The Best and Worst of Presentations in 2019

The Best and Worst of Presentations in 2019

It goes without saying that we always have our finger on the pulse of presentations — the good, the bad, and the ugly. In order to contribute to the industry, we like to be in the know of what’s new, what’s trending, and what’s missing when it comes to both creating a deck and presenting it. The beauty of technology is that things are always evolving and changing, and as such presentations and public speaking are always improving. 

So, as the year (and decade) comes to a close, we’re looking back at the highs and lows in the world of presentations. A year in review of sorts, in case you missed any noteworthy presentations or cringe-worthy decks in the past 12 months.

Without further ado, here is a round-up of the best and worst of presentations in 2019. 

2019 Had Some Really Great Presentations

1. Srinivas Rao and The Unmistakable Creative — This year, Srinivas Rao, the popular author, host of the podcast, The Unmistakable Creative, and constant (and accomplished) keynote speaker shared his presentation hack with us. You guessed it: Beautiful.ai’s Smart Slides. In fact, he created his own Unmistakable Creative media kit in Beautiful.ai. Srinivas says, “Everyone said the media kit was breathtaking. Beautiful.ai is leaps and bounds better than the other products. I’ve even done online courses and slides in Beautiful.ai. It’s instinctive, it’s fast, and it’s nearly impossible to make a presentation hideous.” We do have to admit, his presentation style (and deck) is pretty impressive, earning a spot on our best of 2019 list.

2. Siqi Chen on Presentations — Siqi Chen, investor and CEO of Sandbox VR, knows presentations. He’s likely given and received his fair share of Pitch Decks. And while Pitch Decks are great (and wildly important for entrepreneurs), our favorite presentation from Siqi Chen is his presentation on presentations . Yep, you read that right. This year he created a 58-slide presentation sharing everything he knows about crushing presentations. It was great. He talks about the importance of storytelling, and how to provoke action from a presentation. It’s helpful to presenters of all levels, and visually appealing, which counts as a win in our book. 

3. Meghan Markle in Cape Town, South Africa — It’s no secret that Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, steals hearts worldwide every time she takes the podium. In fact, her speeches always seem to go viral from unwavering fans. But what makes her speeches so royally good ? Sure, what you have to say matters, but how you say it (and how well you connect with your audience) matters more. Meghan Markle isn’t afraid to get personal, she embraces local cultures and languages, and always makes eye contact with a smile on her face. Earlier this year she gave a heartfelt speech at a charity event in Cape Town, South Africa where she said. “I’m here as a member of the royal family, and as a wife, a mother, a woman of color. As your sister.” The crowd (and internet) melted.

And, Some Really Bad Ones, Too

1. Car and Technology — Okay, we have to admit, this presentation deck technically isn’t from 2019, but we discovered it in 2019, so that counts right? It’s the perfect example of what not to do, so we had to include it. This entire presentation screams “fail” from the lengthy paragraphs to the questionable image placements. Luckily, it’s virtually impossible to create a presentation this ugly in Beautiful.ai.

best and worst presentations

2. Kshivets O. Lung Cancer Surgery — Again, not a 2019 design, but cringe-worthy nonetheless. We’ll give these slides the benefit of the doubt considering they were created nearly 10 years ago, but all of the graphs and charts are a disaster. Your audience should be able to digest your data without getting a migraine, so overly-complicated charts are a no for us. And this presentation is nothing but complicated.

best and worst presentations

3. The Oscars Acceptance Speech — True, not a traditional presentation, but this acceptance speech has been pegged as one of the worst of all time. Why? When Greg Cannom, Kate Biscoe, and Patricia Dehaney-Le May accepted their award for the film Vice they took turns reading their speech off of a notecard. This sounds awkward, right? It gets worse. At one point, they got confused where one left off and where the other was supposed to pick up and as a result the speech got all jumbled. The key takeaways from this? Don’t read straight off of a card (or presentation slide), and don’t pass the microphone every other word.

best and worst presentations

All that to say, a lot has changed since 1987, including presentation software and stale public speaking styles. PowerPoint is so 2000 late. What looked good then certainly doesn’t look good now, and it shows. Kate McKinnon said it best on Saturday Night Live— in our favorite skit of the year— when she poked fun at PowerPoint’s pain points.

Cheers to another year of presentations, we’re excited to see what 2020 will bring. 

Jordan Turner

Jordan Turner

Jordan is a Bay Area writer, social media manager, and content strategist.

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How-To Geek

8 tips to make the best powerpoint presentations.

Want to make your PowerPoint presentations really shine? Here's how to impress and engage your audience.

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Table of contents, start with a goal, less is more, consider your typeface, make bullet points count, limit the use of transitions, skip text where possible, think in color, take a look from the top down, bonus: start with templates.

Slideshows are an intuitive way to share complex ideas with an audience, although they're dull and frustrating when poorly executed. Here are some tips to make your Microsoft PowerPoint presentations sing while avoiding common pitfalls.

It all starts with identifying what we're trying to achieve with the presentation. Is it informative, a showcase of data in an easy-to-understand medium? Or is it more of a pitch, something meant to persuade and convince an audience and lead them to a particular outcome?

It's here where the majority of these presentations go wrong with the inability to identify the talking points that best support our goal. Always start with a goal in mind: to entertain, to inform, or to share data in a way that's easy to understand. Use facts, figures, and images to support your conclusion while keeping structure in mind (Where are we now and where are we going?).

I've found that it's helpful to start with the ending. Once I know how to end a presentation, I know how best to get to that point. I start by identifying the takeaway---that one nugget that I want to implant before thanking everyone for their time---and I work in reverse to figure out how best to get there.

Your mileage, of course, may vary. But it's always going to be a good idea to put in the time in the beginning stages so that you aren't reworking large portions of the presentation later. And that starts with a defined goal.

A slideshow isn't supposed to include everything. It's an introduction to a topic, one that we can elaborate on with speech. Anything unnecessary is a distraction. It makes the presentation less visually appealing and less interesting, and it makes you look bad as a presenter.

This goes for text as well as images. There's nothing worse, in fact, than a series of slides where the presenter just reads them as they appear. Your audience is capable of reading, and chances are they'll be done with the slide, and browsing Reddit, long before you finish. Avoid putting the literal text on the screen, and your audience will thank you.

Related: How to Burn Your PowerPoint to DVD

Right off the bat, we're just going to come out and say that Papyrus and Comic Sans should be banned from all PowerPoint presentations, permanently. Beyond that, it's worth considering the typeface you're using and what it's saying about you, the presenter, and the presentation itself.

Consider choosing readability over aesthetics, and avoid fancy fonts that could prove to be more of a distraction than anything else. A good presentation needs two fonts: a serif and sans-serif. Use one for the headlines and one for body text, lists, and the like. Keep it simple. Veranda, Helvetica, Arial, and even Times New Roman are safe choices. Stick with the classics and it's hard to botch this one too badly.

There reaches a point where bullet points become less of a visual aid and more of a visual examination.

Bullet points should support the speaker, not overwhelm his audience. The best slides have little or no text at all, in fact. As a presenter, it's our job to talk through complex issues, but that doesn't mean that we need to highlight every talking point.

Instead, think about how you can break up large lists into three or four bullet points. Carefully consider whether you need to use more bullet points, or if you can combine multiple topics into a single point instead. And if you can't, remember that there's no one limiting the number of slides you can have in a presentation. It's always possible to break a list of 12 points down into three pages of four points each.

Animation, when used correctly, is a good idea. It breaks up slow-moving parts of a presentation and adds action to elements that require it. But it should be used judiciously.

Adding a transition that wipes left to right between every slide or that animates each bullet point in a list, for example, starts to grow taxing on those forced to endure the presentation. Viewers get bored quickly, and animations that are meant to highlight specific elements quickly become taxing.

That's not to say that you can't use animations and transitions, just that you need to pick your spots. Aim for no more than a handful of these transitions for each presentation. And use them in spots where they'll add to the demonstration, not detract from it.

Sometimes images tell a better story than text can. And as a presenter, your goal is to describe points in detail without making users do a lot of reading. In these cases, a well-designed visual, like a chart, might better convey the information you're trying to share.

The right image adds visual appeal and serves to break up longer, text-heavy sections of the presentation---but only if you're using the right images. A single high-quality image can make all the difference between a success and a dud when you're driving a specific point home.

When considering text, don't think solely in terms of bullet points and paragraphs. Tables, for example, are often unnecessary. Ask yourself whether you could present the same data in a bar or line chart instead.

Color is interesting. It evokes certain feelings and adds visual appeal to your presentation as a whole. Studies show that color also improves interest, comprehension, and retention. It should be a careful consideration, not an afterthought.

You don't have to be a graphic designer to use color well in a presentation. What I do is look for palettes I like, and then find ways to use them in the presentation. There are a number of tools for this, like Adobe Color , Coolors , and ColorHunt , just to name a few. After finding a palette you enjoy, consider how it works with the presentation you're about to give. Pastels, for example, evoke feelings of freedom and light, so they probably aren't the best choice when you're presenting quarterly earnings that missed the mark.

It's also worth mentioning that you don't need to use every color in the palette. Often, you can get by with just two or three, though you should really think through how they all work together and how readable they'll be when layered. A simple rule of thumb here is that contrast is your friend. Dark colors work well on light backgrounds, and light colors work best on dark backgrounds.

Spend some time in the Slide Sorter before you finish your presentation. By clicking the four squares at the bottom left of the presentation, you can take a look at multiple slides at once and consider how each works together. Alternatively, you can click "View" on the ribbon and select "Slide Sorter."

Are you presenting too much text at once? Move an image in. Could a series of slides benefit from a chart or summary before you move on to another point?

It's here that we have the opportunity to view the presentation from beyond the single-slide viewpoint and think in terms of how each slide fits, or if it fits at all. From this view, you can rearrange slides, add additional ones, or delete them entirely if you find that they don't advance the presentation.

The difference between a good presentation and a bad one is really all about preparation and execution. Those that respect the process and plan carefully---not only the presentation as a whole, but each slide within it---are the ones who will succeed.

This brings me to my last (half) point: When in doubt, just buy a template and use it. You can find these all over the web, though Creative Market and GraphicRiver are probably the two most popular marketplaces for this kind of thing. Not all of us are blessed with the skills needed to design and deliver an effective presentation. And while a pre-made PowerPoint template isn't going to make you a better presenter, it will ease the anxiety of creating a visually appealing slide deck.

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best and worst presentations

Slide presentations are an indispensable component of professional, academic, and even personal realms. However, not all PowerPoint presentations hit the mark. Understanding both stellar and poor examples is crucial for developing effective presentation skills.

The Best PowerPoint Presentation Examples often include:

1.A Clear and Compelling Narrative: The best presentations have a clear storyline or argument that guides the audience through the content seamlessly.

2.Consistent and Simple Design: Good presentations have a consistent theme with limited colors and fonts, enhancing readability and aesthetical appeal.

3.Succinct Content: Instead of overcrowded slides, the most effective ones use bullet points or short sentences to communicate key ideas.

4.Use of Visuals: Including charts, graphs, images, and videos can illustrate points more powerfully than words alone.

5.Audience Engagement: Encouraging audience interaction through questions or interactive elements can keep attention and reinforce messages.

Conversely, The Worst PowerPoint Presentation Examples often display:

1.Overloaded Slides: Slides packed with too much text or numerous bullet points confuse and overwhelm the audience.

2.Poor Design Choices: Inconsistent fonts, colors, or an overuse of animations distract rather than enhance the understanding of the content.

3.Reading from Slides: When presenters simply read off the slide, it shows a lack of preparation and disengages the audience.

4.Lack of Preparation: Presentations with errors or that haven’t been rehearsed reflect poorly on the presenter’s professionalism.

5.Ignoring the Audience: Failing to adapt the presentation to the audience’s level of understanding or interest ensures that the message will not resonate as intended.

By examining these examples, it becomes evident that effective PowerPoint presentations balance informative content with engaging design and delivery. Avoiding common pitfalls can help ensure your presentation is remembered for all the right reasons.

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10 Bad PowerPoint Slides Examples to Avoid

A presentation serves two purposes: 1) it teaches your audience something new and 2) motivates them to take action. However, achieving these goals is only possible if your audience is engaged in your presentation. Your presentation is your story, whether hosting a webinar, teaching an online course, training a new employee, pitching a business idea, or sharing a project with your team. 

What you say matters; your audience’s attention matters. A successful presentation determines how many people connect with your story, how much they remember, and improvements for next time. Various elements in a presentation can make or break its look. Knowing and avoiding practices that can make your presentation dull and non-engaging is vital. 

We’ll walk through some examples of bad PowerPoint Slides to help you avoid common mistakes while creating a presentation. 

What Makes a Bad PowerPoint Presentation?

Everyone talks about good examples, but even a basic mistake can make your fantastic-looking presentation bad. Learning from really bad PowerPoint examples can be as valuable as following the best practices of good PowerPoint examples . Let’s walk through some of the bad PowerPoint presentation slides that would make your eyes ache and content so dull it could put an insomniac to sleep. 

With these really bad powerpoint examples, you can save your presentation from being a disaster and turn them into engaging slides:

  • Too much text on slides
  • Too many animations
  • Using too many colors on one slide
  • Being too minimalistic
  • Using only pictures and difficult-to-understand fonts
  • Keeping the image behind the text
  • Flow charts on the slides do not make sense
  • No symmetry in texts and pointers
  • Using only bullet points and no paragraphs
  • Keeping the size of the font too small

1. Too much text on slides 

PowerPoint is a handy tool, but remember, it’s there to enhance your presentation, not steal the spotlight from you. The key here is to make it a visual assistant that doesn’t simply mimic your words but assists you in giving visual suggestions. Overloading your slides with text is the fastest way to make your presentations dull and monotonous. Those walls of text can instantly overwhelm your audience, and we’ve all been there, irritated by text-heavy slides. 

Going further, scripting your entire speech on the slides can trip up even the smoothest talkers. We all know it seems easy to read word to word while giving presentations, but it kills the natural flow and direct interaction with your audience. Moreover, such text-heavy bad PowerPoint slides will result in a rigid, unengaging presentation and steal your spotlight.

Bad PowerPoint Slide Example with Excessive Text:

Bad PowerPoint Slide Example- Excessive Text

2. Too many animations 

There are plenty of PowerPoint animations , and they can be tricky to use. There are more than 150 animations in PowerPoint, and some presentations seem determined to test them all. However, it is vital to note that using a lot of animations and transitions can make your presentations look less polished and outdated. When everything on a slide is animated, it can be distracting and even exhausting for your audience. 

Moreover, excessive animations can be a headache for the presenter, too. If each element requires a click to appear or disappear, it’s not the most efficient approach, and it makes for a bad PowerPoint presentation example. Due to many animations and transitions, presenters inadvertently give away what’s coming next, disrupting their timing and distracting the audience, who start anticipating the next point instead of focusing on your words.

Bad PowerPoint Slide Example with Heavy Animation:

3. using too many colors on one slide.

Do not treat your PowerPoint presentation as a canvas. It is not a color pallet to mix and present different colors. Talking about color might seem like a deep dive, but you can be something other than a color theory guru to nail a good-looking presentation (though it’s a plus). Here’s the golden rule: KEEP IT EASY TO READ! 

Bright and flashy colors like red or neon might not be your best bet for a presentation.

Also, think about contrast to ensure your audience can read effortlessly. Simple combos, like black text on a white background or vice versa, work like a charm. Conversely, white text on a grey background can be a readability nightmare. Having non-contrasting colors can make for bad PPT examples, and nobody wants colors in their presentation to clash, right?

 Example of Worst PowerPoint Slide with Too Many Colors:

Worst PowerPoint Slides- Colorful Slides

READ MORE: Effective Colour Palette Combination for Presentations

4. Being too minimalistic

Adding everything to your presentation is a problem, but not adding the required colors, graphics, and text is a bigger problem. It can make the slide look dull and empty. Sometimes, professionals can get carried away with the “less is more” idea. While using a variety of color palettes in one presentation can make it look unprofessional and strain the eyes, there are better options than going all-white. 

