slide to the next
Examples:
•The purpose of my
presentation…
•Let’s begin by discussing…
•Now that we’ve talked about…
•Let’s move on to…
•An illustration of this point…
•In conclusion, I recommend…

Content Considerations
Variety
• Personal Stories
• Examples
• Statistics & Facts
• Text
• Charts and Graphs
• Illustrations

Why Use Visuals…
• Audience remembers 40% MORE when
hear & see simultaneously

PowerPoint Pointers
• Stand left of screen for English
presentations.
• Talk to the audience versus the screen
• Give the big picture first
• Work from top to bottom
• Elaborate on important points

Practice…
Memorize opening and closing comments
Incorporate smooth transitions between
slides & teammates
Know take-away of each slide
Rehearse aloud/in front of mirror
Tell a story

Tell a story…
Organizing and Presenting your Presentation
• Identify your desired outcome, audience & key
talking points
• Outline your presentation
• Incorporate smooth transitions
• Include stories, examples & statistics
• Create effective visuals
• Know the take away for each slide
• Practice aloud

Example of a Good Presenter

Effective Oral
Presentations
Module A: Verbal Communications Skills
Module B: Non Verbal Communication Skills
Module C: Organize & Present with Visuals
Presentations: Starting Your Business
Growing Your Business

Effective Presentations
For Entrepreneurs

Starting Your Business
43

To be filled out during classes 3 and 5 and
presented in class 6

Starting Your Business
Prepare a Start Up Business Plan:
 Complete the templates provided with your team.
 Be prepared to present in the next class.
 Each team member should present at least one slide.
 You will be allowed 10 minutes to present
& 2-3 minutes for Q&A.
 Evaluations will be based on presentation
skills and content.
 A team evaluation form is provided.
 Practice individually & as a team.

And for your final class…

Growing Your Business
47

To be filled out during classes 10 and 11, completed
during class 12, and presented in class 14

Growing Your Business
Prepare a Final Presentation (final class):
 Prepare a presentation based on your
Mogul Simulation experience.
 Use the PowerPoint templates provided
for you.
 You will be allowed 12 minutes to present
& 3-4 minutes for Q&A.
 Each team member should present at least
one slide.
 Evaluations will be based on presentation
skills and content.
A team evaluation form is attached.
Practice individually & as a team.

“The single most promotable skill in
business today is the ability to
communicate verbally.”
Harvard Business Review

Effective Oral Presentation Quizzes
and Module Evaluation
Quiz 1 – Oral Presentation
Module
Quiz 2 - Oral Presentation
Module
Click on
icon for
hyperlink
Module Survey Evaluation