How To Overcome 12 Common Sales Presentation Mistakes

Earlier this year brought 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

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

10 Quotes From The 5 Levels Of Leadership -- John C. Maxwell

Soon I'll post my full review of John C. Maxwell's latest book, The 5 Levels of Leadership . In the meantime, here are some of my favorites quotes from the book that I believe should become a must-read book by any workplace/organizational leader: Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself. It's about advancing your team. Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. Leadership is action, not position. When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued, and trusted, they begin to work together with their leader and each other. If you have integrity with people, you develop trust. The more trust you develop, the stronger the relationship becomes. In times of difficulty, relationships are a shelter. In times of opportunity, they are a launching pad. Good leaders must embrace both care and candor. People buy into the leader, then the vision. Bringing out the best in a person is often a catal...

Five Essential Principles For Sustaining Growth Through Innovation

Even though many companies strive for innovation, most struggle to achieve meaningful change. The largest reason for this disconnect? Playing it safe. Leaders and organizations want to implement new ideas, but too often they are held back by the fear of failure, even though setbacks are intrinsic to the innovation process. In the new book, No Fear, No Failure , by Lorraine H. Marchand (with John Hanc), readers will learn how to overcome the status quo that stifles creative thinking and how to create a culture that encourages innovation. Marchand provides a framework for sustained growth built on the “ 5 Cs ”: Customer First Culture Collaboration Change Chance She draws on more than 120 interviews with leaders across industries, real-world case studies, and her firsthand experience and shares step-by-step, field-tested strategies, tactics, and tools that practitioners can use to embed creativity within organizational cultures. Marchand is a former Big Tech and Big Pharma ex...

How To Achieve Real Optimism Even When Life Is Hard

“Optimism is not about believing that everything will turn out the way you want it; that everything will go according to plan, or that positive thinking about the future can stave off disaster. It’s about accepting that life is hard—sometimes really hard—but it always has something to teach us,” explains Dr. Deepika Chopra , author of the new book, The Power Of Real Optimism: A Practical, Science Based Guide To Staying Resilient, Curious, And Open Even When Lie Is Hard . She adds, “If we can stay open to those lessons, we will survive.” Why should we strive to become more optimistic? “Because, simply put, optimism improves our mental and physical health and makes us more able to face whatever life has in store while staying committed to our goals and values,” shares Dr. Chopra. In this fresh, science-backed debut, professional psychologist and media expert Dr. Chopra shows us how to build the kind of optimism that can actually withstand real life. The book offe...

Leadership Lessons From Kent Taylor, Founder Of Texas Roadhouse

From cover-to-cover of Made From Scratch you’ll learn the leadership lessons of the late Kent Taylor , founder of the restaurant chain Texas Roadhouse. In the new book, Taylor recounts how he built the restaurant chain from the ground up after being rejected more than 80 times as he pitched the idea for the business. His approach to business was often out-of-the-box, however, his business lessons and leadership lessons from the course of his life and career are invaluable. Here are some of my favorite leadership lessons from Kent and his book: The best leaders stay down-to-earth and approachable. In a bottom-up company, the leader learns from frontline people. As soon as you make a profit, find a way to give back. Be willing to laugh at yourself. Become a student of your craft. Positive reinforcement inspires much greater performance than fear ever can. Want to get the respect of your people? Then roll up y...

How To Stay Relevant In A Fast-Changing World

Alan Adamson , co-author of the new book, Shift Ahead , says that “the ability for companies and organizations to stay relevant is being significantly challenged by the accelerating pace of change – and new ways of doing things – that are emerging with every passing day.” At a speed of change unlike every before. That’s why this book, sub-titled, How the Best Companies Stay Relevant in a Fast-Changing World , is a both a timely and pertinent read. The book is based on the hands-on experience of both authors, Adamson, a branding expert, and Joel Steckel , a professor of marketing and vice dean of doctoral education at NYU Stern School of Business. And most significant, it’s based on academic research and more than 100 interviews/case studies with senior management, business leaders and category experts from a wide spectrum of applicable fields who have lived through change or analyzed the phenomenon. For example, you’ll discover the lessons learned ...

Leadership And Business Quotes From Former U.S. Presidents

Some of my favorite leadership and business quotes from former U.S. presidents: “It is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didn’t” – Martin Van Buren “Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.” – Andrew Jackson “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams “The only man who makes no mistake is the man who does nothing.” – Theodore Roosevelt

How To Create More Human Workplaces By Tackling Hidden Patterns

Most organizational change initiatives fail because they treat symptoms, not systems. Real transformation happens when you see and redesign the hidden patterns driving how work actually works. “Hidden Patterns prioritize principles over procedures. Each pattern is a tested, fundamental idea, not a formula,” explains Clay Parker Jones , author of the new book, Hidden Patterns, A Playbook For More Human Workplaces . Based on behavioral science and real-world case studies, the book identifies 75 common organizational problems , the core solutions to each, and connected patterns to link sustainable improvements. “If the examples or templates don’t seem immediately relevant, that’s fine,” shares Jones. “The core principle is what matters. Take the idea, apply it flexibly, and test it out. Make it your own.” “In the book, you’ll find patterns that lay groundwork for healthier, more humane workplaces rather than prescriptive tactics masquerading as guaranteed quick fixes.” J...

Teach An Employee Something New Today

Take the opportunity today to teach an employee something new. Nearly everyone likes to learn and is capable of tackling a new challenge. Teach your employee something that expands their current job description. Teach something that will help them to get promoted within your organization at a later date. Teach them a skill that uses new technology. Or teach them something that will allow them to be a more skilled leader and manager in the future. You can even teach something that you no longer need to be doing in your position, but that will be a rewarding challenge/task for your employee. The benefit to your employee is obvious. The benefit to you is you'll have a more skilled team member who is capable of handling more work that can help you to grow your business and/or make it run more efficiently. Be a leader who teaches.

Best Reasons For Doing Employee Exit Interviews

Don't be the guy in the picture when an employee leaves your company. Instead, conduct exit interviews and surveys. Leigh Branham explains in his book, The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave , what the most favorable conditions are for conducting the interviews and surveys. And, if you need convincing to read the book, take a look at these 11 best reasons for listening and gathering the data when an employee leaves : Bringing any "push-factor" root-cause reasons for leaving to the surface. Alerting the organization to specific issues to be addressed. Giving the employee a chance to vent and gain a sense of closure. Giving the employee the opportunity to provide information that may help colleagues left behind. Providing information about competitors and their practices. Comparing information given with the results of past surveys and employee data. Detecting patterns and changes by year or by quarter. Obtaining information to help improve recruiting. Possibly heading off ...

Today's Life Quotes

Today's life quotes to guide you as we near the start of a new year: “ Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go. They merely determine where you start ." - Ido Qubein “ Approach the New Year with resolve to find the opportunities hidden in each new day ." - Michael Josephson “ Every year you make a resolution to change yourself. This year, make a resolution to be yourself " - Unknown “ The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilo t.” - Michael Altshuler

Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

Search This Blog