Keeping presentations too minimalistic might give off the impression – that you didn’t put in the effort. Plain slides are an example of a bad PowerPoint presentation and don’t motivate the audience to pay attention. 

Example of Bad PowerPoint Slide with Too Much Minimalism:

Bad PowerPoint Slides- Too Much Minimalism

EXPLORE: 40,000+ PowerPoint Templates and Google Slides Themes

5. Using only pictures and difficult-to-understand fonts

Another example of bad PPT slides is cluttering the presentation with only graphics and difficult-to-understand fonts. Like with colors and animations, the “less is more” principle holds here. Your primary focus should be making your presentation easy to read and understand for your audience. Take fonts, for instance. Avoid ones like “Impact Typeface,” which have cramped letters. Fancy fonts, especially those that mimic italics, can be problematic too. 

Example of Ugly PowerPoint Slide with Difficult To-Read Font:

Ugly PowerPoint Slides- Difficult Fonts

READ MORE: Best Presentation Fonts

Now, onto images. Stay moderate; too many images can distract your audience significantly if they overlap. When considering multiple photos, ask yourself if you need them all or if one can represent the others. Slides with an excessive number of pictures can be a visual mess. While images are great for illustrating points and reducing text, an overload makes your presentation look outdated.

6. Keeping the image behind the text

Whoever thought of using an image as a background probably missed the memo. Images and text simply don’t go well together. Overlaying text on an image makes for one of the worst PowerPoint presentation examples. Keeping the image in the background makes reading the text complex, and the main image needs to be clarified. With the mix-up of colors in the background, finding a text color that stands out is nearly impossible, and all those colors just pull your attention away from the words. To save your presentation from this disaster, avoid using images as slide backgrounds when you’ve got text to showcase.

Really Bad PowerPoint Slide Example with Invisible Text:

Really Bad PowerPoint Slides- Invisible Text

EXPLORE: Best PowerPoint Backgrounds Collection

7. Flow charts on the slides do not make sense

If you want to use flow charts in your PowerPoint presentation, this one’s for you. The first rule for flowcharts is simple: they should be easy to understand. A flowchart can explain things in a presentation, but a well-crafted PowerPoint should make sense. The flowchart, like the one shown below, will destroy the look of your slide and needs to be clarified. By seeing this bad PowerPoint presentation example below, you need to help understand what’s happening. What is connected to what? Therefore, even if you intend to simplify the information, it will only reach your audience with a clear flowchart. 

Bad PowerPoint Presentation Example with Messed up Flowcharts:

Bad PowerPoint Presentation- Messed up Flowcharts

EXPLORE: Customizable Flowchart PowerPoint Templates

8. No symmetry in texts and pointers

The lack of balance or alignment between textual content and accompanying visual elements like arrows , bullets, or other pointers can make your presentations look unprofessional and unappealing. When text and pointers are haphazardly placed, it’s challenging for the audience to follow a logical flow of information, making up for a bad PowerPoint slide example. Without symmetry in your presentation, you’re only distracting your audience; they will be preoccupied with deciphering the relationship between the text and visuals.

Example of Bad PowerPoint Presentation with No Symmetry:

Bad PowerPoint Presentation- No Symmetry

9. Using only bullet points and no paragraphs

Using only bullet points in your slide is one of the worst PowerPoint presentation ideas! In a PowerPoint presentation, simplifying paragraphs into bullet points is a smart move to make it more audience-friendly. However, it’s essential to clarify that this means more than merely slapping only bullet points and not including any paragraphs. 

Here’s a helpful rule of thumb: “Only use 5-8 bullet points”, and if you find yourself shrinking text to 12 or 10 points, you’ve got too much text on your hands, and you can’t put all of it in the bullets. Having overly lengthy bullet points might not be to everyone’s liking, and some even read like full-blown paragraphs.

Ugly PowerPoint Presentation Example with Just Bullets and No Paragraphs:

Ugly PowerPoint Presentation- Just Bullets and No Paragraphs

10. Keeping the size of the font too small 

Last on this list of bad PowerPoint examples is keeping the font size too small, making it look invisible. Font size plays a very crucial role in the presentation. Imagine being served a delicious pizza and handed a magnifying glass to find the toppings. Wouldn’t it kill the mood? The same applies to your PowerPoint presentation. Imagine everything in your slide is on point: the colors, the graphics, the animation, the information, but your audience can’t even read what you are presenting. A quick test is to stand at the back of the room where you’ll present, and if you can still read the font comfortably, then you’re good to go. 

Worst PowerPoint Presentation Example with Small Font:

Worst PowerPoint Presentations- So Small Font

Tips to Avoid Making the Worst PowerPoint Slides!

Creating a standout PowerPoint presentation boils down to two fundamental principles: 1) it must captivate visually and 2) convey clarity of message. Sometimes, the temptation arises to favor one at the expense of the other. The absence of a delicate balance between engagement and transparency unites all these ugly PowerPoint slides examples. Here are some things you should keep in mind:

  • Avoid stuffing slides with too much text in an effort for clarity, which often results in a boring, overwhelming presentation that distracts from the speaker. 
  • Refrain from overloading slides with excessive images or animations to boost engagement; it can backfire, resulting in confusion and an unprofessional look.
  • Microsoft provides numerous resources to achieve a well-balanced look for your presentation, including colors, graphics, images, embedded videos, and animations. The key is to use them wisely. 
  • Before finalizing any presentation, you can ask a few questions from a spectator’s perspective. Can I replace this lengthy sentence with a picture or a keyword? Are the fonts crystal clear? Do the visuals or animations prove distracting? Are the colors harmonious, or do they strain the eyes?

READ MORE: Most Important Presentation Tips

You can craft an exceptional PowerPoint presentation by balancing engagement and clarity perfectly. However, striking this balance requires a lot of practice. The best and worst PowerPoint presentation examples clearly show how to keep this equilibrium.  

As we’ve seen, it’s easy to take a presentation from good to worse by neglecting one side in favor of the other; the next time you’re gearing up to create a presentation, consider getting the help of professional presentation services . 

Presentation service providers like SlideUpLift can help you strike the perfect balance of engagement and clarity, ensuring your audience stays focused while your message shines through. Whether you want to tweak every part of your presentation or adjust the fonts and colors, going for a presentation service provider like SlideUpLift ensures that your unique style is consistently reflected in your slides. You can book a consultation call to learn more about these services.

Explore SlideUpLift presentation design services to create eye-catching PPTs. You can give the custom-slides service a shot.

Why are bad PowerPoint slides a problem?

Bad PowerPoint slides can hinder effective communication, leading to audience disengagement and a failure to convey your message. They can distract, confuse, or even bore your audience, ultimately defeating the purpose of your presentation.

What common mistakes result in a really bad PowerPoint Presentation?

Common mistakes that result in bad PowerPoint slides include overcrowding slides with excessive text or complex graphics, using small fonts, lacking visual consistency, and neglecting the balance between engagement and clarity. You can avoid this by engaging your audience, conveying your message clearly, and creating a visually appealing and well-structured presentation that supports your content effectively.

How can I improve my PowerPoint slides and avoid making bad ones?

You must focus on simplicity, use visuals wisely, maintain consistency in design and fonts, and balance engagement and clarity. In addition to all these points, getting help from professional presentation providers can help you make top-class presentations easily.

. Are there resources or services available to help improve PowerPoint presentations?

Yes, SlideUpLift is one of the most trusted professional presentation service providers. They provide design and content layout expertise, including PowerPoint templates , Google Slides templates , presentation services , custom slide services , etc. You can book a consultation call with us to learn more about these services.

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50 Best PowerPoint Presentations (2023 Update)

This is the most complete list of the best PowerPoint presentations on the Web. Period.

In fact, you’ll find 50 presentation slide decks on this page.

So whether you’re looking to…

✅ Learn how to create amazing presentations, step-by-step ✅ Understand the latest trends – about marketing, social media, AI and more – and grab actionable strategies to grow your business ✅ Discover the best pitch decks that have helped companies like Youtube or Airbnb raise hundred of millions of dollars…

You’ll really enjoy this list.

50 Best PowerPoint Presentations That Teach You Things

Here are the different categories in which the selected slide decks fall into:

Presentation Skills Copywriting & Sales Online Marketing Business Innovation Pitch Decks Productivity

Presentation Skills: Tips, Resources & Inspiration to Become a Real Pro

In this section, you will find a comprehensive selection of slide decks that will help you plan, structure and design irresistible presentations, step-by-step.

Let’s jump right in!

1. Quick & Dirty Tips for Better PowerPoint Presentations Faster

This deck will teach you 7 simple, effective tips to build presentations faster, from start to finish.

Now, if you’re not following any process when making your own presentations, make sure to check out tip #7 (it’s the one I personally use and if you stick to it, you’ll save a huge amount of time).

Quick & Dirty Tips for : Better PowerPoint Presentations Faster from Eugene Cheng

Quick side note : if you want to design gorgeous slides fast, you’d be crazy not to check out PPTPOP’s premium template pack. It’s a set of ready-to-use slides you can use right away to make your presentations look 10x better. See details here .

2. 8 Tips for an Awesome PowerPoint Presentation

In this deck, you’ll learn 8 simple effective slide design tips to make your presentations visually more appealing.

8 Tips for an Awesome Powerpoint Presentation from Damon Nofar

3. The Ultimate Freebies Guide for Presentations

Want to design more  creative presentations ? This deck will give you access to some of the best useful resources and tools to create better slide decks (icons, fonts, infographics and more).

The Ultimate Freebies Guide for Presentations  from Damon Nofar

4. Create Icons in PowerPoint

Icons are a great way to design presentations that are more appealing.

Wanna know the best part?

Designing your own icons.

This tutorial teaches you how to simply build your own, customized icons, step-by-step.

Create icons in PowerPoint from Presentitude

Pro Tip :  If you prefer using standard icons that ou can still customize, head over to this post where I’m sharing my favorite presentation graphics and shapes.

5. 10 Powerful Body Language Tips for Your Next Presentation

Public speaking is not only about making a corporate speech in front of your company’s board members once every six months.

In fact, we’re facing situations where we have persuade, inform, or motivate others all the time .

And guess what, each of those moments requires us to impact with our words, our voice and our posture.

So if you’ve been looking to learn how to speak with more confidence, the deck below will provide you 10 simple tips to grab – and keep – the attention of an audience (tips #1 and #5 are so simple and powerful that you’ll be glad you learnt them today).

10 Powerful Body Language Tips for your next Presentation from SOAP

6. The Art of Saying No: Kenny Nguyen at TEDxLSU

I got you…

This is not a presentation. But it’s a killer speak you must watch.

Kenny Nguyen, the CEO of Big Fish Presentations,  speaks about the power inherent in saying “no.” In this  TEDx,  he explains how “no” has affected him personally and professionally, but more importantly, how it can prepare one for the perfect time to say “yes”.

This speech will show you how to entertain an audience, grab their attention and tell powerful stories that stick.

The Art of Saying No  from Big Fish Presentations

Additional Resources

PPTPOP’s Best Templates

The Ultimate PPTPACK (35 editable, templates. FREE)

Powerful Presentation Tips (That Work FAST)

Creative Presentation Techniques You Can Use Now

How to Design Gorgeous Presentations When You Have No Time (And No Design Talent)

If you’re looking to crank out quality presentations without spending dozen of hours designing them or hiring an expensive designer, then you should consider investing in professional templates. Professional templates help busy people of all talent ranges create fantastic presentations at breakneck speed.

Top performers know that presentations can have a huge impact on their business. Because the truth is, when you start deliver top-tier business materials, you’re able to:

  • Present clean slides that grab (and keep) people’s attention
  • Confidently expressing ideas, concepts and messages with visual elements. Because, yes, you know that those who use visual aids are 43% more persuasive than those who don’t.
  • Wow your prospects, get them to walk away knowing you’re the pros and eliminating other options.

Introducing Pre-Built Presentation Templates…

With pre-built templates , you get your hands on a massive stash of editable resources – slides, vector icons, graphics, timelines, maps and so on – to finally build result-getting presentations. At a fraction of the time it takes to others.

And the good news is, these templates cost as little as the price of a movie ticket.

So if you’ve looking to build winning presentations faster  then check out my two favorite templates below:

If you’ve been looking to create high-quality presentations faster (because you know that’s what will set you apart from everyone else), then check out one of my favorite templates below, and start saving time so you can focus on things that really matter to you.

Marketofy presentation theme is especially useful for:

Corporate presentations – for prospects, investors or stakeholders Marketing proposals or briefs Customer/data reports And more

Key Features

  • Lots of unique slides (390 for  PowerPoint , 200 for  Keynote  and  Google slides ). Includes slides to present business objectives, company services, marketing strategy, product launch, process, maps, devices, apps, and much more
  • 24 ready-made color themes (6 for the Keynote version)
  • Dark & light versions (light background slides or dark background slides)
  • Drag-and-drop photo placeholders (drag any visual from your folder, and it will take the exact shape of the placeholder)
  • Dozen of graphs and charts (to concisely present data-rich information)
  • 2,500 icons

See this business template

See a detailed review of my favorite templates

Copywriting & Sales: Everything You Need to Turn More Leads Into Buyers

Copywriting = getting information into someone’s brain so they want to open their wallet and give you the money.

In other words, it’s is about convincing people to buy from you  using your words .

And here we are:

What makes copywriting so powerfu l is the incredible number of things you can do with it. Write a sales page for your site, craft cold emails , presentations for prospects , or investors, or even put together  video scripts…

All of these are literally made of… words.

Those who master the power of copywriting know how to use the right words to rouse interest, crush objections, activate the purchasing triggers of their target customers.

7. 17 Copywriting Do’s and Don’ts: How To Write Persuasive Content

This great introduction to the topic lists down the most common mistakes people are making when writing sales copy.

You’ll also learn 17 great tips to start writing better sales copy right now. Every piece of advise comes with clear, real-world examples that make this presentation very practical.

How To Write Persuasive Content de Henneke Duistermaat

Did you like this deck about copywriting? Then make sure to check out this one as well (Top 10 copywriting mistakes + how to fix them)

8.  The 10 Best Copywriting Formulas for Social Media Headlines

The 10 Best Copywriting Formulas for Social Media Headlines from Buffer

Are you looking for proven advice that’ll help you turn more leads into customers? If so, I strongly recommend you to check out this course  (It’s one the best online copywriting course I’ve ever taken).

9. 125 Clickass Copywriting Tips

This practical, gigantic guide is loaded with simple tips to write better sales copy.

You’ll also learn the exact questions you need to answer to be more persuasive in front of any audience.

125 Clickass Copywriting Tips from Barry Feldman

10. 107 Mind-Blowing Sales Statistics That Will Help You Sell Smarter

17% of salespeople think they’re pushy, compared to 50% of prospects.

Ouchhh….

Even if numbers never tell you the whole story, this deck has done a great job at highlighting the most important aspects of it.

107 Mind-Blowing Sales Statistics That Will Help You Sell Smarter von Sidekick

11. Tips On Selling From Ogilvy

“You can’t bore people into buying your product. You can only interest them in buying it”.

This deck condenses some of the best selling secrets from advertising tycoon David Ogilvy . Highly recommended.

Some tips on selling from Ogilvy from OgilvyOne Worldwide

12.  Pitching Ideas: How to Sell Your Ideas to Others

This great deck explains you how to pitch ideas to others. It comes back to the fundamental questions you need to answer first – such as identifying your goal and the exact problems your idea is solving.

Pitching Ideas: How to sell your ideas to others from Jeroen van Geel

How to pitch an idea to any audience . Here are 21 research -backed strategies that’ll get you a YES! every time.

13. Your Sales Pitch Sucks!

Why most sales pitches don’t work  and what you can do to fix yours.

Your Sales Pitch Sucks! from Slides That Rock

14. How to Pitch B2B

How do you convince a prospective customer?

