Presenting information is a key part of marketing your business, and communication is the key to success when it comes to presenting. But it doesn’t matter if you have the best product or idea in the world. You need your prospects to understand your pitch. No matter what your goal is, if you can’t present your information properly it just won’t click with your audience. If you’re looking to impress with your next presentation, avoid these presentation don’ts.
Don’t Read Your Slides
We’ve all been to this presentation. As you sit there wondering why you showed up when the presenter could have emailed you a list of bullet points, you probably lose interest because they handed you a printout and you can just read it later. Instead, keep your audience interested. Use keywords and phrases that keep your audience wanting more elaboration. Pass out note-taking materials before you start so that your audience will jot down your main points and feel obligated to stay intrigued in your presentation.
Don’t Phone it In
Think back to that monotone professor you had that made you fall asleep, no matter how interesting you found the subject matter. The same can happen in your presentation. If you aren’t excited about what you’re presenting, then your prospects won’t be excited either. Don’t be afraid to use some humor if appropriate for the subject matter. Make sure that overall, your presentation team has a certain spark that will please the potential customers.
Don’t State the Obvious
If your audience already knows the information you’re trying to feed them, they will lose interest within the first few minutes of your presentation. Give them something they don’t know, and show them why you deserve their attention. There’s a reason behind your presentation, and the audience is there to hear it. So give them something new and exciting to keep them hooked.
Don’t Use Different Styles
If you’re trying to put together a book, you wouldn’t use different fonts on every page. It seems pretty self explanatory, but make sure that you use common features so that your presentation is pleasing to the eye. Make use of a common color scheme, but don’t go too colorful and loud. Your information should be the main focus, not rainbow colored fonts.
Don’t Rely on Spellcheck
Having misspellings or any grammar flaws will quickly lose credibility with your prospects. If you can’t get the presentation right, how are they to trust you to do work for them? It can be easy to rely on spellcheck, but that doesn’t mean spell check will catch everything, especially if sentences don’t make sense. Make sure to look over your presentation multiple times for the best results.
All of these presentation don’ts can be avoided by practicing your presentation in front of coworkers or even family members. Have them tell you what you can improve on and what you may be missing. By recognizing these flaws, you should be able to see better results. And always remember to gain feedback from your audience so that you can continue to improve your presentation skills.
