Tips to Avoid Common Presentation Mistakes

Have you given a presentation in an interview? It can make or break your chances. Here's what I've learned from closing enterprise deals and coaching mentees through successful interview presentations. 7 crucial mistakes to avoid -- and what to do instead: 🚫 Presenting what YOU find essential 🟢 Research the panel: I once saw a candidate jump straight into technical architecture, losing the CEO's attention in 2 minutes. Instead, they could have opened with business impact, then layered in technical depth for the engineering leads. 🚫 Jumping into the content 🟢 Start with a powerful executive summary: "Here's what we'll cover today: the challenge, our solution, and the measurable results. I've prepared additional technical details in the appendix." 🚫 Ending with the project conclusion 🟢 Close with your value proposition: "Based on my experience with [similar projects], here's what I can deliver in my first 90 days at [Company]." 🚫 Overloading each slide: Death by Powerpoint 😅 🟢 Follow the 1-3-10 rule: 1 main message per slide, 3 supporting points, 10 minutes for core content. Reserve 30-40% of your time for discussion. 🚫 Subconsciously present with a tensed body-language. 🟢 Smile -- it is heavily underrated. Practice open postures. Pro tip: Record yourself on video first. You'll spot habits you never noticed. 🚫 Practicing silently in your head 🟢 Practice out loud, ideally 3 times: Once for content, once for timing, and once for a trusted friend. When the stakes are high, your extra prep will count. 🚫 Relying only on text 🟢 Use multimedia! Think charts, flow-charts, videos, sketches, or code. Pro tip: Share a text-light deck during your presentation and provide a detailed handout for context. That's a 7-point checklist for you. Has this been helpful? Share it with someone preparing for an interview presentation!

I’ve spent the past few weeks working with a group of speakers preparing for a large corporate event, and I keep seeing the same 5 pitfalls. It felt right to share here on LinkedIn, because it’s relevant for anyone pitching a client, presenting to your team, or speaking on a stage: 1. Resist the urge to lead with an intro, "Hi, my name is." Start with a strong hook - a question, a statement that announces the problem you’re about to solve, instead of leading by introducing yourself. And let’s please stop going around with some “hot start” where your entire team gives intros in a cheeky way for a new business pitch or client presentation. Just introduce yourself before you’re about to speak and then go into what problem you’ll be solving for the client if they hire you. 2. Establish the stakes. Why is the work you’re doing so important? What would happen if you didn’t do it? What are the stakes of the problem or challenge you’re outlining? 3. Tell a personal story. If you can take a personal story (yours, a customers, someone your work impacted) and thread it through the talk or presentation, everyone in the room will walk away remembering some part of that person’s journey. They’ll visualize the person, they’ll develop an emotional connection to them, and they’ll remember your talk long after it’s over. 4. Practice your steps and hand gestures. Choreography is a big part of presenting, and far too many people focus only on the words they’re saying. I am someone who speaks with my hands, which can be distracting on stage. That’s why when I’m preparing for a talk, I run through how I will walk around on the stage and when I will stop to make a point. Ask me about the triangle method I learned while prepping for my TEDx talk! Be aware of your body but not too self conscious of it. Move your hands so they add emphasis but don’t distract. Record yourself walking around your office or living room rehearsing, even if it makes you cringe. This will help you make any necessary adjustments as you go. 5. Focus on ONE message. Be clear on the one major takeaway you want people to remember after you leave the stage, the room, the meeting. Don’t muddle your message or try to communicate too many things in too little time. Keep going back to your one main thing. Repeat it if you have to. Make your point, and don’t dilute the point with tangents or unnecessary details. Restate your point in closing. What else makes or breaks a great presentation? I’d love to hear your best advice!

Here are three different mistakes that will destroy your stage presence. ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️ MISTAKE 1️⃣ — THE BOBBLEHEAD (Speaking with notes) If you rely on notes while on stage, you'll constantly switch between connecting with your audience and looking down at a piece of paper. Imagine if you were scrolling through Instagram reels and a talking head popped up, heavily depending on their notes. That's basically unthinkable because we all know the algorithm would never let it see the light of day. There's no authenticity when people speak from notes. Yet, so many still attempt it. You immediately lose the respect of the room if you get on stage with notes. MISTAKE 2️⃣ — THE BORING PROFESSOR (Depending on slides) Many speakers at SaaS & tech conferences think they can avoid the distraction of notes by overloading their slides. This is worse than using notes. Everyone disliked the high school teacher who read from their slides. It's just as bad at a conference. Often worse because tech speakers especially often put more information on their slides than they can cover. There is absolutely no reason for this and, by definition, your slides are distracting from your words. MISTAKE 3️⃣ — THE ROBOT (Memorizing your talk) Memorizing your talk might seem like a diligent approach that should allow you to connect naturally. However, unless you're Will Greenblatt (who is a public speaking guru AND used to be an actor), memorizing your speech will likely make you come off as robotic and inauthentic. Many TEDX talks are memorized. I think they're also pretty painful to watch. So, what's the solution? The secret to natural, authentic delivery is not to use notes, slides, or memorization. The solution is to do something I call "internalizing your outline." You study the logical connections between each point in your outline until you've internalized the flow of your ideas. It’s different from memorizing. It’s about understanding. If someone asked you about how you chose your current career path, you could explain that chain of events without notes. Why? Because you've internalized how the pieces fit together. Internalizing your outline takes time, but once developed, it's the easiest way to communicate naturally. It's like driving to a destination knowing multiple paths to get there. The words don't need to be the same every time. Once you've worked out the primary logical steps, then you can speak from your heart. I've been speaking without any notes or slides for the last three years using this method. It truly works.

In the nearly 200 speeches I’ve heard this year I keep seeing the same mistake: Too much content. Too much content happens for lots of reasons. Sometimes it’s because of Imposter Syndrome. You don’t want anyone to question how smart you are so you keep adding in more. Sometimes it’s arrogance. You believe everything you have to share is important. Sometimes it’s fear that you won’t have enough content and that you’ll be left up there desperately trying to fill the minutes. Sometimes it’s because you haven’t practiced your content in front of others to know how long it is running. Going a mile wide and an inch deep is a big mistake. It’s overwhelming to the audience. You have to rush to get through it all. And worst case your speech is shallow because you’re trying to cover too much. Instead you should go an inch wide and a mile deep. I want everyone to leave your talk knowing what it was about, being moved by your stories, having laughed at your humor, having applied your principles to actually change their life (even if it’s just their Tuesday afternoon work life 😂). Cutting content is painful. You have to kill your darlings and some of your favorite parts. 🔪 That’s okay. You can use them another day in another speech. Here are 5 quick things you can do to reduce your content: 1️⃣ Distill your speech into one sentence. If you are going to share something that doesn’t drive to or support that point - cut it. 2️⃣ Lop off entire points. Instead of trimming each area leading to shallow content, cut entire ideas out.  Maybe you don’t get to cover all 8 points of your system, maybe you get to cover 2 or 3. Maybe you don’t get to cover all three pillars and you only cover 1 pillar. 3️⃣ Write PAUSE into your script/notes. Don’t steamroll through your content. Give breaks. For you. For the audience. 4️⃣ Practice your content in front of real people for feedback. I know something about your content because I know something about mine - you are too close to your content. And those closest to you are too close to it too because they know you and the backstory. The best way to cut content is to give your speech to someone else before hitting the stage. This also helps you know how long your content is actually running. 5️⃣ Make your speech shorter than the allotted time. Content almost always expands in the room. The laughter ripples longer than you expected. The Q&A is 🔥. The speaker before you ran over on time. WORST case scenario you didn’t plan enough content (rare!). End early. Most people don’t mind having 5 minutes back in their life. Another option is to fill it on the fly with something you had to cut in your refining process. What about you - do you struggle with too much content? How do you cut it back? ---- Hi, I'm Eva. I help CEOs and speakers develop and deliver compelling speeches. Need help? Send me a DM

Your boss just handed you their slide deck... and it's a mess. Here's my emergency triage plan when you're staring down terrible slides on an impossible timeline: 1. Fix the headlines first Transform those vague slide titles into clear takeaways. Instead of "Q3 Results," try "Q3 Revenue Up 15% Despite Market Headwinds." Your audience should understand the point before you even start talking. 2. Ruthlessly edit the text If there's a wall of text, most of it belongs in the appendix. Keep only what's essential to your core message on the slide itself. Your slides should support your story, not tell the whole novel. 3. Turn tables into visuals Those dense data tables? They're engagement killers. Even a simple bar chart or line graph will make your numbers infinitely more digestible (and memorable). The goal isn't perfection, it's clarity. Less text, clearer takeaways, more visuals. Sometimes the best thing you can do for bad slides is subtract, not add. What's your go-to move when you inherit a presentation disaster?

Think about the last presentation you sat through. Do you remember anything from it? Probably not. Most presentations fail because they are: ❌ Overloaded with bullet points ❌ Devoid of emotion ❌ Data dumps with no clear story The good news? You can make your presentation unforgettable with these 7 simple shifts: 1. Start with a Hook, Not an Intro Most presenters begin with "I'm excited to be here today..." and lose the audience immediately. Fix: Grab attention from the start. Example: “Your company is losing $10M a year—and you don’t even know why.” 2. Tell a Story, Not Just Data People remember stories, not statistics. Instead of listing facts, wrap them in a compelling narrative. Fix: Use the “Problem → Struggle → Solution” technique. Example: "Before using our system, Sarah’s team spent 3 hours a day on reports. She tried different tools, but nothing worked—until she found our solution. Now? Just 15 minutes a day." 3. Use Contrast & Surprise The brain is wired for novelty. If your presentation sounds predictable, people will tune out. Fix: Vary your tone, pace, and visuals. Drop in an unexpected question, statistic, or pause to keep them engaged. 4. Say Less, Mean More Too much information overloads the audience. They’ll remember nothing. Fix: Cut the fluff. Stick to one core message per slide, per section, per speech. 5. Make It Visual Bullet points don’t inspire. Images and metaphors do. Fix: Instead of saying “Our product is faster,” show a race car next to a bicycle. 6. End with a Bang, Not a Fizzle Most presentations end with “Thank you” and no real impact. Fix: Leave them with one key idea and a clear next step. Example: “If you only take away one thing today, let it be this…” 7. Master the Pause Most speakers talk too fast and leave no room for ideas to sink in. Fix: Silence is power. Pause after key points to let them land. 💡 A great presentation isn’t about information—it’s about transformation. Make your next one impossible to forget. What’s the most memorable presentation you’ve ever seen? Drop a comment below! ⬇

I've given presentations in the most powerful rooms in the world. Here's the biggest communication mistake I see in senior leaders 👇 Over-explaining but under-preparing. Thank you, Rohan Sheth, for the sheet that highlights this. In high-stakes rooms, your message is your influence. Before you walk in, run this checklist: - Anticipate the hard questions.  - Know what the room cares about most. - Stop reading over notes and start rehearsing out loud. - Define your one bottom line: What do they need to leave with? - Arrive with presence, as the room reads your energy before you say a word. - Prepare your "so what" for every point. Think, why does this matter, right now? Then use these 6 frameworks 👇 1️⃣ STAR (for storytelling) S - Situation: What was the context and what was at stake? T - Task: What needed to happen? A - Action: What decision did you take and why? R - Result: What changed? Use a number wherever you can. If time is short, lead with the result. 2️⃣ Rule of Three The brain retains information in groups of 3.  Senior audiences respond to clarity over comprehensiveness. If you can't distill it to 3, your thinking isn't ready 👇 - Problem, Solution, Outcome. - What happened, What it means, What's next. - Challenge, Recommendation, Ask. 3️⃣ 10-20-30 Rule Prepare 10 slides in 20 minutes, with a 30-point font minimum. If your message needs more than this, it isn't ready.  Every slide that can't survive this filter is a sign that you need to cut content. 4️⃣ Open With a Hook The first 30 seconds decide whether the room leans in or checks out. Bold statement: Challenge an assumption One data point: Name the stakes immediately Personal story: Build trust before a hard message Specific question: Get them engaged before you present A scenario: Put them in the situation before you offer the solution 5️⃣ Close With a Clear Ask Most leaders summarize when they should be directing. Have a one-sentence summary that connects to your main priority, And make sure you include a clear next step. 👉 "The recommendation is X. I'm asking for a decision today so we can move by end of quarter." 👉 "The priority for the next 30 days is X. I need alignment before we leave the room." 6️⃣ Know Your "So What" Every point needs to answer: Why does this matter? Your "so what" is not about you. It is about them. If you can't answer it, you're not ready to present. In the rooms where decisions are made, preparation is your entire strategy. And this checklist will ensure you're ready for any important conversation. What communication habit has made a difference for you in a high-stakes room? If you want to bring these frameworks into your organization, I speak on executive communication and influence at conferences and corporate events.   Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/edsve_9q ♻️ Repost this to help your network present to senior leadership. And follow me, Cicely Simpson, for leadership content that scales.

Most business presentations fail for one simple reason... We assume communication has happened… when it hasn’t. Merely finishing your presentation isn't the goal. Over the last 15 years, I’ve learned that great presenters don’t rely on perfection. Rather, they rely on connection, clarity, and a few simple habits that make their message remember-able. Here are 10 quick tips from my book, "Silver Goldfish" that will make your next presentation stand out in a sea of sameness. We'll start with being LOUD: 1. Start strong [IMPRESS] First impressions matter. Don’t open with your name or “I’m happy to be here.” Hook your audience immediately with a story or bold statement. Know your first six words of your opening sentence. 2. Connect before you content [CONNECT] Use the S.T.O.P. method of Single Thought, One Person. Look at someone in the audience and deliver a single thought. Then look at another person and deliver another single thought. Lather, rinse, repeat. Eye contact slows you down, eliminates filler words, and increases trust. 3. Let your voice do some work [EXPRESS] Vary your pace, pitch, and pauses. Flat vocal delivery = flat audience. 4. Facilitate, don’t just present [FACILITATE] Invite the room in. Ask questions, take the pulse, and make it feel like a conversation. Less monologue, more dialogue. 5. Add a little entertainment [ENTERTAIN] If you don't switch things up every so often, your audience will switch off. A surprising moment, a relatable story, or a touch of humor goes a long way in keeping your audience engaged. The next five tips are about organizing your content and being CLEAR: 1. Simplify ruthlessly [OBJECTIVE] If your audience can’t repeat your main point, you’ve made it too complicated. 2. Give your message structure [SIMPLIFY] Three (main points) is the magic number. 3. Be the Guide [OUTLINE] Break your talk into clear sections so your audience always knows “where they are” in the journey. 4. Make your visuals visual [VISUALIZE] Slides should amplify your story—not become the story. 5. Respect the clock [TIMING] Ending early is one of the most powerful ways to build trust with an audience. At the end of the day, presenting isn’t about filling time—it’s about creating impact. When you speak LOUD & CLEAR, you help ideas spread, decisions get made, and teams move forward with confidence. This week I'll share insights from Silver Goldfish, co-authored with Alan Hoffler, in presentation workshops in both New York & New Jersey. What's your GO-TO tip for presenting?