This slide deck will teach you 9 essential steps to crafting a winning pitch (if you want them all resumed, check out the slide 62).

How to Pitch B2B from Slides That Rock

15. Social Proof Tips to Boost Landing Page Conversions

This deck is brought to you by growth marketing advisor and speaker  Angie Schottmuller . It’s loaded with in-deep, social proof strategies you can use on your landing page.

Social Proof Tips to Boost Landing Page Conversions de Angie Schottmuller

Sugarman, Joseph. 2006. The Adweek Copywriting Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Powerful Advertising and Marketing Copy from One of America’s Top Copywriters (One of the best copywriting books out there, period).

The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Sales Page

How to Write Ads

The Anatomy of a Perfect Sales Email

How to Make Your Sales Copy 10X More Persuasive

Online Marketing: The Best Strategies and Tools to Stand Out & Grow Your Business

In this section, you will get access to top presentations that will teach you how to become a sharper business individual.

From the latest SEO trends to marketing strategies, tools and techniques, you’ll learn how to…

Better sell your products or services Stand out in a crowded market Create and distribute valuable, relevant content designed to attract customers And much more !

16.  2023 Global Marketing Trends

A must-read for all marketers. In 2023, Deloitte expects a rebalance of digital ad spending to include more brand-building and less over-targeting:

17. The SEO World in 2018

(Don’t be fooled by the 2018 publication date, this document contains pure gold.)

SEO (search engine optimization) is basically getting free Google traffic to your site. And guess what, if you want to get organic traffic to your website and stay on top of your game, you need to understand the ever-changing landscape about SEO.

This deck made by Moz will provide you a great, precise overview of the state of SEO in 2018. Yes, it’s not a latest SEO deck – but it will teach you core principles of how people actually search online, how Google is using “predictive intend” along with useful tips to better rank your content in the long run.

The SEO World in 2018 from Rand Fishkin

Interested about learning how you can get more traffic from Google?  Backlinko is one of the best blogs on SEO out there.

18. The 150 Most Powerful Marketing & Sales Tools

These are the best tools available online to grow your business (everything about SEO, email, content marketing, social media, and more).

The 150 Most Powerful Marketing & Sales Tools from Brian Downard

19. Fast Track Your Content Marketing Plan

This deck breaks down the exact steps you needs to take to drive successful content marketing  programs that’ll help you resonate in your market.

No fluff. No B.S.

Fast Track Your Content Marketing Plan de Barry Feldman

20. The Ultimate Guide to Startup Marketing

This deck wraps up what you need to do when starting a business – including the fundamental steps you should to take to kickstart your online marketing game.

The Ultimate Guide to Startup Marketing from Onboardly

21.  AI, Machine Learning, and their Application for Growth 

A great presentation done by Adelyn Zhou , previous CMO at TOPBOTS . TOPBOTS is a publication, community, and educational resource for business leaders applying AI to their companies.

In this deck, you will learn how, why and when both AI and machine learning can help your organization grow.

22.  How to Increase Your Online Presence in 30 Minutes a Day

This Slideshare was realized by Sprout Social , a social media management software. This deck will teach you how to improve your online presence with simple steps that only take a few minutes each to implement.

Use the outlined process to boost brand awareness, grow your audience, increase your influence across the web and, most importantly, track the success of your initiatives.

23. Surf Your Way To Success in E-Commerce

This white paper put together by Ogilvy outlines the key principles and strategies to help you ride the e-commerce wave and come out to the top.

You will learn what are the driving forces of e-commerce, how to create a top-notch experience online, pin-point your customer desires and expectations, how to generate demand, and much more.

24 .  2022 Social Media Trends 

HubSpot has put together a complete report that will give you useful pieces of data to understand the social media landscape today and upcoming trends, and how to tap into them to succeed for your business.

2022 Social Media Trends Report from HubSpot

25. Social Media Trends 2022

This presentation is a good complement to the #24. It outlines 7 social-led trends that will impact marketing over the next years.

Social Media Trends 2022 by Ogilvy

26. Email Marketing 101: The Welcome Email

This detailed deck explains the importance and psychology of welcome emails.

Email Marketing 101: The Welcome Email from SendGrid

Additional Email Marketing Resources

A Beginner’s Guide to Successful Email 

How to Write a Good Sales Emaiil

27. Go Viral on the Social Web: The Definitive How-To Guide!

There’s too much noise out there.

And as a brand, failing at standing out is equal to being ignored.

This deck teaches you how to craft viral content that makes you stand out and motivates people to share what you’ve got to say.

Go Viral on the Social Web: The Definitive How-To guide! from XPLAIN

28. People Don’t Care About Your Brand

Don’t move another muscle until this become part of your D.N.A:

Nobody cares about you.

They care about what you can do for them.

In this deck, you’ll learn how to engage with customers and get them to come back for more.

People Don’t Care About Your Brand from Slides That Roc k

29.  The Ultimate Guide to Conquering Content Marketing

This solid, expert-backed (and fun) guide was put together by Content Marketing Institute .

It’s jam-packed with useful tips from the top minds in content marketing and will teach you how to create epic content, amplify your message, and much more.

Whether you’re new to content marketing, need a refresher or are curious about where the trends are going to, make sure to check out this slide deck.

The best business podcasts:

Unmistakable Creative

The Smart Passive Income

Additional sales resources:

How To Write a Persuasive Sales Page

Laja, Peep. 2012. Useful Value Proposition Examples (and How to Create a Good One) . Conversion XL.

30. Growth Hacking

I am a big fan of growth hacking  and if you’re not one yet, here’s your chance.

Growth hacking is every strategy, every tactic, and every initiative that is attempted in the hopes of growing a business. In this deck you will learn what is grow hacking, what metrics you should focus on and a simple 5-step lean marketing funnel to explode your business growth.

Growth Hacking from Mattan Griffel

31. 100 Growth Hacks 100 Days

In this deck, you will get your hands on detailed, time-framed (and wicked smart) tactics you can implement right away to grow your blog, startup or your website.

100 growth hacks 100 days | 1 to 10 from Robin Yjord

Patel, Neil and Aragon, Kathryn. The Advanced Guide to Content Marketing.

Patel, Neil and Puri, Ritika. “Launch Your Social Strategy”. The Beginners Guide to Online Marketing (Chapter 12).

Neil Patel and Bronson, Taylor. The Definitive Guide to Growth Hacking .

Business Innovation: Methodologies to Actually Move the Needle in Your Business

In this section, you will get access to expert-written presentations covering ways to build a stronger business. You will learn models and strategies to tackle challenges, and design a better innovation culture in your company.

For instance:

Design thinking . How to you solve complex business problems more creatively.

The AARRR model . How applying a simple 5-step lean startup methodology can change your approach to doing business. Business model design . If you don’t know what it is yet, make sure to check out the deck !

32. Crash Course Design Thinking

This deck will teach why design thinking is important along with – in between other cool things – how to apply the 5x Why method to uncover – and understand the root causes of most business problems.

Introducing design thinking from Zaana Howard

33. Crash Course on Design Thinking

6 Presentations That Are So Horrible You Might Get Nightmares

Yousef "yoyo" abu ghaidah.

  • November 28, 2017
  • No Comments

We’ve all sat through presentations that we found, for lack of a better term, horrible. But sometimes, we encounter presentations that are so bad, so disgusting, so monumentally horrific, that we have to sit back and appreciate just how awful they are. I’m going to cover some of these of these presentations in this post, and yes, do expect a laugh or two. More importantly, these eyesores also give a strong indication of everything you should NOT do the next time you create your PowerPoint slides. So, let’s laugh and learn.

1. This Awful “Summary”

A summary slide with way too much text

Where do I even begin with this?

The whole idea of a summary is to give a brief statement of the main points in regards to something. The key word here, obviously, is ‘brief.’ So imagine my surprise when I see a wall of text so large it would probably take the rest of my life to go through all the important points. I can’t overstate just how huge this text box is. I mean, look at it! It’s so big it goes over the illustration at the bottom left corner!

Nobody is going to sit there and read that. I wouldn’t even do it if you paid me. Presenters are better off using icons to illustrate the main points, and maybe add a few text boxes to get the message across; check out Slide Cow’s icons guide here to know how to do just that .

2. This Terrible Graph Spam

A slide with 100 graphs in it

I used this picture to illustrate why technical people suck at PowerPoint . I guess the point still holds merit if people think it’s a good idea to make a slide that looks like this.

Graphs and charts are a norm in presentations. If anything, they tend to presentations sexy since people are always looking to find ways to visualize data. But trust me on this, you don’t need 100 graphs on the same slide . Yeah, I counted.

Presenters are better off using a more systematic approach to beautifully visualize data like the one I outlined in a separate post . A process like the one I described will at the very least safeguard people from making horrible PowerPoint slides like this.

Also, I can’t help but notice that the title takes up a quarter of the slide. I mean for God’s sake. Come on.

3. This Disgusting Hairball

A presentation slide that makes no sense at all

Somebody actually thought it would be a good idea to present something like this?

When I saw this slide, I was motivated to do a little research to find out what the purpose of its existence is. Not surprisingly, I didn’t get very far. All I understood was that this slide was presented to Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal and it had something to do with some strategy (perhaps military strategy?) in Afghanistan.

Gen. McChrystal, I salute you for even having the audacity to process whatever this slide is.

Honestly, anyone is better off doing anything else that isn’t this. That includes putting a face on a keyboard and rolling it.

4. This Horrible Merry-Go-Round

A presentation slide showing a horrible cycle of arrows and text that doesn't make sense

What the hell even is this?

It’s so terrible I can’t even come up with a witty remark about it. Look at it! Arrows are flying everywhere like doves from a John Woo movie (oh, wait, I guess I can).

Even if I gave this slide the benefit of the doubt and put the use of arrows aside, I can’t get over the horrible use of the text; it’s just plastered everywhere! What makes it worse is that the different text boxes are rotated too.

For slides like this, stick to making easy-to-process infographics that are designed to get one’s point across. Slide Cow has tons of infographic tutorials; in fact, the last PowerPoint tutorial I covered gave an excellent example of how to make a funnel infographic that doesn’t look like crap .

Whatever you choose to do, just make sure it isn’t whatever this is.

5. These Atrocious Uses of Images

A bad front cover for a PowerPoint deck

HAHAHAHAHAH.

Okay, okay I’m done.

If one wants a decent front cover, then one must learn to make one. Here’s a tutorial where I covered how to make a beautiful front cover from scratch .

Oh, you thought we were done with this part of the post? You thought wrong. Here’s another slide from the same presentation.

A horrible use of text over images in a slide

Come on. Is it too much to ask to get a decent title and block of text on a slide without choosing horrible effects that a 5-year-old would go for?

If presenters want to have an image as a background, then they should at least learn how to do it right. This tutorial over here is a good example of how background images can complement the text on the slide .

6. This Brutal Word Art Avalanche

Different uses of Word Art in one slide

This one’s my all-time favorite.

When I was a kid, I always thought that Word Art was the bee’s knees to every Microsoft Office file out there. Come to think of it, I pretty much used all the Word Art styles available on my .doc and .ppt files. But I would have never, ever, not for a second, thought that using them all on the same slide (or page) would be a good idea.

It’s as if the person who made this slide went out of his/her way to exhaust every Word Art avenue there was and make something that could make eyes bleed. If that was the intent, then mission accomplished.

Seriously though, don’t do this. Here’s a better tutorial that highlights how to add little creative flair to text the right way .

Let me show you how to be amazing

If you’re looking for a way to make fantastic PowerPoint slides in a matter of seconds, then I urge you to check out the Slide Cow Toolkit . You can’t go wrong with over 120 pre-made, editable, multipurpose PowerPoint slides, 700 editable icons and 5 hours and 40 minutes of video guide content that teach you how to make jaw-droppingly good presentation slides. The value of this one package is pretty incredible, and will, without doubt, toss the ideas of making horrible slides like the ones you just saw in the garbage.

Save the world from terrible presentations

There are two things that you need to do right now.

First, share this article with everybody and anybody that either gives presentations or uses PowerPoint regularly. Post it on your social media, email it to your colleagues at work; I don’t care. The whole idea of this post is to stop terrible slides from ever coming to the surface again.

Second, drop me a line in the comments below and tell me the single worst experience you had when it came to a horribly designed presentation. How did you feel? Were any steps taken to remedy the awfulness?

Yousef "Yoyo" Abu Ghaidah

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5 Worst Presentations ever & Why They Went Wrong

I like building and growing simple yet powerful products for the world and the worldwide web.

Published Date : December 7, 2020

Reading Time :

Introduction

Think about the worst presentation ever experienced by you or someone you know. What do you remember about it? Do you remember the topic? Your answer is most probably no. Everyone wants to* deliver a great presentation , so we have ways to help you avoid giving the worst presentation ever of your career, as you’ll see later. First, let’s look at some examples of terrible presentations.

What is the worst presentation you have ever seen?

There are so many examples of the worst presentation ever you can find both online and in real life. These examples show some of the worst presentations ever; some of which make the whole slide painful to look at or read. Can you point out the reasons why each one fails?

5 examples of terrible presentations

The tragic overuse of visual aids.

Image address

The slide has an overlay of text on images showing the topic of the presentation. While* using visual aids is good , it requires a lot more tact to pull off than this worst presentation ever.

Overcomplicated graphs and charts

This slide tells you everything and nothing at the same time. Whatever the graphs are meant to portray is lost in the overwhelming number of charts in the slide.

Too much information

All this text packed into one slide cannot be easy to read. If the audience has to read everything on the slide, there is no need for a presentation.

No one can read this

This is what happens when people go overboard with fancy fonts. How can anybody be expected to read this while listening to the presentation?

Splash of color

Using bold colors is a great move – as long as you don’t pack them all into a painful collage. The colors have no contrast, and thus, the slide is impossible to read.

What makes a presentation terrible?

Several factors go into what makes the worst presentation ever terrible. Now, there are specific rules you have to follow when creating a presentation, and we will get into that. First, let us look at some of the things that ruin a presentation – you might recognize a few of them.

Ten things that make a presentation bad

1. emotionless and stiff delivery.

One mistake many people make is delivering it in a flat, monotonous tone . You need to show some emotion during a presentation, so you don’t lose their attention. Speak with passion and enthusiasm to keep their attention on you.

2. Lecturing instead of presenting

When you’re explaining something, it is very easy to fall into a pattern of talking down to your audience. It is one fast way to lose the audience’s attention. Your tone has to be polite but engaging instead of condescending. The worst presentation ever shark tank viewers know are usually lectures.

3. Blending all your points

You need to have a central topic. And you have to stay on the theme throughout, with your closing statement tying up the central message neatly. If you speak with no defined points, you will give your worst presentation ever. 

4. Avoiding eye contact

Eye contact is a way to get people to focus on you, especially when they don’t know anything about you. If you avoid eye contact with the people listening to you, you can quickly lose their trust. People want to listen to those they trust, and if you seem unsure, it will be harder to pass your message.

5. Not relating to the audience

Many people jump into a presentation without knowing their audience. You need to anticipate their needs, expectations, and questions before you go in to present. Otherwise, you can be saying the right thing to the wrong person.

6. Overdoing your slide design

Your slide design is one of the first things that can make your presentation the worst PowerPoint presentation ever, so don’t mess it up. Be careful, so it doesn’t look tacky and unprofessional. It should reflect the topic and theme.

7. Being too formal

Being formal in the right situation is great, as long as you don’t become stiff and robotic. In the wrong situation, however, you can come off as boring, and ruin your presentation.

