In the spirit of continual improvement, here are my Top 10 Tips for presentations.

1. TELL THE VIEWER WHAT TO EXPECT To set expectations and orient the viewer/listener, at the outset inform the viewer what to expect. Eg "This presentation will take 10 minutes without questions, but you are free to ask questions as we go along." You can even add "There are 7 slides" if you wish. If you are in the middle of a long presentation, sometimes put the Agenda back on the screen. Put in "grey" what has already been covered, put in "red" exactly where you are now.

2. SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY Tell the viewer what he/she needs to know, not what you know. Make your presentation in the most simplified manner possible. This way you will get your points across to the viewer, and keep the pace of the presentation flowing. Remember: The less information on a chart, the more that the information that is remaining on the chart will get through to your viewer. If the viewer wants more info, he/she will ask questions. Perhaps have "back-up" charts that you use to answer questions, if they come up.

3. PRIORIZE POWERPOINT TO HANDOUTS With handouts one can lose control/attention as the reader is not always looking at the section where we want him/her to be. So other than Issue Sheets which are detailed prose, use Powerpoint.

4. NEVER

EVER EVER READ A SLIDE

The eye can read faster than you can speak. So while you are still on line 1, the viewer is already 3/4 down the page and only half listening to you. Boredom & impatience set in fast. So your choices are: Bullet point words only on screen, so that the viewer has to listen to you to understand exactly what is the point you are making or Just say 1 sentence and let the viewer read the slide. Eg "Here's the Agenda", and let the viewer read it through. Watch the viewer to see when he/she is done. or Uncover the slide a bullet point at a time. Eg if the slide has five bullet points about what was accomplished in the past 6 months, then the first slide shows the first bullet point, the second slide adds the second bullet point, etc. Note: The same is true for an overhead. Put a piece of paper over the transparency and move it down to reveal the entire page as you go along

5. POINT TO THE SECTION OF THE PAGE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT This will keep the viewer focused on what you are talking about. This is especially important if the screen is a graph or a table with lots of numbers or if you've put two graphs or tables on the same page. So your choices are: Stand next to the screen and point to the relevant sections. By "point" I mean not from 10 feet away, but almost literally touching the screen. Have someone else at the computer to move the powerpoint presentation to the next page. or Add the mouse pointer to your screen, large size font, and use it to point to the relevant section while sitting by your screen or Use a laser beam or a long pointer. Personally I favor this option the least unless you are in a large auditorium and the screen is very large. This is because it is hard to keep the laser beam from moving around too much, and a long pointer makes one look like a lecturing professor. But still both these options are better than no pointing to the relevant sections on the screen.

6. KEEP PRESENTATIONS LIVELY BY MAKING USE OF VISUALS When appropriate, graphs are usually better than tables Clipart visuals instead of words or to reinforce bullet point words. This can even be done with overheads or in word documents. Edit cut paste the visual, and go into Picture Properties to adjust the size if necessary

7. SIMPLIFY THE PRESENTING OF COMPLICATED TABLES OR GRAPHS It's like having too many bullet points on one page: chances are the viewer is not looking at the numbers you are referring to, and only half listening to the points you want to make. TABLES First and foremost when presenting any table, show how the table works. Explain what the columns and rows represent. Ensure viewer understanding of this before moving into the numbers or graphs themselves. After that, you again have some choices: Point specifically to the relevant sections, as outlined in point 5 above or If in powerpoint, add an Auto Shape with text fly in to point to the specific numbers. or If the table is a handount, then pre-circle the key numbers you want to point out, and put a number next to each, eg #1 or #3. This makes it easy for you to take the listener through your sheet, eg: "At point #1 you will see that our growth is -7% this fiscal but at #2 you will see it is -1% when excluding Ace/Principal" "At point #3, the very large increase in BSA was due to the intro of Pantene. Excluding this intro, the $M for all the remainder of the brands was up 4% vs. previous year" GRAPHS Avoid putting too much information on a graph, even if you are going to point. Simplify: Break into two graphs. Or group the same information together. Eg in bar graphs put all the bars re MSU together, put all the bars re Index Vs. Year Ago together, etc. Easier to read than having to read a MSU bar, skip over two bars which show something else before you see the MSU again. Avoid line graph charts that have two many lines that crisscross each other. Looks like a dog's breakfast. Use colors to differentiate or group similar information.

8. HANDLE ISSUE SHEETS SMARTLY Sometimes we have no choice but to have a handout. Eg an Issue Sheet. We have a few options but none of which is hand out and talk at the same time. Again, the reader is reading while the talker is somewhere else on the page. So either: Tell the person what the issue is and hand out the sheet. Then be quiet. Let the person read. or Before handing out a sheet state the 1-2 key points max, then hand out the sheet. Then let the person read. or Put the Issue Sheet into Powerpoint format (bullet points, no prose) and talk the viewer through the sheet

9. SPEAK TO AND WATCH YOUR LISTENER Be sure to speak to the main listener, not to the screen or to the TV. Often one cannot hear the presenter if the presenter is talking to the screen. Don't talk while TV copy is showing -- impossible for a listener to listen to two sources simultaneously! If you find the listener is beginning to fidget or look at his/her watch, think on your feet and determine how you can get the right pace. Example: Decide to just headline the charts coming up, letting the viewer read at his/her own pace Example: State "We now have 3 charts lefts" so that the viewer knows the end is in sight Answer questions directly! Then add perspective if you want.

10. THINGS TO AVOID Presenting with a hand in a pocket. Too relaxed style, comes across as university professor lecturing. Don't show a slide and then say "I'm not going to get into details". If you are not going into details why show the details in the first place! Simplify the presentation. Don't mumble anything. If your point is worthwhile, make it by finishing your sentence. If it is not worthwhile, don't bother starting to make the point. Same for when showing copy. Don't try to rush in points, eg between commercials. More times than not you will be rushing & not completing sentences. So your choices are: pause and ensure the listener is ready to listen to you, or just keep quiet Don't create chaos. Keep the viewer's mind focused on the presentation at hand. When completing one review and going to the next, first clear off the table point of sale or brand samples or whatever. Clear table = clear mind, Don't interrupt others. Impolite, shows lack of respect which demotivates. Creates chaos in large group settings. Hope you find this helpful. Philippe