Food for ThoughtFood for Thought

A Recipe for Successful

Presentations

By Dennis Hage

Dennis HageDennis Hage

Email: dennishage@xxxxxxEmail: dennishage@xxxxxx Home phone: xxx-xxx-xxxxHome phone: xxx-xxx-xxxx Work phone: xxx-xxx-xxxWork phone: xxx-xxx-xxx

Guess Who’s Coming to Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Dinner?

Thematic approach Thematic approach Cooking or Cooking or

presentingpresenting Example:Example:

• Goal - feed people Goal - feed people • PlanPlan• Etc….Etc….

The Big Three Cheeses...The Big Three Cheeses...Blend WellBlend Well

Ingredients Ingredients - - ContentContent CookingCooking -- Planning / Planning /

Everything Else Everything Else ServingServing -- PresentingPresenting

““Feed me.” Feed me.” Little Shop of HorrorsLittle Shop of Horrors

IngredientsIngredients

Put the “IN” in ingredients Put the “IN” in ingredients Content Is your breadContent Is your bread

Not your butter Not your butter

Nothing to say… Say Nothing to say… Say Nothing.Nothing.

PlanPlan“If you don’t know where you’re going, you may not ever “If you don’t know where you’re going, you may not ever get there.”get there.”

Audience

Purpose

Audience

Purpose

Audience?Audience?

Planning: Adding a Little Planning: Adding a Little SpiceSpice

Keep an open mindKeep an open mind

Pepper your talk with multi-mediaPepper your talk with multi-media

Cooking StylesCooking Styles

Don’t let medium overwhelm Don’t let medium overwhelm messagemessage

Too many cartoons and pictures?Too many cartoons and pictures?

OrganizeOrganize

Introduction: 10%Introduction: 10% Body: Body: 70%70% Conclusion:Conclusion: 20%20%

Choose Your TopicChoose Your Topic

Central themeCentral theme GoalGoal

Gather FactsGather Facts

And resourcesAnd resources

Develop ContentDevelop Content

Key PointsKey Points Focus on one key point or category Focus on one key point or category

per pageper page But you don’t have to say it all on But you don’t have to say it all on

one slideone slide

Less is MoreLess is More

If the audience is reading, they may not If the audience is reading, they may not be listening to yoube listening to you

Details can be in handouts or hard copyDetails can be in handouts or hard copy Three or four short, clear bullet points on Three or four short, clear bullet points on

eacheach• 6-8 words per line6-8 words per line• 6-8 lines per slide6-8 lines per slide• 50 words per slide50 words per slide

There are approximately 50 words here.There are approximately 50 words here.

All You Eat…All You Eat…Sometimes More is BetterSometimes More is Better

Lots - keep the paceLots - keep the pace

Spare RibsSpare Ribs

Great content may not be able to Great content may not be able to overcome dull (or bad) design.overcome dull (or bad) design.

Brain Research to Brain Research to LearningLearning

Wizard of OZ?Wizard of OZ?

Interpersonal

Musical

Linguistic

Intrapersonal

Natural

Bodily-

Kinesthetic

Logical-Mathematical

Spatial

Intelligences

Multiple

Charts - colors alterCharts - colors alter

Dining with Pleasure -Dining with Pleasure -EnvironmentEnvironment

LightingLighting TemperatureTemperature Mints, Flowers, etcMints, Flowers, etc Chart with proceduresChart with procedures Welcome sign in Welcome sign in Pick up packet, get stuffPick up packet, get stuff

IntroIntro

GreetingGreeting Warm upWarm up

• Engage audienceEngage audience• GROUP WORK, GROUP WORKGROUP WORK, GROUP WORK• FunnyFunny

After discuss with neighborAfter discuss with neighbor ChimeChime

Suitable for OccasionSuitable for Occasion

ArtworkArtwork HumorHumor

GraphicsGraphics

Consider entire design, not just Consider entire design, not just one slideone slide

Balance filled and empty spaceBalance filled and empty space Visual contrast: neutral Visual contrast: neutral

background (light on blue)background (light on blue) Use consistent styles of images: Use consistent styles of images:

line, drawing, photo, cartoonline, drawing, photo, cartoon

Appropriate Your GraphsAppropriate Your Graphs

Bar charts:Bar charts: compare totalscompare totals Area charts: Area charts: directional trendsdirectional trends Pie charts: Pie charts: relative proportionsrelative proportions

Limit number of items graphedLimit number of items graphed Be consistent with other visualsBe consistent with other visuals

Short and SweetShort and Sweet

Insert Picture here…Insert Picture here… Guess my answer?Guess my answer?

Keep their attention …Keep their attention …where you want it.where you want it.

Be Prepared…. Or…Be Prepared…. Or…Your Goose Will Be CookedYour Goose Will Be Cooked

Test the hardwareTest the hardware Power strip Power strip Back upBack up

Practice before you presentPractice before you present Use spell checkerUse spell checker Practice timingPractice timing

Dress(ing) RehearsalDress(ing) Rehearsal

Fish for ComplimentsFish for Compliments Feed back - Feed back -Evaluate your workEvaluate your work

QuestionnairesQuestionnaires CommentsComments

Or the grapes of Wrath

NO whine until its time

Doggie Bags - Doggie Bags - Handouts and NotesHandouts and Notes

Print handouts and notes with light Print handouts and notes with light backgroundbackground

Save a notes version of the Save a notes version of the presentationpresentation

Guess Who’s Coming to Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Dinner? Thematic Approach - Thematic Approach -

Cooking or Presenting?Cooking or Presenting?

Goal - feed people /info to peopleGoal - feed people /info to people PlanPlan How many, what do they likeHow many, what do they like ShopShop Follow directionsFollow directions IndividualizeIndividualize Turn on oven - Warm upTurn on oven - Warm up CookCook ServeServe EatEat ResultsResults

Your Cake and Eat it too…Your Cake and Eat it too…

The end?The end?

Questions?Questions?

Too many cooks spoil the broth.Too many cooks spoil the broth.