Introduction

When you think of a presentation, a few examples leap to mind right away. You might think about an entrepreneur presenting his business plan to potential investors, or maybe you might recall the last time your company's CEO gave a webcast presentation to the entire company all at one time. These examples are certainly important presentations, but there are so many more instances--and they all have their own purpose, audience, objectives, time frames and requirements--that before we start talking about how to give an effective presentation, we need to spend a few minutes thinking about what a presentation is.

Let's say, for example, that you are looking for a new job at Herb's Garden. After submitting your application, Herb will call you back and schedule an interview to see if you are true Herb's Garden material. The interview is a presentation in which you are trying to convince the hiring manager that you are the best candidate for the job. The hiring manager, at the same time, is trying to convince you that Herb's Garden is the best place to work, that they have the best combination of pay, benefits, and work environment of any area employer.

Let's say Herb doesn't convince you that you want to work for him, and instead you decide to start your own landscape design company. You will have to ask potential investors for start-up money, and you may have to take out loans from the bank. Then, you will have to join the Chamber of Commerce and the gardeners association of your choice, where you will network and schmooze with potential clients. All of these activities are presentations in which you are promoting your business and convincing others to loan you money, buy your product, or let you schedule a meeting for a formal sales presentation.

Once your business is well-established, you will eventually be able to let it function on its own and you will start looking at other sectors of your life. One day, when you are picking up your children at school, you might notice that your children's school gym is in desperate need of repair. You might start lobbying for a renovation, and eventually, you might find yourself in front of the school board during the strictly monitored public access time. In three minutes, you will have to state your case and the reasons why the school board should take more time to consider the renovation further.

All of these situations are presentations, and they all have different objectives, audiences, time constraints, and purposes.