How do you avoid common presentation pitfalls such as technical glitches, distractions, and nervousness?

One tme I was giving a presentation to a room of dealership executives on my Insurtech platform and how it would benefit their business when the power went out in the building. Luckily there were windows and we weren't plunged into total darkness, however I had to think on my feet. Knowing my presentation by heart I turned it into a round table discussion instead. I was able to mentally guide them through the remaining slides and they ended up signing the contract. Moral of the story? Always have a plan B, C, and Z.

In my experience having a 10 min, 30 min, and 1-hour version of the presentation helps in case the audience shows up with time constraints at the last minute. One of my important presentations with a client CXO was cut short because of a last-minute scheduling conflict. We had to cover the value proposition in 10 mins but we managed it because we had various variants of the storyline.

Having a throughline in the presentation would keep you centered. Starting with a storyboard because preparing the presentation gives you a good feel for what the key messages are and how can you accentuate them. Simplicity in language, graphics, and key messages helps create clarity and removed distractions. There is basic hygiene in muting all notifications on your phone as well as laptop is a must.

An example of audience engagement is Corporate Visions methodologies of science-backed sales and marketing message development techniques. Asking the audience to note a few high points in a piece of paper. Draw basic shapes to correlate with messages creates a more memorable experience. PS: I am not from Corporate Visions and this is not my company endorsement of Corporate visions either. This is my personal opinion.

Feedback can be painful but important! If two or more of your audience are providing the same negative feedback, then it is time to rethink how you might shape your presentation or delivery better in the future.

Engage your audience and don't take yourself too seriously! Most of my career was spent selling presentation technologies....so...presentations were a way of life. Technical glitches...I've had a few. Trying to show educators data projectors and Interactive whiteboards at a conference expo during a power outage is a real challenge. Make the most your situation with imaginative & descriptive conversations and make follow-up plans. "I'd be happy to do an onsite demo for your organization". Also use it as a teaching moment; technology fails sometimes... be ready for it and always have a way to pivot to a backup plan.

The biggest modern-day mistake made in business presentations is to overly rely on "online" demos. I would guesstimate that thousands of such demos have died a painful and embarrassing death when the internet fails, the online system is on a go-slow, or the presenter has not thought through the practical implications of entering data whilst an expectant audience waits for something to happen. Avoid online demos where you can. Screenshots (coupled with engaging narration) are often a much more reliable way of delivering the same information without the risks.