TRUST KILLERS! Inconsistencies, grammatical errors, typos… How do these affect your credibility as a presenter? [Speak on the Shoulders of Giants]
Audiences are practical and understand how busy things can be are. So, when pressed for time in the last few hour before standing up and preessnting, it’s far better to update the spredsheets that you place in the appendix then doing something frivilous like printing out document and Proofreeding.
Did you think there was something off about this week’s public speaking tip?
Hold on! Keep reading.
One of our firm’s education arms, the Institute of Strategy and Valuation, published an article titled, “10 Sure-Fire Ways to Improve Your Presentations: A Light-Hearted Look at Public Speaking.”
Addressing the fear that goes with presenting in front of a small or large group of people, the article presents a humorous look into public speaking.
We are well aware of the stress everyone goes through when they’re tasked with having to speak in front of an audience to represent their brand or company.
We’ve all been in the same position one way or another.
If we could avoid it altogether, we would.
But… that shouldn’t be the mentality! After all, practice is all that’s needed.
“If we want to be leaders or achieve anything meaningful in our lives, we will often need to speak to groups, large and small, to be successful.”
Yes, it’s easier said than done, so we’re here to help and share with you some useful tips!
Looking at this topic from a humorous perspective (instead of the usual serious and fearful way), we know that sure-fire way #10 means the opposite. Yup, it’s #10 not #11.
This is the last tip in our sure-fire series, but it’s definitely not the least!
PROOFREADING gives power and credibility to a presentation.
It’s a simple act that shows the level of care and preparation you’ve put into what you want to share with your audience.
Proofreading is one of the most important tips that you should apply to your slides, script, and presentation as a whole.
You want to avoid and watch out for:
- Grammatical errors
- Typographical errors
- Misused punctuation marks
- Format inconsistencies
… to name a few.
An audience may understand that it’s normal to have errors and weird layouts on a presentation slide.
But wouldn’t it be better to show something as close to perfect as you can make it, and avoid any errors from the get-go?
Having unfinished and lousy-looking slides, or not being prepared with what you want to say, can affect the audience’s first impression of you as a speaker.
Worst: Risking going onstage without proofreading your slides or script, only to end up having loads of typos and layout issues, might say a lot about your professionalism, characteristics, and credibility.
Effects of NOT PROOFREADING your presentation:
- Can be seen as unprofessional
- Can miss seeing inconsistencies in the layout and content
- Can lack clarity
Careless mistakes in grammar, spelling, and punctuation marks can imply that the presenter is not fully prepared and has rushed creating the presentation deck. It can also give the impression that the presenter might be an amateur.
Inconsistencies can kill your audience’s trust in your presentation. Keep the presentation in one tone, voice, and format all throughout. This will help your audience follow the discussion easily and avoid any confusion.
Misused punctuation marks, grammatical errors, and typos can distract your audience. Clean (free of typos and other issues), polished, simplified, and concise content on slides will help the audience understand and stay focused on the message you want to convey.
So, presenters should always allot a good amount of time to proofread and edit their outline and content before the day of the event or speaking engagement.
REMEMBER: It’s about the audience!
Your goal is to present and communicate with confidence and capture your audience’s attention.
Again, here are the 10 Sure-Fire Ways to Improve Your Presentations:
- Always respect just how incredibly valuable your audience’s TIME is.
- FOCUS on your presentation and avoid any distractions for you and your audience.
- Choose and include the right CONTENT for your presentation and audience.
- Have a brief but impactful INTRO.
- Give CREDIT where it’s due and recognize your team’s efforts.
- Use TECHNOLOGY to provide high-quality visuals and data.
- Maintain the right amount of EYE contact to be more confident, believable, and professional.
- Remember to PREPARE and make a smart and efficient presentation.
- Make sure what you say is ACCURATE, correct, and credible.
- PROOFREAD to avoid making careless mistakes and inconsistencies.
Apply these tips the next time you build your presentation and present on stage.
See the difference it makes on your public-speaking skills!
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Wednesdays: Speak on the Shoulders of Giants”
In a meeting with one person
…a boardroom with five people
…or a huge venue with hundreds of people
—whatever the situation or setting, it’s very important to learn and eventually master the art of public speaking.
No matter what, you always need to effectively get your message across.
What good is a presentation with awesome content if you don’t deliver it properly?
Every Wednesday, we publish different tips, insights, and secrets on how you can improve your presentation skills to captivate your audience and lead interesting discussions.
The need for great presentation skills applies EVERYWHERE.
(Small meetings with your team, big meetings with your boss, an important marketing pitch, speaking engagements for events with a big audience, etc.)
Learning these skills is not just for the corporate world. Being in other industries such as the Arts, Information Technology, Medicine, and Education while knowing how to present well will definitely give you an edge.
Have that advantage.
Hope you’ve found this week’s public speaking tip interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Wednesday’s Speak on the Shoulders of Giants!
Cheers,
Kyle Yu
Head of Marketing
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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