Buzz
1. Don’t Boast About Your Achievements—Let the Audience Discover the Value of Your Presentation
If the audience decided to attend your presentation, it means they value what you're offering. There’s no benefit in repeating this or boasting about it; in fact, it may turn the audience off. They might start murmuring about how self-congratulatory you are, eventually forming negative feelings and shutting out the content you’re sharing. Avoid focusing on your struggles during preparation or overly praising your achievements. To you, those are significant milestones, but to your audience, they’re just facts they’re learning from you.
2. Don’t Drag Out the Greetings
If your presentation has a lot of important guests attending, should you start with a long introduction like, "I would like to introduce Mr. Tran Danh Cung, CEO of Company X. Thank you, Sir, for attending today’s seminar," only to repeat the same thing for ten more people? The audience will quickly tire of this and may even start feeling bored. Instead of repeating introductions, you can list the key guests in order of importance on a slide and take a brief moment to acknowledge them. This way, you maintain respect for them without losing the audience's attention.
3. The Bullet-Eye Gaze
A great speaker combines verbal communication with eye contact and body language. Scanning the room with a sharp, piercing gaze can destroy any enthusiasm among the audience. Instead, try offering a sincere and enthusiastic gaze, one that radiates energy and positivity. Avoid darting eyes or appearing anxious, as these signals show a lack of confidence. Don’t feel like you have to control every eye movement to match your speech. Just be genuine and allow your body language to reflect your sincerity. If you relax and let your body move naturally, it will convey confidence, kindness, and sincerity to the audience.
4. Lack of Preparation
Oftentimes, the opening sentence is overlooked when preparing for a presentation. However, it’s crucial to invest time here as the introduction is key to leaving a lasting impression on the audience. Ensure your entire presentation, from start to finish, is well-prepared. Avoid starting by simply repeating the topic or deviating into irrelevant subjects. It shows a lack of preparation and makes you appear unsure or unfocused. Be thorough in your prep to avoid losing credibility right from the beginning!
5. Staring at the Slide
When starting your presentation, it’s important to direct your attention towards the audience, as the introduction is meant to be a brief overview. This is your opportunity to engage them and connect. Never greet the audience while staring at your slide or fixating on an object in the room. You’re speaking to the audience, so make eye contact with them and channel your energy to inspire them. Let the room’s energy flow through you for the most effective presentation.
6. Lack of Respect
Don’t start your presentation with criticism. Avoid opening with accusations or negative remarks about an event or person. Criticizing others creates a negative atmosphere and can turn the audience against you. Be cautious with your tone, especially when addressing sensitive societal topics. Issues should be approached from multiple perspectives—don’t let your biased opinion take the stage. If you have a criticism, write it down and revisit it later instead of presenting it in the introduction.
7. Starting with a Joke You’re Not Good At
Starting with a joke is a common approach to opening a presentation. A funny story can help relax the audience, grab their attention, and create a positive atmosphere. But what if you’re not naturally funny? The story may fall flat, lacking the energy or humor that engages listeners. Or worse, you may laugh uncontrollably before even reaching the punchline, only to check the audience’s reaction and realize you look awkward. If your punchline falls short and no one laughs or claps, you might feel deflated, and your confidence could take a dive. Be cautious before choosing humor as your opening strategy!
8. Starting with an Apology
When presenting a topic, you should be confident in your knowledge. If you're not fully sure about your information, it's better to double-check and speak about it later. But once you're certain, never start with an apology like, "Hi everyone, today I’ll present on the topic of... if I make any mistakes, please forgive me!". Opening with an apology instantly raises doubts about your expertise. If you accompany this with a lack of confidence, your credibility will suffer, and the audience will likely approach your presentation with skepticism, searching for errors. To succeed in your presentation, trust in what you're saying and project confidence!
9. Beginning with an Annoying Sound
Have you ever picked up a microphone and started with noises like "um, um", "uhm, ahem", or "hello, hello, 1, 2, 3, hello, hello"? Starting your presentation like that can be very irritating for your audience. They’re all listening attentively, but you respond with unpleasant sounds. This issue happens with both confident and less confident speakers. Remember, if you want to test the microphone, simply tap it lightly and listen to the sound. Don’t try to make noise to grab attention or mask your nervousness. If you want to capture their attention, consider starting with an upbeat song or lively music instead of an uncomfortable sound from your end.
10. Starting with a Yes-or-No Question
There are many yes-or-no questions that you might accidentally ask your audience during a presentation, such as: "Hey everyone! Do you like this presentation?", "Are you interested in this topic?", or "Would you like to participate?".
If your presentation is engaging enough, you might get the answer you're hoping for. However, if your content is not captivating, the audience is likely to respond negatively. If you receive a "no" answer, you could find yourself in an awkward situation on stage. Asking closed-ended questions puts you at a disadvantage, so it’s best to avoid using them!
