You're about to give a presentation. What are the most common mistakes you should steer clear of?

Always remember one thing. Practice is a key & Practice makes anyone perfect It should be an interactive game. Whether you're just starting or looking to refine your skills, these pointers will help to make your skillset easier. 1. Structuring Your Presentation (Intro,Body,Conclusion) 2. Crafting Your Message (Know Your Audience, Simplify Complex Ideas, Consistency) 3. Delivering with Confidence (Practice, Language, Fluency, and your voice) 4. Engaging Your Audience (Storytelling, Elements and visuals) 5. Handling Q&A (Prepare, Listen, Stay composed) 6. Continuous Improvement (Gather feedback, Observe and Learn) Remember, the journey to becoming a great presenter is continuous, and every presentation is an opportunity to learn & improve.

1. Keep it simple. 2. Pictures say a thousand words (have one in the slides if that makes sense - don't just paste a picture because you had to). 3. If you are building a deck for an exec presentation - don't put 10+ slides to talk about the problem in details and then have a recommendation, execs are busy people. Cater your deck for your audience. 4. Practice before you present. 5. Try to deliver your message with stories/ examples if possible.

I think people spend too much time listing all the facts they want to convey, and precious little time thinking about the stories that will bring those facts to life. We make sense of the world through stories, not by facts, and the most impactful and memorable presentations are built on a foundation of storytelling. So when you prepare, ask yourself what stories you are going to tell to ignite the passion of your audience.

Some of the don'ts most of us Do are: not practicing enough, reading directly from slides, ignoring audience engagement, overloading slides with information, and failing to manage time effectively.

When giving a presentation, avoid these common mistakes: 1. Overloading Slides: Keep slides simple and uncluttered. Too much text or data can overwhelm the audience. 2. Reading from Slides: Engage with your audience by speaking naturally rather than reading verbatim. 3. Poor Time Management: Practice to ensure you stay within the allotted time. 4. Lack of Preparation: Know your material thoroughly and anticipate questions. 5. Ignoring the Audience: Interact with your audience; maintain eye contact and be responsive to their reactions. 6. Monotone Delivery: Vary your tone and pace to keep the audience engaged. 7. Technical Issues: Test all equipment beforehand to avoid disruptions.

The headline should scream the main point and use only the data that speaks to it on the slide. Leave behind a printout with the notes under the slides if you want to leave more clarity. I have seen presentations go off the rails because a buyer start picking at the multitude of numbers on one page

~ One thing I've found helpful is keeping slides simple and uncluttered, using key points and visuals rather than paragraphs of text. This helps keep the audience focused and engaged. ~Actually, I disagree with the practice of reading directly from slides or notes. It can make the presentation dull and reduce eye contact with the audience. Instead, use them as prompts and speak more spontaneously. ~An example I've seen is presenters who fail to engage their audience, resulting in a lack of connection and interest. Incorporating questions, interactive elements, or real-life examples can make the presentation more engaging.

Reherse, reherse, reherse!! You must have a very strong understanding of why you are presenting and what message or call to action you want the audience to take away. Use visuals over text. Trust in yourself. You know the topic and people are there to hear your story, not to judge you. If you know your subject well, turn it into something that tells a story. Take people on a journey. Consider how your lived experience can help enhance the message or the call to action that you are asking them to take up. How does your presentation challenge the status quo, how does it challenge conventional thinking?

Clarity of content is very important. You should know what you present & you should stick to the topic. While explaining your content be clear of what you have to explain and want others to understand. Don't exaggerate points and try keeping them short. That helps alot.

I created a lot of presentations in my life and I came to the conclusion that ideal formula for the presentation is: First slide - Current status. On this slide you need to describe the actual situation of the project. Second slide - Problem Definition. This slide must include arguments why the defined problem is relevant to your audience. Final slide - Proposal. This slide will describe in detail what is your proposal, how it will solve the problem and what benefits it will bring. "Brevity is the sister of talent," isn't it?

If your presentations are full of texts or have many slides, the next time you're presenting, in the middle of your presentation look in the face of your audience. That would probably show you the depth of the disaster. When you have many slides full of text, or stay on one slide for too long, it makes your audience bored. Although I'm not against using many slides if you use visual tools in most of them, use just a few words in each slide and stay up to 30 seconds in each of them, being fully prepared and respecting your time frame.

Another frequent error is overloading slides with too much information. Dense text, excessive bullet points, and cluttered visuals can overwhelm your audience, making it difficult for them to grasp your key points. Instead, aim for simplicity and clarity. Use slides to highlight main ideas, incorporate relevant images, and limit text to essential information. Remember that slides are a visual aid, not a script. Your spoken words should complement the visuals, not replicate them. This approach helps maintain the audience’s focus and enhances their understanding.

