WAKE 'EM
UP!
Business
Presentations
A book on public speaking by Tom Antion
Learn how to use humor and other professional techniques to create alarmingly good Business Presentations.
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The
Centerpiece Area
Speaking at Banquets
In years of doing presentations
and writing books on public speaking, I have gathered some useful tips to
having a successful presentation during a banquet or luncheon. You may need
to politely inform the program coordinator to consider some of the following
points:
ROOM SET-UP
(Many of these tips work whether food is being served or not)
Avoid spacing round tables really far apart in an attempt to fill up
the empty space. The more distance you have from the audience the harder it
is to involve them and get them to participate.
A better idea would be to place the tables as close together as you can get
while still allowing enough room for the waiters to move around comfortably.
If there seems to be too much empty room space you could fill it with some
kind of decorative divider.
Avoid a big distance between the head table /dais / speaker area and the
first row of tables. Remember, distance can be a big barrier to speaking to
the audience and having interaction with them.
Consider giving the presenter an option of speaking areas. Many speakers can do a better job
if they are not confined behind a head table or lectern.
Try to set the head table or
speaker area on the longer side of the room. This means that the back row
participants will be closer to the speaker than if you set the head table /
speaker area on the short side of the room (participants will feel they are
really far from everything going on).
Most audiences like being closer to the speaker. To accomplish this, place
extra chairs near the front of the room to be used by the head table
participants after dinner (of course, this would depend on your overall
program). You would not want them seated behind the speaker during the
program. Set the head table back from the front of the podium. The
presenter can then perform in front of the head table.
Set buffet tables far to the side or on the opposite end from the speaker
area. If someone goes back for late seconds or arrives late, he or she will
not be disruptive. Discourage use of doors anywhere near the head
table/speaker area.
All these placement factors are a key part to understanding the skills in my
book
on public speaking.
TIMING
The aspect of timing is also important to learn from my book on public
speaking. When your on a tight time schedule, having desserts placed
on the table midway through the meal can help things run smoothly.
Arrange with banquet staff to cease all bussing of tables on a pre-arranged
signal. Many functions have less than interesting
openings because service personnel are running around for the first
10 minutes of a talk. This can get the presentation off to a bad start.
Ten minutes before the program is to start, it is very helpful to announce
something like the following: "The program will start in ten minutes. Please
get your drink refills, (go to the little boys and little girls room), grab
another piece of cake and then take your seats and get ready for a great
program!"
When having a presentation in settings where food is involved you have
to make a special effort to take care of all of the logistical details so
your speech is well received. Learning to use these skills taught in my
book
on public speaking is just as important as what you will say.
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The Centerpiece Area
In my book on public speaking you
will see how easy it is to incorporate the centerpiece area of the tables
into your program. Dr. Shirley Garrett recently used this technique at a large presentation she
performed. During her presentation she was going to use juggling scarves so
she decided to drape these same scarves in the centerpiece area and it
looked great. The best part was that it was inexpensive, it related to her
presentation, and it gave each member of the audience something to take home
so they would remember her.
This idea could also score you
some points with the meeting planner who could save quite a bit of money on
flowers or other ornamental types of centerpieces. Having good skills
involves thinking ahead, thinking creatively, and thinking how you can
help people save money while you make money.
This book on public speaking will also teach you that you could make the
centerpiece area as a revenue generator for you. You can pre-sell your
books or tapes to the meeting planner and then you arrange them attractively
in the middle of the table. Use the middle of a roundtable to tie your
message in AND make more money.
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