A colloquium on the topic ‘Effective Presentation Skills – A Key Business Competency’ was held at School of Business, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, on January 21, 2018. The session was handled by Subramanian Krishnan, Former Advisor – Global Marketing, Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning ExxonMobil Lubricants and Specialties.

He began with a saying “Practice to Perfect.” People who are great communicators will be remembered, respected and succeed in their endeavors. His lecture flowed on the following topics:

Importance:

An effective communication would enhance the public image, portray the leadership qualities and sow the seeds of success.

Define Presentation Type and Scenario

One should be clear with the way of presenting the topic, decide whether it should be informative, persuasive or entertaining based on the audience and the importance of the topic. He explained us using the grid which shows the various scenarios of delivery:

• Casual – informal and discussion oriented
• Formal – polished visuals and structured delivery
• Small audience – flow of information
• Large audience – well prepared and done at convenience

Understand the Audience

This is the secret formula to succeed in making a presentation. One should meet the expectations of the audience by segmenting them, knowing their personal background and need for information at present. If one finds that the audience is disinterested; the strategy and communication style should be altered. Adaptability and flexibility is essential without being in a rigid mindset with definite protocols of speaking. Also use ‘jargons’ only if the people understand.

Develop ‘Big Idea’ for Presentation

One should analyze the point of view, quote examples, and learn to deal with logical, emotional and practical resistance which may come in his way. Making an impression within 2 minutes is essential. Use the “tell’em” strategy in marketing to reinforce the points in the minds of the target audience. A catchy title will make a huge change in the peoples’ interest. Ensure a visual display with right fonts, ‘builds’, ‘sound bites’, charts, and jargons (if understandable). Also having a backup plan would save the speaker from unnecessary commotion in case of a technological glitch.

Deliver

Staying calm and ‘being you’ is the first step for a good delivery of thoughts. Build trust with the audience, speak with right modulation, admit ignorance and interact. These were some of the key points in delivering a speech which he mentioned.

Gather Feedback

Collecting feedback will help the speaker to hone his skills by avoiding the mistakes and makes him more perfect in presenting.

Concluding Remarks

He concluded with the thought from which he began – “Practice to Perfect.”