Present Like a Pro

Book excerpt: Highly accessible, full of memorable examples, and at times amusing, this book presents ten powerful techniques for getting your point across in all venues—including new media. In today's world, nearly everyone, including business professionals and executives, salespeople, teachers, authors, and entrepreneurs—in short, anyone who needs to put an idea before others—needs strong presentation and persuasion skills. Moreover, just as important as traditional public speaking skills is the ability to present effectively via various media. Today's presentation is just as likely to be given over Skype or on YouTube as in a room, before a live audience. Present Like a Pro shares the expertise of a veteran presenter who knows what is demanded in today's marketplace and has lectured publicly, appeared on television, and testified before Congress. The straightforward, step-by-step instructions provide a sensible "plan of attack" for preparing and presenting. The ten techniques give readers the ability to simplify the challenge of presenting, to understand what works, and to develop an effective strategy for solving any presentation problems not directly covered in the book. Author Carl Hausman addresses all of the common problems for those new to presenting or working in a new environment, such as overcoming stage fright, injecting humor and wit into a presentation while delivering credible expertise, and winning over an inattentive, skeptical, or hostile audience.