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15 Presentation Mistakes You Can Fix Today

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Danny Riley | 5 min read

Last updated: 1/12/2025

What you’ll learn:

  • Common public speaking pitfalls (and how to avoid them).
  • Tips for engaging your audience.
  • Staying calm, even when things go wrong.

Watch the video!

The First Presentation Mistake: Skipping Prep

As a TEDx coach, I’ve worked with countless speakers seeking to boost their charisma and confidence in presentations.

But here’s the kicker: many don’t want to put in the work.

The number one presentation mistake? Failing to prepare.

Whether it’s a fundraising pitch, a Best Man speech, or a business presentation, preparation is non-negotiable.

It’s tempting to procrastinate when nerves kick in, but trust me: prep, prep, and prep some more. Your audience deserves it, and so does your confidence.

2. Speaking Too Fast (or Too Slow)

Pace matters in presentations. Aim for a conversational 100–160 words per minute, as I’ve noted in my guide to public speaking tools.

Too fast, and you’re an auctioneer.

Too slow, and you’re lulling the room to sleep.

Most speakers rush when nervous. Slow down — you’ll still be clear, and your audience will stay with you. Just don’t bore them into a nap!

3. Apologising for Slip-Ups

Mistakes happen. Your mic might cut out, slides might fail, or you might blank on a point.

Whatever you do, don’t apologise. Apologising doesn’t make you humble; it dims your presence. Instead, fix the issue and move on. Feeling bold? Crack a light-hearted joke about it.

Skip the “sorry” and keep your magnetism intact.

All good? Onward. 

Man fixing presentation mistakes

4. Crumbling Under Questions

Great presentations should spark questions — embrace them!

A challenge means your audience is engaged, thinking, and curious. Prepare by researching thoroughly, using vivid stories or metaphors, and welcome healthy debate.

Always invite questions at the end to close strong, not scrambling to answer a curveball from the legal team. Check out my tips for handling tough questions.

5. Being Overly Wordy

Ever seen Joey from Friends butcher a speech with a thesaurus? Hilarious on TV, but painful in presentations. Don’t be that guy. Keep it simple and conversational.
Use active voice: “The dog bit the man,” not “The man was bitten by the dog.”
 
Active language is punchy, clear, and halves your word count. Stick to subject-verb-object, and your presentations will flow.
 
Fewer words = bigger impact.

6. Overcomplicating Your Message

No one thanks you for confusing them.

Audiences care about clarity, not how much you know. Ditch the jargon, skip the acronyms, and test complex ideas on laypeople. If you can’t explain your central message it in one sentence, it’s too complicated.

Anyone can sound smart by being overly verbose. It takes a great communicator to make the complex, simple.

7. Beating Around the Bush

Unlike slow-burn films, presentations don’t have time to meander. You’ve got 15–20 seconds to hook your audience before they reach for their phones, per Mindtools.

State your purpose and why it matters upfront. Keep driving that point home to make your presentation stick. 

8. Skipping Stories

What do children ask for before bedtime? A PowerPoint presentation? A list of figures on your company’s financial projections? No, they ask for a story, don’t they?

Adults are no different — we crave adventure, heroes, and overcoming the odds.

Presentation that solely rely on numbers and data quickly become boring. Refine your message into a tale that resonates.

9: Opening With a Whimper

Your opening is your headline. It’s supposed to capture attention, and get people excited for what comes next.

A dull start invites scrolling smartphones. Grab people in the opening seconds with a bold question, surprising fact, or vivid story.

My 9 killer speech openers can help you start with a bang and keep your audience hooked.

10. Faking Confidence

“Fake it till you make it” flops in presentations.

Audiences spot inauthenticity a mile off. Don’t pretend to care — actually care. If the topic doesn’t excite you, find a reason to connect or skip the speech.

Sincerity trumps forced confidence every time.

Your audience will forgive you for being nervous, but they’ll never forgive you for being insincere.

11. Overusing Filler Words

A few “ums” or “ahs” are fine, but a 45-minute presentation riddled with fillers? Painful.

Over use of filler words screams under-preparation. Swap “like” or “so” for pauses or transition words like “because” or “and.”

Vary them to keep your flow natural and confident. 

12. Monotone Delivery

A flat voice is a presentation killer. Monotony makes you sound robotic, not relatable.

Try this: pick a sentence, like “I love you very much.”

Stress different words — I, love, very — and notice how the meaning shifts.

Play with tone and emphasis to and keep your audience engaged. Here’s more vocal variety tips.

13: Death by PowerPoint

Coined by Angela Gardner, “Death by PowerPoint” is real.

