Mark Twain once said: There are two kinds of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars. Twain hit the nail on the head with this quote, didn’t he? Are you one that makes an occasional, or even frequent, presentations? If you are or aren’t, you know it’s expected to get nervous before public presentations, no matter the size of the audience. If you have ever made a presentation where your nerves got the best of you, you know which of your presentation skills need the most work. You want to avoid mistakes from being made a second time.
Are you aware that the fear of public speaking (glossophobia) is the greatest public fear? 41% of the public suffers from speech anxiety.
Here are the eight most common mistakes presenters make and what actions you must take to prevent them from happening a second time:
Don’t know the material
The number one cause of speech anxiety is not knowing the topic of your presentation well enough. All the other 5 most common mistakes can be cured, but if you have picked a topic where you were not an expert, chances are, you will still suffer from too much anxiety.
What to do
The solution is certainly not rocket science. It starts with picking a topic that you know hands down. And avoid things you are just beginning to learn.
Not prepared
There are two ways to be not prepared. The first is that you are the expert, and they’ve come to hear you speak. The common impulse is to tell them everything you know. You know so much about the topic, that you jump from here to there and back again talking about everything there is to know about your brand new widget.
In this mode, no one can follow the thread of the presentation. That is your first big mistake.
The second mistake is to go too much off the cuff and not worry about the organization of your material.
I am always amazed at how many people who tell me that they don’t prepare for their speeches; they prefer to speak off the cuff.
What to do
Be clear, concise, and considerate. The best way to organize your material is around the rule of threes, something I consider magic. Use the K.I.S.S. principle (Keep It Simple Silly) when designing a presentation. The audience will be more likely to retain the information.
You MUST plan and prepare no matter if you are speaking for 10 minutes or 10 times that. NO one likes to listen to someone ramble, meander, digress or repeat themselves. Aim for your comfort level, not perfection, as over-preparation has a tendency to make you stale and dulls your passion.
Pay special attention to knowing your introduction and conclusion cold. Practice out loud and work on your flow, tone and body language.
Are you trying to memorize?
Trying to memorize
Trying to memorize the content rarely works … it will show no matter how good you are. Someone has a question.
Panic sets in. You never prepared for questions and all you know about this topic is what is written on the slides.
What to do Know your material so well, that you could easily do the presentation without an electronic enhancement such as PowerPoint. Nothing will ruin your credibility as a presenter faster, than not knowing everything about your topic.
Use keywords and phrases and include only essential information to keep the audience focused and interested in what you are saying, not what you are showing. Be prepared for questions and know the answers.
Presentation skills … fumbling with technology
We have all been there when we panic when the technology fails or we fail to operate it properly. The panic puts more pressure on and creates more cascading mistakes.
What to do
Always get to the site of your presentation early; the day before if possible, but at least a half hour before you’re scheduled to appear. When you arrive early you have the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the room in which you’ll be speaking, and all the technology you will be using
Check all the equipment and practice (not rehearse) your presentation, using this projector long before your time to present. If possible, check the lighting in the room you will be presenting in, prior to your time in the limelight. Make sure you know how to adjust the lights.
And finally, always be prepared with backup plans. Carry an extra projector bulb. Prepare a structured mini-version talk around 5 main points in case you need to go without your projector altogether.
Related post: 10 Extraordinary Ways for Learning to Learn
Presenter mistakes … not familiar with the audience
If you are not familiar with the audience, it is impossible to tailor your presentation to this crowd. This is a key ingredient for any presentation.
What to do
Well ahead of your presentation; ask the organizers and session chairman for the demographics and level of expertise of the group. Always get to the site of your presentation early. When you arrive early you have the opportunity to meet some of your audience members; a great way to break the ice and increase your comfort level.
Most importantly, you can mention them or their area of expertise in your speech and exponentially increase audience interest.
Effective presentation techniques … off to a bad start
Audiences evaluate a presenter within the first 120 seconds of the presentation. Presenters who make a bad first impression most often lose credibility and diminish their ability to effectively communicate. This is a tough mistake to overcome.
What to do
We have already discussed the importance of practice emphasis, particularly on this section of the presentation. Getting off to a great start is a real confidence builder.
