12 Ways to Ruin Your Presentation: Part 2

In Part 1 of this series, we have discussed how different kinds of preparations, technology, last second changes and putting internet or external links can easily ruin your presentation. Problems that relate to these simple aspects may arise and may possibly turn all your efforts into a complete nightmare, especially if you were not able to consider them beforehand. There are many instances where momentum fades after a speaker experience minor disruption associated with these factors. Solution? Always be prepared for these “disasters”. Make sure you always have a back-up plan because no matter how prepared you are, catastrophe may still kick in. 

The Challenge

Some flaws cannot be hidden no matter what we do. Example, a projector that won’t work in front of a waiting audience. The best way to handle this kind of situation is to stay calm and show your audience how coolly you can handle such situation. Show them how high your stress threshold is.

Presentation contents

• Your own or somebody else’s presentation

It’s risky to present something you have not prepared yourself, especially when changes have done during the last minute before you’re on and you’re not aware. It’s like being a captain without knowing your destination or route, including the type of vessel you’re maneuvering.

• Gimmicks

Too much of them can make your content almost or absolutely negligible. You’ll know it’s too much when your audience focuses more on the transition effects, animations, and sounds of the presentation.

Language

• Pace

Find the right pace. It is not easy to present the last 10 slide of your presentation within the last 5 minutes.

• Intelligible

There are two possible paths to not go:

1. Don’t use loanwords and technical terms in an audience that is not exactly experienced in the special language you are using.
2. Don’t speak unintelligibly and simply clip parts of words and mutter into your beard.

• Volume

In a big room with many people, a low voice will make everyone fall asleep. However, if you have a very loud organ of speech, your presentation can be misinterpreted as a reprimand.

 
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Body language

Every position and movement of your body is capable of transmitting a precise message. Your gestures and postures can show the audience what you think of them.

 
Now, we have discussed a total of 8 out of the 12 ways on how you can possibly make your presentation a failure. Part 3 and the last part of this series will show you the remaining four of the 12 ways – coming up next week.

Also read Part 1 and Part 3 of this blog series:

• 12 Ways to Ruin Your Presentation: Part 1
• 12 Ways to Ruin Your Presentation: Part 3

 
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