10000% All too often there are too many words on the slide and the presenter reads them. Quick bullets, no more than 5 with the key point…the presenter should be well versed in the content and be able to speak to it.

3. Don’t include too much information on each slide. Investors want to be able to quickly scan the slides and understand the main points. If your slides are cluttered with too much text or too many graphics, they will have difficulty picking out the most important information. Stick to using bullet points or short sentences, and use high-quality visuals to complement your text 4.Don’t forget to proofread your deck. Typos, grammatical errors, and incorrect data will make you look unprofessional and unprepared. Make sure to thoroughly review your presentation before showing it to anyone, and ask someone else to take a look at it as well. It’s also a good idea to practice your presentation in advance so you to catch mistakes you might missed

Overloaded slide definitely kills the potential of presentation.It can undermine the effectiveness of a presentation by diverting the audience's attention. When slides contain excessive text, viewers often focus on reading instead of listening, leading to cognitive overload. This dual processing challenges retention and engagement making it difficult for listeners to absorb key points. To enhance communication, slides should complement spoken content with concise visuals.

Overloading slides with too much information can overwhelm the audience. It's more effective to keep slides concise, highlighting key points. Use visuals and infographics instead of heavy text to make your message clear

Remember that your audience has a short retention rate. Too much information or too many slides will just overload its understanding if not, will find your topic disenteresting.

That’s so true. I’ve been trained to use pitch, power and pace during any public speaking engagements. Even when I’m not that familiar with the topic, I read it till I love it … then I’m able to convey real emotion, excitement and feeling.

The challenge is that currently 99,99% of people are extremely good at judging communication skills; given the explosion of streaming, and the universal exposure of smartphone presenters all over the place from advertisers, gurus, influencers to of course, professional actors and rockstar speakers. People may not expect you to be at that level, but don't forget, our subconscious benchmark is YOU compared to all those..so start with a dynamic tone of voice and something that ignites their interest, apply variations to your tone, including silences to reflect, questions of course(so you are not simply "streaming")and be generous with your energy, using also eye contact with the audience (if online, tone variation is even more essential)

Speed of delivery. When practicing, take time when the temptation is to rush with a fast delivery to get the awkward situation over with. If you prepare, you find deliver easier and if you time yourself to slow down, then 5 minutes can become 15 minutes - easier to understand for the audience & better for the speaker. Also, build pauses into sentences to add emphasis where possible.

Always practise aloud, standing and addressing someone imaginary in the opposite corner of the room (the further, the better). Focus on the introduction because you want to make a good, first impression, and the conclusion, because it should be memorable. Try stressing different words. Record yourself. Make intonation more tangible with a spectrogram. Use audio software such as open source Audacity or Praat (more for linguists). Graphs should show a variety not only in decibels (when you speak louder), but also in pitch / Hz (raising and falling intonation in rhetorical questions). Oral delivery is also about pace: the waveform should be flat at times. Make long pauses... before a keyword, not after.

Speaking in a monotone voice can cause the audience to lose interest. Varying your tone, emphasizing important points, and using a dynamic delivery can keep the audience engaged and attentive. Ignoring the audience can diminish the effectiveness of your presentation. Making eye contact, asking questions, and engaging with the audience's feedback make the presentation more interactive and impactful. Using too much technical jargon can make it difficult for the audience to understand. It's important to present your content in a language that everyone can comprehend, making your presentation more accessible and effective.

Communication is important. How you convey your message transcends beyond words. Non verbal cues like the tone of your voice may either make or break what you want to point out.

Monotone Voice is really dangerous, even if you are speaking something interesting, your listener will looser their interest soon. If you have a monotone voice (except no body has, they creates it or "choose" to be), you can inject little pauses (not much) to sound a bit more interesting. Than you can start, putting some emotions on "your face" as you speaks, this will be reflected in your body, and in your voice. "You voice sounds the way you express your emotions." Remember, pauses used in a Monotone voice will not be smooth (if used much), and may create an irritation to the listeners. You can smoothly, slow-down your voice to reach to a pause (it will be smoother), and a similar way you can start off again.

A monotone voice can quickly disengage your audience, no matter how compelling your content might be. Lacking vocal variety can make your presentation sound dull and monotonous, causing listeners to lose interest. To keep your audience engaged, vary your tone, pitch, and pace. Emphasize key points with vocal inflections, use pauses for effect, and adjust your speaking speed to maintain interest. Practicing vocal exercises and recording yourself can help you become more aware of your vocal patterns and make necessary adjustments to sound more dynamic and engaging.

You are not a robot, you have a pulse so act like it. If you are not passionate or excited about what you are presenting, how can you expect the audience to be. Enthusiasm rubs off on others.

You're right. A monotonous delivery can quickly lull your audience to sleep. By modulating your voice and using strategic pauses, you can keep your listeners engaged and emphasize important points.

