Presentation of Business Information PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE

Presentation of Business Information

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE INTRODUCTION o Businesses are constantly inundated with information. o Most of this information is not applicable to all employees. o Some information nevertheless needs to be presented to employees.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE PRESENTATION OF BUSINESS INFORMATION o Presenting business information means sharing the information. o Business information is presented to, or shared with: • Shareholders • Management • Employees • Government, for example Employment Equity plans. • The media, for example a press release.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE DEFINITION OF BUSINESS INFORMATION All information regarding a business is called business information. o Decisions by management are based on business information. o The reasons why business information is presented, include: • Business information assists management in asking decisions. • To inform – e. g. when financial statements are presented to management to implement a strategy. • Business information helps management to identify trends in the market

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE o Business information is shared by delivering a business presentation. o Business information must e presented in a way that it can be easily understood o There are three elements to a business report or presentation: Introduc • The purpose of an introduction is to introduce the topic under discussion to the reader or audience, and to provide a very brief summary or outline of the points to be covered. • The introduction should be powerful because it influences the reader’s/audience’s decision to read/listen to the rest of the presentation. Body • This is the part of the report/presentation where the bulk of information is given. • Visual aids, such as graphs, are mainly used in the body. Summar • This part should be very brief and simple. y or • This is the writer’s/presenter’s chance to reinforce the central theme of conclusi the presentation by briefly emphasising the key elements of the on report/presentation. • Question and answer sessions usually follow the summary.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE WAYS TO ORGANISE A PRESENTATION Ways to organise a presentation Chronologic al Example Describe the history of a problem – organised from the first sign of trouble the present. Geographica Discuss the changing diversity of the customers – organised in different regions. l (spatial) Comparative Compare using traditional advertising methods with those available via the (contrast) internet. Uses pro’s and con’s Journalistic pattern Describe how bad publicity can ruin the good name of the business – organised by who, what, when, where, why and how (the six W’s). Value (size) Describe fluctuations in turnovers – organised by the turnover of the different branches. Importance Describe five reasons why a business should move its headquarters to a specific city – organised from the most important reason to the least important. Best/Worst case Analyse whether two businesses should merge.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE PRESENTATION Before the presentation: Prepare thoroughly Reduce stage fright by knowing your topic. Rehearse repeatedly Record your presentation and listen to it, if possible. Time your presentation Check the room Greet members of the audience Practise stress reduction Most audiences get restless after 20 minutes. Decide where your will stand the seating arrangements. For example, whilst setting up or when entering the room. For example, by doing deep breathing.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE PRESENTATION During the presentation: Begin with a pause Take a moment to make yourself comfortable. Present the first few minutes from memory Make eye contact with your audience. Maintain eye contact Talk directly to people and don’t ignore those at the back of throughout the room. presentation Control your voice Don’t apologise Use pauses when appropriate Speak loudly enough to be heard, but not too loudly. ‘I know you’re busy so I won’t take much time’ is a weak start. Take a moment, when switching from one main point to another

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE PRESENTATION During the presentation: : Slow down Don’t speak faster when you’re nervous – listen to what you are saying. Move Don’t get stuck in one spot and don’t fiddle with items in your pockets. Use visuals effectively When you discuss a visual aid, move aside so that the audience can see it fully – use a pointer in necessary to focus attention on specific points in the presentation. Avoid digressions Summarise your Don’t add things that you didn’t plan and rehearse. Make sure the correct slide will come up immediately when needed. Ensure smooth transitions between slides to maintain attention. Once you have announced that you will conclude, do so

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE PRESENTATION After the presentation: Distribute handouts It’s best to hand them out after the presentation unless you refer to them during the presentation. Encourage them to ask questions Announce the opportunity at the beginning of the presentation. Set a time limit for questions. Repeat questions Start your answer by repeating the question. It gives you time to think and maybe the audience didn’t hear the question. Reinforce main points Restate the primary ideas of the presentation. Avoid becoming defensive or entering into a debate with the person asking the question. Keep control Don’t let an individual take over. Keep the entire audience involved.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE PRESENTATION After the presentation : Avoid “Yes, but” answers The word ‘but’ immediately cancels any previous message. Try to replace it with ‘and’. End with a summary and appreciation As you answer the last question. , try to work it into a summary of your main points. Then express appreciation to the audience for the opportunity to talk to them. Ask those present to The register should request the audience to provide contact complete an details, or ask those who want to, to leave their business attendance register cards.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. DESIGNING A MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION (E. G. POWERPOINT) Start with the text Choose the background Choose images that help communicate your message Create graphics Add special effects Create hyperlinks to allow Web browsing

