Scroll to top

8 common presentation mistakes to avoid

Presentation mistakes often ignored while designing

What are the typical presentation mistakes to avoid? Identifying the common presentation mistakes and avoiding them can perfect your presentation design. Before we delve deep into this topic, let us first have a brief introduction of PowerPoint application and the basic features of this tool that can be used to one’s best advantage for designs.

***

Understanding PowerPoint and its features

Slide, commonly referred to as a presentation slide, is an essential element of any professional presentation. PPT slides, or PowerPoint presentation slides, are a popular form of presentation design tool. A PowerPoint slide structured neatly will look good for audience viewing. On the contrary if poorly done, PowerPoint design slides can make the content look boring to the audience.

Microsoft PowerPoint offers best features for PPT slide design or PowerPoint slide design. For effective PowerPoint design, one has to find the right balance of text and visual elements in each slide. Expert desingers improve the visual hierarchy in their PowerPoint presentation slides design.

30 Common Presentation Mistakes
  1. Not practicing enough
  2. Reading directly from slides
  3. Using too much text on slides
  4. Not engaging the audience
  5. Speaking too fast or too slow
  6. Fidgeting or pacing
  7. Not making eye contact
  8. Using filler words (um, uh, like)
  9. Not having a clear message or purpose
  10. Going over time limit
  11. Not using visuals or multimedia
  12. Using inappropriate humor
  13. Not dressing appropriately
  14. Not knowing the audience
  15. Not rehearsing with equipment
  16. Not having a backup plan for technical difficulties
  17. Not using a microphone when necessary
  18. Not using a clear and concise structure
  19. Not using transitions between topics
  20. Not using examples or anecdotes
  21. Not using data or statistics to support points
  22. Not using a clear and consistent font and color scheme
  23. Not using proper grammar and pronunciation
  24. Not using a clear and audible voice
  25. Not using a clear and visible pointer
  26. Not using a clear and concise title slide
  27. Not using a clear and concise conclusion
  28. Not using a clear and concise call to action
  29. Not using a clear and concise introduction
  30. Not using a clear and concise agenda slide.

Below, we present eight common presentation mistakes that often go unnoticed. Our recommendations are designed to effectively address these mistakes, facilitating increased audience engagement and leaving a positive impression for your next meeting.

  1. Agenda Issues

Solution – Section Dividers, Slide Navigators – Improving accessibility

Common Presentation Mistakes To Avoid - Agenda Structure

Common Presentation Mistakes To Avoid – Agenda Structure

Agenda: It represents the index of a book, guiding to the sections in a PowerPoint presentation deck.

Section dividers: They mark the segregation of each topic and allows the reader to identify in which section certain information gets placed in a ppt deck.

Slide navigator for slides: This helps to move from one section to another, to know whether to go forward or backward in the flow, to have quick access to the right information.

The combined use of these 3 elements helps to devise better navigation in a slide deck, ease of access that improves the retention rate of viewers. The users will enjoy your content without the need for your guidance.

2. Monotonous Lecture

Solution – Ask questions that aid better audience interaction

Questions help easy interaction with the audience, educating them about your information or idea. Each successful presentation has the power to influence the actions of its own audience, bring in a changed mindset, and convince them to do something they would not otherwise have done.

3. Feel Disconnected

Solution – Empathize with your audience

Find a common personal experience: It is quite common to hear people at social events bonding over a common struggle or goal. Why? Because these things connect us. The same reasons we connect with others in our daily life, we can apply to our presentations to connect with our audience. Empathizing with your audience means really listening and having the ability to make them experience the presentation by reflecting the attention that is given to them.

4. Reading through the Slides

Solution – Break the chain and facilitate open communication

Common Presentation Mistakes To Avoid - Presenting The Slides

Common Presentation Mistakes To Avoid – Presenting The Slides

PowerPoint can be a useful tool for creating engaging presentations. A well-designed slide show serves as a visual aid and helps keep an audience’s attention.

Content: Make sure that all content is relevant and points to the desired outcome, whether that is persuading, informing, or educating people.

Design: The visual design of a PowerPoint presentation is an important part of using it effectively, helps to make the presentation flow from one slide to another.

Preparation: Practice the entire presentation out loud using the slides. If possible, practice in front of another person and ask for feedback, especially the first time you plan to use PowerPoint. You should be able to navigate between slides easily.

Presentation: Only include important points and elaborate on them verbally. Timing is another factor. Do not speak too fast or too slowly, stay within the time limit, and be sure to switch slides at appropriate points so that it is not too distracting. If you designed according to what people see and learned to control people’s eyes, you could trigger a profitable dynamic of interaction between you and your slides designed on the screen.

5. Watching slides while the audience is present

Solution – Improve Non-Verbal communication

Making contact helps to maintain an audience’s interest and encourages them to believe that you are genuinely interested in talking to them. You can make contact with your audience in a number of ways, including:

  1. Eye contact
  2. Gestures
  3. Spoken contact
  4. Use of language

Every time you turn around and look at what you have to say, you give your back to your audience and lose visual contact with people. You completely lose the perception of dialogue because through following the slides you are giving priority to what you have to say rather than to the people present. In addition, you would get people used to watching slides first and then following your comment and losing the leadership of your speech.