8. Using bad body language 

Body Language &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:307&quot;&gt;In &lt;strong&gt;public speaking&lt;/strong&gt;, body language refers to the non-verbal communication cues you give with your body, including posture, facial expressions, gestures, and eye contact. These elements play a crucial role in conveying your message, enhancing its impact, and connecting with your audience.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:34&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Importance in Public Speaking:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-11:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:136&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Complementing your words:&lt;/strong&gt; Body language reinforces your spoken message, emphasizing key points and conveying emotions effectively.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:157&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Building credibility:&lt;/strong&gt; Confident and positive body language projects professionalism and sincerity, making you appear more trustworthy to your audience.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-9:142&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engaging your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Dynamic and intentional body language keeps them engaged, prevents monotony, and sparks interest.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;10:1-11:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Projecting confidence:&lt;/strong&gt; Confident body language can help overcome nerves and stage fright, making you appear more relaxed and in control.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;12:1-12:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Key Aspects of Body Language:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-18:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:96&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Posture:&lt;/strong&gt; Stand tall with your shoulders back and relaxed, avoiding slouching or fidgeting.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:124&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Facial expressions:&lt;/strong&gt; Smile genuinely, express appropriate emotions with your face, and avoid frowning or looking bored.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-16:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Gestures:&lt;/strong&gt; Use natural and purposeful gestures to emphasize your points, but avoid excessive or nervous movements.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;17:1-18:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Eye contact:&lt;/strong&gt; Make consistent eye contact with different audience members, conveying genuine connection and confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;19:1-19:22&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mastering the Art:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;21:1-25:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;21:1-21:122&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Observe effective speakers:&lt;/strong&gt; Pay attention to how successful speakers use body language and analyze their techniques.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:144&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice in front of a mirror:&lt;/strong&gt; Record yourself or practice in front of a trusted friend to assess your body language and make adjustments.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;23:1-23:151&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Take a public speaking class:&lt;/strong&gt; Many classes incorporate dedicated sessions on body language, providing expert feedback and practice opportunities.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-25:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Be mindful and intentional:&lt;/strong&gt; Focus on using your body language consciously and strategically to support your message and connect with your audience.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:349&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:349&quot;&gt;Effective body language is not about rigid positions or forced gestures. It&#039;s about finding a natural and authentic way to use your body to support your spoken message and engage your audience. By mastering this crucial aspect of &lt;strong&gt;the art of public speaking&lt;/strong&gt;, you can significantly enhance your impact and leave a lasting impression.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/body-language/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">Body language is as important as your spoken language . You can use it to pass across many messages. So, when you have poor Body Language &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:307&quot;&gt;In &lt;strong&gt;public speaking&lt;/strong&gt;, body language refers to the non-verbal communication cues you give with your body, including posture, facial expressions, gestures, and eye contact. These elements play a crucial role in conveying your message, enhancing its impact, and connecting with your audience.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:34&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Importance in Public Speaking:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-11:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:136&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Complementing your words:&lt;/strong&gt; Body language reinforces your spoken message, emphasizing key points and conveying emotions effectively.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:157&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Building credibility:&lt;/strong&gt; Confident and positive body language projects professionalism and sincerity, making you appear more trustworthy to your audience.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-9:142&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engaging your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Dynamic and intentional body language keeps them engaged, prevents monotony, and sparks interest.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;10:1-11:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Projecting confidence:&lt;/strong&gt; Confident body language can help overcome nerves and stage fright, making you appear more relaxed and in control.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;12:1-12:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Key Aspects of Body Language:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-18:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:96&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Posture:&lt;/strong&gt; Stand tall with your shoulders back and relaxed, avoiding slouching or fidgeting.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:124&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Facial expressions:&lt;/strong&gt; Smile genuinely, express appropriate emotions with your face, and avoid frowning or looking bored.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-16:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Gestures:&lt;/strong&gt; Use natural and purposeful gestures to emphasize your points, but avoid excessive or nervous movements.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;17:1-18:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Eye contact:&lt;/strong&gt; Make consistent eye contact with different audience members, conveying genuine connection and confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;19:1-19:22&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mastering the Art:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;21:1-25:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;21:1-21:122&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Observe effective speakers:&lt;/strong&gt; Pay attention to how successful speakers use body language and analyze their techniques.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:144&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice in front of a mirror:&lt;/strong&gt; Record yourself or practice in front of a trusted friend to assess your body language and make adjustments.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;23:1-23:151&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Take a public speaking class:&lt;/strong&gt; Many classes incorporate dedicated sessions on body language, providing expert feedback and practice opportunities.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-25:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Be mindful and intentional:&lt;/strong&gt; Focus on using your body language consciously and strategically to support your message and connect with your audience.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:349&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:349&quot;&gt;Effective body language is not about rigid positions or forced gestures. It&#039;s about finding a natural and authentic way to use your body to support your spoken message and engage your audience. By mastering this crucial aspect of &lt;strong&gt;the art of public speaking&lt;/strong&gt;, you can significantly enhance your impact and leave a lasting impression.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/body-language/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">body language , you pass the wrong message.

9. Trying too hard

Very few things turn people off than a try-hard. Keep things natural, and be your confident self. Trying too hard is a symptom of unsureness, and it can make you lose favor with the crowd.

10. Making inappropriate jokes and comments

Humor is a great way to connect with your audience and create rapport, but it has to be done right. If you introduce jokes at the wrong place or time, your presentation can become the worst presentation ever very quickly. Study the audience and know when to be serious and when to be funny. Also, keep your jokes clean. 

Avoid embarrassing moments while giving a presentation. Download Orai and start practicing

How do you deal with embarrassing moments?

Everyone has embarrassing moments *sometimes, but it’s how we handle them that makes the difference. Have you recently embarrassed yourself on stage by delivering the worst presentation ever? Well, that’s not the end of the world for you. There are several ways you can get over those embarrassing situations.

  • Don’t dwell too much on the situation

These things happen, so the worst thing you can do is dwell on them and let them affect you. Accept that they happened and look for ways to keep them from happening again. For example, if you forgot parts of your Speech &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:271&quot;&gt;A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Components of a Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-10:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:73&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Content:&lt;/strong&gt; The information, message, or story conveyed through words.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-10:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Structure:&lt;/strong&gt; The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-11:21&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speech in Action:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:88&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informing:&lt;/strong&gt; Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuading:&lt;/strong&gt; Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivating:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Public Speaking and Anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:227&quot;&gt;Many people experience &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt;, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it&#039;s common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Different Types of Speeches:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-28:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:81&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informative speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-25:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuasive speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivational speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-28:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Crafting a Compelling Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-35:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:107&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a clear message:&lt;/strong&gt; Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:111&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engage your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-35:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice, practice, practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;36:1-36:13&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;38:1-38:281&quot;&gt;Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech , you can prepare better next time or carry some flashcards to help.

  • Talk to someone about it

Talking to a trusted friend or family member can help you with the embarrassment. It can also change your perspective on things after hearing from someone else. You would be surprised by how many people believe they have given the worst presentation ever.

  • Learn to laugh at yourself

When you know how to laugh at yourself, it is easier not to take yourself too seriously, it can help you think positively and learn how to go easier on yourself. 

  • Look for a teachable moment

If you see every situation in life as a teachable moment, it can help you put things in perspective . Next time you feel embarrassed, look for the lesson in that situation and learn from it, to not fall into that situation again. You can also learn from others , like the worst presentation ever shark tank shows on TV.

How to avoid the fear

It is very normal to feel fear before a big presentation, especially if you don’t do it often. The fear of Public Speaking &lt;!-- wp:paragraph --&gt; &lt;p&gt;Public speaking refers to any live presentation or speech. It can cover a variety of topics on various fields and careers (you can find out more about public speaking careers here: https://orai.com/blog/public-speaking-careers/.  Public speaking can inform, entertain, or educate an audience and sometimes has visual aids.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;!-- /wp:paragraph --&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;!-- wp:paragraph --&gt; &lt;p&gt;Public speaking is done live, so the speakers need to consider certain factors to deliver a successful speech. No matter how good the speech is, if the audience doesn&#039;t connect with the speaker, then it may fall flat. Therefore, speakers have to use a lot more nonverbal communication techniques to deliver their message. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;!-- /wp:paragraph --&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;!-- wp:heading --&gt; &lt;h2&gt;Tips for public speaking&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;!-- /wp:heading --&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;!-- wp:list --&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;Have a sense of humor.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Tell personal stories that relate to the speech you&#039;re giving.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Dress appropriately for the event. Formal and business casual outfits work best.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Project a confident and expressive voice.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Always try to use simple language that everyone can understand.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Stick to the time given to you.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Maintain eye contact with members of your audience and try to connect with them.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;!-- /wp:list --&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/public-speaking/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">public speaking is one of the top phobias among adults, and everyone is scared of giving the worst presentation ever. But there are ways you can get over that fear and speak a lot more confidently in public.

Helpful tips for getting over your fear of presenting

1. prepare adequately beforehand.

Practice is important because you don’t want to go in front of your audience and mess up your Speech &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:271&quot;&gt;A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Components of a Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-10:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:73&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Content:&lt;/strong&gt; The information, message, or story conveyed through words.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-10:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Structure:&lt;/strong&gt; The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-11:21&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speech in Action:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:88&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informing:&lt;/strong&gt; Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuading:&lt;/strong&gt; Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivating:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Public Speaking and Anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:227&quot;&gt;Many people experience &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt;, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it&#039;s common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Different Types of Speeches:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-28:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:81&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informative speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-25:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuasive speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivational speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-28:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Crafting a Compelling Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-35:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:107&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a clear message:&lt;/strong&gt; Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:111&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engage your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-35:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice, practice, practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;36:1-36:13&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;38:1-38:281&quot;&gt;Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech or forget important parts of the Speech &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:271&quot;&gt;A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Components of a Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-10:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:73&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Content:&lt;/strong&gt; The information, message, or story conveyed through words.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-10:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Structure:&lt;/strong&gt; The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-11:21&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speech in Action:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:88&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informing:&lt;/strong&gt; Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuading:&lt;/strong&gt; Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivating:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Public Speaking and Anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:227&quot;&gt;Many people experience &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt;, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it&#039;s common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Different Types of Speeches:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-28:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:81&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informative speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-25:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuasive speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivational speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-28:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Crafting a Compelling Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-35:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:107&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a clear message:&lt;/strong&gt; Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:111&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engage your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-35:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice, practice, practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;36:1-36:13&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;38:1-38:281&quot;&gt;Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech . You have to practice at least a few days before your Speech &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:271&quot;&gt;A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Components of a Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-10:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:73&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Content:&lt;/strong&gt; The information, message, or story conveyed through words.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-10:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Structure:&lt;/strong&gt; The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-11:21&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speech in Action:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:88&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informing:&lt;/strong&gt; Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuading:&lt;/strong&gt; Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivating:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Public Speaking and Anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:227&quot;&gt;Many people experience &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt;, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it&#039;s common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Different Types of Speeches:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-28:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:81&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informative speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-25:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuasive speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivational speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-28:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Crafting a Compelling Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-35:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:107&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a clear message:&lt;/strong&gt; Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:111&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engage your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-35:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice, practice, practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;36:1-36:13&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;38:1-38:281&quot;&gt;Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech .

When you prepare adequately, you feel more confident in your stance, and this Confidence &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:305&quot;&gt;In the context of &lt;strong&gt;public speaking&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;confidence&lt;/strong&gt; refers to the belief in one&#039;s ability to communicate effectively and deliver one&#039;s message with clarity and impact. It encompasses various elements, including self-belief, composure, and the ability to manage one&#039;s &lt;strong&gt;fear of public speaking&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:16&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Key Aspects:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-12:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:108&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Self-belief:&lt;/strong&gt; A strong conviction in your knowledge, skills, and ability to connect with your audience.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:95&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Composure:&lt;/strong&gt; Maintaining calmness and poise under pressure, even in challenging situations.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-9:100&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Assertiveness:&lt;/strong&gt; Expressing your ideas clearly and concisely, avoiding hesitation or self-doubt.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;10:1-10:104&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Positive self-talk:&lt;/strong&gt; Countering negative thoughts with affirmations and focusing on your strengths.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-12:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Strong body language:&lt;/strong&gt; Using gestures, posture, and eye contact that project confidence and professionalism.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Benefits of Confidence:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-19:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reduced anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt; Feeling confident helps manage &lt;strong&gt;fear of public speaking&lt;/strong&gt; and stage fright.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-16:133&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engaging delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; Confident speakers project their voices, hold eye contact, and connect with their audience more effectively.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;17:1-17:137&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Increased persuasiveness:&lt;/strong&gt; A confident presentation inspires belief and motivates your audience to listen and remember your message.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-19:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Greater impact:&lt;/strong&gt; Confidently delivered speeches leave a lasting impression and achieve desired outcomes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:15&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Challenges:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-26:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:112&quot;&gt;Overcoming &lt;strong&gt;fear of public speaking&lt;/strong&gt;: Many people experience some level of anxiety when speaking publicly.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;23:1-23:101&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Imposter syndrome:&lt;/strong&gt; Doubting your abilities and qualifications, even when objectively qualified.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:92&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Negative self-talk:&lt;/strong&gt; Internalized criticism and limiting beliefs can hamper confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-26:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Past negative experiences:&lt;/strong&gt; Unsuccessful presentations or negative feedback can erode confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-27:24&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Building Confidence:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-36:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice and preparation:&lt;/strong&gt; Thoroughly rehearse your speech to feel comfortable with the material.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;30:1-30:101&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Visualization:&lt;/strong&gt; Imagine yourself delivering a successful presentation with confidence and poise.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:100&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Positive self-talk:&lt;/strong&gt; Actively replace negative thoughts with affirmations about your abilities.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Seek feedback:&lt;/strong&gt; Ask trusted individuals for constructive criticism and use it to improve your skills.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:157&quot;&gt;Consider a &lt;strong&gt;speaking coach&lt;/strong&gt;: Working with a coach can provide personalized guidance and support to address specific challenges and confidence barriers.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-34:114&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Start small:&lt;/strong&gt; Gradually increase the size and complexity of your speaking engagements as you gain experience.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;35:1-36:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Focus on progress:&lt;/strong&gt; Celebrate small successes and acknowledge your improvement over time.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;37:1-37:282&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;37:1-37:282&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Confidence&lt;/strong&gt; in public speaking is a journey, not a destination. By actively practicing, embracing feedback, and focusing on your strengths, you can overcome &lt;strong&gt;fear of public speaking&lt;/strong&gt; and develop the &lt;strong&gt;confidence&lt;/strong&gt; to deliver impactful and memorable presentations.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/confidence/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">confidence can help drive away some of the fear you might have had. Practice your Speech &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:271&quot;&gt;A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Components of a Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-10:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:73&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Content:&lt;/strong&gt; The information, message, or story conveyed through words.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-10:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Structure:&lt;/strong&gt; The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-11:21&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speech in Action:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:88&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informing:&lt;/strong&gt; Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuading:&lt;/strong&gt; Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivating:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Public Speaking and Anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:227&quot;&gt;Many people experience &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt;, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it&#039;s common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Different Types of Speeches:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-28:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:81&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informative speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-25:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuasive speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivational speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-28:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Crafting a Compelling Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-35:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:107&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a clear message:&lt;/strong&gt; Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:111&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engage your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-35:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice, practice, practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;36:1-36:13&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;38:1-38:281&quot;&gt;Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech right before your presentation so you can make last-minute adjustments.

2. Find out the root of the problem and take care of it

As with other phobias, y our Glossophobia may come from past trauma or another psychological problem . Some people associate presentations with embarrassing events from their past, some have low self-esteem, and some might have legitimate reasons to be afraid of delivering their worst presentation ever.

Whatever your reason, you have to* find out what it is and deal with it . If you’re lucky, you may be able to handle them yourself. Make a list of your worries and find a solution for each one. Otherwise, you can talk to a professional to guide you through it.

3. Think positive thoughts

If you have bad thoughts towards your speaking engagement, try to get your mind positive before your presentation is meant to start. You can do that by meditating, doing some breathing exercises, and getting rid of the negative thoughts in your mind. Try to visualize yourself, giving a good presentation and not the worst presentation ever.

