Delivering A Quality Presentation

[sschw...@yahoo.com]

Presentation attendance is important for keeping sharp and up to date
on topics and techniques. With that in mind, I often attend seminars
and presentations on a variety of topics, from business development
and consultancy to investing and asset management. Most recently, I
attended a seminar from David Lerner and Associates on "Building and
Protecting your Assets." While this is clearly a sales seminar,
looking to create a buying impulse, it also provided great information
and food for thought. Mostly, however, I want to discuss the
techniques used in the seminar, as I found it to be very well done.

I will begin by saying that David Lerner is a very polished and
entertaining speaker. His use of technology was well integrated with
his manner of walking the room. Three video screens were used, One
large central screen and two smaller screens to allow the viewers at
the peripheries to see the information clearly as well. On top of
this, a wireless sound system was used to project the speaker's voice
effectively. The facility was a moderate sized convention center/
ballroom, with a crowd that I would estimate at 600 people. Utilizing
an array of speakers connected to a wireless receiver, and a handheld
wireless microphone, every word was able to be heard clearly. Volume
and clarity are both key factors for successful speakers. However, it
was not so much the technical details which made this a good
presentation, it was the presentation style. Mr. Lerner made several
overtures to connect with the audience effectively. First, he was
adept at using humor, which is often touted as a public speaking tool.
I personally liked his references to Mel Brooks' movies, as I am a
huge fan of his work. Bringing the audience back to those references
at points throughout the presentation also created memory points for
the audience. This is a fantastic technique for getting an audience to
remember key points, without seeming like a pushy teacher. Mr. Lerner
also connected with the audience by sharing details and experiences
from his personal life. Humanizing yourself as a speaker should not be
discounted; an audience is far more likely to "buy in" to a speaker's
pitch if they see him as one of their own rather than an outsider.
Sharing stories that the audience can relate to is crucial, but a
speaker must know the audience well enough to make this work. Both the
humor and personal connection set the audience at ease and allow for a
greater capacity to listen and accept what is being shared without a
highly guarded affect.

The presentation itself consisted of information presented orally
through Mr. Lerner and other speakers, visually through a PowerPoint
presentation, and physically through audience participation (question
and response). This allows for the greater learning and interest, as
it touches on multiple learning styles. The investment strategies
discussed were put into simple terms and graphics which could be
easily understood. The presentation was laid out logically in a manner
that was easy to follow and built from the bottom up. Basically, there
are three levels of investment to consider, base-level - safe
investment with moderate returns, mid-level - some what greater risk
and slightly higher returns and top-level - higher returns and higher
risk. The base-level should be the largest investment amount,
consisting of the monies which cannot be risked; the housing, food,
and health cost funds. I will not discuss the investment vehicles
mentioned as this is not a sales article for the company, but rather a
discussion of the presentation techniques used. The mid-level should
contain less of the funds, but should only be invested in after the
necessities have been covered with safe investments. This level
consists of relatively safe investments but carries some risk of loss
or lowered returns but a higher projected return. The top-level
consists of the smallest portion of the investments, and includes
stocks, mutual funds and potential high returns but much higher risk
of loss as well. This level should only be filled with cash which can
be lost without harming the investor's lifestyle appreciably. As an
MBA with an educational background in finance and economics as well as
marketing, the strategies fit well with my own views and do make
sense. However, even without that education, the presentation was
clear enough and concise enough to be easily understood. I think that
this was one of the key strengths of the presentation, it provided
information which was interesting for knowledgeable participants but
also simple enough for novices to grasp easily. It played effectively
for the full range of the audience. This explanation of the strategy
was augmented with specific numbers on returns delivered by various
product components. Here, audience participation was a key part of the
presentation as well. Many audience members were clients of David
Lerner Associates already and had investments in specific products.
Their enthusiasm for the products and affirmation of the returns
boosts the credibility of the presentation. Due to the numbers of
people, it is not likely that they were plants, although that thought
would cross my mind otherwise. I should also disclose that I was there
because I know people who work for the company and I have the utmost
respect for the character of those individuals.

Lastly, certain tools were used to keep audience members from leaving
prior to the end of the presentation. First, food and refreshments
were served prior to the presentation. This ensured that the
participants were comfortable and not thinking about getting food or
being otherwise distracted by hunger or thirst. Secondly, desserts
were served, and coffee was made available at the close of the
presentation. This allowed for the associates to mingle with the
participants after the presentation to set up appointments and to
discuss the presentation details. This reinforces to presentation and
allows for clarification of details where needed. It also attempts to
lock in clients while they are still focused on the presentation
material. Finally, a drawing was done at the close of the seminar,
after the dessert and mingling, for several items. Only those present
would be able to win items. Therefore, an incentive was given to
remain in attendance until the end, and the vast majority of those who
came for the presentation did remain. As noted, I found this to be a
well done presentation and wanted to share these techniques, as they
can be readily employed by others to enhance their own presentations
and seminars.