How to Give a Good Presentation

Even the most confident people can get tongue-tied when making a presentation. Here’s how to get it right from the start…

If you watched this season’s The Apprentice, you’ll have seen what a mess even the most confident people can make of presentations. Those budding business wannabes who dominated the show can certainly talk the talk – they all boasted about their ability to give great sales pitches and presentations – yet when it came to it, most of them fell flat on their faces. Why? Because they hadn’t prepared properly.

When it comes to giving a presentation, preparation is everything, says Elizabeth Kuhnke, an Executive Presence Coach and Founder of Kuhnke Communication. “Preparation is the key,” she says. “This is your chance to be seen and heard by your peers and managers so take the time to think through your presentation. Visualise yourself as you want to be perceived and determine what you have to do to create that impression.”

This includes researching your topic and investigating the best methods of communicating to your audience – what technology is available that will create the right impression? Do you want to use handouts? Interactive displays? Any other props? You will also need to consider your own presentation skills – do you come across as confident or are you more inclined to mumble and talk down to your feet? If you want to make the right impression, practise your techniques in front of a mirror or to friends so that you appear calm and in control.

As well as thinking about how you want to come across to your peers, it’s important to think about what your audience wants to hear. This will help you to understand what the essential points of your presentation should be – are you giving a general overview of a subject, in which case, you can talk in more general terms, or are you highlighting a particular element, in which case precise details are more important to the audience.

“Consider your audience,” agrees Elizabeth. “Assess their needs and concerns and address those points in your presentation. Are they primarily ‘Big Picture’ thinkers or do they want lots of detail? By knowing what kind of information your audience responds to, you can structure your presentation in a way that resonates for your listener. ”

When it comes to structuring your presentation, there is a simple formula that Elizabeth suggests:

Break down your presentation into four parts:

1. Introduction
2. Main Body
3. Summary
4. Action Steps

When it comes to your introduction, follow the ‘ABCD’ approach.

• Capture the listener’s Attention right from the start.
• Tell your audience the Benefits of your presentation
• Establish your Credibility
• Lay out the Direction your talk will take

By following that formula for your opening, your audience will feel confident that you know what you’re doing and will pay attention to what you have to say.

A presentation that is well structured and that follows a definite thread will have much more impact than something that jumps around all over the place – think about a good magazine article that you may have read, or consider your old essay writing lessons from school – the clearer the thread of argument, and the more defined the beginning, middle and end are, the more engaged the reader is. This clarity is even more important with presentations as the audience has only one chance to follow what is being said – there is no opportunity for them to re-read passages they don’t understand, as you can with a magazine article.

The way you finish your presentation will inevitably leave the most lasting impression on audiences. It’s a chance to summarise your main points, to engage the audience, and to let your audience leave on a positive note. “When you reach the end of your presentation summarise the main points you want your audience to remember and finish with a call to action,” says Elizabeth. “What do you want your listeners to do as a result of your presentation? What will you do? By ending your presentation in a proactive way your audience will leave feeling inspired and ready to put plans into action.”

Lesson 3

TELEPHONING

The telephone; it is part of us. What would we do without it? It is as common as apple pie and summer sunshine. As much a part of our lives as learning to walk and talk and perhaps that is why we, at most times, give it little thought.

But making and receiving telephone calls is one of the hardest skills in English. As we can't see the person we're speaking to, we can't use the usual non-linguistic signs (gestures, facial expressions etc) to help us understand the other person.

However, we often use standard phrases during a phone call, and learning these will help you not only understand what the other person is saying, but also direct the telephone conversation so that you can communicate your message successfully and concisely.

Remember that it's perfectly acceptable to speak more slowly than in normal speech. Your main objective is to be able to understand – and be understood, so don't worry if you sound unnatural. Try to speak clearly, avoid speaking too fast, and be as concise as you possibly can.

Here is a list of useful telephoning phrases. As a suggestion, print them out and keep them by the phone for handy reference.

Introducing yourself
Good morning / Hello. This is (name) from (company).

My name is…

Asking to speak to someone
Could I speak to X please?

I'd like to speak to X please.

Could you put me through to X please?

When you answer the phone
Good morning / Hello. Sarah Jones speaking.

if the caller has asked for you by name, say "Speaking!"

Asking for caller identification
May I say who's calling?

Could I have your name please?

Who's calling please?

