Chapter 7
Effective Oral
Presentations
Delivery is Important

Fear of public speaking is the number one
fear

Public speaking is a necessary skill

Companies expect employees to convey
information before groups of all sizes
Coping With Speaker Anxiety

Physical sensations associated with speaker
anxiety are the most difficult to bear.
– Heart rate increases
– Breathing rate increases
– Blood pressure rises
– Metabolism increases
– Sweat is produced
Coping With Speaker Anxiety

Examine unrealistic beliefs you may have
– The audience will sense your nervousness.
 Most audiences are not as aware of this as you are.
– Your delivery must be perfect.
 You do not have to be perfect.
 Audiences respond to speakers who are genuine.
– You cannot deliver an effective speech because you are
not a professional speaker.
 Even those who are not experienced can deliver a
memorable, heart-felt presentation with sincerity.
Coping With Speaker Anxiety

Examine unrealistic beliefs you may have
– I have to gain approval of the entire audience.
 Some people will be tired that day, some will be plain
rude; not listening and looking at you
 Focus on interested audience members.
– What will my classmates think?
 They don’t care how you do, they care about how they
do
Coping With Speaker Anxiety

Guidelines for coping with anxiety
– Be well prepared.
 Practice can reduce anxiety by 75%.
– Some tension is natural.
– Practice slow, deep breathing prior to speaking.
 Can slow heart rate and reduce nervousness
– Have a strong introduction.
Fear, continued…

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Use only normal amount of caffeine
Avoid alcoholic beverages
Practice positive self-talk
– Re-label your nerves
– Not fear - scared – nervous
– Say adrenaline – energetic –
excited
Types of Oral Presentations
1. Short Oral Presentations
2. Long Formal Presentations
Short Oral Presentations
Introductory Remarks

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An individual is invited to introduce someone
who is to be the main speaker.
The individual either knows that person well,
or familiar with the subject
Short Oral Presentations
Welcoming Remarks

Whenever a visiting group arrives at an
organisation, welcoming remarks are made.
–
–
–
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Be brief
Be friendly
Be safety oriented
Be complete
Short Oral Presentations
Presentational speeches


At ceremonial times, one may be asked to
present awards to employees or to members
of the community
Presenter should learn and explain the
audience as much as possible about the
person who is to be honored
Short Oral Presentations
Presentational speeches

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Mention the history of the award
Relate what the award signifies
Explain what someone must do to qualify for
this award
Tell what the receipent has done to be worthy
of this honor
Short Oral Presentations
Recognition speeches

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Meant to honor someone for a specific
accomplishment
Usually followed by applause, rather than the
presentation of an award
Less formal
May occur spontantaneously
Short Oral Presentations
Briefings

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Briefings are designed to give clear, brief
instructions or information to an audience
about a planned or current project
Important focus of business communication
Short Oral Presentations
Explanatory remarks


Explanatory remarks are designed to convey
knowledge
Requires the listener to understand or to
carry out a process
Short Oral Presentations
Informational speeches

Informational presentation informs the
audience about something that they have
little or no previous knowledge
Short Oral Presentations
Dedication remarks


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When a new building is finished, a new
product is launched, dedication speech is
made.
Speaker should thank key people whose
sacrifices made the project completion
possible
Talk concludes by focusing on the expected
value of the project to the future of the
organisation
Short Oral Presentations
Acceptance speeches

Made when someone is given an award
Short Oral Presentations

Farewell speeches

A ceremonial occasion when special
recognition is given to someone who is
leaving the organisation.
Speaker thanks this person for his/her efforts
in the past

Long Formal Presentations

Lasts from 30 minutes to an hour
Long Formal Presentations
After-Dinner speeches
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Lasts 30 minutes to an hour
Inform the audience about a particular topic
Can be motivational
Planned in detail
A typed manuscript or notes can be used
Long Formal Presentations
Strategic plan presentations

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A long range plan that is presented to the
board of directors and top managers
Has two objectives; to inform and to
persuade
Designed and tested before
Long Formal Presentations
New product proposals

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To gain acceptance for initial funding for
either the design and development of a new
product or its production and marketing
Motivate the audience into giving a go-ahead
to the proposal
Long Formal Presentations
Progress reports
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To compare the current status of a project
with its anticipated status
Aims at “show-and-tell”
If progress is not as expected, the reasons
are set forth and future progress projected
Planning the Effective Oral
Presentation
Purpose

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Most of the business presentations are
designed to inform, to motivate or to
persuade
Once the purpose of the speech is
determined, the desired results should be
identified
Purpose of the Speech
Informal
 Should be based on factual material
 To increase the audience’s knowledge about
the subject
 Lectures, explanations, descriptions
Purpose of the Speech
Persuasive or motivational
 Deal more with feelings, attitudes and the
stirring of emotion
Planning the Effective Oral
Presentation
Logistics

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Relate to where and when the talk will be
given
Presentations on Monday morning or Friday
afternoon often are not well attended
Middle of the week presentations are the
best
Physical facilities should be well arranged
Planning the Effective Oral
Presentation
Audience


