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352 PART 6 • STRATEGIC-MANAGEMENT CASE ANALYSIS

audience’s interest and attention. You could do this by displaying some products made by
the company, telling an interesting short story about the company, or sharing an experience
you had that is related to the company, its products, or its services. You could develop or
obtain a video to show at the beginning of class; you could visit a local distributor of the
firm’s products and tape a personal interview with the business owner or manager. A light
or humorous introduction can be effective at the beginning of a presentation.
Be sure the setting of your presentation is well organized, with seats for attendees, flip
charts, a transparency projector, and whatever else you plan to use. Arrive at the classroom
at least 15 minutes early to organize the setting, and be sure your materials are ready to go.
Make sure everyone can see your visual aids well.

Controlling Your Voice
An effective rate of speaking ranges from 100 to 125 words per minute. Practice your
presentation aloud to determine if you are going too fast. Individuals commonly speak too
fast when nervous. Breathe deeply before and during the presentation to help yourself slow
down. Have a cup of water available; pausing to take a drink will wet your throat, give you
time to collect your thoughts, control your nervousness, slow you down, and signal to the
audience a change in topic.
Avoid a monotone by placing emphasis on different words or sentences. Speak
loudly and clearly, but don’t shout. Silence can be used effectively to break a monotone
voice. Stop at the end of each sentence, rather than running sentences together with and
or uh.

Managing Body Language
Be sure not to fold your arms, lean on the podium, put your hands in your pockets, or put
your hands behind you. Keep a straight posture, with one foot slightly in front of the other.
Do not turn your back to the audience; doing so is not only rude, but it also prevents your
voice from projecting well. Avoid using too many hand gestures. On occasion, leave the
podium or table and walk toward your audience, but do not walk around too much. Never
block the audience’s view of your visual aids.
Maintain good eye contact throughout the presentation. This is the best way to per-
suade your audience. There is nothing more reassuring to a speaker than to see members of
the audience nod in agreement or smile. Try to look everyone in the eye at least once dur-
ing your presentation, but focus more on individuals who look interested than on those
who seem bored. To stay in touch with your audience, use humor and smiles as appropri-
ate throughout your presentation. A presentation should never be dull!

Speaking from Notes
Be sure not to read to your audience because reading puts people to sleep. Perhaps
worse than reading is merely reciting what you have memorized. Do not try to memo-
rize anything. Rather, practice unobtrusively using notes. Make sure your notes are
written clearly so you will not flounder when trying to read your own writing. Include
only main ideas on your note cards. Keep note cards on a podium or table if possible so
that you won’t drop them or get them out of order; walking with note cards tends to be
distracting.

Constructing Visual Aids
Make sure your visual aids are legible to individuals in the back of the room. Use color
to highlight special items. Avoid putting complete sentences on visual aids; rather, use
short phrases and then orally elaborate on issues as you make your presentation.
Generally, there should be no more than four to six lines of text on each visual aid.
Use clear headings and subheadings. Be careful about spelling and grammar; use a
consistent style of lettering. Use masking tape or an easel for posters—do not hold
posters in your hand. Transparencies and handouts are excellent aids; however, be
careful not to use too many handouts or your audience may concentrate on them
instead of you during the presentation.