4. Organize your speech 

When your Speech &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:271&quot;&gt;A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Components of a Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-10:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:73&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Content:&lt;/strong&gt; The information, message, or story conveyed through words.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-10:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Structure:&lt;/strong&gt; The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-11:21&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speech in Action:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:88&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informing:&lt;/strong&gt; Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuading:&lt;/strong&gt; Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivating:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Public Speaking and Anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:227&quot;&gt;Many people experience &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt;, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it&#039;s common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Different Types of Speeches:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-28:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:81&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informative speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-25:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuasive speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivational speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-28:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Crafting a Compelling Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-35:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:107&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a clear message:&lt;/strong&gt; Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:111&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engage your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-35:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice, practice, practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;36:1-36:13&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;38:1-38:281&quot;&gt;Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech is properly organized, you will be a lot less nervous. Create a plan of action and organize everything to the minute. Before you start, check all your props and aids, and make sure they are in place. Go over your Speech &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:271&quot;&gt;A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Components of a Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-10:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:73&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Content:&lt;/strong&gt; The information, message, or story conveyed through words.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-10:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Structure:&lt;/strong&gt; The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-11:21&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speech in Action:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:88&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informing:&lt;/strong&gt; Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuading:&lt;/strong&gt; Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivating:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Public Speaking and Anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:227&quot;&gt;Many people experience &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt;, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it&#039;s common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Different Types of Speeches:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-28:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:81&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informative speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-25:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuasive speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivational speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-28:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Crafting a Compelling Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-35:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:107&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a clear message:&lt;/strong&gt; Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:111&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engage your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-35:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice, practice, practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;36:1-36:13&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;38:1-38:281&quot;&gt;Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech and arrange your flashcards accordingly. Check your PowerPoint slides themes and designs.

5. Make sure you know what you’re talking about

No matter how good your Speech &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:271&quot;&gt;A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Components of a Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-10:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:73&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Content:&lt;/strong&gt; The information, message, or story conveyed through words.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-10:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Structure:&lt;/strong&gt; The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-11:21&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speech in Action:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:88&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informing:&lt;/strong&gt; Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuading:&lt;/strong&gt; Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivating:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Public Speaking and Anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:227&quot;&gt;Many people experience &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt;, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it&#039;s common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Different Types of Speeches:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-28:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:81&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informative speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-25:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuasive speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivational speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-28:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Crafting a Compelling Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-35:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:107&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a clear message:&lt;/strong&gt; Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:111&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engage your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-35:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice, practice, practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;36:1-36:13&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;38:1-38:281&quot;&gt;Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech is, you won’t feel confident unless you know it well. People make the mistake of memorizing the lines of the Speech &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:271&quot;&gt;A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Components of a Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-10:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:73&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Content:&lt;/strong&gt; The information, message, or story conveyed through words.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-10:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Structure:&lt;/strong&gt; The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-11:21&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speech in Action:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:88&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informing:&lt;/strong&gt; Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuading:&lt;/strong&gt; Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivating:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Public Speaking and Anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:227&quot;&gt;Many people experience &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt;, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it&#039;s common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Different Types of Speeches:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-28:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:81&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informative speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-25:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuasive speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivational speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-28:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Crafting a Compelling Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-35:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:107&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a clear message:&lt;/strong&gt; Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:111&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engage your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-35:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice, practice, practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;36:1-36:13&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;38:1-38:281&quot;&gt;Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech without really understanding them. Then, if someone asks a question they didn’t prepare for, they panic. 

You need to understand your presentation’s topic well enough to talk about it in your own words. The Confidence &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:305&quot;&gt;In the context of &lt;strong&gt;public speaking&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;confidence&lt;/strong&gt; refers to the belief in one&#039;s ability to communicate effectively and deliver one&#039;s message with clarity and impact. It encompasses various elements, including self-belief, composure, and the ability to manage one&#039;s &lt;strong&gt;fear of public speaking&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:16&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Key Aspects:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-12:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:108&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Self-belief:&lt;/strong&gt; A strong conviction in your knowledge, skills, and ability to connect with your audience.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:95&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Composure:&lt;/strong&gt; Maintaining calmness and poise under pressure, even in challenging situations.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-9:100&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Assertiveness:&lt;/strong&gt; Expressing your ideas clearly and concisely, avoiding hesitation or self-doubt.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;10:1-10:104&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Positive self-talk:&lt;/strong&gt; Countering negative thoughts with affirmations and focusing on your strengths.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-12:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Strong body language:&lt;/strong&gt; Using gestures, posture, and eye contact that project confidence and professionalism.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Benefits of Confidence:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-19:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reduced anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt; Feeling confident helps manage &lt;strong&gt;fear of public speaking&lt;/strong&gt; and stage fright.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-16:133&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engaging delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; Confident speakers project their voices, hold eye contact, and connect with their audience more effectively.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;17:1-17:137&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Increased persuasiveness:&lt;/strong&gt; A confident presentation inspires belief and motivates your audience to listen and remember your message.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-19:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Greater impact:&lt;/strong&gt; Confidently delivered speeches leave a lasting impression and achieve desired outcomes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:15&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Challenges:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-26:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:112&quot;&gt;Overcoming &lt;strong&gt;fear of public speaking&lt;/strong&gt;: Many people experience some level of anxiety when speaking publicly.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;23:1-23:101&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Imposter syndrome:&lt;/strong&gt; Doubting your abilities and qualifications, even when objectively qualified.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:92&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Negative self-talk:&lt;/strong&gt; Internalized criticism and limiting beliefs can hamper confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-26:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Past negative experiences:&lt;/strong&gt; Unsuccessful presentations or negative feedback can erode confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-27:24&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Building Confidence:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-36:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice and preparation:&lt;/strong&gt; Thoroughly rehearse your speech to feel comfortable with the material.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;30:1-30:101&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Visualization:&lt;/strong&gt; Imagine yourself delivering a successful presentation with confidence and poise.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:100&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Positive self-talk:&lt;/strong&gt; Actively replace negative thoughts with affirmations about your abilities.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Seek feedback:&lt;/strong&gt; Ask trusted individuals for constructive criticism and use it to improve your skills.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:157&quot;&gt;Consider a &lt;strong&gt;speaking coach&lt;/strong&gt;: Working with a coach can provide personalized guidance and support to address specific challenges and confidence barriers.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-34:114&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Start small:&lt;/strong&gt; Gradually increase the size and complexity of your speaking engagements as you gain experience.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;35:1-36:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Focus on progress:&lt;/strong&gt; Celebrate small successes and acknowledge your improvement over time.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;37:1-37:282&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;37:1-37:282&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Confidence&lt;/strong&gt; in public speaking is a journey, not a destination. By actively practicing, embracing feedback, and focusing on your strengths, you can overcome &lt;strong&gt;fear of public speaking&lt;/strong&gt; and develop the &lt;strong&gt;confidence&lt;/strong&gt; to deliver impactful and memorable presentations.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/confidence/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">confidence that comes from knowing something can overshadow whatever doubts and fear you had before, and you won’t worry too much about giving the worst presentation ever.

How do I calm my nerves before my speech?

The closer a big presentation is, the more nervous you will be . Even accomplished speakers , like the people who give the worst presentation ever shark tank shows, deal with some nerves before a big presentation. However, you need to get rid of them before you deliver your presentation, so they don’t turn out to be your worst presentation ever. 

Ways to calm the nerves before a big talk

  • Practice your Speech &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:271&quot;&gt;A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Components of a Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-10:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:73&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Content:&lt;/strong&gt; The information, message, or story conveyed through words.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-10:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Structure:&lt;/strong&gt; The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-11:21&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speech in Action:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:88&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informing:&lt;/strong&gt; Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuading:&lt;/strong&gt; Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivating:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Public Speaking and Anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:227&quot;&gt;Many people experience &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt;, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it&#039;s common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Different Types of Speeches:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-28:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:81&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informative speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-25:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuasive speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivational speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-28:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Crafting a Compelling Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-35:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:107&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a clear message:&lt;/strong&gt; Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:111&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engage your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-35:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice, practice, practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;36:1-36:13&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;38:1-38:281&quot;&gt;Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech

The importance of practice before any speaking engagement cannot be overemphasized. You can rehearse your Speech &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:271&quot;&gt;A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Components of a Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-10:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:73&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Content:&lt;/strong&gt; The information, message, or story conveyed through words.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-10:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Structure:&lt;/strong&gt; The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-11:21&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speech in Action:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:88&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informing:&lt;/strong&gt; Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuading:&lt;/strong&gt; Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivating:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Public Speaking and Anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:227&quot;&gt;Many people experience &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt;, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it&#039;s common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Different Types of Speeches:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-28:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:81&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informative speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-25:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuasive speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivational speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-28:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Crafting a Compelling Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-35:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:107&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a clear message:&lt;/strong&gt; Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:111&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engage your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-35:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice, practice, practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;36:1-36:13&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;38:1-38:281&quot;&gt;Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech a few times before you’re due to speak, and that can help you relax a little. You can practice anywhere, as long as you’re comfortable.

Practice your Speech &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:271&quot;&gt;A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Components of a Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-10:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:73&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Content:&lt;/strong&gt; The information, message, or story conveyed through words.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-10:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Structure:&lt;/strong&gt; The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-11:21&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speech in Action:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:88&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informing:&lt;/strong&gt; Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuading:&lt;/strong&gt; Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivating:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Public Speaking and Anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:227&quot;&gt;Many people experience &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt;, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it&#039;s common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Different Types of Speeches:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-28:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:81&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informative speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-25:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuasive speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivational speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-28:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Crafting a Compelling Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-35:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:107&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a clear message:&lt;/strong&gt; Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:111&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engage your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-35:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice, practice, practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;36:1-36:13&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;38:1-38:281&quot;&gt;Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech with Orai. Get feedback on your tone, tempo, Confidence &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:305&quot;&gt;In the context of &lt;strong&gt;public speaking&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;confidence&lt;/strong&gt; refers to the belief in one&#039;s ability to communicate effectively and deliver one&#039;s message with clarity and impact. It encompasses various elements, including self-belief, composure, and the ability to manage one&#039;s &lt;strong&gt;fear of public speaking&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:16&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Key Aspects:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-12:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:108&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Self-belief:&lt;/strong&gt; A strong conviction in your knowledge, skills, and ability to connect with your audience.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:95&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Composure:&lt;/strong&gt; Maintaining calmness and poise under pressure, even in challenging situations.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-9:100&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Assertiveness:&lt;/strong&gt; Expressing your ideas clearly and concisely, avoiding hesitation or self-doubt.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;10:1-10:104&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Positive self-talk:&lt;/strong&gt; Countering negative thoughts with affirmations and focusing on your strengths.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-12:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Strong body language:&lt;/strong&gt; Using gestures, posture, and eye contact that project confidence and professionalism.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Benefits of Confidence:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-19:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reduced anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt; Feeling confident helps manage &lt;strong&gt;fear of public speaking&lt;/strong&gt; and stage fright.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-16:133&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engaging delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; Confident speakers project their voices, hold eye contact, and connect with their audience more effectively.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;17:1-17:137&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Increased persuasiveness:&lt;/strong&gt; A confident presentation inspires belief and motivates your audience to listen and remember your message.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-19:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Greater impact:&lt;/strong&gt; Confidently delivered speeches leave a lasting impression and achieve desired outcomes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:15&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Challenges:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-26:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:112&quot;&gt;Overcoming &lt;strong&gt;fear of public speaking&lt;/strong&gt;: Many people experience some level of anxiety when speaking publicly.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;23:1-23:101&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Imposter syndrome:&lt;/strong&gt; Doubting your abilities and qualifications, even when objectively qualified.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:92&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Negative self-talk:&lt;/strong&gt; Internalized criticism and limiting beliefs can hamper confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-26:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Past negative experiences:&lt;/strong&gt; Unsuccessful presentations or negative feedback can erode confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-27:24&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Building Confidence:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-36:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice and preparation:&lt;/strong&gt; Thoroughly rehearse your speech to feel comfortable with the material.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;30:1-30:101&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Visualization:&lt;/strong&gt; Imagine yourself delivering a successful presentation with confidence and poise.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:100&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Positive self-talk:&lt;/strong&gt; Actively replace negative thoughts with affirmations about your abilities.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Seek feedback:&lt;/strong&gt; Ask trusted individuals for constructive criticism and use it to improve your skills.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:157&quot;&gt;Consider a &lt;strong&gt;speaking coach&lt;/strong&gt;: Working with a coach can provide personalized guidance and support to address specific challenges and confidence barriers.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-34:114&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Start small:&lt;/strong&gt; Gradually increase the size and complexity of your speaking engagements as you gain experience.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;35:1-36:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Focus on progress:&lt;/strong&gt; Celebrate small successes and acknowledge your improvement over time.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;37:1-37:282&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;37:1-37:282&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Confidence&lt;/strong&gt; in public speaking is a journey, not a destination. By actively practicing, embracing feedback, and focusing on your strengths, you can overcome &lt;strong&gt;fear of public speaking&lt;/strong&gt; and develop the &lt;strong&gt;confidence&lt;/strong&gt; to deliver impactful and memorable presentations.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/confidence/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">confidence , and Conciseness &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:326&quot;&gt;In the realm of &lt;strong&gt;public speaking&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;conciseness&lt;/strong&gt; refers to the ability to express your message clearly and effectively using the fewest possible words. It&#039;s about conveying your ideas precisely, avoiding unnecessary details and rambling while maintaining your message&#039;s essence and impact.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Benefits for Public Speakers:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-11:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:137&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engaged audience:&lt;/strong&gt; A concise speech keeps your audience focused and prevents them from losing interest due to excessive information.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:117&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Increased clarity:&lt;/strong&gt; By removing unnecessary clutter, your core message becomes clearer and easier to understand.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-9:137&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Enhanced credibility:&lt;/strong&gt; Concise communication projects professionalism and efficiency, making you appear more confident and prepared.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;10:1-11:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reduced anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt; Knowing you have a clear and concise message can help manage &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt; by minimizing the pressure to fill time.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;12:1-12:35&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Challenges for Public Speakers:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:126&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Striking a balance:&lt;/strong&gt; Knowing where to draw the line between conciseness and omitting important information can be tricky.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:115&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Avoiding oversimplification:&lt;/strong&gt; Complex topics may require elaboration to ensure clarity and understanding.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Overcoming natural tendencies:&lt;/strong&gt; Some speakers naturally use more words than others, requiring a conscious effort to be concise.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:41&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Strategies for Achieving Conciseness:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-25:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:92&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Identify your core message:&lt;/strong&gt; What is your audience&#039;s main point to remember?&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;21:1-21:128&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Prioritize and eliminate:&lt;/strong&gt; Analyze your content and remove any information not directly supporting your core message.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:133&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Use strong verbs and active voice:&lt;/strong&gt; This makes your sentences more impactful and avoids passive constructions that can be wordy.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;23:1-23:109&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Simplify your language:&lt;/strong&gt; Avoid jargon and technical terms unless they are essential and clearly defined.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-25:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice and refine:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech aloud and identify areas where you can tighten your wording or eliminate redundancies.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:20&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Additional Tips:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;28:1-31:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;28:1-28:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Use storytelling:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging narratives can convey complex ideas concisely and memorably.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:110&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Focus on the visuals:&lt;/strong&gt; Powerful visuals can support your message without extensive explanation.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;30:1-31:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Embrace silence:&lt;/strong&gt; Pausing deliberately can emphasize key points and give your audience time to absorb your message.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:404&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:404&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conciseness&lt;/strong&gt; is a powerful tool for &lt;strong&gt;public speakers&lt;/strong&gt;. By eliminating unnecessary words and focusing on your core message, you can create a more engaging, impactful, and memorable presentation for your audience. This can also help manage &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt; by reducing the pressure to fill time and enabling you to focus on delivering your message with clarity and confidence.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/conciseness/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">conciseness

  • Get to the venue earlier

Lateness only helps to compound your nerves and leave you disorganized. Make sure you get to the venue earlier than your allocated time so you can relax for a few minutes and gather yourself. 

