"Communication skills are very important to my job at DreamWorks/PDI. I am a lead lighter, which means I have to often communicate with my team. After the classes with Angelika, I gained a lot of confidence in speaking before groups, and my better communication skills have helped speed up my production. Since then, the company has given me more opportunities to take on bigger projects. I have been able to share my knowledge with my co-workers, I take on more responsibility and have gained more trust in my work from the company."

Jin Liou, Lead Lighter, October 10, 2001

[return to tip index]

How to win your next Presentation

1. Tell a story - people like stories.

2. Write your presentation so that people understand you - it has to be simple (not simplistic) and avoid acronyms and jargon unless everyone in the audience understands them.

3. Don't waste your time on fancy animations, sounds, or things wandering from left to right.It just detracts from your message.

4. Start with a bang, e.g. a humorous story or an interesting quote, but something that relates to the audience listening to you and also fits to your topic.

5. Create a core message - make it easy to remember and repeat it several times throughout your talk.

6. State who you are - why are you giving the presentation? whom are you addressing? what is your main message? what do you want the listeners to walk away with, after you are finished? Did you include a call to action?

7. Know your audience - "There is no such thing as a dumb audience; if they don't understand, it's because you can't communicate." (Harvey Golub, American Express)

[return to tip index]

Professional Business Communications

How to win your next Presentation