Warning – Presentation Danger Ahead

When you speak before an audience you will encounter the ravages of Murphy’s Law. It is not a matter of “if” things go wrong, it is only a matter of “when” they will go wrong. You can’t predict when that will happen. Murphy is always lurking in the room just waiting to attack.

Don’t count on luck to help you avoid these presentation gremlins. Remember that there’s both good luck and bad luck. Some presenters claim that if it wasn’t for bad luck, they’d have no luck at all.

If you speak, you will encounter some of these presentation potholes, detours and accidents. Murphy seems to enjoy messing with presentations. This report is as close as you can get to holding a “Get Out of Jail Free” card.

You can’t always prevent these potholes, detours and accidents from assaulting your presentation. But you can prepare for them so you can minimize the damage and shine through the turbulence.

Luck is the residue of design.

Rickey’s Law

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Make a Room Appear Fuller

Sometime you might be speaking in a room that is too big for the audience. That has at least two negative effects on your audience.

The empty space drains away the energy that you are trying to create in the room. It's always easier to speak to a packed room versus a half empty room.

The empty space sends the message that you expected more people and that the topic of your presentation didn't draw the interest that you hoped for. The attendees might be seconding themselves about attending your presentation if it was shunned by others. 

So how to you make a room look and feel fuller?

10 Tips for making a “too large” room look fuller

1. Fill the seats near the front
2. Move the chairs farther apart
3. Add tables – “rounds” take up the most space
4. Place fewer chairs at each table
5. Dim or turn off the lights at the back of the room
6. Create a larger stage area at the front
7. Arrange plants or partitions to block off part of the room
8. Sit people so they are faced towards a full room
9. Place tables around the outside with product displays
10. Move about the room to use more of the space

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Presentation Environment

The place and conditions in which you present have an important influence on how well your message is received. If the environment isn’t right, participants might not pay attention and worse - will become irritated. When the audience is irritated they always blame the speaker.

To do a truly great job, it is important that you are familiar with your presentation room in advance. 

• Where will it be? 
• Will you be in a board room at head office or a district branch? 
• At a hotel, a college, or a conference centre? 
• What facilities will be available?
• Where are the bathrooms?
• What parking challenges will people face?

Make every effort to visit the location so that you can determine what adjustments are necessary. Give yourself enough lead time for special arrangements as to seating, equipment, microphones, lighting, and whatever you want to change.

The presentation environment can make or break your presentation. It means that you must pay attention to the little details that influence the thinking and feelings of your audience.

I recall attending a workshop at university. The way to the presentation room was well and consistently marked with signs and directions. I wouldn't have found the room without the directions. By the time I entered the room I was already impressed with the presenter.

What a great way to influence your audience before you even speak.

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Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives