Overcoming Common Speaker Blunders Dennis Wade – PPLDEV. COM PRESENTATION PITFALLS

Overview Outcome Participants will know how to avoid or overcome the most common and destructive presentation pitfalls Agenda 1.So many pitfalls 2.The most common and destructive pitfalls 3.How to avoid or overcome these pitfalls 4.Wrap-up / Q&A 2

3 So Many Potential Pitfalls / Blunders Preparation pitfalls Inadequate preparation Ignoring basic audience needs Too much content (slide & overall) Unprepared for questions Ineffective visuals Not familiarizing yourself with venue and equipment: technology issues Ignorance about your audience Inappropriate humor Sentences instead of bullet points Not practicing enough Delivery pitfalls Speaking unclearly Reading content (little or no talking) Lack of enthusiasm Fillers (um, uh) Not using space (staying in one place) No emotional engagement Starting or ending late Inappropriate dress Lack of eye contact Pace: too fast or too slow Upward inflection Tag lines

4 Top Ten Potential Pitfalls / Blunders Preparation pitfalls Inadequate preparation Ignoring basic audience needs Too much content (slide & overall) Unprepared for questions Ineffective visuals Delivery pitfalls Speaking unclearly Reading content (little or no talking) Lack of enthusiasm Fillers (um, uh) Not using space (staying in one place)

Exercise: How to Address Pitfalls Instructions Gather into teams of four to five people Choose two blunders to address Come up with a way to address each blunder and record in your handout Go beyond the obvious: Don’t just say, “Stop saying um.” Tell us how to stop saying “um.” If time, choose one outside of the top 10 that you want Dennis to address Be prepared to share with the larger group 5

6 Not Enough Preparation Proven Preparation Process 1.Your objective 2.Main points that support the objective Supporting points for each main point 3.Agenda 4.Closing 5.Opener

7 Unprepared for Questions Prepare for tough questions by having APLAN Anticipate Prepare Listen actively Answer concisely “Next question” (move on)

Acknowledgments Knockout Presentations, Diane DiResta, Chandler House Press, mistakes.htm presentation-mistakes/ The Knockout Presentation: A Timeless Tool of Persuasion, Harvard Business School Press,

Wrap-up Final questions or comments? More blunders: PPLDEV.COM, Resources, Expert Tips Thank you! 9