5 things you shouldn’t do during a corporate presentation
Presentations can be daunting, especially if they’re in a corporate environment. You want everything to run smoothly, so we’ve put together a guide on 5 things you shouldn’t do during a corporate presentation.
Come unprepared
The first rule to any sort of presentation is to make sure you’re prepared. This means with the content, the delegates, the venue, anything which will make the speech a success. Get organised as soon as you can and utilise your time so you can give the best presentation possible.
Read from the screen
Chances are if you are performing a presentation, you’ll have a sheet or PowerPoint to guide you. One of the most unengaging things you can do is simply read the content directly. There needs to be some sort of improvisation and performance based on audience reaction to make it interesting. Otherwise, your speech ends up monotone and boring. Make sure you’ve practised your presentation enough to know what you’re saying so that what you’ve got written down is simply a guide – perhaps just the odd word or two to keep you on track or so you know what is coming after your current slide.
Be unengaging
It’s easy to deem something as unengaging, but what are the characteristics of an unengaging presentation? We’ve all been in one, a warm stuffy room with a speaker who just can’t capture the audience’s attention. Eye contact is a vital part of any communication as well as confidence. Speaking to the floor isn’t beneficial to anyone so put your shoulders back and project your voice. This is easier said than done when you’re nervous, but practice makes perfect and each presentation will be better than the next.
Have no visual aids
It’s easy to lose someone’s attention, even when speaking about content they are interested in. It’s estimated that an adult’s attention span begins to waver after 10 to 20 minutes, therefore this can be a danger in longer meetings. Having visual aids to go along with what you’re talking about is really useful. It gives you a guide whilst giving your delegates something to focus on whilst you’re talking. Avoid putting paragraphs up, and instead, go for small quotes, engaging pictures, bullet points and CTAs. Keep your PowerPoint moving fast and your audience won’t get bored. Avoid too many effects in your presentation though, as you don’t want that to be the main attraction.
Not be ready to answer questions
It doesn’t matter how prepared you are with your presentation, if you cannot adapt and answer questions or react in the moment, it won’t be successful. If you’re concerned about being put on the spot, go through any potential questions beforehand and prepare a mental answer. Generally, if you are confident with your content, answering your delegates queries should be easy. Just ensure you are prepared and things will run smoothly. You can always invite your audience to email you with any further thoughts or questions which need to be delved further into.
If you are looking for the ideal place to hold your next presentation or conference, look no further than Sedgebrook Hall. Our venue is easily accessible, being located just 5 miles from the M1, 6 miles from Northampton train station and town centre, and a 40-minute drive from Birmingham Airport. We have the latest amenities, friendly staff, catering and accommodation facilities. Please don’t hesitate to get in contact for more information on our meeting rooms for hire.
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