How To Fix The 12 Most Common Presentation Mistakes

Today brings a must-read book for anyone who makes presentations at work, a club, a non-profit, or to any group of individuals the presenter wants to persuade to take action.

The book is, Presentation Ready, by Terri L. Sjodin, one of America’s leading experts on persuasive presentations. Her specialty is blending communications theory, field research, and practical sales experience to help professionals and non-professionals become more polished and persuasive presenters.

When you read the book, you’ll discover the 12 common sales presentations mistakes and you’ll learn why the mistakes happen, why the mistakes are damaging, and how to avoid the mistakes. Presentation Ready is divided into three sections:

Building your case – the foundation of your persuasive arguments and content.
Leveraging creativity – How your persuasive message resonates with listeners (storytelling, visual aids, structure, curiosity)
Honing your delivery – Your unique style, movement, personality, and ability to execute effectively.

“This book is formulated for the busy professional,” explains Sjodin. “The book’s material will help you quickly evaluate challenges in your presentations and make simple corrections that can expand your influence and generate better outcomes.”

One of my favorite parts of the book is where Sjodin teaches how best to use visual aids in your presentations. She explains that:

Visual aids energize your listeners and help them understand your points faster.
Visual aids are for the benefit of listeners, not a crutch to help presenters get through their own content.
A visual aid is intended to show something visually that you can’t verbally express in the same way.
Don’t rely on your visual aids to do all the work. Place them strategically and tie them to a specific purpose within your presentation.

Sjodin also cautions presenters from using word redundancy and filler words and using too much industry jargon or acronyms. Finally, she adds that, “Whether your next presentation is three minutes of 30 minutes, that’s not a lot of time, and brevity is your friend. Ultimately, it’s not about the specific time allowed but rather making the most of the time you have."

Be sure to make good use of the helpful forms toward the end of the book, especially the Presentation Outline Worksheet.

Terri L. Sjodin

Today, Sjodin shares these insights with us:

Question: Of the 12 most common mistakes made when making a presentation, which one challenges the most people and why?

Sjodin: Great Question! The answers will be different depending on if you’re coming from the perspective of the Presenter or the Listener. The top confessions from Presenters are: “Winging It” and “Being Overly Informative Versus Persuasive.” However, Listener observations identify “Being Boring” as being the highest ranked challenge.

There are lots of reasons why, but the biggest takeaway here is that we don’t always see ourselves with the same perspective that we see others.

Question: If an eager learner wants to improve their presentation skills but doesn't have time to tackle correcting all 12 mistakes, which one or two should they first concentrate on?

Sjodin: That’s a tricky question because the answer will be different for each person. The goal would be for the reader to do a self-assessment and identify which of the mistakes are most problematic for them. As they explore each mistake in the book, they might think, “that’s me,” or “that’s not me.” That’s okay. Start by addressing the mistakes that are most pertinent for that situation and focus on improving in those areas.

Questions: So many presenters default to PowerPoint as their presentation tool. What are the pros and cons of using PowerPoint?

Sjodin: Visual aids can significantly enhance a presentation when used effectively. They are not designed to be a crutch to help get a person through their content. Remember, you are the star and the visual aids are the bit players. They are there to enrich the message and say something visually that you cannot communicate in the same way verbally. Tragically, most presentations are dominated by text and bullet points and do not visually create a wow factor.

Question: You've likely heard that presenting is reported to be more feared than dying for many people. What couple tips do you give to a person who is fearful of presenting?

Sjodin: Nervous feelings are natural. A speaker can feel vulnerable and feel the pressure of delivering the message and producing results. Remember the old saying, “No pressure, no diamonds.” Preparation and practice are the keys to managing nervous energy. Take a deep breath, visualize yourself delivering a successful presentation, and use your voice for good. Don’t worry, just do your best and keep moving forward.

___

Sjodin is the founder of Sjodin Communications and is a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning speaker, and consultant for Fortune 500 Companies. She is a frequent guest on radio and television talk shows and industry podcasts throughout the country.

Thank you to the book's publisher for sending me a copy of the book.

Comments

Seven Ways To Stay Motivated

To learn how to stay motivated, read High-Profit Prospecting , by Mark Hunter . It's a powerful read that includes counter intuitive advice and cutting-edge best practices for sales prospecting in today's business world. Today, I share one of my favorite sections of the book where Hunter describes his seven things motivated people do to stay motivated : Motivated people ignore voices in their lives . These might be people in the office and friends who have bad attitudes. They're out there, and if you're not careful, they'll control you, too. Motivated people associate with highly motivated people . Just as there are negative people in the world, there are also positive people. Your job is to make sure you spend as much time with the positive people as possible. Motivated people simply look for the positive in things . Positive people count it an honor to live each day, learn from others, and impact positively those they meet. Positive people take great satisfaction...

Mission Statements Are Not Always About Money

From the book, Light A Fire Under Your Business : A clear and concise mission statement defines, in the simplest terms, your organization's core reason for being, and it had better not be all about money. Money is definitely important to most of society, and it is a motivator. But many people aspire to be part of something more meaningful than just a paycheck. They want a paycheck that is also connected to a culture that offers greater intrinsic values.

