Tips for effective presentations.

President and Founder of US Based i-Impact Group Mr. Claudio O. Pannunzio said financial advisers are turning to his communications consultancy in growing numbers seeking assistance and support to prepare them for speaking engagements.

This demand is fuelled by more and more advisers being invited to speak on a variety of business, investment, protection and retirement related issues at luncheons, industry events and of course, for their own clients.

Reflecting on this trend, Pannunzio believes that in order for a presentation to be memorable and effective, it has to be an enjoyable experience for the speaker and this is the objective of his training programs and workshops.

Aside from training adviser clients on how best to articulate and convey messages, Pannunzio discusses with them the dos and don’ts of public speaking and what to avoid during a presentation.  He offers the following five important recommendations to maximize their public speaking experience and success.

The first tip is to Know Thy Audience.  Research and learn as much as possible about the organisation or event and the type of audience that will be addressed.

If the adviser arrives at the venue before the time of their presentation, a wise move would be to invest some time in talking to members of the organisation to get information, insights and testimonials about their activities and event itself.

So when the adviser steps up to the podium, this little investment will pay handsome dividends, as it will enable the speaker to bring up ad-hoc examples and / or anecdotes that will resonate and engage the audience.

Understanding the Rules of Engagement is Pannunzio’s second tip.  Learn well ahead of time what are the rules and norms for speakers.  Are speakers allowed to use visuals and / or distribute handouts?  How much time has been allocated for the presentation?  Will it include time for Q & A?  Will the organiser be willing to share a copy of the attendees’ list with their contact information?

The third tip is the need to Practice the Technology Skills.   At home or office, advisers should practice connecting computer cables, opening and closing flash drives, pulling up PowerPoint files on the laptop screen, etc.  By timing these actions in advance, the speaker will know how long it will take to set up the visuals in the unfortunate event that an IT person is not on hand at the time of the presentation.

In addition, it’s a wise precaution to have the presentations on a flash drive and / or hard disc and have a couple of print copies, just in case the computer and / or projector decide to fail as well.

The need to Be Flexible is Pannunzio’s fourth tip.  If the organisers have allowed 60 minutes for the presentation, plan for less time.  Frequently, events run into delays and often only a few minutes before stepping up to the podium speakers are informed that their presentation time will be reduced.

So, the need to be prepared in advance to give a shorter presentation is essential.  This will avoid the unexpected pressure of having to fly through the presentation’s original format.

The final tip is to Allow for Extra Time.  Travelling by air, train or car has become a big gamble, especially around big cities.  Speakers should allow themselves extra time when booking flights, taxis or driving to the destination.

Contact the organisers to find out travelling time from the airport / train station or hotel.  Also, ask about the exact location of garages and parking facilities and how far they are from the venue of the presentation.

If the destination is a conference centre, be sure to identify the closest entrance to the function room / auditorium – in large conference centres, it takes several minutes to walk from one end to the other.

Pannunzio also admits that this may sound “old school”, but if driving, print the directions and don’t blindly rely on the GPS, especially if it is the first time that the speaker is going to that particular location.

“Most financial advisers invest significantly in the marketing of their practice and yet one of the best ways to build and promote their individual brand or business profile is often overlooked: and that is public speaking.”

“The benefits for advisers that engage in public speaking are immense and can provide many opportunities to lift their own professional standing in the industry, with clients as well as providing a platform to promote the services and expertise of the practice to a broader audience,” concluded Claudio Pannunzio.

The post Advisers offered five golden tips for a successful presentation appeared first on AdviserVoice.