Great communicators don't just know what to do. They know what to avoid. Today, I’m working on a series of presentations for July → Keynotes for hundreds → Workshops for groups of all sizes → Retreats for teams As I design, avoiding these 13 common mistakes is front and center in my design: 🎙️ Talking without listening: Broadcasting, not connecting 🛡️ Reacting defensively: Resisting instead of exploring ✂️ Interrupting: Cutting off ideas mid-flight ⏰ Over-talking time: Ignoring time limits or expectations 🙇♂️ Over-apologizing: Shrinking to appear safe or polite 🔇 Diminishing self: Undervaluing your voice or presence 🪶 Winging it: Using charm instead of preparation 🛣️ Rambling: Overloading message, losing clarity 📚 Over-explaining: Diluting points with excess detail 🗣️ Monopolizing: Speaking without space for others 🧩 Using filler words: Weakening delivery with clutter 👀 Avoiding eye contact: Distancing instead of connecting 🏟️ Ignoring the audience: Skipping reading the room If you want to communicate with greater confidence: ✔️ Prepare with purpose ✔️ Stay present with people ✔️ Keep it clear, connected, and concise What’s one mistake you intentionally avoid when speaking to groups? Drop it in the comments 👇 *** ♻️ Re-post or share so others can lead more effectively 🔔 Turn on notifications for daily posts 🤓 Follow me at Scott J. Allen, Ph.D. for daily content on leadership 📌 Design by Bela Jevtovic

“I’m sorry, your time is up.” ⏰ Not the closing words you want for your pitch. But yesterday at Harbor + Union's Founders and Funders Pitch Showcase, several business owners heard exactly that. Each owner had 3 minutes to pitch their business case to a panel of judges and the audience. 7 Pitch Presentation MISTAKES We Saw Over and Over ❌ 1️⃣ Not enough PRACTICE. The most painful presentations were obvious they hadn’t practiced in front of anyone before. Practice ensures there’s enough time, helps you transition smoothly, and know what to say. 💥 TIP: Try writing out what you want to say, word for word and practice with this. This helps me be concise and stops me from stumbling over my words. I don’t end up using exactly what I’ve written, but I’m close. 2️⃣ TOO MUCH information. After one presentation that was cut short, the moderator had to forward through his unused slides. There was still 10+ slides left! 💥 TIP: Be ruthless about editing down your content. Practice with a stopwatch and aim to finish 30 seconds early. 3️⃣ Lack of FLOW. The best presentations followed a clear structure. They opened with an introduction, identified a problem, and explained how they would solve it. They gave enough detail to give you confidence in their solution, but leaving you with curiosity to learn more. The closing was a specific, clear CTA. 💥 TIP: Ask yourself these questions: “Who is my audience?” “How can I get them to care about this?” “What action do I want them to take after?” 4️⃣ Weak stage PRESENCE. If you’re starting a new business, you need to learn how to be a great public speaker. You should be confident in front of small, medium, and yes, sometimes large groups. Public speaking is a skill you should be constantly practicing. 💥 TIP: Rehearse in the mirror, on camera, and with a small audience. Focus on enunciation, body language, and eye contact. 5️⃣ POORLY designed slides. Your audience looks at your slides more than at you. Give them as much attention as your written content. Here’s some slide mistakes I noticed: > TOO MUCH content per slide. (50 words max per slide. You’re better off breaking it into more slides.) > READING slide content. (Slides should compliment the presentation, not replace it. You should NEVER be reading from the slides.) > SMALL text that’s hard to read. (Test your slides in the space. Can you read them from the back of the room?) > ESOTERIC content. (Don’t assume your audience understands your content like you do. This includes industry terms and acronyms.) There were some excellent pitches, but like any entrepreneurial skill, delivering a winning presentation takes practice and refinement. And design is a big part of that. The right visuals don’t just make slides “look good”—they help your message land. If you’d like help elevating the design side of your pitch deck, send me a DM. I’d love to make your next presentation stand out. What’s the biggest mistake you’ve seen in a business pitch?