 6. Lack of leadership

Solution – Be confident and open to suggestions

You could sell a product or service to a customer, your startup pitch to an investor, or a recommendation to top management. You are trying to convince them to accept your ideas and act, exercising your leadership over your audience. A presentation is intended to influence people to do something they would not otherwise have done.

You can captivate the attention of your audience with a bright start in a number of ways, including:

  1. Use a powerful quote
  2. Ask a rhetorical, thought-provoking question
  3. State a shocking statistic or headline
  4. Show a gripping photo
  5. Tell a captivating story
  6. Use a prop or creative visual aid
  7. Play a short video
7. Using the laser pointer 

Solution – Listen and interact with audience

Common Presentation Mistakes To Avoid - Using Laser Pointer

Common Presentation Mistakes To Avoid – Using Laser Pointer

Speakers use laser pointers to draw attention to a specific part of the presentation slide. This implies that the speaker turns around, loses visual contact with people, identifies the message on the PowerPoint slide, and tries to draw attention with a microscopic red dot. Your ppt slides must already be designed to draw people’s attention to a specific point. The slides must show exactly what you want to show when you click.

8. Slides stop working for some time

Solution – Prepare yourself for interactive group activities

Suddenly, if the power is cut off and the laptop with the presentation is turned off, be prepared with alternative activities. For e.g. involving the audience in an interactive activity, till such time the presentation is restored by the technician in charge. Be prepared in case something goes wrong due to technical failure. Technology is a powerful tool, but we cannot risk causing everything to fail if the technology fails. Use presentation handouts to support and enhance your presentation experience. A handout allows your audience to understand your points better and remember them afterward.

***

Key to success – Compelling presentation topic and elegant designs

Compelling presentation topics can capture the attention of the audience and keep them engaged throughout. To make PPT effectively, one has to strike the right balance of text and visuals in each slide. PowerPoint topics include business proposals, project updates, and educational lectures. For those looking for inspiration, there are numerous PowerPoint examples available online to spark creativity. PowerPoint presentation topics are crucial as they ignite the first spark in the audience mind.

Care should be taken to choose right topic of PPT presentation that can be highlighted for its usefulness and unique approach. The topic in PowerPoint presentation is the first thing that goes into the audience mind and keep them intrigued. Creating a PowerPoint presentation or ppt presentation that resonates to your audience will be remembered for a long time.

For various business needs, one can search for PowerPoint samples for presentation that gives design layouts neatly presented on a chosen topic. When you search online, you can find examples of PPT presentation on your industry highlighting key slides that can be included in your presentation. PowerPoint examples of presentations often comes with features explaining color, font, design theme and visual elements.

Online templates and PPT download are offered by various design agencies. They also share design tips and PowerPoint how to make them as top-notch matching industry standards. These agencies design PowerPoint aligned to your custom branding and come up with best designs for slide show. Choosing a right theme for PPT presentation can save time and bring in uniformity. Many design agencies offer theme PowerPoint presentation and deliver slides matching your unique business needs.

***

If you are searching for unique designs for your next PowerPoint presentation, reach us and you will be amazed by our stunning designs.

***

Conclusions

Each presentation is the opportunity of the time you are given by your audience. If not utilized properly, might have a serious impact on your business or your work and possibly because of not inspiring your audience. We have listed some of the commonly occurring pitfalls that affect your presentation meeting. Take this as a starting point and explore other possibilities to improve and create a ‘wow’ effect in your next presentation meeting.

Seek professional support to enhance your slides to take them to the next level of creativity. Our design team eagerly looks forward to your design projects.

Reach us: https://visualsculptors.com/contact-us

FAQs
  1. What is the 10 rule of a presentation?

The 10 rule of a presentation is also known as the 10/20/30 rule of PowerPoint. It suggests that a presentation should have no more than 10 slides, last no longer than 20 minutes, and use a font size of at least 30 points. This rule is meant to keep presentations concise, engaging, and easy to follow.

2. What is common mistakes in ppt?

Some common mistakes in PowerPoint presentations include using too much text on slides, using low-quality images, using too many animations or transitions, not practicing the presentation beforehand, and not considering the audience’s needs or interests. Other mistakes include using inconsistent fonts or colors, using too many bullet points, and not using visuals to support the message.

3. What should you avoid during presentation?

Some things to avoid during a presentation include reading directly from slides, using too much jargon or technical language, speaking too fast or too slow, and not making eye contact with the audience. It’s also important to avoid being too monotone or robotic in your delivery, and to not go over your allotted time.

4. What are the 4 C’s of a good presentation?

The 4 C’s of a good presentation are: clarity, confidence, creativity, and connection. Clarity refers to the clear and concise delivery of your message, while confidence is the ability to present with poise and conviction. Creativity involves using visual aids and other techniques to engage your audience, and connection is the ability to establish a rapport with your listeners and make them feel invested in your message.

5. What are 6 presentation mistakes that you should avoid?

One of the most common mistakes is failing to adequately prepare, which can make you come across as unprofessional and unprepared. Another common mistake is using too many visuals or too much text, which can make it difficult for your audience to stay focused on your message.

Additional mistakes include failing to engage your audience, using inappropriate humor, and not being able to adapt your presentation to your audience’s needs.

Related posts

Post a Comment