I always tried to eliminate introductions if possible and tell an opening story. And don’t worry about following a great presentation, as that is a great way for the audience to get warmed up.
No presentation objectives
If you don’t know what your audience should do at the end of your presentation, there is no need for you to present. Knowing your objectives is the key to developing an effective presentation.
As Seth Godin has said: every presentation worth doing has just one purpose and that is to make a change happen. No change, no point.A presentation that doesn’t seek to make change is a waste of time and energy.
What to do
Establish a solid call to action for what change you wish to happen as a result of your talk. Ensure all elements of your pitch support this call to action.
Oral presentation skills.
Ineffective close
Closing your presentation is extremely important … duh. The close allows you to tie up the presentation and spell out what you want your audience “to do”.
A weak close can kill a presentation, no matter how well the pitch went before the close. The closing is what the audience will take home with them.
What to do
There are two essential things you must accomplish with your close. First, keep it organized and simple to understand. And second, spent lots of time practicing … know the material so you could deliver in your sleep.
Going Long
It is NEVER, NEVER a good idea to speak for longer than your allotted time. You should either end a few minutes early or finish right on time.
In fact, if you are one of many speakers, and you’re speaking right before lunch or worse, just before the end of the day, make yourself a hero and go 10 minutes short.
What to do
There are lots of ways to get extra information without going long. You can make yourself available for questions at lunch, cocktail hour, etc.
Those who want to hear more will seek you out. Everyone else will LOVE you simply for being sympathetic to their empty stomachs and full minds.
Do you have a lesson about making mistakes from one of your presentations you can share with this community? Have any questions or comments to add in the section below?
So what’s the conclusion? The conclusion is there is no conclusion. There is only the next step. And that next step is completely up to you.
It’s up to you to keep improving your ability in learning to learn. Lessons are all around you. In many situations, your competitor may be providing the ideas and or inspiration. But the key is in knowing that it is within you already.
It’s up to you to keep improving your continuous learning from all around in your environment.
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new lessons.
When things go wrong, what’s most important is your next step.
Need some help in capturing more improvements for your staff ’s teamwork, collaboration, and learning? Creative ideas in running or facilitating a teamwork or continuous learning workshop?
Call today for a FREE consultation or a FREE quote. Learn about some options to scope your job.
Call Mike at 607-725-8240.
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new ideas.
When things are not what you want them to be, what’s most important is your next step. Call today.
Test. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
Are you devoting enough energy continually improving your continuous learning?
Mike Schoultz is the founder of Digital Spark Marketing, a digital marketing and customer service agency. With 40 years of business experience, he blogs on topics that relate to improving the performance of your business. Find them on G+, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Digital Spark Marketing will stretch your thinking and your ability to adapt to change. We also provide some fun and inspiration along the way. Call us for a free quote today. You will be amazed at how reasonable we will be.
More reading on learning from Digital Spark Marketing’s Library:
The Nine Most Valuable Secrets of Writing Effective Copy
How Good Is your Learning from Failure?
10 Extraordinary Ways for Learning to Learn
Continuous Learning Holds the Keys to Your Future Success
Like this short blog?Follow Digital Spark Marketing on LinkedIn or add us to your circles for 3-4 short, interesting blogs, stories per week.
Are you frequently required to give presentations as part of your work? I was, and I gave many and sat through way more. So to say that I have seen and made a full range of ways to waste good presentation skills is an understatement. I’m sure you have seen a few yourselves.
There are several psychological principles you can implement into your presentation that will drive engagement. They also elicit significant responses from your audience.
This is important because it helps you get the most from your efforts. Also, it ensures the content you give doesn’t fall on deaf ears.
Presentation killers.
Telling a story. That’s all you have to do to capture and engage the audience.
Keeping control is another matter. It will depend on the strength of your story and the skill and generosity with which you tell it.
Tell the story well, but don’t perform it. Say it with great care, great involvement, high vulnerability, and great sensuality.
The story shouldn’t be like a spotlight shining on you. It should be like a gift you’re giving the listeners.
Giving gifts is how you take over the room, and the best gifts are stories.
The reason stories are so appealing is that you can transport customers inside the story. That gives your message more meaning.