Audience should be analyzed before
preparing the talk
Needs and wants of the audience should be
regarded
Designing the presentation
A good speech
 Audience interest is immediately aroused
 Only two or three main points are presented
 Key points are followed by careful
development, by showing statistics and
visual aids
 Key points are repeated
 Organised in a logical way
Presentation outline
Introduction
 To establish rapport between the speaker
and audience
 To introduce the topic to the audience
 To gain audience interest
Presentation outline
Introduction
 A famous or intriguing quotation
 A question
 A stunning statement
 A story
 A joke or anecdote
 An expression of gratitude
Four Strong Openers
1.
2.
Startling statement
Narration or anecdote
– Things that happened
to you beat canned
stories
– Parables that contain
point of talk make best
stories
Presentation outline
Body
 Should be arranged according to major
headings and subheadings
 Can be:
– chronological,
– causal or
– problem-solving
Presentation outline
Body
 Chronological Outline: present topics in
historical order
Presentation outline
Body
 Causal design:
– uses a cause-and-effect sequence.
– Aprropriate for a motivational speech
Presentation outline
Body
 Problem-solving:
–
Involve the audience in investigating a
problem, considering alternative actions
uses a cause-and-effect sequence.
– Aprropriate for a motivational speech
–
Presentation outline
Conclusion
 Summarize and repeat important points
 Answer any questions in the audience’s
mind
 Quotations or anecdotes can be used
 Emotional appeal can be applied
 Question and Answer part can be included
Delivering the Speech

Characterized as;
– Impromptu speeches
– Written speeches
– Memorization
– Extemporaneous speeches
Delivering the speech
Impromptu Speeches
 Occur when a person is asked to speak
without time for planning
 Require the speaker to quickly organize
his/her thoughts into a coherent presentation
Delivering the speech
Written Speeches
 Read from a prepared manuscript
 Useful when the materail is highly technical
and the speaker wants to ensure accuracy
 Have some disadvantages as breaking the
eye-contact, limiting the movement of
speakers gestures and mimics
Delivering the speech
Memorized Speeches
 The least popular presentation mode in
business
 Requires a great deal of time
 May sound monotonic and stilled
 Have disadvantage like being unable to
process feedback from the audience and
make approppriate modifications
Delivering the speech
Extemporaneous Speeches
 Spontaneously delivered
 Thoroughly researched and designed
 Prefferable to other styles
 Allows the speaker to show a wide range of
emotion, movement and vocal inflection
 Seems more genuine and convinvcing to the
audience
 Most natural mode of presentations
Effective Delivery: Notes

Put notes on cards or sturdy paper; number
them
–
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Use 4 x 6 or 5 x 7 cards, instead of 3 x 5
Use long phrases
Jot down details, examples you’ll use
Notes, continued…
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Indicate where you’ll refer to visual
Look at notes rarely
Hold notes high so head doesn’t bob up and
down
Oral communication skills
To overcome prespeech jitters
 Try deep diaphragmatic breathing
 Stand in a relaxed position in front of the
audience
 Begin the speech
Establish eye contact
 Makes the audience feel important and
involved
Nonverbal communication
•Speech delivery begins the moment you leave
your seat
•Stand tall, walk confidently
•Balance your weight, don’t cross ankles
•Don’t grip the lectern
•Gesture naturally
•Insert cues into your outline for gestures
•Practice your gestures
Nonverbal communication
•Avoid fidgeting, nervous or distracting
gestures
•Keep hands out of pockets
•Smile with eye contact
•Facial expressions change with different
thoughts and experiences
Oral communication skills
Vocal characteristics
 Should not talk too slow or too fast
 The volume of the voice should be well
arranged
 The pitch of the voice should be carefully
examined
 Speech rate is important
Effective Delivery: Voice

Make voice easy to listen to

Talk loudly enough so entire audience can
hear

Sound energetic and enthusiastic
Voice, continued…
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Enunciate—Say all
sounds in each word
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Hardest to hear: words
starting / ending with f, t, k,
v, d
Reduce uhs/ahs/umms by
rehearsing talk several
times
Oral communication skills
Gestures and movements
 Very supportive if effectively used
 Speaker must becareful not to exaggerate
movements which would look phony
Standing & Gesturing

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Place feet apart for good balance; flex
knees
Walk if you want to
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
Move purposefully; don’t pace
Stand still for formal talk or if on camera
Don’t block screen showing your visuals
Use natural gestures for emphasis
–
Big, confident ones work best
Handling Questions and Answers
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Oral presentation may be followed by a
question-and-answer period
This part should be moved on smoothly
If the speaker does not know the answer,
presenter notes that this is a good question
and admit they do not have the answer, but
they will get it and forward to the questioner
Handling Questions and Answers

When a quesitoner tries to monopolize the
floor and establish a dialogue with the
speaker, then the speaker must take control
of the situation
Tips for Effective Speech Making
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Visit the facilities
Make a trial
Review the room layout
Identify the audience
Review your support material
Close on a positive note
EXAMPLES
Funny presentation
Funny presentation 2
Good & bad
presentations