5 common mistakes

For many of us, giving a presentation to an audience or a room full of people is outside our comfort zone. Not only is there often a fear of speaking in public, often the knowledge of how to give a good presentation is also lacking. Making a mistake is quick to happen, especially if the 2 above factors play a role. We list 5 common mistakes that you can easily avoid!

1. you read your presentation.

This is by far the fastest way to lose your audience’s attention. Your audience can also read, and they can read faster than you can speak. This scenario must therefore be avoided at all times, because your added value is zero here. You need to practice your presentation in advance so that you can tell your story confidently. Avoid piles of text on the screen, but use your slides to visually support your story. If necessary, put a print of your text in front of you, to help you out.

2. your PowerPoint is too busy.

This mistake is often related to the first mistake. A presentation does not serve to show everything you want to tell on the screen, but as a visual reinforcement of your story, so that people find it easy to remember what you say. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, right? Less is more is a good principle to follow here. Use one slide to deliver one message, try to capture the essence in a few words, and that immediately makes your PowerPoint a lot more powerful.

3. you do not connect with the public.

Even if you are not nervous about speaking in front of an audience, it can still be difficult to ‘connect’ with your audience. Interaction is the keyword here. Engage the audience and they immediately become a lot more attentive. Making eye contact is a very simple tip, but you can also ask questions to start a conversation with your audience.

4. you don’t prepare.

Practice makes perfect, we know that. But still, there are many people who do not practice their presentation in advance, and throw themselves into it at the last moment. Smooth talkers can get away with this, but it can just as easily become an embarrassing event for both parties. Practice your presentation at home in front of the mirror, or use your partner or a friend as a test audience. Not only will you get out your words more easily, but you will also radiate more self-confidence to your audience.

Prepare yourself on other fronts as well: arrive in time to connect your computer, test the beamer, take in the room, adjust the microphone. Murphy knows where to find you! Technical failures can never be ruled out, but the better prepared you are, the better you can anticipate them, without panicking.

5. you don’t make the presentation personal.

No one feels triggered to listen to a dry, data-driven presentation. Even though you are mainly showing data, you can always make it a bit more personal. Add an anecdote about previous experiences or an example. Humour is fine, but avoid jokes (see also ‘Why it’s not a good idea to start your presentation with a joke’). The more human your presentation is, the greater the chance that people will continue to listen.

bonus tip: smile!

Okay, this tip may sound a bit cheesy, but a simple smile on your face will immediately give you more confidence and reassure your audience.
If you have to give bad news in your presentation, then of course it’s better to maintain a neutral expression.

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