  • Watch other presenters

You can watch presentations by other orators online to get some tips and to help you relax. If you’re a part of a group, you can watch the other presenters go before your turn. This helps to focus your nerves, and you can learn a helpful tip, so you don’t deliver your worst presentation ever.

  • Get used to your environment before the presentation

Take some time and observe the environment where you will present. You can watch the people, pick up on the atmosphere, and get used to it before your time to present. If you don’t feel at home, it can make you deliver your worst presentation ever.

  • Engage in self-care before your Speech &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:271&quot;&gt;A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Components of a Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-10:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:73&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Content:&lt;/strong&gt; The information, message, or story conveyed through words.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-10:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Structure:&lt;/strong&gt; The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-11:21&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speech in Action:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:88&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informing:&lt;/strong&gt; Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuading:&lt;/strong&gt; Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivating:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Public Speaking and Anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:227&quot;&gt;Many people experience &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt;, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it&#039;s common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Different Types of Speeches:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-28:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:81&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informative speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-25:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuasive speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivational speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-28:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Crafting a Compelling Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-35:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:107&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a clear message:&lt;/strong&gt; Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:111&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engage your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-35:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice, practice, practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;36:1-36:13&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;38:1-38:281&quot;&gt;Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech

Selfcare is very important, especially before a presentation. You can practice self-care in many ways, depending on what relaxes you. Some people like reading a book, some prefer walks, and some like meditating. Find the one that suits you and relax your nerves.

Avoidable mistakes people make on PowerPoint presentations

  • Packing too much written text on one slide. Your slide can only take a certain amount of text before it becomes the worst PowerPoint presentation ever
  • Using complicated diagrams and graphs that the audience cannot understand easily
  • Using unnecessary transitions and animations. It’s a slide and not the worst PowerPoint presentation ever
  • Breaking the flow of the Speech &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:271&quot;&gt;A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Components of a Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-10:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:73&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Content:&lt;/strong&gt; The information, message, or story conveyed through words.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-10:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Structure:&lt;/strong&gt; The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-11:21&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speech in Action:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:88&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informing:&lt;/strong&gt; Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuading:&lt;/strong&gt; Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivating:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Public Speaking and Anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:227&quot;&gt;Many people experience &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt;, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it&#039;s common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Different Types of Speeches:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-28:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:81&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informative speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-25:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuasive speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivational speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-28:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Crafting a Compelling Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-35:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:107&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a clear message:&lt;/strong&gt; Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:111&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engage your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-35:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice, practice, practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;36:1-36:13&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;38:1-38:281&quot;&gt;Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech  
  • Burying the significant information instead of centering it at the beginning of the presentation
  • Using bad contrasts, like white text on pale colors. You need the text and background colors to contrast

Differences between a good presentation and the worst presentation ever

Things you should never say during your speech.

  • ‘I don’t know.’

If you don’t know the answer to a question thrown at you during a presentation, offer to get the answer later. Saying you don’t know makes you look unprepared.

Instead, say what you want to say directly. Saying ‘I think’ before making a statement can make you sound unsure of its validity.

  • Wrong statements

Every statement you make during your presentation has to be based on facts . Back them up with studies and statistics . You don’t have to state all your references, but you should have them for anyone that asks. This is a problem found in the worst presentation ever shark tank puts on TV

  • Filler words

Filler words are crutches that muddle up your Speech &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;3:1-3:271&quot;&gt;A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;5:1-5:27&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Components of a Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-10:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;7:1-7:73&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Content:&lt;/strong&gt; The information, message, or story conveyed through words.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;8:1-8:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Delivery:&lt;/strong&gt; The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;9:1-10:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Structure:&lt;/strong&gt; The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;11:1-11:21&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Speech in Action:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-17:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;13:1-13:88&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informing:&lt;/strong&gt; Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;14:1-14:119&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuading:&lt;/strong&gt; Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;15:1-15:93&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivating:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;16:1-17:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining:&lt;/strong&gt; Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;18:1-18:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Public Speaking and Anxiety:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;20:1-20:227&quot;&gt;Many people experience &lt;strong&gt;public speaking anxiety&lt;/strong&gt;, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it&#039;s common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;22:1-22:32&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Different Types of Speeches:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-28:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;24:1-24:81&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Informative speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;25:1-25:102&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Persuasive speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;26:1-26:99&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Motivational speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;27:1-28:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entertaining speech:&lt;/strong&gt; Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;29:1-29:33&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Crafting a Compelling Speech:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-35:0&quot;&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;31:1-31:106&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Know your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;32:1-32:107&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a clear message:&lt;/strong&gt; Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;33:1-33:111&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Engage your audience:&lt;/strong&gt; Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li data-sourcepos=&quot;34:1-35:0&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practice, practice, practice:&lt;/strong&gt; Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2 data-sourcepos=&quot;36:1-36:13&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p data-sourcepos=&quot;38:1-38:281&quot;&gt;Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.&lt;/p&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech and make it sound broken. When you rely on filler words, you start to sound unsure and uncertain of what you’re saying. They can also* distract your audience and dilute your message .

  • ‘Do you have any questions?’

It doesn’t engage your audience, and it can sound so cliché. Instead, guide them towards asking questions and let them know you will be open to taking questions after your presentation.

Do’s and don’ts of presentations

Many examples of bad presentations exist, like the worst presentation ever shark tank has brought to the TV screen. But nobody wants to be the one delivering the worst presentation ever. With the tips in this article, you can avoid that and also give the worst PowerPoint presentation ever!

Still, confused? No worries, get over your fear of Public Speaking &lt;!-- wp:paragraph --&gt; &lt;p&gt;Public speaking refers to any live presentation or speech. It can cover a variety of topics on various fields and careers (you can find out more about public speaking careers here: https://orai.com/blog/public-speaking-careers/.  Public speaking can inform, entertain, or educate an audience and sometimes has visual aids.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;!-- /wp:paragraph --&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;!-- wp:paragraph --&gt; &lt;p&gt;Public speaking is done live, so the speakers need to consider certain factors to deliver a successful speech. No matter how good the speech is, if the audience doesn&#039;t connect with the speaker, then it may fall flat. Therefore, speakers have to use a lot more nonverbal communication techniques to deliver their message. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;!-- /wp:paragraph --&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;!-- wp:heading --&gt; &lt;h2&gt;Tips for public speaking&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;!-- /wp:heading --&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;!-- wp:list --&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;Have a sense of humor.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Tell personal stories that relate to the speech you&#039;re giving.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Dress appropriately for the event. Formal and business casual outfits work best.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Project a confident and expressive voice.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Always try to use simple language that everyone can understand.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Stick to the time given to you.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Maintain eye contact with members of your audience and try to connect with them.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;!-- /wp:list --&gt; " href="https://orai.com/glossary/public-speaking/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">public speaking . Download Orai now and start practicing.

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Blog > Common mistakes in PowerPoint and what makes a bad presentation

Common mistakes in PowerPoint and what makes a bad presentation

08.09.21   •  #powerpoint #tips.

Creating and giving a good presentation is actually not that difficult. If you know how to do it. Otherwise, no matter how much effort you put into it, it can quickly turn out to be a bad presentation.

Here we show you some examples of bad PowerPoint slides and common mistakes that are often made in presentations so that you won’t make them in your next presentation and avoid "Death by PowerPoint".

1. Reading aloud instead of speaking freely

One aspect in bad presentations is often that the text is simply read out. Prepare your presentation so well that you can speak freely. The goal is to build a connection with your audience and get them excited about your topic. However, this will hardly be possible if you only read from a piece of paper or your computer the whole time. Your audience should feel addressed, if you just read off, they will be bored and perceive your presentation as bad, even if your content and your PowerPoint are actually good.

2. Technical Problems

The sound of the video you inserted on a slide is not on, your laptop does not connect to the beamer, or your microphone does not work. These are just some of the problems that could occur during your presentation.

But nothing is more annoying than when technical problems suddenly occur during a presentation or even before, when everyone is waiting for it to start. It interrupts your flow of speech, only distracts the audience from the topic and breaks concentration. So before you get started with your presentation, it is important to first start your PowerPoint in the place where you will give it later, practice there and familiarize yourself with the technology.

  • Don't forget the charging cable for your laptop
  • Find out beforehand how you can connect your laptop to the beamer. Find out which connection the beamer has and which connection your laptop has. To be on the safe side, take an adapter with you.
  • Always have backups of your presentation. Save them on a USB stick and preferably also online in a cloud.
  • Take a second laptop and maybe even your own small projector for emergencies. Even if it's not the latest model and the quality is not that good: better bad quality than no presentation at all.

3. Losing the attention of your audience

One of the most common mistakes in presentations is to lose the attention of your audience. Especially in long presentations it is often difficult to keep your audience’s attention and to avoid “Death by PowerPoint”. Anyone who has had this experience knows how uncomfortable it is to give a presentation where you notice that no one is actually really listening to you. Especially if your presentation is an eternally long monologue, it is difficult to get the topic across in an exciting way and to captivate the audience.

Our tip: Include interactive polls or quizzes in your presentation to involve your audience and increase their attention. With the help of SlideLizard, you can ask questions in PowerPoint and your audience can easily vote on their own smartphone. Plus, you can even get anonymous feedback at the end, so you know right away what you can improve next time.

Here we have also summarized further tips for you on how to increase audience engagement.

Polling tool from SlideLizard to hold your audience's attention

4. Avoid eye contact

You want your audience to feel engaged in your presentation, but if you avoid eye contact the whole time, they certainly won't. Avoid staring at just one part of the wall, at your paper or your computer. If the participants have the feeling that you are just talking to the wall, it is a bad presentation. Speak to your audience, involve them in your presentation and make it more exciting for them.

But also make sure you don't always look at the same two or three people, but address everyone. If the audience is large, it is often difficult to include everyone, but still try to let your eyes wander a little between your listeners and look into every corner of the room.

5. Speaking incoherently

Avoid jumping from one topic to the next and back again shortly afterwards. Otherwise your audience will not be able to follow you after a while and their thoughts will wander. To prevent this, it is important that your presentation has a good structure and that you work through one topic after the other.

Nervousness can cause even the best to mumble or talk too fast in order to get the presentation over with as quickly as possible. Try to avoid this by taking short pauses to collect yourself, to breathe and to remind yourself to speak slowly.

best and worst presentations

6. Many colors mixed with each other

Make sure that your presentation is not too colorful. If you mix too many colours, bad presentation slides will result very quickly. A PowerPoint in which all kinds of colors are combined with each other does not look professional, but rather suitable for a children's birthday party.

Think about a rough color palette in advance, which you can then use in your presentation. Colors such as orange or neon green do not look so good in your PowerPoint. Use colors specifically to emphasize important information.

It is also essential to choose colors that help the text to read well. You should have as much contrast as possible between the font and the background. Black writing on a white background is always easy to read, while yellow writing on a white background is probably hard to read.

Using colours correctly in PowerPoint to avoid bad presentations

7. Too minimalistic design

Even though it is often said that "less is more", you should not be too minimalistic in the design of your presentation. A presentation where your slides are blank and only black text on a white background is likely to go down just as badly as if you use too many colors.

Empty presentations are boring and don't really help to capture the attention of your audience. It also looks like you are too lazy to care about the design of your presentation and that you have not put any effort into the preparation. Your PowerPoint doesn't have to be overflowing with colors, animations and images to make it look interesting. Make it simple, but also professional.

too minimalistic design in bad presentation

8. Too much text

The slides of your presentation should never be overcrowded. Write only the most important key points on your slides and never entire sentences. Your audience should not be able to read exactly the text you are speaking in your PowerPoint. This is rather annoying and leads to being bored quickly. Summarize the most important points that your audience should remember and write them down in short bullet points on your presentation.

Avoid too much text on your presentation slides

9. Many different animations

To avoid bad presentations it is important to never use too many animations. It looks messy and confusing if every text and image is displayed with a different animation. Just leave out animations at all or if you really want to use them then use them only very rarely when you want to draw attention to something specific. Make sure that if you use animations, they are consistent. If you use transitions between the individual slides, these should also always be kept consistent and simple.

10. Too many images

Bad presentation slides often occur when their design ist unclear and unorganised. Images and graphics in presentations are always a good idea to illustrate something and to add some variety. But don't overdo it with them. Too many images can distract from your presentation and look messy. Make sure that the graphics also fit the content and, if you have used several pictures on one slide, ask yourself whether you really need all of them.

example of bad PowerPoint slide with too many images

11. Too many or unreadable fonts

Never combine too many fonts so that your presentation does not look messy. Use at most two: one for headings and one for text. When choosing fonts, you should also make sure that they are still legible at long distances. Script, italic and decorative fonts are very slow to read, which is why they should be avoided in presentations.

It is not so easy to choose the right font. Therefore, we have summarized for you how to find the best font for your PowerPoint presentation.

How you should not use fonts in PowerPoint

12. Images as background

To avoid bad presentations, do not use images as slide backgrounds if there should be also text on them. The picture only distracts from the text and it is difficult to read it because there is not much contrast with the background. It is also harder to see the image because the text in the foreground is distracting. The whole thing looks messy and distracting rather than informative and clear.

Bad presentation slide with image as a background

13. Reading from the slides

Never just read the exact text from your slides. Your audience can read for themselves, so they will only get bored and in the worst case it will lead to "Death by PowerPoint". You may also give them the feeling that you think they are not able to read for themselves. In addition, you should avoid whole sentences on your slides anyway and only have listed key points that you go into more detail then.

14. Turn your back

Never turn around during your presentation to look at your projected PowerPoint. Not to read from your slides, but also not to make sure the next slide is already displayed. It looks unprofessional and only distracts your audience. In PowerPoint's Speaker View, you can always see which slide is currently being displayed and which one is coming next. Use this to make sure the order fits. You can even take notes in PowerPoint, which are then displayed during your presentation. You can read all about notes in PowerPoint here.

15. Forgetting the time

Always pay attention to the time given. It is annoying when your presentation takes much longer than actually planned and your audience is just waiting for you to stop talking or you are not able to finish your presentation at all. It is just as awkward if your presentation is too short. You have already told everything about your topic, but you should actually talk for at least another ten minutes.

Practice your presentation often enough at home. Talk through your text and time yourself as you go. Then adjust the length so that you can keep to the time given on the day of your presentation.

timer to avoid bad presentation

16. Complicated Structure

The structure of your presentation should not be complicated. Your audience should be able to follow you easily and remember the essential information by the end. When you have finished a part, briefly summarize and repeat the main points before moving on to the next topic. Mention important information more than once to make sure it really gets across to your audience.

However, if the whole thing gets too complicated, it can be easy for your audience to disengage after a while and not take away much new information from your presentation. So a complicated structure can lead to bad presentations and "Death by PowerPoint" pretty quickly.

17. Inappropriate clothes

On the day of your presentation, be sure to choose appropriate clothing. Your appearance should be formal, so avoid casual clothes and stick to professional dress codes. When choosing your clothes, also make sure that they are rather unobtrusive. Your audience should focus on your presentation, not on your appearance.

Choose appropriate clothing

18. Inappropriate content

Think about who your audience is and adapt your presentation to them. Find out how much they already know about the topic, what they want to learn about it and why they are here in the first place. If you only talk about things your audience already knows, they will get bored pretty soon, but if you throw around a lot of technical terms when your audience has hardly dealt with the topic at all, they will also have a hard time following you. So to avoid "Death by PowerPoint" in this case, it is important to adapt your presentation to your audience.

You can also ask a few questions at the beginning of your presentation to learn more about your audience and then adapt your presentation. With SlideLizard , you can integrate polls directly into your PowerPoint and participants can then easily answer anonymously from their smartphone.

19. Too much or unimportant information

Keep it short and limit yourself to the essentials. The more facts and information you present to your audience, the less they will remember.

Also be sure to leave out information that does not fit the topic or is not relevant. You will only distract from the actual topic and lose the attention of your audience.

