If you are in the business of presenting and speaking to Big Hitters in industry and commerce, this article is essential reading for you and your colleagues.
Forty “Big Hitters” responded to our survey asking them to highlight the biggest mistakes they see business presenters making.
Remember, this is not some presentation theory taken from a worn out text book, this is qualitative feedback straight from the horse’s mouth, straight from people who spend their working lives on the receiving end of presentations from people like you.
Avoid these mistakes, in order of importance, or suffer the consequences.
1. Lack of audience research - poor fact-finding, no homework, no prior investigation. Hence, lack of relevance, inappropriate content and a complete audience turnoff.
2. Reading your slides – time and time again, the “Big Hitters” said, “I can read, it’s a core competence in my job!” Incidentally, you shouldn’t have your script on your slides in the first place!
3. Too much content on the slides - there are no prizes for filling your slides with words and complex graphics, it’s about connecting with your audience, not bamboozling them.
4. Too much detail in your presentation – unless you are auditioning to be a nuclear physicist, give your audience a break! As one Big Hitter said “I don’t want to know that much about it!”
5. Talking about yourself, not the audience - tell an audience of Big Hitters how great you are, and watch them start yawning! It’s not about you, it’s about them!
6. Lack of preparation and rehearsal – they can tell if you are winging it, and they can tell if you haven’t practiced. Awareness is another core competence for a Big Hitter!
7. Over- running your time – a cardinal sin! They’ve got other meetings to go to. You are not the sole purpose of their day!
8. Monotone delivery – droning on like a broken record. A real sleep inducer!
9. Too many slides – the business does not go to the one who uses the most slides. There are no prizes for punctuating every ten words with a visual, just distress for the audience!
10. No audience participation – don’t just batter them and talk at them constantly. They don’t like it!
11. Lack of belief and passion – if you can’t show enthusiasm for your proposition, how can you expect anyone else to! (It’s not hard, this stuff, is it?)
12. Inappropriate humour – unless you are the next Michael McIntyre in the making, leave the comedy to him and his mates on Live at the Apollo! If any of your proposed content could cause offense to anyone in the world, then drop it now!
That’s it. The twelve biggest mistakes business presenters make!
Day after day. Week after week. Month after month.
And it costs them big time! They do not get the business.
Make sure you and your team avoid these mistakes and reap the rewards!
Please note, the Big Hitters were surveyed in Q1 2010.The respondents include partners in professional service companies, business consultants, change agents, entrepreneurs and company directors from across the business spectrum. The common ground they share is that they are all regularly on the receiving end of business presentations.
