There are three common mistakes people make when giving
presentations.
1. Lack of preparation. Preparation is the key to success but
so many people don’t prepare properly. Sometimes it’s due to an inability to
overcome the fear factor but it’s crucial you manage this - preparation is key
to success.
2. Worrying too much about yourself. Your presentation is not
about you – it’s about the audience. When people worry too much about
themselves they forget to make the audience the hero.
3. Rushing through. Don’t speed through your presentation. Slow
down, take your time and keep it simple.
To avoid mistakes when presenting it’s worth using
visualisation to overcome any fears. You can do this by visualising yourself
giving a really good presentation and what you want it to look like. Then, take
the time to think what the audience needs and is hoping for. Finally, less is
more – slow down and remember to pause in between each thought. The slower you
are the more the audience will remember.
For people who are prone to making mistakes the key is not
to get too anxious. All you have to do is be as good as you can be – you can’t
do more than that. Nobody is perfect but getting too wound up and nervous will
make you more likely to make mistakes. If you do make an error or two, then
that’s ok. People like to see a human being giving a presentation – it makes it
real. Make sure you rehearse so that your message is clear but remember, it’s
not the end of the world if you do make a mistake on the day.