20. Monotone voice

If you speak in a monotone voice all the time, you are likely to lose the attention of your audience. Make your narration lively and exciting. Also, be careful not to speak too quietly, but not too loudly either. People should be able to understand you well throughout the whole room. Even if it is not easy for many people, try to deliver your speech with confidence. If you are not enthusiastic about the topic or do not seem enthusiastic, you will not be able to get your audience excited about it.

microphone for presentation

Examples of bad presentations to download

We have created a PowerPoint with examples of bad presentation slides and how to do it right. You can download it here for free.

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About the author.

best and worst presentations

Helena Reitinger

Helena supports the SlideLizard team in marketing and design. She loves to express her creativity in texts and graphics.

best and worst presentations

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Top 12 Most Annoying PowerPoint Presentation Mistakes

PowerPoint has gotten a bad rap over the years. In fact, during graduate school, my program director actually told us at one point that we couldn’t use PowerPoint for our comprehensive exams (which is an oral presentation in front of all the faculty and students required for graduation) because PowerPoint slides were too cliche, too dull, too obnoxious, too outdated, or whatever other undesirable quality you might slap onto a digital presentation platform.

So what was the reaction? Students in my program latched onto Prezi or SlideRocket or even Wix—which is actually a web design program. And the result? Just as bad, if not worse visual presentations in many cases (trust me, Prezi doesn’t solve the world’s problems; the zoom-in, zoom-out feature has lost it’s novelty; it’s obnoxious).

The truth is, whether you use PowerPoint or Prezi or anything else, you can’t blame the software for the presentation. PowerPoint is a tool; it isn’t content. Microsoft word doesn’t tell beautiful (or awful) stories, the author does. And so it goes with PowerPoint presentations: if you fill them with bad content and design, your presentation flies right out the window. How you mesh the digital slides and design with the content you deliver makes all the difference. Take the time to design a PowerPoint well and people won’t even realize it’s PowerPoint (which, by the way, became my challenge in graduate school; I ended up using PowerPoint for my exams and felt complimented when several asked me afterwards what program I used).

If you want to know a few tricks for designing good PowerPoint presentations, check out my Five Quick Tricks to Design Your PowerPoint Presentation . But if you just want to know what to avoid when giving a PowerPoint presentation, here’s a list of my top twelve most annoying   PowerPoint presentation mistakes . If these 12 tips aren’t enough, see my infographic on 40 Ways to Screw Up a PowerPoint Slide

Annoying Powerpoint mistakes: too much text

#2: Bad Contrast Unless your goal is to give your audience a serious headache (which, don’t get me wrong, might occasionally be your goal), don’t use dark colored text on dark backgrounds or vice versa. The more visual contrast, the more enjoyable your slides will be to look at. Light blue on white? No. Blue on purple? No. White on yellow? You’ve got to be kidding! (But I’ve seen it, sadly, done.) Truthfully, the best contrast is black on white or white on black. If you do white on black, you’ll need to increase your font size a bit. Use color elsewhere. After all, pretty every book you’ve ever read uses white paper and black ink, correct? PowerPoints should be no different. Use color for headings, titles, and images. Not for bulk text (but you really shouldn’t have very many bulk amounts of text….) And do you want to know the biggest contrast faux pas? Don’t EVER use blue text on a red background or vice versa. Research has shown that those two colors on top of each other on a digital screen actually clashes so much, to many people the colors appear to vibrate. Now that’s a serious headache in the making!

#3: Staring at the Screen Your PowerPoint slides should be used to  supplement your presentation, not serve as a crutch. Don’t assume that having all your content on the slides means you don’t have to practice. One of the most annoying, unprofessional, and overt demonstrations of presentation slacker-ness is staring at the screen, reading your content to your audience. Even if you don’t have much text, avoid the pitfall of talking to the screen (it happens more often than you would believe). If you are shy and hate being in front of people, practice standing forward and moving your eyes to different parts of the room, but all in the vicinity of where your audience is. Look at audience members’ hands, hair, shirts. This isn’t as good as eye contact, but it is a whole lot better than putting your back to them and relying on the screen to do the talking. 

PowerPoint Presentation: Standing in Front of Screen

#6: Using the Pre-Installed Templates and Fonts Templates and default fonts aren’t all bad—if you’re in a real hurry, if you’re lazy, if you’re uncreative, or if you have a hard time coming up with new ideas on your own. Using templates and defaults, I suppose, is better than creating a horribly ugly design, but just know that you won’t impress anybody. Just a tip: a solid white background with a really nice font (like Coolvetica, for instance) can look amazingly clean, simple, and sexy. You don’t have to be a design wizard to move away from the defaults.

Annoying PowerPoint Mistakes: Toggling in and Out of PowerPoint

#10: Using Weird Fonts Even if they’re calling your name, avoid them. PowerPoint presentations are not the place to use crazy fonts, no matter how appealing they seem. When you use text, it should be immediately legible. Century Gothic is nice. So is Coolvetica or Arial or any other simple sans serif font. But don’t be using Chiller, Curlz MT, or Rage Italic. They’re not cool; they’re weird. And they’ll make you look weird for using them.

#11: Putting Important Stuff by the Edges The funny thing about giving a presentation is that you often don’t know what the room will look like until you get there. What if you put some really important text at the bottom of each slide only to discover that there is a non-removable table in front of the scree where you are presenting and the audience can’t see it? Or, what if the screen is slightly smaller than the projector projects your image (and you can’t reach the projector)? I’ve seen both of these happen. If you want to plan ahead, keep all your important information in from the edges. Then, if something gets cut off, it’s no skin off your back.

#12: Don’t Use a Bad Color Scheme If you’re not good with colors, just use black and white. There’s no shame in that. Your presentation ought to be full of images and diagrams anyway, not a lot of text and fancy stuff, so black and white is fine. If you want to use color (it does have a nice touch sometimes), then keep your color scheme to about three or four colors and two might even be better. Keep it simple and avoid clashing colors. Oh, and don’t use holiday color schemes—green and red; orange and black; purple and yellow; red, white, and blue—unless you change their saturation and add in a third/fourth color that isn’t part of the holiday. 

Related Articles

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6 thoughts on “ Top 12 Most Annoying PowerPoint Presentation Mistakes ”

Pingback: Presentation Approaches 2.0 | Tyler Ed Tech 541 Fall 2013

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This is very informative and stresses all the valid points of why some things aren’t meant to be a part of a presentation. Instead of using clipart, you can create your own custom images in PowerPoint with the geometric shapes provided. This can put your own creativity to work! http://presentationpanda.com/uncategorized/how-to-create-your-own-images-in-powerpoint-or-keynote/

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For a ‘visual communication guy’ you certainly have made a very bland, wordy article. I got bored just scrolling down the page!

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On the contrary – it delivered just what I needed. If you didn’t want an informative article then go find a Powerpoint filled with animations and written in Comic Sans.

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this was too helpful thank u very much lol 🙂

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i was probably going to do half of these but thx for the info

Comments are closed.

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12 mistakes that can doom your presentation to failure.

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Sales. Believe it or not, most of us are in the sales business.

Courtroom attorneys, both prosecutors and defense lawyers, are in the sales business. Their product consists of arguments for or against the defendant.

University professors are in the sales business. Their products are knowledge and thinking skills.

Consultants and corporate trainers are in the sales business. Their products are competence and proficiency with everything from how to lead a team to how to operate a complicated machine.

Whatever your job is, you can be sure that it involves sales—persuading people to adopt fresh perspectives, embrace new methods, rally around a common cause.

In all of this, Terri L. Sjodin is worthy of attention. An expert in advancing the persuasive presentation skills of professionals, Sjodin is a New York Times bestselling author ( Small Message, Big Impact ), and a respected researcher. For her latest book ( Presentation Ready: Improve Your Sales Presentation Outcomes & Avoid the Twelve Most Common Mistakes ), she conducted a multi-year study drawing on the experiences and observations of more than 5,000 business and sales professionals. Her expertise has been featured by many media outlets including the Today Show, Bloomberg News, CNN, CNBC, and Fox Business, as well as many industry podcasts.

Quoting the philosopher Seneca as saying, “Luck is when preparedness meets opportunity,” Sjodin explains how that view applied to the research she conducted during the Covid pandemic.

“ We used the lockdown to our advantage and captured data that has revealed insights unique to presenting during that challenging time,” she says. “We learned more about how to navigate specific obstacles in virtual presentations.”

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How to watch real martha baby reindeer interview with piers morgan, drake kendrick lamar feud timeline attempted intruder arrested at drake s toronto home police say.

A lot of professionals were great at in-person customer interactions but had to adapt to virtual presentations via video platforms when the pandemic hit. What were the biggest challenges of that transition?

“Ultimately, virtual meetings can’t provide all the benefits of face-to-face meetings, but they are scalable and can save you and your prospects time and money,” Sjodin says. “Some people simply feel awkward and uncomfortable using this technology. A common confession is, ‘I’ve been presenting for years. Why is this so difficult?’ The reason it’s daunting is because we are merging the art of presenting, the science of selling, and the modern tools of technology. It’s a lot to juggle all at once.”

Sjodin says that for some people, learning to master this technology is a lot like learning to drive a stick-shift automobile after years of driving with an automatic transmission.

When people are preparing for important presentations, what questions should they be asking themselves to ensure that their message and delivery are effective?

Terri L. Sjodin

“The best game plan is to do your homework early in the process, while keeping the end goal in mind,” Sjodin says. “Preparation is the best way to avoid ‘winging it.’ That might seem obvious. The truth is that many people, for various reasons, simply fail to prepare or don’t have a strategy to prepare effectively.”

Consider a meeting you have on your calendar right now and ask yourself a few key questions. What is my intention for this meeting? What am I trying to accomplish? Who are the listeners? What’s the audience size?

In the information-persuasion balance, what seems to be the key to driving a presentation to a prospect’s decision or conversion?

Sjodin says being overly informative was one of the highest ranked mistakes self-identified in her research study. “Information in and of itself doesn’t drive conversion,” she says. “The key is to get clear on the goal of being persuasive. What do you want to have happen as a result of this meeting or presentation?”

By design, a persuasive presentation has a specific intention. The speaker wants the listeners to act based on what they’re hearing. Sjodin suggests asking yourself this question: “Did I build a compelling case for my message?” She says professionals in need of results are best served when they craft presentations that are both persuasive and informative. “This seems simple, but, trust me, nobody complains that a talk was overly persuasive. They complain about the data dump.”

A challenge many speakers face is how to establish their own credibility without distracting from the product service, or cause they are championing. Sjodin has some suggestions on how to address that challenge.

“When a presentation is filled with vague assertions and imprecise data, speakers lose credibility,” she says. “Credibility is essential. Without it, a prospect has little reason to buy into your proposal.”

Her research results showed that sales professionals who committed the mistake of providing inadequate support consistently failed to establish credibility with the listener through their personal experience or data quality.

“A potential customer will evaluate you and your information before deciding whether to believe you,” she says. “Personal credibility speaks to your experience, education, background, industry knowledge, and field work. If you are new to an industry, it’s tough to sell your experience. Your chances are better if you sell your work ethic and scrappy mindset instead of your ability to advise listeners on how to do something they have been doing for the past 20 years.”

In her research, Sjodin found that many sales professionals confessed that they “conclude but do not close.” Where’s the disconnect? What’s her advice to them?

“ The close is the specific call to action you want your listener to take after hearing your message,” she says. “A conclusion is a wrap-up of what you just said. Some people avoid closing altogether because they don’t want to risk hearing ‘no thanks, not interested.’ The fear of rejection makes closing feel uncomfortable, so they just skip it altogether.

Closing doesn’t need to be scary, she says. “All you are doing is inviting your listener to choose to move forward in some regard.

Delivering a persuasive presentation requires the ability to close. “Persuasive presenters are always prepared to ask for a next step, or commitment—it’s what they’re there to do,” she says. “If you have met with numerous prospects but haven’t completed many transactions, ask yourself, ‘Do I close, or do I conclude?’ One generates action; the other gives your prospect the option of doing nothing.”

What’s the role of storytelling in making a compelling sales presentation, and what’s the key to doing it well?

It’s Sjodin says it’s the presenter’s responsibility to build and deliver an interesting message. You might think your data is interesting, but that doesn’t mean the audience will. This is where storytelling plays a role.

“Boring presentations are unfortunately a common occurrence,” she says. “Multiple factors can contribute to a dull, tedious, and tiresome talk, including low presenter energy, an overall lack of creativity, and an absence of storytelling and other entertaining elements.”

Sjodin says the key to effective storytelling is to put yourself in the seat of a skeptical listener and ask whether your message is intriguing and thought-provoking. “If a small, persistent voice tells you that it’s boring, it probably is. Can you find a story that could bring this issue to life in a more dazzling way?”

Death-by-PowerPoint still seems to be a common mistake made by speakers and presenters. Sjodin offers advice on using visual aids effectively.

“Visual aids can significantly enhance a presentation when used effectively,” she says. “They are not designed to be a crutch to help get a person through their content. Remember, you are the star, and the visual aids are the bit players. They are there to enrich the message and say something visually that you can’t communicate in the same way verbally. Tragically, most presentations are dominated by text and bullet points and do not visually create a wow factor.”

Does making a sales presentation mistake matter?

“In today’s competitive market, everybody sells something, whether it’s a product, a service, a cause or even when selling themselves on a job interview or for a promotion,” Sjodin says. “One of the most surprising initial insights in the research study was that 92% of participants reported feeling that making a sales presentation mistake has or probably has impacted moving a transaction forward or achieving their goal. That is a big number! So does it matter? The research results say yes!”

Rodger Dean Duncan

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The World’s Worst PowerPoint Presentations

The world’s worst powerpoint presentations.

Convoluted flow charts? Tacky, out-of-focus graphics? Huge blocks of text? Welcome to PowerPoint Hell.

Most of you have probably had to make a PowerPoint presentation, so you probably know the basic PowerPoint rules : Use a lot of bullet points. Don’t overdo the text. Avoid multimedia excesses. Et cetera.

It might seem like pretty basic stuff to you, oh PowerPoint Guru, but unfortunately it’s not so obvious to some other people. We took a stroll through the PowerPoint presentation-sharing site, Slideshare.net, and found a scarily large number of really bad PowerPoint presentations. Here are some of the worst (or should we say best?) ones of the bunch.

Images and Text Do Not Mix

best and worst presentations

This PowerPoint presentation on cars (we know it’s about cars because an introductory slide consists of the word “CARS” in huge, garish orange-and-blue letters) puts all of its images in the background (after applying a little tasteful fading), with paragraphs of text overlaid on them. This accomplishes the difficult feat of making the images hard to look at and the text hard to read. Perfect–a lose-lose situation!

The presenter could have consolidated the text in one part of the image, using the image’s horizontal guiding lines; but that didn’t happen, so the slide manages to look sloppy as well as unreadable. Bonus points for misspelling “carburetor.”

To Be Fair, Social Networking Is Complicated

best and worst presentations

The first rule of flow charts is that they should be intelligible. In a presentation , you do have a chance to explain what’s going on, but a good PowerPoint series makes sense on its own. The flow chart presented here is simply baffling–and the pictures don’t help much. What’s going where? Who’s getting what? What’s the difference between a one in a big black square and a one in a little red circle? What is a “follower feed”? And why are the some of the “salmon” going downstream?

Nor does this social networking slideshow rally after the incoherent flow chart: It later shows a series of e-mail screen caps that are ugly at best, and incomprehensible at worst.

A Symmetrical Rainbow of Confusion

best and worst presentations

Colors are great for attracting an audience . But stick with two or three–not six or seven–and use them consistently. The colors in this “ social business map ” don’t clarify anything. Why are “Social Web” and “Social Enterprise” in different colors but “Cloud/SaaS” and “On-Premise” in the same color? Why do blue and green diamonds populate orange and white areas as well as blue and green areas? Why does “Trend” appear as two converging white areas while “Standards” appears as a single vanishing brown area?

The whole chart looks like an alien Venn diagram, and the big labels along the bottom appear in random colors that correspond to nothing else on the chart. Why?

