(This month, we continue with another deep dive into the physical and vocal delivery skills that can make your presentations sizzle and project an image of confidence, credibility ad competence. So, let’s add reducing your delivery rate to your workplace presenter tool kits.)
Presentations
Speak Up – Make Your Voice Sizzle!
(We spent all last year answering the question, ‘Does Your Presentation Suck?’ Each month provided details on a specific aspect of your presentations content to help you decide how much it sucked and what to do about it.) Reader reaction was quite positive and appreciative. We heard from people who routinely deliver presentations at work, support … Read more
From Suck … to Sizzle
Back in January, I began a year-long series discussing the broad question, ‘Does your presentation suck’. Rather than make a statement like ‘Your presentations suck’, I opted to ask lots of diagnostic question instead so you could decide for yourself if your presentations suck and, if so, how much.
Why I Hate 3 x 5 Note Cards
Very high on my list of Workplace Presenter ‘Worst Practices’ is using the simple, seemingly innocent little 3 x 5 note cards for speaker notes. They’re way too small to be of much value. Good idea for high school debaters or for storing recipes maybe, but not for workplace presenter notes. And, if you do use a large-enough type that’s easy to read quickly, you’ll need a lot of the cards and will spend way too much time changing them … or picking them up when you drop them.
Slay the Impromptu Dragon!
Has this ever happened to you? Emma arrived at work early, got a cup of coffee and settled into tackling her highest priority task of the day. When, out of nowhere, her boss Bob approached her cubicle and asked the question that strikes fear in the hearts most employees, ‘Hi Emma … you busy?’
Surviving Q&A
For the last two months, we’ve done a deep dive into the rough seas of audience questions and discussed several strategies for when to handle them. Now, dive even deeper to discuss how to handle them. What you do with audience questions has a critical impact on your results, often more than the overall content itself. Here are some Best Practices to help you Survive and Thrive during the Audience Q&A.
Why I Hate Note Cards
I recently encountered two different authors of presentation skill-oriented books who recommended using 3×5 note cards for preparing speaker notes. Whoa! Couldn’t disagree more. So, please allow me to respectfully disagree and rerun one of my favorite rants.
Maximizing Your Q&A!
Last month, we asked if your Q&A sucks and described two strategies for handling audience questions – holding them until the end and handling them anytime. Both approaches work but each has some disadvantages.
The piece ended with an intriguing offer of two hybrid strategies that involve the best features of both approaches. So, here are two solution to the Q&A dilemma.
Does Your Q&A Suck?
As we continue examining your workplace presentations to see if they suck or not, let’s turn to an often-under prepared part of your total message – handling audience questions.
Beware of Dog & Pony Show Pitches from Hell!
Team-Delivered Sales Pitches (TDSPs) are still common in the marketplace today – some are effective, efficient and engaging sales messages. But, unfortunately, too many become ‘Dog & Pony Show Pitches from Hell‘. What pushes them over the edge is poor planning and preparation, just as with other types of workplace presentations.