Saying why you are calling
I'm calling to… / about ….

I'm phoning about….

Saying that someone is not available
I'm sorry, but (name)…
… isn't here at the moment
… is out of the office
… away from his/her desk
…. is in a meeting
I'm sorry, but the line is engaged / X is on another call.

Offering to take a message
Would you like to leave a message?
Can I take a message?
Can I take your name and number?

Leaving a message
Could you ask X to call me back please?
Can I leave a message for X?

Promising action
I'll give X your message as soon as he / she comes back
I'll pass your message on

Saying goodbye
Thank you for calling.

If you don't understand what the other person is saying
Sorry? / Pardon?
Could you repeat that please?
Sorry, I can't hear you.
Can you spell that please?

USEFUL PHONE PHRASES

Here are some general phrases that you can use on the phone to make communication easier.

Bad line / bad time
Can I call you back?
Can I give you a call back?
Can you call me back?

When you don't understand
Sorry, but I don't really follow you.
I'm not sure I understand.
Sorry, what was that?
Sorry, what did you say?
Did you say …..?
Can you say that again please?
Can you repeat that please?

Asking the other person to slow down
Could you speak more slowly please?
I didn't get the last thing you said.
It's a really bad line. Can you say it again more slowly please.

Discussion Questions:

- How often do you have to speak on the phone in English?

- Do you find it difficult? If so, why?

- Are telephone conversations in English part of your job?

- Will they be part of your job in the future?

- Are work calls in English easier or more difficult than other calls in English?

 

TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE

Many things have changed over the years, especially in the evolving world of business. One thing has not changed though, and that is the need for proper telephone etiquette in the work place. Along with company downsizings and layoffs has come a necessity for companies to merge jobs together in order to eliminate human resources and save money. While that may be necessary, it is not necessary that the common element of etiquette, especially telephone etiquette, be left to suffer.

Since customers are the ones who infuse the profits into a business, they do not appreciate being treated with rudeness in their dealings with a company. This includes any business that is conducted on the telephone.

Proper telephone technique involves some basic common sense in which everyone who works for a company should use. Here are some basic tips:

Incoming Calls:

Tip 1- All incoming calls should be answered in a timely manner.

Tip 2- Business telephones should always be answered with a phrase like, "Good morning, ABC Company, Carol speaking, may I help you?" In a busy office setting that fields hundreds of calls each day, this particular phrase may be too much to say. If so, it can be shortened to a phrase that is less wordy. But the name of the company needs to be stated as soon as the phone is answered along with the person's name who answered the phone. This lets the caller know that they have indeed reached the right business, and lets them know with whom they are speaking.

Tip 3- Never put a caller on hold, but if you have to, be sure to check back with them every minute or so and ask if they would like to continue to hold. This lets them know that they have not been forgotten, and that you are attending to their call.

Tip 4- Speak clearly and slowly when you answer a business telephone. Do not slur or mumble your words. Speak with confidence so the person on the other end has the feeling that you know what you are doing.

Tip 5- Never be rude to a caller, no matter how nasty they are. Always remember to handle yourself in a professional, business-like manner. This includes handling the situation in a calm, cool manner.

Outgoing Calls:

Tip 1- Same as Tip 4 above--Speak clearly and slowly when you make a business call. Time may be money, but if the other party cannot understand what you are saying, then you might as well have saved your breath and not made the call at all.

Tip 2- Same as Tip 5 above--All customers expect to work with a professional organization. One sign of a professional organization is how they are treated by the people who work there.

Tip 3- When calling another business, it is proper etiquette to give your name and the company's name you work for to whomever answers the telephone. Do not make them guess who it is or make them pry it out of you.

Tip 4- If you get the wrong number, apologize to the person who answers the phone--do not just hang up. This is especially important nowadays when people have Caller ID on their phone lines. All they have to do is to check their device to find out who just rudely hung up on them.

Tip 5- When leaving a phone message, always state your name, company, phone number and reason for calling. Do not stammer or stutter and use up an unreasonable amount of time.

 

LANGUAGE PRACTICE

Exercise 1. Fill in the gaps in the conversation with the phrases on the right.