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL BUSINESS INFORMATION o Business information is either verbal or non. Verbal • Oral information verbal. informatio • Example: a conference call n Non-verbal • Written informatio • Example: information in letters, on notice boards or in reports, n diagrams or photographs Electronic • Data obtained via the internet, like e-mails informatio • Electronic information is also non-verbal n

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE Support materials for verbal presentations: o Presenters can use a variety of visual aids to support their presentations. o Audio-visual materials are presentation aids that make use of sight and sound, for example a video clip as part of a Power. Point presentation. o Take a look at the following examples of support-materials, usually used as part of a verbal presentation: Handout • Written or printed information handed out to the audience. s • Usually a short, printed summary of the information presented to the audience. Transpa • Transparencies are used with overhead projectors. rencies • Information written or printed on the transparency is projected onto a screen.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE SUPPORT-MATERIALS FOR VERBAL PRESENTATIONS: Slides • The contemporary version of a transparency. • A slide is a snapshot of a presentation – a presentation is a series of slides. mo • Slides contain only a summary of the most important points of a presentation. • Slides are created with computer applications, such as Microsoft Power. Point. • Slides can be printed and distributer to the audience or projected onto a screen. Charts • Any diagram, table or graph. • Usually created in Microsoft Excel, but can be used in Power. Point slides. Models • A model is a small but detailed representation of something that is either too large to bring to a presentation, or immovable. • Although a model is built on a much smaller scale, it has to look exactly like the original. • Models are mostly used to show what something looks like or will look like, or to show something works.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE SUPPORT-MATERIALS FOR NON-VERBAL PRESENTATIONS: o The following support-materials are usually used for non-verbal presentations. o However, these materials can also be used as part of verbal presentations: Tables • • • Ø Ø Ø • Tables comprise of columns and rows. Columns are vertical and rows are horizontal. Tables are often used to: Compare information Present information clearly Graphs are often drawn from tables Tables are easy to create with the aid of applications such as Microsoft Excel.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE SUPPORT-MATERIALS FOR NON-VERBAL PRESENTATIONS: o The following support-materials are usually used for non-verbal presentations. o However, these materials can also be used as part of verbal presentations: Graphic • A graph is a visual representation of data. s • Graphs are often used to: Ø Identify trends Ø Draw comparisons Ø Make assumptions • Types of graphs include: Ø Line graphs Ø Pie charts Ø Bar graphs Ø Pictographs

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE SUPPORT-MATERIALS FOR NON-VERBAL PRESENTATIONS: o The following support-materials are usually used for non-verbal presentations. o However, these materials can also be used as part of verbal presentations: Diagrams • Ø Ø Ø Diagrams are often used to: Illustrate a process Represent information in a logical way Types of diagrams include: Cycle diagrams Venn-diagrams Organisational charts Illustration • Drawings, pictures or symbols used to present written information. s

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE CRITERIA FOR A LOGICAL PRESENTATION: o A logical end efficient presentation is a well structured presentation. o Other criteria for logical and efficient presentations are: Know the audience • The presenter’s approach will depend on the audience. • The presentation must be on the appropriate level considering the audience. • If a presentation is too complicated, an audience will not be able to follow it and will get bored. • Humour is an important part of a presentation and can be used very effectively. • A presenter should know the overall style and type of humour that will appeal to the audience.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE CRITERIA FOR A LOGICAL PRESENTATION: o A logical end efficient presentation is a well structured presentation. o Other criteria for logical and efficient presentations are: Use a logical structure • Start with the most important information. • People tend to listen more attentive at the start of a presentation. • If important information is hidden in a presentation, it is likely to be missed by the audience. • Presentations have three parts: Ø Introduction Ø Body Ø Conclusion Use tables, • Support-materials like tables, graphs, diagrams and illustration are graphs and specially designed to indicate trends and show relationships. diagrams • Make sure symbols and pictures are clear and visible, in order to avoid confusion.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE CRITERIA FOR A LOGICAL PRESENTATION: o A logical end efficient presentation is a well structured presentation. o Other criteria for logical and efficient presentations are: Carefully select headings and sub-headings • • Ø Ø Ø Headings and sub-headings provide structure to a presentation. Reasons why headings are important, include: Headings help to break down a piece of work. Headings and sub-headings make it easier to follow a presentation. Headings and sub-headings prepare the audience for a presentations as they provide a guideline of what the presentation is about. The presenter • The audience should not be underestimated. must be well • They will notice is a presenter is unprepared • Being unprepared in unprofessional, because members of an audience took the time to attend a presentation. • An audience expects a presentation to be valuable. The presenter • Time is limited must keep to • If a presentation carries on for longer than expected, members of