Now back to the main topic. It is always a good idea to review the state of presentation mistakes. They are a reminder of where your attention needs to be in actions to fix them.
Here is my list of prioritized presentation killers and what you should do to fix them:
Presentation killers … too much information
The biggest killer of all time? Providing way too much information. Hands down the biggest in my experience. That is the case whether it be way too much detail on each slide, too many slides, or both.
Actions to take
Cut, cut, cut the fat away from the meat. You can always cut more to get the core message faster. One point (NOT bullets) per slide … one thing to focus on. Let the audience digest and then move to next slide.
Giving effective presentations.
Ways to waste good presentation skills …. not being visual
No visuals make the audience use only one type of processing. This is usually very dull. Break up the processing into multiple forms to better engage.
Actions to take
A picture is worth a thousand words. It makes it much easier to remember and talk about. This is particularly the case if the picture makes the audience think to grab the message.
Focused on decoration
Decoration or design? They are like night and day in their differences. The decoration is just the icing with no cake.
Actions to take
Pick a simple design style and stick with it. Avoid the decorating fluff at all costs. Avoid adding complexity no matter what. Find a unique way to draw attention to key messages. An example is using color. It will certainly help in the learning.
Delivery lacks passion
Not being visual.
Nothing is worse than a monotone and humdrum voice. That makes the speaker seem like someone just going through the motions.
Actions to take
Find spots for particular emphasis and emotions. Break up your presentation with pauses, inflections, and questions to the audience. It will enhance how the audience recognizes your passion.
Lacking consistency
Want to create a look of haphazard? If so, use lots of differentstyles, fonts, colors and the like. Like Jacob’s coat of multicolor.
Actions to take
Pick a style you want before you start. This includes 2-3 colors, illustration design formats, and fonts. This will give the presentation a cohesive theme without sacrificing uniqueness and creativity. These can be added elsewhere.
No connection with audience
You know there are people watching you. But you don’t see them. You are not connected, are you?
Actions to take
Pick out one person at a time to talk to as in a one to one conversation. Rotate that person every minute or two. Establish rapport as you go. Be real.
Not going for the heart
Are you talking to just the head all the time? Where are you introducing emotion?
This is beginning of your death by PowerPoint design, isn’t it? A good thing to leave at home. Certainly encourages the overuse of detail, don’t they?
Actions to take
Find any way possible to avoid the look of the traditional PowerPoint design. Be different.
Hiding, frozen behind podium
Standing behind the podium shows a lack of personality. It illustrates that you really would rather not be there. Not a good thing.
Actions to take
Good presenters are genuinely moved, quite literally. Walk around as you talk to reach out and touch.
Lacking call to action
You just end the talk as if you forgot your objective. It always leaves everyone hanging and confused.
Actions to take
End on a challenge to your audience that fits with your theme. Give them something to remember. It always gives them something to talk about after you are gone.
Takeaway
One of my favorite experts in this field is Nancy Duarte. I like to keep in mind her golden rule anytime I am working on a presentation:
Never deliver a presentation you wouldn’t want to sit through yourself.
Are you devoting enough energy to improving presentation skills for yourself and your team?
Need some help in building better customer trust from your customer engagement? Creative ideas to help grow your customer relationships?
Call today for a FREE consultation or a FREE quote. Learn about some options to scope your job and pay for results.
Call Mike at 607-725-8240.
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new ideas.
When things are not what you want them to be, what’s most important is your next step. Call today.
Test. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
Are you devoting enough energy to improving your continuous learning for yourself and your team?
Digital Spark Marketing will stretch your thinking and your ability to adapt to change. We also provide some fun and inspiration along the way. Call us for a free quote today. You will be amazed how reasonable we will be.
More reading on customer engagement from our library:
Whole Foods Customer Engagement Using Social Media
Is Employee Engagement the Backbone of the Publix Culture?
13 Employee Engagement Lessons From Best Employee Brands
Positive Attitude Is Everything for Customer Engagement
Mike Schoultz is a digital marketing and customer service expert. With 48 years of business experience, he consults on and writes about topics to help improve the performance of small business. Find him on G+, Facebook, Twitter, Digital Spark Marketing, and LinkedIn.
