We have all been there, a well-designed PowerPoint presentation complemented by a well thought out verbal monologue by you. Things are moving well and you can tell that you have everyone in the palm of your hand. Then, all of a sudden, at the drop of a hat, things start to go sour. Wait … this was not the plan, what happened??
What most presenters understand but fail to realize is that very small details may ruin a very well made, thought out and comprehensive presentation. All your hard work amasses to nothing when you face such a situation. Hence, it is pivotal that you pay attention to such details and make sure that they don’t end up biting you back.
I am going to try and highlight a couple of things which turn you from a Star to Public Enemy No. 1 in a matter of moments.
1. Too much friendliness
It’s good to be calm and friendly while presenting, it puts you, as well your audience at ease. However, too much smiling or smirking will definitely turn off an audience. I had a colleague not too long ago who was an excellent presenter. However, he always managed to turn off his audience due to smiling at the most inappropriate of times during presenting. It conveyed a wrong message of being over confident and snobby.
2. Being too animated
The audience always appreciates a presenter who is lively and excited as the energy translates to the audience very well. However, there is a fine line between being energetic and being too animated. Remember, the presentation is not about you, it’s about the topic you are presenting. If all the audience remembers after the presentation is your energy and cool hand gestures then there is something horribly wrong with what you just did.
3. Managing disruptive Participants
It’s true folks, you’ll find one in every presentation, in every country, in every corner of the world. There will always be that one person who will not agree with this one point which he/she will keep bringing up again and again, going on and on about it. One thing is for sure, the worst thing you can do is keep arguing with this one person and add fuel to the fire. A better idea would be to address them in a polite manner and say something like “That’s an interesting perspective. Let’s park it for the time being. When I’m done presenting we can chat about it in detail.”
Don’t get me wrong, he/she might be right and might have your (or the company’s) best interests in mind, it’s just that their timing is off. Such a person single-handedly has the potential to bring down your entire presentation and make you look weak, underprepared nervous and a couple of other unflattering things.
4. That one slide
Similarly, if there is any slide which you feel might garner animosity towards participants, save it until the end. When you have delivered a well thought out presentation, there is a better chance that they will be receptive to you.
5. Too much animation
I pride myself on being a geek and I take a lot of time to make presentations on PowerPoint, adding animations and pictures and even using the developer options at times. The participants certainly appreciate such presentations over a bland and boring 100 page ‘Death by PowerPoint’. However, there is a balance you need to maintain. If things keep flying from all over the place and something is moving somewhere all the time, then the participants will pay more attention to that vs. what you are saying. Again, remember, just like the presentation is not about you, it is also not about how good an animator you are. Let the topic stand out, and let it become the “star”.
A Friend of mine, a couple of years ago, presented to Senior Management. I was there too as I was due next to present my business case. This guy spent some good time customizing each and every header on his 60+ slide presentation and animated them differently. In the end, all anyone remembered was the headers as they ended up being a huge hindrance. His intentions were noble, he had an excellent command of his subject and the presentation was very well made, but things did not pan out as expected.
6. Timing
I have worked with a couple of people who chose the most inopportune of times for presentations – don’t be that person. If you are scheduling your presentation during sales closing week (for sales people), towards the end of the day, or worse after 7 pm, you are setting yourself up for failure. It’s a very good idea to respect the participants’ time and look for an opening which is convenient for them, even if it means re-arranging your commitments.
Out of habit, I always look at the participants’ calendars for any commitments they have half an hour before or after the presentation. It puts my mind at ease that they will be coming in fresh and not be rushing if I take a few more minutes. Of course, that is not possible if you have an audience of 400.
Also, when I present my Seasonal plan to the sales team, I always make it a point to consult with the Head of Sales and make sure that it does not coincide with the closing week. It is very important that the participants have your undivided attention. Being late for another appointment or worrying about a project whose deadline is close is the last thing you want them to worry about during your presentation.
There you have it, 6 factors that can kill your presentation. I would love to hear your personal experiences of presentations which went sour. Personally, I feel there are a lot of other factors beyond your control which can ruin your presentation. However, taking control of the above 6 can put you in some control of the action.
Also, for more tips on giving great presentations, check out my previous article on How To Rescue Bad Presentations And Emerge As A Star.
Written by Syed Omair Rehman.
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About the author:
Syed Omair Rehman is an internationally experienced Marketer with 7 years of experience in Product Management and 6 years of experience in Market Research. His experience spans into multiple Industries which has given him a true sense of appreciation for the ‘Colourful World of Brands’.
Omair also has a history of Creative & Innovative advertising campaigns & branding initiatives. Recently, Omair has immigrated to Canada and is actively looking for his next challenge.