Claire: Hello, finance department Female: Hello, ___________(1) Adrian Hopwood, please? Claire: I’m, ___________(2) in a meeting at the moment., ___________(3)? Female: No I need to talk to Mr Hopwood, I think. What time will he be out of the meeting? Claire: In about an hour. ___________(4) Female: Okay, I’ll do that. Claire: Or, ___________(5)? Female: Actually, would you mind?, ___________(6) Jennifer McAndrews called and that I’m in the office all day if he could call me back. Claire: Can, ___________(7), please? Female: Yes, it’s 5556872. Claire: 5556872. Okay,, ___________(8) Female: Thanks very much for your help, bye! Claire: Goodbye!

a. Can I help   b. Could you tell him that   c. I’ll make sure he gets the message.   d. can I take a message   e. afraid he’s   f. Can you call back later?   g. can I speak to   h. I take your number

 

Exercise 2. Put the lines in the correct order to make two telephone conversations.

***

No, it’s 5558790.

Oh. Can I check the number I’ve got…. is that not 5568790?

No problem! Bye!

Rachel Allsop please.

I’m sorry, You must have the wrong number. There’s no-one of that name here.

Hello, this is the press office.

Oh sorry about that. I must have dialed the wrong number.

***

I’m sorry, you’ve got the wrong number, but he does work here. I’ll try and put you through. In future his direct number is 5558770.

No problem. Hang on a moment and I’ll put you through to Paul’s extension.

Did I not dial that?

No you rang 5558790.

Hello. Paul Richards, please.

Oh, sorry to have troubled you.

Hello, press office, can I help you?

Thanks.

Exercise 3. Look at two conversations below. Rie Sakimoto is trying to call James Croft. Choose the correct words for Rie.

Marcia: Hello, Marcia Fox.

Rie: a) Hello, can I speak to James Croft, please?

b) Hello, can James Croft speak to me, please?

c) Hello, where is James Croft, please?

Marcia: He's in a meeting at the moment. Can I take a message?

Rie: a) Tell him Rie Sakimoto called, please.

b) Could you tell him that Rie Sakimoto called, please.

c) Could you tell him that Rie Sakimoto called in, please.

Marcia: Sure. Does he have your number?

Rie: a) I'll give it to you in case. It's seven hundred and thirty, two thousand nine hundred and fifty one.

b) I'll give it to you in case. It's seven thirty, twenty nine, fifty one.

c) give it to you in case. It's seven three zero, two nine five one.

Marcia: I'll tell him you called.

Rie: Thank you. Bye.

Marcia: Hello, Marcia Fox.

Rie: a) Hello, where is James Croft, please?

b) Hello, is James Croft, please?

c) Hello, is James Croft there, please?

Marcia: Yes, I'll just put you though.

James: Hello, James Croft.

Rie: a ) Hello James. It's Rie Sakimoto here.

b) Hello James. I am Rie Sakimoto.

c) Hello James. Here is Rie Sakimoto.

James: Hi Rie. How are you?

Rie: a) Fine thank you.

b) Fine thank you. And you?

c) Very healthy thank you. And you?

James: Not so bad thanks. How can I help you?

Exercise 4. Imagine you are making a telephone call. You are arranging an appointment to see someone. What phrases might you use or hear?

Try to complete the conversation with appropriate phrases.

Michelle: Mr Hibberd’s office! Peter: Hello, ____________ (1) Michelle: ____________ (2) until lunchtime. Can I take a message? Peter: Well, ____________ (3) to see him, please. It’s Peter Jefferson here. Michelle: Could you hold on for a minute, Mr Jefferson. ____________ (4). So ____________ (5)? Peter: Some time next week if possible. I gather he’s away the following week. Michelle: Yes, that’s right, he’s on holiday for a fortnight. Peter: Well, I need to see him before he goes away. So ____________ (6)? Michelle: Wednesday. let me see. he's out of the office all morning. But he's free in the afternoon, after about three. Peter: Three o'clock is difficult. But ____________ (7) Michelle: ____________ (8), in Mr Hibberd's office? Peter: Yes, that sounds fine. Thanks very much. Michelle: Okay, then. Bye.

a. when’s convenient for you   b. I’m afraid he’s in a meeting   c. So shall we say 4.15 next Wednesday   d. can I speak to Brian Hibberd, please?   e. I could make itafter four.   f. I’ll just look in the diary   g. I’d like to arrange an appointment   h. would next Wednesday be okay

TELEPHONE - CONNECTING QUIZ

Choose the one correct answer