6.1 Presentations – An Overview
Learning Objectives
After studying this unit, you will be able to
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- demonstrate how to plan a presentation
- understand how to construct the different parts of any presentation
- identify the use of different organizing principles for a presentation
- identify the different methods of speech delivery
- utilize specific techniques to enhance speech delivery
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Introduction
At some point in your future careers, you will be called upon to give a presentation to your boss, colleagues, perhaps even customers. Although this may seem scary, it is also an opportunity to prove your knowledge and communication skills. Public speaking skills are important in a professional environment. In fact, public speaking skills are “the No. 1 predictor of success and upward mobility” (Business Communications, 2019, p. 431). College and university is the perfect time to develop and perfect this skill. Knowing how to plan and execute a well-developed presentation in a face-to-face or virtual environment is a skill that will make your future employers take notice.
To get started, let’s review the video below to gain an understanding of what is required to develop world-class and effective presentations.
Planning Your Presentation
Planning a presentation is much like planning other business documents. There is importance to undertaking and applying a systematic process of planning, researching, drafting, and revising before delivering the final product. Completing this process can take a considerable amount of time. Figure 32.1 provides the planning process
Planning in any presentation is helpful both to you and to your audience. Your audience will appreciate receiving the information presented in an organized way, and being well organized will make the presentation much less stressful for you.
Successful presenters know their material, are prepared, do not read a script or PowerPoint presentation, do not memorize every single word in order (though some parts may be memorized), and do not make it up as you go along. Your presentation is scripted in the sense that it is completely planned from start to finish, yet every word is not explicitly planned, allowing for some spontaneity and adaptation to the audience’s needs in the moment.
Your organization plan will serve you and your audience as a guide, and help you present a more effective speech. Just as there is no substitute for practice and preparation, there is no substitute for planning.
Knowing the Purpose
Speeches have traditionally been seen to have one of three broad purposes: to inform, to persuade, and — well, to be honest, different words are used for the third kind of speech purpose: to inspire, to amuse, to please, or to entertain. These broad goals are commonly known as a speech’s general purpose, since, in general, you are trying to inform, persuade, or entertain your audience without regard to specifically what the topic will be. Perhaps you could think of them as appe