The most common conference presentation mistakes and how to fix them

Starting up a conversation beside the barista cart can lead to all sorts of prospects, and that’s why conferences continue to be a mainstay of the corporate world.

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Besides networking, the other reason for attending conferences is typically for the presenters. Attendees hope to be enlightened, inspired and armed with something new from their peers – like industry intelligence or an opportunity to collaborate.

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Sadly, however, most conference presentations fall flat.

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What can be a golden opportunity for uninterrupted airtime with your industry’s movers and shakers is often squandered with presentations that miss the mark. You know the ones – they spend half their time explaining who they are, followed by a formulaic sales pitch, all presented on slides jam packed with text.

You’ve most likely tuned out within the first few minutes to tap out a work email instead!

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Presentations that lack a clear point, purpose or call to action are among the most common offences, but other PowerPoint crimes include:

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• Not considering what the audience wants
• Selling rather than informing
• Overuse of acronyms, abbreviations, and jargon
• Failing to create an emotional connection (most important!)

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To avoid these presentation mistakes, the first step is recognising if you’re committing them! Often we get so caught up in our subject matter that we fail to see that we are a culprit.

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For your next conference presentation, revisit your slides and consider the following questions:

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• Am I teaching, inspiring and influencing my audience?
• Do I have logical structure and flow?
• Are my slides uncluttered and visually attractive?
• Do I conclude with a clear ask or next step?

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The main thing to keep in mind is it’s not about you! It’s about acknowledging your audience, drawing them in and creating trust. Why? To make them feel invested in your solution.

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So, what’s at the heart of developing a great presentation – storytelling! Wrapping your content in a story creates a deeper level of engagement and will guarantee you stand out, even with a jam-packed conference agenda.

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Presentations that connect with audiences through stories elevate their brand and inspire audiences to take action and champion your products, services or projects.

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Breathing life into an idea through storytelling does take effort, however when the stakes are high it’s worth the time, energy and discipline to get it right.

Presented can help you combine the power of stories with stunning visuals to provide you with expertly crafted presentations that persuade both on stage and off.

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Get in touch with our team for a solution that will capture the hearts and minds of your audience at your next conference.