Flow Chart on Steroids

best and worst presentations

The left side of this PowerPoint slide on customer lifetime value in service contracts does pretty well (If you overlook the iffy capitalization, the wacky punctuation, and the inconsistent framing of the “Modeling issues”): The text is in short bullet points , colors and fonts are restrained, and the presenter used a basic slide template (when in doubt, use a template!).

But then we get to the flow chart. Presumably the red arrows are there to explain what’s going on in the maze of black arrows. The red arrows are somewhat helpful, except for the jarring overlay of red on black. As for the 10,000 black arrows, they probably make a point, or something, but really?

The Endless “Summary”

best and worst presentations

Filling an entire PowerPoint slide with text is never a great idea–especially not when the content is printed in 10-point type and is three or four times longer than the Gettysburg Address. Even worse is the idea of using an impenetrable slab of 10-point text to provide an “ executive summary ” of the ensuing presentation. It’s hard to imagine what useful thing the presenter thought this slide would accomplish–no one is going to want to read the text, and if the presenter does so, what’s left to say in the presentation ?

The most chilling part of this cautionary tale? The audience hasn’t even seen the entire “executive summary” yet–it continues on the next slide.

100 Graphs in One Little Slide

best and worst presentations

Graphs and charts are usually PowerPoint presentation gold: They’re visual, informative, and hard to screw up. So, obviously, the more graphs and charts, the better–right? Like, say, 100 graphs and charts. And to sweeten that deal, let’s put all 100 of ’em on one slide. What could go wrong?

Or rather, what couldn’t go wrong? The whole PowerPoint presentation on lung cancer surgery is pretty bad, but this slide showing 100 charts neatly stacked like coffins in a ten-by-ten array takes the cake. Not only are the graphs so small as to be unreadable, but did we mention there are 100 of them? Oh, and a slide heading that makes sense in English would’ve been nice.

Slides With Ads–Are They Clickable?

best and worst presentations

What’s worse than using generic Microsoft clip art in a PowerPoint presentation ? Using a Web banner ad as the top image across all of the slides–that’s what. The creator of this presentation about a “ snoring solution ” didn’t even bother to crop off the “Special Offer: Order Now” part of the graphic (which looks as though it were made to run on Yahoo Chat pages, circa 1999).

Hey, we’re all for blatantly touting your Website during a PowerPoint presentation (though you really should limit your self-promotion to the first or last slide–not both–or you may induce shill fatigue), but decorating a presentation with your company’s online banner ads is pretty cheesy.

The Case of the Invisible Text

best and worst presentations

PowerPoint slide transitions are best left to the fourth-grade science fair crowd. But if you insist on using them (don’t say we didn’t warn you), make sure that your text doesn’t behave like a Cheshire cat.

In a PowerPoint presentation on the future of learning technology , the slides leading up to this one (slide 18) are visually interesting and don’t overdo the text or graphs. But slide 18 contains three bullet-type points that appear and then disappear as the presenter clicks through it. The only thing worse than putting multiple paragraphs of text into a slide is putting up text that vanishes unexpectedly. It’s supposed to be a visual aid, not a magic show.

Bad Bullet Points

best and worst presentations

In a PowerPoint presentation , reducing paragraphs to bullet points helps your audience follow the presentation more easily. But “reducing paragraphs to bullet points” doesn’t mean sticking bullet-point icons in front of paragraphs.

As a rule of thumb, if you have to resize your text to 12- or 10-point type to get it to fit, you have too much text. This presentation on social media is a great example of bullet points gone bad. The text is tiny, the bullet points are longer than ten words each, and at least one of them is a full-fledged paragraph.

For more PowerPoint sins to avoid, check out “ PowerPoint Hell: Don’t Let This Happen to Your Next Presentation .”

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How to Present to an Audience That Knows More Than You

  • Deborah Grayson Riegel

best and worst presentations

Lean into being a facilitator — not an expert.

What happens when you have to give a presentation to an audience that might have some professionals who have more expertise on the topic than you do? While it can be intimidating, it can also be an opportunity to leverage their deep and diverse expertise in service of the group’s learning. And it’s an opportunity to exercise some intellectual humility, which includes having respect for other viewpoints, not being intellectually overconfident, separating your ego from your intellect, and being willing to revise your own viewpoint — especially in the face of new information. This article offers several tips for how you might approach a roomful of experts, including how to invite them into the discussion without allowing them to completely take over, as well as how to pivot on the proposed topic when necessary.

I was five years into my executive coaching practice when I was invited to lead a workshop on “Coaching Skills for Human Resource Leaders” at a global conference. As the room filled up with participants, I identified a few colleagues who had already been coaching professionally for more than a decade. I felt self-doubt start to kick in: Why were they even here? What did they come to learn? Why do they want to hear from me?

best and worst presentations

  • Deborah Grayson Riegel is a professional speaker and facilitator, as well as a communication and presentation skills coach. She teaches leadership communication at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and has taught for Wharton Business School, Columbia Business School’s Women in Leadership Program, and Peking University’s International MBA Program. She is the author of Overcoming Overthinking: 36 Ways to Tame Anxiety for Work, School, and Life and the best-selling Go To Help: 31 Strategies to Offer, Ask for, and Accept Help .

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5 Top World’s Worst PowerPoint presentations

PCWorld recently published a content where people can vote what were the World’s Worst PowerPoint Presentations . Here we will summarize the top 5 worst PPT presentations and most voted ones. For this contest, the organizers got a few slides where people think that it’s okay to put 100 graphs on one single slide and the purpose of this contest is to let you learn from the presentation examples how not to make PowerPoint slides for your next big meeting or PowerPoint presentation.

The World’s Worst PowerPoint Presentation

Convoluted flow charts? Tacky, out-of-focus graphics? Huge blocks of text? Welcome to PowerPoint Hell.

best and worst presentations

The basic PowerPoint rules states that you should use a lot of bullet points but don’t overdo the text and avoid multimedia excesses. Many PowerPoint Guru may know about this but other people is still making bad PowerPoint presentations and these rules may not be obvious for other people. This persona of people include professors, teachers, buinessmen, etc.

1. Example mixing images and text in the same PowerPoint slide

best and worst presentations

This PowerPoint slide on puts all of its images in the background as a watermark image but too confusing with the text in front of the slide. The Ferrari mix with text in front and paragraphs of text overlaid on them accomplishes the difficult feat of making the images hard to look at and the text hard to read.

Instead of this, you may want to separate the image to the left, top, bottom or right of the paragraphs. For example, you can take a quick look to Formula 1 PowerPoint template  where the Ferrari was put in the right of the presentation title. Unless you explicitly need to put text inside the image, in this case you can see donate car PowerPoint template . Also, adding some bullet points and reduce the text length could also help to share the message and overall idea about this presentation slide.

2. Social Networking chart in PowerPoint – Social Business Power Map

best and worst presentations

The flow chart presented here is simply baffling accordingly to the post review, and and the pictures don’t help much to share the message about what this chart means.

3. A Symmetrical Rainbow of Confusion

best and worst presentations

Clearly there are 4 main areas like Buzz, Experimentation, Adoption and Maturity, but what’s the difference between a one in a big black square and a one in a little red circle without a legend? Also, there is a mix of colors like the salmon, green, white and blue that is not so much clear in the Social Enterprise nad Social Web areas.

Colors are great for attracting an audience but six colors or seven colors can make this very difficult to understand without a proper legend. The colors in this “social business map” don’t clarify anything accordingly to the author of this review but, for example why are “Social Web” and “Social Enterprise” in different colors but “Cloud/SaaS” and “On-Premise” in the same color? Also, the whole chart looks like an alien Venn diagram , and the big labels along the bottom appear in random colors that correspond to nothing else on the chart.

4. Flow Chart on Steroids

best and worst presentations

In this PowerPoint example the left side of the slide on customer lifetime value in service contracts does pretty well. The text is in short bullet points, colors and fonts are restrained, and the presenter used a basic slide template . The author of this review recommends to use a PowerPoint template . Also, there is a criticism about the chart in this image. Accordingly to the review, the flow chart with red arrows do not explain what is going on in the maze of black arrows. The red arrows looks helpful except for the jarring overlay of red on black.

5. Wireless PowerPoint – Executive Summary

In this wireless PowerPoint we can see a lot of text as part of the executive summary slide for this Wireless presentation. This sounds like an endless “Summary”, filling an entire PowerPoint slide with text is never a great idea

The author says that it is a bad idea to use an impenetrable slab of 10-point text to provide an executive summary of the ensuing presentation. It’s hard to imagine what useful thing the presenter thought this slide would accomplish. No one is going to want to read the text, and if the presenter does so, what’s left to say in the presentation? The most chilling part of this cautionary tale? The audience hasn’t even seen the entire “executive summary” yet–it continues on the next slide.

This was a review for the article of Worst PowerPoint presentations that was featuring in PCWorld. You can read the full article in The World’s Worst PowerPoint presentations .

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best and worst presentations

COMMENTS

  1. The Best And Worst PowerPoint Presentation Examples

    Bad PowerPoint slide example of using only bullet points and no paragraphs. 3. Having No Symmetry In Texts And Pointers. A lack of balance or alignment between textual material and supporting visual elements, such as arrows, bullets, etc., can make your presentations appear unpleasant.

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    So, here is our list of the five worst presentations of all time - and why they went wrong. 1. Lung Cancer Surgery PowerPoint. Kshivets O. Lung Cancer Surgery from Oleg Kshivets. Most of us have had to sit through some bad PowerPoints during our lives. They can make or break a presentation.

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    A year in review of sorts, in case you missed any noteworthy presentations or cringe-worthy decks in the past 12 months. Without further ado, here is a round-up of the best and worst of presentations in 2019. 2019 Had Some Really Great Presentations. 1.

  5. 15 Pro Tips to Design a Good (Vs Bad) PowerPoint (That Doesn't Suck)

    Keep in mind: bad PowerPoint presentation examples are often too wordy. Avoid this by deleting any unwanted text boxes to free up some space on your slides. 3. Explore Font Effects. Once you've added text, you can customize it. Go to the Home tab on PowerPoint's ribbon and find the Font section on the left. Here, you'll see many buttons ...

  6. Bad PowerPoint Examples You Should Avoid at All Costs

    Loud, bright colors, like orange, or lime green, are probably not the best for a presentation. Also, take into consideration that for your public to be able to read easily you need to contrast your colors. For example, black letters on a white background, despite looking very simple, is also very easy to read.

  7. The Best And Worst PowerPoint Presentation Examples

    Engaging presentations are the lifeblood of effective communikation in today's information-driven world. Whether you're in a chamber tackling a new idea, standing in front of a classroom of curious learners, or delivering one keyote speech to an interested investor, the ability to creates plus deliver engaging presentations is a skillability that can truly create or break your message.

  8. 8 Tips to Make the Best PowerPoint Presentations

    A good presentation needs two fonts: a serif and sans-serif. Use one for the headlines and one for body text, lists, and the like. Keep it simple. Veranda, Helvetica, Arial, and even Times New Roman are safe choices. Stick with the classics and it's hard to botch this one too badly.

  9. The Best And Worst PowerPoint Presentation Examples

    The Best PowerPoint Presentation Examples often include: 1.A Clear and Compelling Narrative: The best presentations have a clear storyline or argument that guides the audience through the content seamlessly. 2.Consistent and Simple Design: Good presentations have a consistent theme with limited colors and fonts, enhancing readability and ...

  10. The 15 Most Common Presentation Mistakes You Should Avoid

    Here are the best resources to improve your presentation techniques; The seven worst presentations of all time and why they went wrong; Bad PowerPoint Examples You Should Avoid at All Costs; Angie Arriesgado. May 16, 2019. 13 mins read. Share this article. Create professional presentations online.

  11. 10 Examples of Bad PowerPoint Slides

    The best and worst PowerPoint presentation examples clearly show how to keep this equilibrium. As we've seen, it's easy to take a presentation from good to worse by neglecting one side in favor of the other; the next time you're gearing up to create a presentation, consider getting the help of professional presentation services .

  12. 50 Best PowerPoint Presentations (2023 Update)

    This deck will give you access to some of the best useful resources and tools to create better slide decks (icons, fonts, infographics and more). The Ultimate Freebies Guide for Presentations from Damon Nofar. 4. Create Icons in PowerPoint. Icons are a great way to design presentations that are more appealing.

  13. 5 Best Practices For Making Awesome PowerPoint Slides

    If you are doing an internal presentation, it's best to use a branded template for your decks (and if you don't have a branded template for your organization, make one). 2. Make it visual ...

  14. 13 Dos and Don'ts for Effective PowerPoint Presentations

    7. Add graphics and videos. One benefit PowerPoint provides as a visual aid for presentations is the ability to embed multimedia elements. Adding graphics or videos to your slides can make them more visually appealing and also provide important information.

  15. 6 Presentations That Are So Horrible You Might Get Nightmares

    2. This Terrible Graph Spam. Source: PC World (AU) I used this picture to illustrate why technical people suck at PowerPoint. I guess the point still holds merit if people think it's a good idea to make a slide that looks like this. Graphs and charts are a norm in presentations.

  16. 5 Worst Presentations ever & Why They Went Wrong

    If you speak with no defined points, you will give your worst presentation ever. 4. Avoiding eye contact. Eye contact is a way to get people to focus on you, especially when they don't know anything about you. If you avoid eye contact with the peoplelistening to you, you can quickly lose their trust.

  17. Death by PowerPoint

    Here we show you some examples of bad PowerPoint slides and common mistakes that are often made in presentations so that you won't make them in your next presentation and avoid "Death by PowerPoint". 1. Reading aloud instead of speaking freely. One aspect in bad presentations is often that the text is simply read out.

  18. PDF Quite Possibly The World s Worst PowerPoint Presentation Ever

    More Presentation tips, cont. Check grammar! A presentation is the worst time to see missspelings. Don't make too many slides…avoid the "slide rush" (trying to rush through the last 20 slides because you ran out of time). Cite your sources on each slide or at the end of your presentation. Remember: KEEP IT SIMPLE! It's just a tool!

  19. Top 12 Most Annoying PowerPoint Presentation Mistakes

    But if you just want to know what to avoid when giving a PowerPoint presentation, here's a list of my top twelve most annoying PowerPoint presentation mistakes. If these 12 tips aren't enough, see my infographic on. #1: Too Much Text, Even in Bullets. No matter how many times we hear that too much text in PowerPoint is bad, it seems like ...

  20. Tips to Design a Good (Vs Bad) PowerPoint (That Doesn't Suck)

    Are you guilty of creating bad PowerPoint slides? Learn from the good and bad PowerPoint examples and specialist tips in this tutorial. Avoid making a poor PowerPoint.

  21. 12 Mistakes That Can Doom Your Presentation To Failure

    Death-by-PowerPoint still seems to be a common mistake made by speakers and presenters. Sjodin offers advice on using visual aids effectively. "Visual aids can significantly enhance a ...

  22. Very Good & Very Bad PowerPoint Presentations

    Here are the latest additions to The Best Sources Of Advice For Making Good Presentations:. Dodging Bullets In Presentations is a useful slideshow to review.. The World's Worst PowerPoint Presentations comes from PC World Magazine (Thanks to Interesting Pile for the tip). PowerPoint Hell: Don't Let This Happen to Your Next Presentation also comes from PC World.

  23. The World's Worst PowerPoint Presentations

    The Endless "Summary". Filling an entire PowerPoint slide with text is never a great idea-especially not when the content is printed in 10-point type and is three or four times longer than ...

  24. How to Present to an Audience That Knows More Than You

    Thank you for telling us.". "That's new information to me. I appreciate it.". "You've shared a perspective I hadn't considered.". "I'd like to follow up with you afterward so ...

  25. 5 Top World's Worst PowerPoint presentations

    PCWorld recently published a content where people can vote what were the World's Worst PowerPoint Presentations.Here we will summarize the top 5 worst PPT presentations and most voted ones. For this contest, the organizers got a few slides where people think that it's okay to put 100 graphs on one single slide and the purpose of this contest is to let you learn from the presentation ...