introduction

Glossophobia or the fear of public speaking, is one of the most common phobias,
Research suggests that 74% of Americans are afraid to speak in public.
 But the truth is public speaking doesn’t have to be scary! As long as you avoid a
few common public speaking mistakes, your next presentation should go just fine.
Keep reading to learn 10 things you should NOT do when speaking in public.

Public Speaking Mistakes to Avoid

Ready to become a better public speaker? Of course, you are! Thankfully, that’s

what this article is all about. Do your best to avoid these 10 common public
speaking mistakes and your work presentations, industry conference keynotes, etc.
will improve.

1. Neglecting to Prepare
Neglecting to prepare is one of the most common public speaking mistakes.
Fortunately, it’s also one of the easiest to remedy! All you have to do is set aside
time before your presentation, speech, etc. to ensure you’ve worked out all the
kinks.

Here are a few tips to help you prepare:

 Consider Your Audience. It’s really difficult (read: nearly impossible) to

create an effective presentation if you don’t know who you’ll be giving it to.
Think about your audience and tailor your message to them and their
specific needs.
 Organize Your Presentation. Next, make sure your presentation flows in a
logical and engaging way so that your audience can easily follow along. You
never want your audience to think, “Woah, where did that point come
from?”
 Practice, Practice, Practice. Lastly, practice your presentation numerous
times before you deliver it. If you’re able to, consider recording yourself so
that you can see how you appear to your audience. Once you know your
presentation like the back of your hand, you’ll be able to deliver it in a much
more engaging way.
2. Using Filler Words
Filler words are a public speaker’s arch-nemesis. You know what we’re talking
about: the ums and uhs that plague most inexperienced speakers. These words (and

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others like them) will only serve to make you look unprepared and unprofessional
during your presentation. They’ll also lower your audience’s confidence in the
information you deliver.

3. Talking Too Fast

As mentioned earlier, most of us are afraid of public speaking. So, we get pretty
nervous whenever we have to deliver a presentation in front of an audience. This
leads to another common public speaking mistake: Talking too fast..

4. Talking Too Softly

Talking too fast is definitely a public speaking mistake you want to avoid. And so
is talking too softly. Especially if a microphone isn’t available for you to use.

Your audience won’t be able to internalize the wisdom you share if they can’t hear
what you’re saying. So, make sure you speak loudly, enunciate well, and avoid
mumbling at all costs. This will ensure your message is understood while giving
you a confident appearance on stage.

5. Forgetting to Make Eye Contact

If public speaking makes you nervous, the thought of making eye contact with
your audience while you deliver your presentation probably makes you break out
in a cold sweat.

But eye contact is essential to an effective presentation which is why not

committing to it is one of the biggest public speaking mistakes you can make. If
you don’t take the time to look your audience in the eyes, you’ll come across as
insincere, detached, and arrogant.

 6.Using Distracting Mannerisms

When you speak to your audience you want them to focus on the information
you’re delivering, right? That’s the whole point of your presentation.
Unfortunately, many speakers distract their audience with mannerisms such as:

 Clenching or wringing hands;

 Pacing back and forth;

 Gripping the podium;

 Adjusting hair or clothing;

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  Touching the face.
 If you do any of these things on stage, your audience will have a hard time
concentrating and your presentation will be much less effective than it could be.

7. Having Low Energy

Earlier we said that pumping up the energy can be beneficial during your
presentation. In fact, having low energy is a common public speaking mistake that
you should try to avoid.

8. Misusing Visual Aids

The best speakers use visual aids such as videos, charts, and graphs to bring their
presentations to life and engage their audiences. You should do the same. To use
visual aids effectively during your next speech, keep these things in mind:
 

 Don’t Overload on Text. Super text-heavy slides require audiences to read

which will distract them from the words coming out of your mouth.
 Don’t Skimp on Design. Poorly designed slides can be a distraction as well.
Make sure your visuals look professional and project a positive image.
 Don’t Rely on Visuals. What if your technology breaks? If you can’t deliver
an effective presentation without slides, rework your speech.
 

Visual aids can make a good speech absolutely amazing and memorable. But you
have to use them correctly. The above tips will make sure you do.
9. Sharing Too Much Information
You may be tempted to share too much information during your presentation. This
is known as data dumping and is a common public speaking mistake.

We get it. You feel like your credibility is on the line every time you deliver a
speech. So, you try to include a mountain of information during your presentation
to make sure your audience understands that you know what you’re talking about
and deserve to speak to them.

This is a mistake and will only serve to overwhelm your audience. Instead, think
about the few things you absolutely need them to know by the end of your
presentation. Then focus your speech on just these things. Leave everything else on
the cutting room floor.

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10. Overshooting Your Time
The final public speaking mistake we’ll cover is overshooting your time. If your
boss gives you 15 minutes to present your new idea, stick to 15 minutes. If an
industry conference asks you to deliver a 45-minute keynote, make sure your
speech doesn’t exceed your time limit.

Prepared by: Mohamed abdiaziz dhiblaawe