TheWorkingSmarterwithSmartDrawSeriesThreeWaystoDeliverEffectivePresentationsLearnhowto:1.Planyourpresentation2.Fixboringtextslides3.ChoosetherightchartforyourdataPresentationshavetoeitherinformorpersuade,ordoboth.Forexample,trainersandeducatorswanttodriveunderstandingofnewconcepts.Consultantsmustpresenttheirrecommendationsforchange,oftentoaskepticalaudience.Withsalespresentations,apurchasedecisionistheultimateactionyouaretryingtoinfluence;dependingonyourstageofthesalesprocess,however,youmayhaveotherintermediategoalsforapresentation.Ifyoucanengageyouraudience,demonstratecredibility,andleavethemwithyourmessageclearlyarticulated,you’llgettheresultsyouseek.Herearethreewaystomakeyourpresentationsmoreeffective.1.PlanYourPresentationUsingbusinessgraphicsinsteadofbulletsandtextisonewaytoimproveyourpresentationslides.However,goodvisualscanonlycarryyousofar.Ifyourmessageisnotclearandyourstorydoesnotflowwell,yourpresentationwillfailtopersuade.Withsomeup-frontplanningthough,you’llbeclearwithyourmessageandaddpowertoyourstoryline.Asabonus,you’llspendlesstimemakingslidesandmoretimerehearsingordoingsomethingelseproductive.Thestartingpointforanyeffectivepresentationistoaskwhatactionyouwanttheaudiencetotake.Evenwhenyourgoalsseemobvious,ithelpstowritethemdown.Thisexerciseisharderthanitseemsbecauseeachpresentationdependsontheaudienceandtheexactpointinthegivenprocess.MindmapyourmessageHowcanyoukeeptrackofallthefactorsinvolved?Agreatwaytodothisistomindmapoutyoursituation,yourtopicandyourgoals.Amindmaphelpsyoukeepitallinplay,findpatterns,andSmartDrawisatrademarkofSmartDraw.com•9909MiraMesaBlvd.,SanDiego,CA92131,USA•www.smartdraw.comPhone:(858)225-3300•TollFree(800)768-3729•Fax:(858)225-3390•E-mail:sales@smartdraw.com•©2008SmartDraw.comallrightsreserved.2avoidomissions.Askyourselfwhatyourgoalis.Whowillbeintheaudience?Whataretheirgoals,motivations,likelyobjections?Meetingparametersmattertoo.What’stheallottedtime?Whatmediacanyouuse?You’llfindyoumightneedtouseseveralmindmaps.He...