What is the vocabulary of the equipment used?

blackboard, whiteboard, paperboard

chalk, felt tip pen or marker, eraser

podium, lectern, overhead,

overhead projector system (OHP)

screen

pointer

microphone, mike

opaque projector

What should you put on a visual?

key words

technical words

lists

examples

diagrams

charts

Vocabulary of graphs/chart

line graph (algorithmic, linear curve, line)

bar chart

flip chart

diagram

pie chart (segment, slice of the pie)

flow chart

organization chart

Why use visuals?

to focus the audience's attention

to illustrate points easier to understand in visual form but difficult in a verbal form (e.g. statistics)

to reinforce ideas

to change focus from aural/oral to visual

to involve and motivate the audience

to involve all the senses

to serve as logical proof

to save time and avoid putting information on a board

to avoid turning your back to the audience when writing on a board

to help the speaker

Text to put on a visual:

name, conference/company and company logo, date, title of presentation. Try to do this consistently but not to the detriment of a table or image.

full sentences are not to be used, unless a quote is given, give round figures

N.B. Keep text to a minimum!

Size, layout, font (typeface) and size, colors.

Size - A4

Layout should be pleasant and easy to read: horizontal/landscape layout is preferable.

If possible, use color transparencies (unless you are just showing text).

How many?

One every two minutes is sufficient. To show too many slides is worse than none at all.

How should you present a visual in a presentation?

It is not sufficient just to put up a transparency on the screen and expect the audience to turn its attention to it, to understand it and make the link with what you are saying. The following strategy can be suggested:

1) It is important to prepare your audience for what they are going to see. This keeps the audience on their toes and gives you the opportunity to position your visual correctly.

Let's look at the current distribution of the market, as you can see...

I'm going to show you now the most recent figures available...

My next slide concerns the method by which...

2) Remember to draw the attention of the audience to the points that you wish to highlight but avoid redundancy by describing everything that is in the visual!

As you can see....

The first line of figures is the most revealing...

Notice/observe how the increase has had an effect on the...

What is important here is the way that...

3) You can also try to rephrase your point to give it emphasis, giving the audience time to absorb the information.

In other words the number of employees has a direct effect on the...

Or to look at it in another way every time you...

That is to say no matter what technique is used, the results remain

IV. A Relationship with the Audience

Do not assume the audience will be interested in what you have to say. Even if they are, minds wander and get distracted. From the very beginning you need to create interest and continue doing so throughout your speech. The techniques are the following:

1) Arouse listeners' interest from the beginning. In the introduction show how your subject or what you are going to say affects or may affect their lives. In other words, make it personal.

2) Give an unusual fact or statistic.

3) Use words like you, we, us, our.

4) Illustrate with a real life story or anecdote.

5) Ask the audience to do something. "Raise your hands if you know."

6) Ask the audience direct or rhetorical questions. (See below)

Other tips:

Be brief and clear in giving the subject and purpose.

The speaker’s attitude is important - knowledge, personality, openness. Be lively and enthusiastic.

Use a variety of media sources.

Rhetorical questions

What is a rhetorical question? A question that you ask without expecting it to be answered. Why use such a question? In using such a question the speaker appears to be having a dialogue with the listeners. It also should catch their attention.

Have you ever seen/heard/experienced...?

How can we explain this?

What does that mean?

What can be done about that?

What does this imply for you, as a consumer?

Emphasizing/highlighting

1) Say something is important.

The important thing to remember is...

The essential element is...

2) Stress verbs with your voice.

We experimented with the concept over a period of three years.

3) Add auxiliary verbs for emphasis.