What's the best way to jazz up a boring presentation?

Question

I'm giving a presentation tomorrow on what my department does. It runs the risk of being quite dry so I need alternative presentation tactics - I need your imagination! I only have 24 hours to prep and the group will be no larger than 40. And yes, they're up for a laugh...

Answer 1

strip naked this will liven up anything, either that or get steaming drunk and insult everyone personaly.

Answer 2

Make an emphatic opening statement. A powerful statement will capture attention and set a dynamic tone for your presentation.

No matter which type of delivery you select, make it enthusiastic! Because if you’re interested in what you’re saying, the audience will have a reason to be too.

Use humor. When people gather to listen to a presentation, they are there to be educated -- but they also want to be entertained. Younger people tend to appreciate a simpler model of humour such as slapstick, while older people often enjoy an unexpected turn of events, irony, and cultural references.
But keep the humour under control. Jokes should be related to the content, and they should never come at someone else’s expense. Self-deprecating humour is the safest kind.

Tell a story. Consider the most impressive presentation you’ve ever witnessed. What made it so impressive? It probably didn’t include pie charts or PowerPoint slides. More likely the presenter told stories and shared anecdotes from his or her own experiences. Use experiences from your own life, because you’re likely to tell them with more emotion and conviction than a secondhand story. Stories bridge gaps and remove the sense of separation.

Give them a break. To maintain audience interest during long presentations, variety is a must. Therefore, plan shifts in delivery to avoid boredom. If you plan to use presentation software, vary the content with clip art, sounds or animation on a few slides, or even a picture with a funny caption. But again, don't overdo it.

Encourage interaction. Find ways for people to interact, especially in the middle when things might begin to drag. Pose a question or single out someone to participate. Intersperse lecture with Q&A sessions, brainstorming discussions, role-play, demonstrations, multimedia segments, or storytelling. Both you and the audience will find the variety delightful, and the audience will thank you for keeping your presentation delivery effective and interesting.
The sites below might also have some useful ideas.

Answer 3

Two words - audience participation!

I'm not suggesting silly songs or action rhymes, but get people involved with mini quizzes, discussions of what the department *should* be doing and so on. Can you dig out some unlikely stats about the department, see if people can pick out the real answer to a question.

Try getting people to sum up what you've told them, in an unrealistically small number of words, five or ten. Can they invent an acronym from the department name, or from a (willing) victim's name? Offer three objects you use in the department - which one best sums you all up (stapler, coffee mug or laptop for example?

Alternatively, list all the effects (asking people to contribute) of the department suddenly vanishing (being abducted by aliens, confiscated by the FBI, sent to Guantanamo etc) on everyone else in the company.

You can combine this with a powerpoint, as suggested, by putting in a bit of discussion, question or similar every three or four slides to keep everyone awake.

Answer 4

There are few things more painful than a powerpoint presentation stuffed full of clip art and cartoons.
Your presentation of the material is far more important. Powerpoint is there just to re-inforce what you say.
Rehearse and practise til you can say it smoothly without stumbling along.
Make sure the info is presented coherently and logically. Give an overview, like a map; then fill in the details.
If you have any funny quips or stories then make sure they are funny and relevant, they'll have more impact if you don't overdo it.
I'm sure people will appreciate it far more if you're able to give the info in a concise way rather than pad it out.
Less is more!

Answer 5

I'm not sure what your department does, but in your presentation, you might want to try using music, funny images, try a joke related to a problem in that department or draw parallels between something globally or nationally that happened and was comical with something similar that happened at work. If its a PowerPoint presentation, you most definitely can do any one of these things. If it's a regular, boring, poster board presentation, you'd better start writing and pasting things down to your presentation board!
Good Luck, and knock 'em dead!

Answer 6

first on a scratch paper enumerate first the things that your department does . . . then you can have it role played . . . someone will first introduce the group (like the ordinary presentation) then introduce the topic, next is to introduce the first thing that the department does, then have it role played.

Another is to make visual aids . . . also make pictures to make it attractive. Put some designs (if you want), but not too much! It might ruined your presentation instead of making it beautiful.

hope this helps!

i also don't think if my suggestions are appropriate to your presentation . . . so GOOD LUCK!

Answer 7

I suppose it depends on what you're dept does!

Try interacting with the audience, getting one of them up as a guinea pig. Start off by asking them what they think you do, write the answers on a board. Role play some jobs. You could do impressions of different members of your department, you could even take in props, like a long blonde wig for Wendy, or a moustache for Bob etc.....
take in a box of sweets of chocolates and give them out to people who ask questions, or look like they're listening, but make sure you tell them why you have given them a sweet, it will get them listening. If somebody pointed you out because you were falling asleep you would make sure you woke up and listened wouldn't you? Or for asking questions, more people would speak up.
Oh and don't forget colours and wear something really nice that you feel good in. If you feel good then it will come out in your presentation.

Answer 8

See if you can obtain clipart cartoons of various people at work and add suitable comments alongside on each slide. Although your audience would like a laugh, don't overdo it; they need to go away knowing what your department does and not to only remember the funny bits.
Therefore the comments can be funny but apt. If you need further help then send me a message.

Answer 9

Create a powerpoint presentation. Use background music, use animations, effects, video clips, recordings of different products or messages by other workers etc.
Go to google.com and find some good and cool information which you can use for the same.

All the Best...

Answer 10

Keep it simple. Wear a really striking hat! This will draw their attention and give YOU more confidence - sort of like acting in a costume! Good luck

Answer 11

no.. no.. no.. dont strip or do anything desperate... i'll tell ya a good realistic way to liven up your presentation... show some funny clips in your presentation.. maybe videos or comic strips... people love a good laugh in between slides... go ahead... give it a go!