5 Presentation Mistakes Not to Make

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5 Presentation Mistakes Not to Make
By Scott Schwertly (http://blog.slideshare.net/author/scott-schwertly/) on September 22, 2014 | 1 Comment

A successful presentation is an
orchestra of great content, strong delivery and pitch-perfect design. When one
element is out of tune, it can ruin the entire performance. In order to ensure
your upcoming presentation is a success, be sure to avoid these common
mistakes:

1. Unnatural Stock Photography

Images where the actors or other elements are posed, fake or abnormal will
make your presentation feel inauthentic, and at worst, creepy. Be sure that the
people or elements within the images reflect the demographic of your
audience, and that they dont linger into meme territory by being nonsensical.
For instance, woman laughing alone with salad
(http://38.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_manmuctMmA1qbvq7fo7_500.jpg) was a
common stock photography (http://www.ethos3.com/2012/09/presentationdesign-101-stock-photography/) trope until people caught on to its silliness:
Dont let the images you select suffer the same fate.

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Suggested Reading: 4 Tips for Choosing the Right Stock Photography

(http://blog.slideshare.net/2014/06/02/4-tips-for-choosing-the-right-stockphotography/)

2. Bullet Points
Nothing puts people to sleep faster than a slide filled with rows of bullet
points. They clutter your core message and drown out visuals. While you might
not be able to skip them entirely, consider putting only one main idea on each
slide instead of a cluster of points. On top of being more aesthetically pleasing,
you may find it easier to move along with the presentation when you arent
searching for words or reading directly off the slide.
Suggested Reading:
The More Slides, the Better (http://blog.slideshare.net/2014/02/10/the-moreslides-the-better/)
2 Simple Rules for Dealing With Lots of Text
(http://blog.slideshare.net/2014/02/10/the-more-slides-the-better/)

3. Too Many Takeaways

The Rule of Three (http://www.ethos3.com/2014/01/the-rule-of-three-forpresentations/) is a written and verbal phrase we see everywhere: Stop, drop
and roll, 9-1-1 and even beginning, middle, and end are such examples. The
reason behind it? Audiences tend to start losing focus and memory after any
more than three points. Before working on your presentation, decide on three
takeaways or less, then be sure to repeat them throughout the delivery to lockin their importance.
Suggested Reading: Why Cognitive Load Theory Needs to be Applied to Every
Presentation (http://blog.slideshare.net/2014/03/03/cognitive-load-theory-andyour-presentation/)

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4. The Wrong Kind of Participation

Youre going to have two different kinds of audience members: extroverts and
introverts. The extroverts will be happy to participate, while the introverts are
going to prefer actively listening and chewing over points. For instance, at least
half of your audience will be happy to jump up and introduce themselves,
while the other half will be very uncomfortable if asked to make an
introduction. Please both personalities by making participation optional, and
not asking pop quiz questions of the audience at random.
Suggested Reading: How to Engage Your Audience Offline and Online
(http://blog.slideshare.net/2014/02/26/how-to-involve-your-audience-in-yourpresentation-online-and-offline/)

5. Data Overload
It might feel revolutionary or unnatural, but presentations work best when
supplemented with stories and not driven by data alone. The best TED
speakers utilize this technique regardless of the subject matter
(http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight),
enriching their content through emotional appeal. Even if youre delivering a

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presentation about a yearly budget, consider all of the personal stories it took
to get to that place. Consider sharing something emotionally meaningful
before you work facts into the equation. In the words of Maya Angelou, Ive

learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Suggested Reading: 3 Storytelling Styles that Work for Any Presentation
(http://blog.slideshare.net/2013/08/14/3-storytelling-styles-that-work-for-anypresentation/)

Be mindful about these common mistakes. When a presentation is done

correctly, it can be worthy of a standing ovation.
Author Bio

Scott Schwertly is the author of How to Be a Presentation God and CEO of

Ethos3 (http://www.ethos3.com/), a Nashville, TN-based presentation boutique
providing professional presentation design and training for national and
international clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to branded
individuals like Guy Kawasaki. If Scott is not working with his team building
presentations, you will find him in the pool, on the bike, or on a long run. Scott
lives in Nashville, TN with his wife and three dogs. He has a B.A. and M.B.A.

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from Harding University. Follow the conversation and connect with Scott
onLinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/in/scottschwertly/)orTwitter
(http://twitter.com/ethos3_scott).

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1 Comment

Georgie Cousens

Love the addition of the picture to the "rule of three!", makes it so much more
memorable! Thanks for posting!

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