When delivering a message the most important component to consider is your audience. Knowing who you will be speaking to will ensure you tailor your messages in your audience’s preferred manner of receiving information.

Understanding your audience is crucial for delivering a resonant presentation. Follow these steps: 1. Demographic Analysis: Consider age, gender, education level, professional background, and cultural context to select appropriate language, examples, and tone. 2. Audience Expectations: Determine what the audience wants—make it interactive to know the expectations. 3. Knowledge Level: Gauge their prior knowledge to avoid oversimplifying for experts or overcomplicating for novices. 4. Interests and Values: Identify what interests and motivates them. Align your content with their values and priorities for greater relevance and engagement.

One thing i find it helpful is to understand the audience because they are the ones who will be receiving the information. We may present the key ideas but are not conveyed effectively to them. Another recommendation is to talk slowly with pauses between sentences. It helps to bring down the nerves and clear our minds.

Everything on the left is correct. Outside of death by PowerPoint, the worst you can do is not engage with the people who have taken the time to be there and listen to you. Remember, they are there to learn something. Know who your audience is and when you come to relevant material that is important to a member(s) of the audience, make sure to make eye contact with that person and emphasize the message you're trying to get across. This will bring your audience in and give them a reason to listen to your presentation.

Replace titles in slides with (rhetorical) questions. Start with a closed question to engage your audience (include the answer in the question). Continue with asking an open question (the answer is not in the question). The audience should feel they can contribute because it is within the periphery of their knowledge. Slide: Quarter 3 sales results Have sales satisfied our targets for the third quarter? Why / why not? What do we need to improve results in Q4?

You are not only speaking - you are speaking to be listened. If nobody listen, then there is no point in the presentation. Always respect you audience, and make them resonate with your presence. Use hand-gesture (not-quick) and non-monotone voice, smoother pauses, to build a bridge, to connect with you audience. Use story-telling format to present. "If it's about them, they WILL listen" You can choose a relatable experience to open the ears of your audience (and yes, it's in your hand).

Failing to connect with your audience is a critical mistake in any presentation. If you focus solely on delivering your content without considering your audience’s reactions and needs, you risk losing their attention and engagement. Make eye contact, address audience members directly, and be responsive to their non-verbal cues. Encourage interaction through questions, polls, or discussions. Tailor your message to resonate with your audience’s interests and concerns. By actively engaging with your listeners, you create a more interactive and impactful presentation.

Absolutely. Presentations are a two-way street, and failing to connect with your audience is a missed opportunity. Make eye contact, address their questions and concerns, and use interactive elements to keep them engaged.

Yes. The speaker is part of the team and talk should.not be spiritual sermon. As and when required, the presentation should take the suggestions during lecture and make them active participants which enhance the image of the organisation and the speaker

Make sure your presentation is visually appealing. When it comes to creating a presentation, one of the most important things to keep in mind is to make sure it is visually attractive. After all, you want your deck to capture your audience’s attention and leave a good impression. Here are some mistakes to avoid when it comes to making your pitch look its best: 1. Don’t use too many colors. While you want your presentation to be engaging, using too many colors can be distracting and make it difficult to read. Stick to a limited color palette and use colors that complement each other.

Using too much jargon or technical language can alienate your audience, especially if they are not familiar with the terminology. Complex language can obscure your message and make it challenging for listeners to follow along. Aim to communicate your ideas in simple, clear terms. Explain any necessary jargon or technical terms, and provide context to help your audience understand. This approach ensures that your presentation is accessible to everyone and keeps your message clear and relatable.

A successful communication and presentation is not defined by ambiguity of words but in simplicity and clarity. A presentation is not a time to show off the new words in your vocabulary. You have just one goal, ensuring your audience understands the message you are putting across in the simplest form.

Make it simple Stu*** The presentation needs to be clear. Many people tend to use technical language to make it seem like its more complex than it really is, and they miss the point. The audience doesn't understand you!

Using too much of fancy words/ jargons / or too much of technical terms will not let every audience to feel connected to the presentation. Always keep it simple, precise and convey it in a way that even the non-technical audience could understand what is being talked about.

I believe if you can't explain it to a 10 year old then you yourself don't understand your offering well enough. Keep it simple. If I feel dumb cause I am not up to speed with your industry Jargon, I will tune out. Rather get your message across in a memorable way.

You're right. Jargon can alienate your audience and hinder their understanding of your message. Strive to use clear, concise language that resonates with your listeners. If technical terms are necessary, define them upfront and explain them in simpler terms.

