Conversations with Your Audience

"Conversations with Your Audience: A Practical Guide for Preparing and Delivering Professional Presentations provides practical and accessible advice to college students and pre-professionals on how to present effectively in a work environment. This book is a collaborative effort of the Communication Department at Southern Connecticut State University and represents their time-tested method of teaching students to design and deliver professional presentations to clients.

Unlike many standard texts on oral communication skills that focus on writing and memorization, Conversations with Your Audience advocates a more realistic, audience-centered approach. Based on the tenet that effective presenters make their presentations feel like conversations, the material focuses on audience engagement and strengthening communication skills rather than on reciting manuscript or memorized speeches.

Specific topics include analyzing and adjusting to your audience, planning and delivering organized and memorable presentations, refining your vocal quality and nonverbal communication, handling question-and-answer sessions, demonstrating respect for clients, creating effective visual aids, and working and presenting in groups.

Performance-based rather than theory-based, Conversations with Your Audience helps students navigate the various stages of planning and delivering presentations in an easy-to-read format.

Lisa Kuchta earned her master's degree in communication at the University of South Florida. After years of teaching public speaking at the collegiate level at other universities, Lisa was introduced to the Southern Connecticut State University Communication Department's unique approach toward oral-communication skills. After having "seen the light," Lisa has taught hundreds of SCSU students how to present effectively without notes, scripts, or word-heavy PowerPoint slides. She currently serves as the coordinator for the professional presentations course."