Don't get caught up in the common mistakes of most presenters. By being aware of the following pitfalls, you can successfully navigate your way to a winning presentation.

Avoid Overdosing on Experts

Many speakers quote so many experts and resources they lose credibility. It's important to be aware of expert knowledge and even to include it where relevant in your presentation. But the presentation IS your presentation. Your audience should see you as the authority on the subject!

Communicating with Your Audience

Anyone can speak to an audience. You get up to say what you have to say and sit down. The real question is, "Did your audience get it?"

Great presenters don't speak to their audiences; they communicate with them. They consider a presentation a dialogue — and the audience is important.

Maintain Control

If you cannot control your audience, you cannot control your presentation. Given the right circumstances, you may lose control of the audience if questions get out of hand. The best way to handle this situation is to answer succinctly when a question is asked — then move on. Use your agenda to refocus the audience to the task at hand and redirect other questions for a time later in the presentation. Remember you are the speaker and you need to be in control of your audience. Be direct, but always be friendly!

Say "I Don't Know" but . . .

Those words are OK to say. When you don't know a specific answer, don't bluff. If you are wrong you will lose credibility with your audience. The best way to handle this situation is to say you will find out and get back to them. At the next break, make a few calls to see if you can find out the answer. If you get an answer, provide that information to the group after the break. If not, be sure to follow up with the audience member after the presentation. Either way you will maintain your credibility.

Resist the Urge to Overload

Don't overload your audience with information. When you develop the content of your presentation it is important to remember that your audience needs enough information to make an informed decision, but not every piece of information you have researched for the last ten years. Your presentation should be clear, concise and to the point! Keep it simple!