Cliché stock images, text-heavy slides, or reading verbatim? Instant snooze. Craft your message first, then add slides sparingly.

Follow the 10/20/30 rule: 10 slides max, 20 minutes, 30-point font minimum. Each slide should convey one clear idea. Your voice, not your slides, drives great presentations.

14: Avoiding Eye Contact

Every audience member deserves your attention. Dodging eye contact is a presentation mistake that disconnects you from the room.

Arrive early, chat with your audience, and find friendly faces. Make brief eye contact with each person, sharing a complete thought before moving on. It builds connection and confidence.

15: Losing Composure

Calm under pressure is a speaker’s superpower. Presentation mistakes like panicking over a glitch, or losing your temper, can derail you.

Build composure outside the stage — try competitive sports, or practise meditation to stay calm under pressure. Practise staying unruffled, and you’ll handle any curveball with ease.

Fix These Presentation Mistakes Today

Mistakes are inevitable in presentations, but they’re also opportunities.

Each slip-up teaches you how to handle it better next time. The mark of a great speaker isn’t perfection — it’s resilience.

Avoid these 15 presentation mistakes, and you’ll captivate any crowd. Need more help? Explore our presentation skills training options to polish your craft.

Here’s to your public speaking success!

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Hey Ed,

Just wanted to share some feedback we had from the delegates after the October Away day 😊 You went down a storm!

– Presentation skills session very good
– The presentation skills session was AMAZING! Very informative and will definitely come in handy.
– Really enjoyed the presentation skills
– Speaker was very engaging and interesting and worked for all aspects of our work
– The presentation was amazing, getting to interact with each other and learning different presentation skills.- there wasn’t a moment which I found it boring or not helpful.

Jess Docksey, Workforce & Education Programme Manager

 

“Absolutely Brilliant training session to do, really enjoyed it. Ed was fab made everyone feel at ease, more confident and relaxed. I will take so much away from this session thanks Ed, you do a great job 👍👏”

Diane Axford — GMCA

 

“Attended an excellent full day session hosted by Ed at Project Charisma, it was a fantastic learning experience and would recommend to anyone who gets the chance.
Ed made everyone feel at ease even when facing our insecurities, individual conversations around the exercises left no question unanswered. A great experience that I can put into practice straight away.”

Siobhan Keane — GMCA

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100% recommendation rate! All attendees gave you a 10 on how likely they would be to recommend the workshop to peers!

Here’s a summary of the group’s feedback from the session:

  • “The workshop was well-timed, with an excellent balance of information, interactive activities, and group work that kept participants engaged.”

  • “Ed, the facilitator, was professional, knowledgeable, and exceptional at delivering clear, constructive feedback. His energy and positivity helped create a safe and supportive environment, which was particularly important given that many participants were outside their comfort zones with public speaking. Ed’s personal story of overcoming anxiety resonated with the group, fostering trust and making the experience more relatable.”

  • “The content was well-structured, breaking down key elements to make the learning process less daunting, and the pacing was comfortable for everyone. The variety of tasks, including the workbook to take away, added value, and the session ultimately empowered participants to deliver speeches with confidence.”

Ideas that resonated with the group the most:

Presentation Structure: Key techniques like planning, the “rule of three,” and the power of pausing.

Audience Engagement: Effective strategies such as the “audience hug” and balanced eye contact (“light housing”).

Public Speaking Elements: Focus on body language, voice modulation, and mindset.

Vocal Variety & Filler Words: Importance of vocal variety and minimising filler words.

Mindset Shift: Emphasis on being prolific over perfect; enthusiasm and charisma over confidence.

All the group have rated themselves as an 8, 9 or 10 in terms of confidence in demonstrating the skills they have learnt in your session.

Other comments:

“This workshop has given me a great toolkit to help build my presenting skills. I feel more empowered in my public speaking and have the confidence to participate in presentations within my role.”

“I thought it was well run, the overall content was excellent. Great feedback throughout the course to support not only the individual but also the group. I would recommend the course strongly to my peers.”

“Was nervous going into the class, worried that it would be a bit school-like or based more in acting (which it was not). Thoroughly enjoyed the experience – would love to do it again later on in the year/next year to look see how my skill has (hopefully) improved.”

“I thoroughly enjoyed this workshop and was highly impressed with Ed. Ed’s approach to the subject, his personal story, the layout of the workshop and his energy made for an engaging, memorable and impactful workshop. Ed was able to give helpful feedback to everyone whilst also filled us with encouragement and confidence. I feel he shared some life skills that I will take forward with me in my career and I would love the opportunity to work with him again!”