Job Descriptions Should All Fit Together Logically And Strategically

Whether you have one or many employees, be sure each has a current and accurate job description . A job description is a written document that should include the: employee's duties employee's responsibilities outcomes needed from that position. It should also include the required qualifications and reporting relationship. If your employee has a poorly written job description, or one that is out-of-date, it will lead to confusion and misunderstandings. Once you have a job description for each employee, you'll be able to ensure the descriptions all fit together logically and leave no holes in the duties that need to be assigned. Check your job descriptions at least yearly to be sure they reflect the employee's proper title and current duties. Very often employees get new job titles or are assigned new tasks mid-year, and those don't get reflected in their job descriptions. Don't let that happen. Finally, if you don't have access to a Human ...

Full Engagement By Brian Tracy

Best-selling author Brian Tracy's book, Full Engagement , provides practical advice for how to inspire your employees to perform at their absolute best. He explains that above nearly every measure, employees' most powerful single motivator is the "desire to be happy." So, Tracy teaches you how to make your employees happy by: Organizing their work from the first step in the hiring process through the final step in their departure from your company so they are happy with you, their work, their coworkers, as well as in their interactions with your customers, suppliers and vendors. Full Engagement includes these chapters and topics: The Psychology of Motivation Ignite the Flame of Personal Performance Make People Feel Important Drive Out Fear Create That Winning Feeling Select The Right People Internal Versus External Motivation At a minimum, Tracy suggests that managers do the following when managing their employees : Smile Ask questions Listen ...

Thanks HCI For Naming This Blog In Your Best Blogs - Talent 2011

A big thanks to Human Capital Institute (HCI) for including my blog on management and leadership in its list of the Best Blogs - Talent 2011. HCI is a global association for talent management and new economy leadership, and a clearinghouse for best practices and new ideas. Its network of expert practitioners, Fortune 1000 and Global 2000 corporations, government agencies, global consultants and business schools contribute a stream of constantly-evolving information, the best of which is organized, analyzed and shared with members through HCI communities, research, education and events.

Nelson Mandela Leadership Quotes

Here are my favorite Nelson Mandela leadership quotes: "Lead from the back--and let others believe they are in front." "The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall." "It always seems impossible until it's done." "I like friends who have independent minds because they tend to make you see problems from all angles." "I've learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." "Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again."

Three Quick Tips For How Best To Explain Change

When you communicate change to your team, explain the logical and the rational reasons for the change: 1. Explain how the change will make employees feel before, during and after the implementation. 2. Explain the tactical plan and goals . 3. Answer questions from your team.

Six Leadership Actions To Leverage Employees' Differences To Strengthen Teams

The new book, All The Difference: Six Leadership Actions To Bridge Perspectives, Strengthen Teams, and Create Value , teaches how leaders can turn their team's individual differences into deeper trust, greater creativity, and winning results. “The greatest risk of unmanaged difference isn’t conflict: it lies in the ideas, insights, and opportunities that may never surface,” explain the book’s authors, Susan MacKenty Brady , Stuart D. Kliman , and Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith . They suggest that you look around your team to fully see people with different communication styles, perspectives, cultural norms, and capabilities. These differences are expressed in all kinds of ways, such as casual gestures in a meeting, a colleague's opinion on a current event, or an intense work style. Often, those differences can lead to friction, even conflict. You may try to manage around them. But, for you and your organization to fully leverage the strengths of your team’s diffe...

How Great Leaders See Differently

“Your decisions are only as good as the world you can see,” explain the authors of the new book, The Panoramic Leader: How Great Leaders See Differently . “And in a rapidly shifting business landscape, the most successful leaders learn to see more.” Authors Cornelia Choe and Marshall Goldsmith explain that talented leaders don’t fail for lack of intelligence or experience. Instead, they fail because they make decisions based on a partial view of their environment and miss critical insights. As you read the book, you’ll learn that panoramic intelligence is about training yourself to see through more than just your own lens. It’s learning to consider the perspectives of the full range of stakeholders who affect your company—including ones who wouldn’t traditionally be considered in stakeholder profiles. It’s about stepping back to see the bigger picture. Choe and Goldsmith explain further that panoramic leadership consists of three lenses: Inner Lens – How...

Daily Intentions For Leaders

Everyone can benefit from the book, Dear Friend , which features bite-sized, daily notes for contemplation, inspiration, connection, and clarity. Busy and stressed business leaders can particularly benefit from the 365 profound, heartfelt reflections from author Michelle Maros , founder of Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life and cohost of the podcast, Life Happens with Barb and Michelle . Dear Friend invites readers to go deep and use the notes as a daily practice that compounds over time, nurturing strength, resilience, and clarity. In just a few minutes each day, this book will offer you a daily reprieve when you feel burned out, beaten down, or overwhelmed by the strains and stresses of modern life. The heart of Dear Friend began in the quiet mornings Michelle shared with her mom, Barb. Every day, they would sit together, reading affirmations or passages from Barb’s beloved books. These small rituals—simple but powerful—set the tone for each day, grounding them in g...

Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

Search This Blog