Language should be very simple.and easy to understand by the listeners without depending on others. It is not the forum to express the intelligence of people but the subject should be well explained to the forum in simpke terms

Language should be very simple.and easy to understand by the listeners without depending on others. It is not the forum to express the intelligence of people but the subject should be well explained to the forum in simple terms

Evitar usar una vestimenta que distraiga a la audiencia, y se pierda el enfoque sobre el tema a presentar y sobre todo mantener un tono de voz adecuado que no suene autoritario sino una mezcla entre seguridad y confianza de lo que estas por trasmitir, lograr que exista una conexión activa entre emisor y receptor permitiendo siempre mantener el interés en la audiencia por saber más del tema.

Close the loop. Your presentation started with a purpose, thought or desirable action. Meet that intent with your close, so that the audience feels satisfied. It needs to feel cohesive and complete for the message (key takeaway) to stick.

Before your presentation, understand what your audience wants and list the information that's of most benefit to them. This lets you prioritise the information you want to emphasize on. Doing these not only keeps your audience engaged because the information is valuable to them but also ensures that you are giving them value for the time spent in attending your presentation.

The general rule is this: Before you start your presentation, tell your audience what you are going to talk about. Then, present your topic. Finally, at the end, summarize what you have talked about. Typically, the beginnings and endings of presentations are what stick in people’s minds. Therefore, if you don’t summarize your topic at the end and tell your audience what they should remember from your presentation, you will have done only half the job

Most of the time, presentation without clear takeaway starts from the need to explain everything-anything-all in one slide. Keep it focused on what the presentation is about, points are meant to support the topic not to blur it all out

Having an applicable take-away that resonates clearly throughout the presentation will allow the audience to remember the message and implement what was conveyed. The presenter can ensure that this happens by having a strong opening and closing statement to create and reinforce the topic of the message and recall the main ideas.

1. Define your objective. 2. Use a clear structure. 3. Highlight key information with visuals. 4. Repeat and reinforce key points. 5. Use examples and stories. 6. Engage your audience. 7. Provide actionable recommendations.

I always feel the clear takeaways and the actionable steps are the better way of concluding the presentation as it focuses on why the presentation was important and how could it impact the business , what are the next set of steps for improvising. Without the takeaways there is no clarity in what is being discussed in the whole presentation so it always important to have it summarized at the end.

Make it easy to remember, you want attendees of your presentation to be able to go tell their boss and other decision makers about the great solution or offering they just heard about. Word of mouth adds credibility.

Presentation should be crisk and clear. It must be free from any ambiquity. The Audiennce must clearly understand the essence of the presentation like why it is made, what are the key takeaways.

Before giving your presentation, identify your audience's needs and highlight the most beneficial information. This prioritization helps keep your audience engaged with relevant content, ensuring they find value in the time spent listening to you.

Pause to breath. It is important to have breaks in between your monologue or you lose your audience. Once you lose them, there is no coming back. These breaks can be used to be bring some fun element to your other serious discussions, makes it more engaging for everyone.

Neglecting Body Language: Body language is very important in communication. Avoiding eye contact can make a presenter seem uninterested or untrustworthy. Poor posture can make them look unconfident or lazy, and constant movements can be distracting and show nervousness. These behaviors can distract the audience and weaken the message. Instead, a presenter should stand up straight, make eye contact, and use natural gestures to keep the audience engaged and show confidence.

If the audience leaves without a clear takeaway, your presentation hasn't achieved its purpose. Clearly stating the main message and key lessons at the end ensures

Check grammar and spelling, also the way to state the intend, it should be suitable to the audience’s class/level/industry - “speak your language” means speak your customer’s language

Presentation should be easy to understand by the audience. It may be by using simple language or applying various images in the presentation so that it will be aesy to understand

Don't underestimate cultural differences: speaking a language even at B2/C1 level (upper intermediate / advanced) is not a guarantee of communicating effectively. Many native speakers lack adequate methodology & fail to engage their audience because they haven't graded their language (vocabulary and grammar), or haven't bothered with cross-cultural communication. Some audience may react well to the R.Lewis linear-active typology (be direct: tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and tell them what you've told them), while others may try to read the air, i.e. guess what you really mean (cf Erin Meyer, 'The Culture map').

I'm not a fan of over-scripting and memorizing every detail of a presentation. Instead, I use scripting as a tool to clarify my thoughts and organize my ideas. I jot down key points and use them as a reference, but I don't rigidly stick to a script. My approach is to know my material inside out and speak to it in a natural, authentic way. This approach works for me, and I find that it allows for a more flexible and engaging presentation style. It's about confident ownership of your content, rather than reciting a pre-written script.

If you need present, and it's not your thing, how can you get better at it? Look for opportunities to speak up in a safe place. Ask friends to let you practise your delivery on them. Consider joining Toast Masters UK - a charity that meet both in person and virtually and provide top tips on presenting, a chance to have a go, as well constructive feedback to help you improve. Anyone got any other suggestions?