Module 20

            Module 20 is titled “Making Oral Presentations.”  This module tells us that making a good oral presentation involves more than just a good delivery. It requires the development of a strategy that fits your audience and purpose.  Oral presentations must inform, persuade, and build goodwill, which are the same requirements for written documents.  There are three ways described in the module to deliver your oral presentation.  In a monologue presentation the speaker speaks without interruption, and questions by the audience are held at the end.  The text recommends a guided discussion.  In a guided discussion the speaker presents the questions or issues that both the speaker and audience have agreed on in advance.  The speaker functions as a facilitator to help the audience tap its own knowledge.  The third type of oral presentation is a sales presentation.  The sales representative uses questions to determine the buyer’s needs, probe objections, and gain temporary and then final commitment to the purchase.  In all oral presentations the speaker needs to be able to make his ideas relevant to his audience by linking what he says to their experiences and interests.  The use of well designed visuals can give your presentation a professional image, and serve as an outline for your talk.  The module recommends making only one point with each visual and giving each visual a title that makes a point.  There are five standard patterns in presenting an oral presentation.  The chronological starts with the past, moves to the present, and ends by looking ahead.  The problem cause solution pattern explains the symptoms of the problem, identifies its causes, and suggests a solution.  This pattern works best when the audience will find your solution easy to accept.  The excluding alternatives pattern explains the symptoms of the problem.  The speaker then explains the obvious solution first and shows why they will not solve the problem.  He ends by discussing a solution that will work.  This pattern may be necessary when the audience will find your solution hard to accept.  The pro-con pattern gives all the reasons in favor of something first, then those against it.  This pattern works well when you want the audience to see the weaknesses in its position.  The final pattern is 1-2-3, which discusses three aspects of a topic.  This pattern works well when giving a short informative briefing. 

            One of the sections in Module 20 is “What are the keys to delivering an effective presentation?”  Audience members want to feel as though the speaker is talking directly to them, and that you care that they understand and are interested.  Feeling nervous is normal, but you can channel that nervousness to help you deliver your best.  The module advises that in order to do this, that you must be prepared.  The speaker must analyze his audience, check on all the arrangements, practice your opener and close, and organize your thoughts.  It also recommends that you contract and then relax all of your muscles, and then take several deep breaths from your diaphragm.  Pause and look at the audience before you begin speaking, and concentrate on communicating well.  Use your body energy in strong gestures and movement.  Look directly at the people you are talking to.  The point in making eye contact is to establish one-on-one contact with the individual members of your audience.  Stand with your feet far enough apart to maintain good balance.  The module recommends using notes unless you are making a very short presentation.  Most speakers like using 4 by 6 or 5 by 7 inch cards because they hold more information.  Look at your notes infrequently.  If you have lots of visuals and know your topic well, you may not need note cards.  Keep the room lights on if possible because turning them off makes it easier for people to fall asleep.