Exam 11: Oral Presentations

You work as a marketing coordinator for Gillespie Homes, a construction firm in Calgary. Your job duties include delivering oral presentations for a variety of different purposes to many different audiences. One of your current tasks is to prepare a presentation for the company’s sales team to outline the projected time frame and marketing strategies your department has developed to sell homes the company has built in a new subdivision. The members of your sales team have made it clear that they consider the material you will present to them dull and irrelevant. They have found these presentations to be repetitious and boring in the past. However, your boss insists that they need the information and that attendance is mandatory. You also need to make a presentation to small groups of potential suppliers of products and services. You have been asked to provide additional information and explain how to submit a proposal using the company’s new online proposal form. You have heard from several of these suppliers already who are frustrated and hostile about the new form, which they consider unnecessarily long, detailed, and confusing. -What would be the most effective way to end your presentation to the Gillespie Homes sales team?

You should consider the situation and the audience for your presentation after you have designed your PowerPoint slides.

It is normal to experience some degree of stage fright when speaking before a group.

People who don't prepare thoroughly for an oral presentation suffer the most anxiety and give the worst performances.

You work as a marketing coordinator for Gillespie Homes, a construction firm in Calgary. Your job duties include delivering oral presentations for a variety of different purposes to many different audiences. One of your current tasks is to prepare a presentation for the company’s sales team to outline the projected time frame and marketing strategies your department has developed to sell homes the company has built in a new subdivision. The members of your sales team have made it clear that they consider the material you will present to them dull and irrelevant. They have found these presentations to be repetitious and boring in the past. However, your boss insists that they need the information and that attendance is mandatory. You also need to make a presentation to small groups of potential suppliers of products and services. You have been asked to provide additional information and explain how to submit a proposal using the company’s new online proposal form. You have heard from several of these suppliers already who are frustrated and hostile about the new form, which they consider unnecessarily long, detailed, and confusing. -Your presentation to the suppliers begins well, but after just a few minutes, you stumble, confusing the order of two of the steps in the procedure. What would be the best way to handle your mistake?

Personal anecdotes have no place in a professional presentation.

Your text recommends that a presenter should spend as much time as necessary to create impressive PowerPoint slides, and then use the time remaining to prepare the content of the presentation.

You work as a marketing coordinator for Gillespie Homes, a construction firm in Calgary. Your job duties include delivering oral presentations for a variety of different purposes to many different audiences. One of your current tasks is to prepare a presentation for the company’s sales team to outline the projected time frame and marketing strategies your department has developed to sell homes the company has built in a new subdivision. The members of your sales team have made it clear that they consider the material you will present to them dull and irrelevant. They have found these presentations to be repetitious and boring in the past. However, your boss insists that they need the information and that attendance is mandatory. You also need to make a presentation to small groups of potential suppliers of products and services. You have been asked to provide additional information and explain how to submit a proposal using the company’s new online proposal form. You have heard from several of these suppliers already who are frustrated and hostile about the new form, which they consider unnecessarily long, detailed, and confusing. -Which sentence from your presentation to Gillespie Homes' suppliers is the best example of a verbal signpost?

When designing a PowerPoint presentation, you should try to use text sparingly on the slides.

You work as a marketing coordinator for Gillespie Homes, a construction firm in Calgary. Your job duties include delivering oral presentations for a variety of different purposes to many different audiences. One of your current tasks is to prepare a presentation for the company’s sales team to outline the projected time frame and marketing strategies your department has developed to sell homes the company has built in a new subdivision. The members of your sales team have made it clear that they consider the material you will present to them dull and irrelevant. They have found these presentations to be repetitious and boring in the past. However, your boss insists that they need the information and that attendance is mandatory. You also need to make a presentation to small groups of potential suppliers of products and services. You have been asked to provide additional information and explain how to submit a proposal using the company’s new online proposal form. You have heard from several of these suppliers already who are frustrated and hostile about the new form, which they consider unnecessarily long, detailed, and confusing. -When you design your presentation for potential suppliers, some of whom are upset and hostile, what is the best advice?

You work as a marketing coordinator for Gillespie Homes, a construction firm in Calgary. Your job duties include delivering oral presentations for a variety of different purposes to many different audiences. One of your current tasks is to prepare a presentation for the company’s sales team to outline the projected time frame and marketing strategies your department has developed to sell homes the company has built in a new subdivision. The members of your sales team have made it clear that they consider the material you will present to them dull and irrelevant. They have found these presentations to be repetitious and boring in the past. However, your boss insists that they need the information and that attendance is mandatory. You also need to make a presentation to small groups of potential suppliers of products and services. You have been asked to provide additional information and explain how to submit a proposal using the company’s new online proposal form. You have heard from several of these suppliers already who are frustrated and hostile about the new form, which they consider unnecessarily long, detailed, and confusing. -You are considering creating handouts for your presentation to the sales team. What is the best strategy for using handouts?

