How to Give a Team Presentation
by Allan Kaufman
If you give technical, marketing, or sales presentations, then
effective team presenting should be part of your presentation skills
toolbox.
A team presentation is a presentation given by two or more people
on a common theme. Different parts of the presentation are given
by team members who are knowledgeable about their parts.
For example, a sales team consists of four members who will give
a presentation on a new product. The team leader introduces the
product. Then s/he introduces one team member to present the technical
aspects of the product.
Another team member presents the costs, benefits, and profits of
the product. The third member presents a marketing strategy. Finally,
the team leader summarizes and presents the call for action. Each
team member may speak for 5 minutes to 20 minutes and the overall
presentation may last from 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Allan Kaufman was part of a team
presentation. The theme was retirement. The team leader set the
stage. She gave the introduction. Then she introduced him to discuss
"Life After 40," including his current retirement planning.
After he spoke for 5 minutes, she introduced someone who had just
retired from the navy after 38 years service. He spoke about his
retirement and what he was going to be doing.
Then a psychologist spoke on how people react to changes in their
lives and how this relates to retirement. Lastly, the team leader
summarized to end the presentation.
So, this team's approach was to examine retirement from three viewpoints:
(1) someone still working at his profession;
(2) a person who had just retired from his profession and is retiring
not to a rocking chair, but to a new business experience; and (3)
a trained professional who studies peoples' reactions to changes
in life, retirement being one of them.
Some Key Guidelines
- Develop a concept that would better
lend itself to a team presentation than one done by only one person.
- Assemble a team of speakers who can
work together effectively.
- Plan out the presentation and consider
the total presentation time available, times available for each
team member (Note: Each team member may not need the same amount
of time), and time for practicing.
- Make sure that each team member knows
exactly what part of the presentation he or she is responsible
for. This will prevent any unwanted overlaps.
- Allow plenty of time for each team
member to prepare his/her part.
- All team members should use the same
type or style of visual aids. The best way to ensure this is to
design them together and use presentation templates to ensure
design consistency.
- Each member should practice his/her
part, and then the team should practice as a well coordinated
unit.
- If possible, do a walkthrough of the
presentation before an audience that you've selected and get feedback.
Have the audience ask questions, and record the questions and
answers. Later, refine the answers.
- If you have access to videotape equipment,
use it to record your walkthroughs and practice sessions. Then
refine your presentation.
Team presentations take a lot of planning and are susceptible to
complications, but they can be impressive and effective. Use the
above guidelines to hone your team presentation. You will be pleasantly
surprised at your results.
© Allan Misch and Allan Kaufman,
Allan and Allan, Inc., 2003. All rights reserved.
Allan Kaufman and Allan Misch http://www.nosweatspeaking.com
specialize in rapidly reducing public speaking fear and offer 2
valuable, bonus reports and public speaking tips in their complimentary
monthly No Sweat Speaking™ Ezine.
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