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE PROSES AND STYLE OF PRESENTATION: o Nothing is more frustrating for an audience than a visual presentation that isn’t not visibly clear. o A presenter will not be able to capture the audience’s attention if the audience cannot follow the presentation. o The following tips will help a presenter to deliver a clear, visual presentation: • Position the data projector to ensure a clear view of the screen. • Each slide or transparency should correspond with what the presenter is saying. • A pointer can be used to focus the audience’s attention on important points.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE PROSES AND STYLE OF PRESENTATION : o General tips regarding the process and style of visual materials: Audio visual aids Design and layout of support materials Handouts • Use a legible font and font size. • Keep it simple – don’t use busy borders, different fonts or too many different colours. • Structure handouts logically • Do not overspend on handouts, as they are often thrown away immediately after the presentation. Transparenc • Use a legible font and font size. ies and • Make use of bullet-points rather than paragraphs. slides • Limit the amount of information per slide. • Keep it simple – don’t use busy borders, different fonts or too many different colours. • Make sure there are no spelling errors.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE PROSES AND STYLE OF PRESENTATION : o General tips regarding the process and style of visual materials: Audio visual aids Design and layout of support materials Charts • Use the chart that is most suitable for the information that is to be presented. • Make sure the chart is legible. • Name the chart. • Name the axis: time is usually on the x-axis Models • Make sure that the model is a true representation of the original. • Reveal the scale according to which the model is built. Posters • • • Make use of headings. Make sure all relevant information appears on the poster Make sure there are no spelling errors. Use bright colours to enhance visibility. Use short phrases, instead of full sentences. Make use of pictures.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS: o Presenters must bear the following in mind when responding to questions from an audience: • Questions by the audience are welcomed – it gives a presenter the opportunity to make sure an audience understands the presentation. • Give members of the audience an equal opportunity to ask questions. • Take notes of the questions asked. • A presenter can paraphrase a difficult questions to make sure he/she understands the question. • A presenter should not get involved in an argument – instead, invite members of the audience to meet

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS : o Presenters must bear the following in mind when responding to questions from an audience: • The presenter should verify facts. • Apologise for errors and make sure they are corrected before the next presentation. • A presenter should always remain calm. • Sometimes, when a person is put on the spot, a person’s first reaction is to be aggressive – presenters must guard against this. • Although questions and answer sessions are productive, they can also get out of hand – avoid this by specifying the duration of the question and answer session, e. g. 30 minutes. • Invite members of the audience to e-mail further questions for your attention.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE FEEDBACK: o Feedback refers to an audience’s response to a presentation. o Feedback can be positive or negative. o Positive feedback means the presentation was enjoyed and understood by the audience. o Negative feedback means that members of the audience felt the presentation could improve. o Reasons why feedback are important, include: • Feedback helps a presenter to identify areas of improvement. • Feedback enables a presenter to amend a presentation. • Feedback enables presenters to improve a presentation.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE IDENTIFY AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: o The most common mistakes made by presenters, include: Mistake Description Correction Dated of wrong information • Policies and legislation are often updated. • Do proper research to ensure that information us up-to-date and relevant. Illegible slides or transparencies • An audience cannot • Use legible font and size follow a presentation if for slides. they cannot see the • Test the transparencies or slides. of slides before the presentation.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE IDENTIFY AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: o The most common mistakes made by presenters, include: Mistake Description Correction Sound problems • An audience cannot follow a presentation if they cannot hear it. • Do a sound check before the presentation is delivered. Being unprepared • An audience will pick up on • Be prepared – do not this and exploit it. underestimate the audience. Pitching a presentation on the wrong level • If a presentation is too • Consider the audience difficult, an audience will and prepare a not be able to understand presentation that is on it. their level. • However, an audience may feel insulted if a presentation is to simple.

PRESENTATION AND DATA RESPONSE IDENTIFY AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: o The most common mistakes made by presenters, include: Mistake Description Correction Not sticking to the subject • Members of an audience • Plan the format of the are not interested in presentation and stick to stories or personal the topic. details of presenters – audiences want to hear the presentation and get on with their work.