You work as a marketing coordinator for Gillespie Homes, a construction firm in Calgary. Your job duties include delivering oral presentations for a variety of different purposes to many different audiences. One of your current tasks is to prepare a presentation for the company’s sales team to outline the projected time frame and marketing strategies your department has developed to sell homes the company has built in a new subdivision. The members of your sales team have made it clear that they consider the material you will present to them dull and irrelevant. They have found these presentations to be repetitious and boring in the past. However, your boss insists that they need the information and that attendance is mandatory. You also need to make a presentation to small groups of potential suppliers of products and services. You have been asked to provide additional information and explain how to submit a proposal using the company’s new online proposal form. You have heard from several of these suppliers already who are frustrated and hostile about the new form, which they consider unnecessarily long, detailed, and confusing. -You have decided to create a PowerPoint slide show to accompany your presentation to the sales team. You consider several possible strategies. What strategy would be most likely to result in an effective presentation?

Employees who want to be successful and advance in today's business world should focus entirely on technical skills.

Beginning a presentation with a ____________________________ keeps the audience expectant.

You work as a marketing coordinator for Gillespie Homes, a construction firm in Calgary. Your job duties include delivering oral presentations for a variety of different purposes to many different audiences. One of your current tasks is to prepare a presentation for the company’s sales team to outline the projected time frame and marketing strategies your department has developed to sell homes the company has built in a new subdivision. The members of your sales team have made it clear that they consider the material you will present to them dull and irrelevant. They have found these presentations to be repetitious and boring in the past. However, your boss insists that they need the information and that attendance is mandatory. You also need to make a presentation to small groups of potential suppliers of products and services. You have been asked to provide additional information and explain how to submit a proposal using the company’s new online proposal form. You have heard from several of these suppliers already who are frustrated and hostile about the new form, which they consider unnecessarily long, detailed, and confusing. -You are very nervous before you begin your presentation to Gillespie Homes' suppliers because you have never met most of them and you know many of them are annoyed with the new proposal procedures. According to your text, what will reduce your stage fright?

You work as a marketing coordinator for Gillespie Homes, a construction firm in Calgary. Your job duties include delivering oral presentations for a variety of different purposes to many different audiences. One of your current tasks is to prepare a presentation for the company’s sales team to outline the projected time frame and marketing strategies your department has developed to sell homes the company has built in a new subdivision. The members of your sales team have made it clear that they consider the material you will present to them dull and irrelevant. They have found these presentations to be repetitious and boring in the past. However, your boss insists that they need the information and that attendance is mandatory. You also need to make a presentation to small groups of potential suppliers of products and services. You have been asked to provide additional information and explain how to submit a proposal using the company’s new online proposal form. You have heard from several of these suppliers already who are frustrated and hostile about the new form, which they consider unnecessarily long, detailed, and confusing. -You are trying to decide whether to create a visual aid for your presentation to the Gillespie Homes sales team. Which statement is probably the most relevant and helpful?

Before you use your PowerPoint presentation with an audience, you should ___________________ your slide show, considering whether you have used the tools PowerPoint provides to communicate your message in a visually appealing way.

You can build rapport with an audience by telling a story about yourself. Your text calls this using a personal ___________________________.

You work as a marketing coordinator for Gillespie Homes, a construction firm in Calgary. Your job duties include delivering oral presentations for a variety of different purposes to many different audiences. One of your current tasks is to prepare a presentation for the company’s sales team to outline the projected time frame and marketing strategies your department has developed to sell homes the company has built in a new subdivision. The members of your sales team have made it clear that they consider the material you will present to them dull and irrelevant. They have found these presentations to be repetitious and boring in the past. However, your boss insists that they need the information and that attendance is mandatory. You also need to make a presentation to small groups of potential suppliers of products and services. You have been asked to provide additional information and explain how to submit a proposal using the company’s new online proposal form. You have heard from several of these suppliers already who are frustrated and hostile about the new form, which they consider unnecessarily long, detailed, and confusing. -You decide to incorporate PowerPoint slides in your presentation to suppliers. Which of the following would help to convince your audience that you are trustworthy and credible?

Although it requires more preparation time, memorization is the best delivery method for an oral presentation because it ensures that none of your material will be left out.