The Biggest Mistakes to Avoid when Presenting or Training

Mistake Number One:

Thinking that your data or promotional items  is the most important thing.
As you are preparing for your big day, you have researched heavily, have a ton of experience, and a series of back up examples to drive home the point that you want your audience to absorb.  You are so excited about the tremendous amount of data that the group “needs” to know in order to get the “full value” of what you have to tell or teach them.  In in lies the first trap that most speakers/ trainers fall into in that they are blinded by their DATA.  The little voice inside is saying “I must deliver all or as much of this as I can in the time that I have”

So when the DATA delivery becomes more important than your listeners here is the first break down in communication between the presenter and the listeners.  The presenter goes as far to pride themselves on how much they know on the topic, which gets projected in an attempted to impress the group with their “ infinite wisdom..”  This automatically leaves the group turned off  and closed to learning.

Remember as a speaker your ability to inspire your group to engage and want to learn is more important than you or your data. It starts with a promotional energy leaving your group feeling that it is always about them and never about you. Checking their mood and their receptivity, and drawing them into the subject through interaction, story,  and your own personal excitement..

Raising their energy is the key. Finding ways to excite them, engage them, and invite them into a wonderful world where learning is fun is your real objective. Let me explain:
it is better to deliver one third of the data, have it all received, and leave them with the desire  to learn more  than deliver 95%  only have them remember 10% and be bored or not interested in wanting to learn more.

Solution:

Keep your eye on your listeners. Ask them questions, change moods, or create state changes if they look bored. Slow down ,and now here is your 1st of many HINTS; ask for questions to review material you’ve just covered.  Assign them into groups of three to come up with one tough question or comment about the data they just heard. Call on one or two and do not be afraid to discuss. This should be repeated through out. Having a promotional item to drive the point home as part of your presentation increases retention. Not only do you use visual and hearing senses, but now you have added touch to your program.

See my future blogs for other promotional items mistakes to avoid!

The Biggest Mistakes to Avoid when Presenting or Training was last modified: February 24th, 2015 by
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