Last week my husband and I attended an awesome 4 day work conference! I decided to sit in on both days of business presentations hoping there would be a nugget or two I could share with you.

Presenting to an audience of 100 to 300 top producers were executives of a large company. While overall the presentations were good, three pet peeves of mine were running wild at times. I bring them to your attention in hopes that you won't hold your audiences of any size, whether 3 or 3,000, hostage to these presentation blunders, my top pet peeves.

First - annoying fillers like "um," "uh," or even phrases like "you know." If you previously downloaded and read my Top 52 Presentation Tips, this is one of the plagues affecting many of us who present ideas or products in any setting! Using fillers is one certain way to bore your audience and set people to doodling on any piece of paper in front of them or staring blankly into the air. Start to assess your use of fillers and if you find them in your speech - begin to put a silent pause in their place. With enough practice, you'll eliminate them altogether!

Second - read off bullet points directly from the slides! As children we huddle around our teacher as he or she holds up the book being read so we can see the pictures and the words. As children we are learning! As adults, a speaker's slide presentation supports and can guide them through their presentation. When I listen to a speaker I want to hear their mind, their heart and their style. I can read points on a slide on my own so please, don't be like a child's teacher; be someone who adds value, life and personality to your presentation.

Third - spending long lengths looking at one part of the audience. Have you ever noticed how some speakers limit the movement of their head and eyes? How sometimes speakers avoid eye contact or attention with where you are sitting? It's annoying and insulting.

To stay out of trouble with audience blunders: don't annoy and don't insult.

Copyright Patricia Weber, http://www.prostrategies.com

Patricia Weber

Pat was one of the ground-breaking women in the technical sales of computers. As a successful salesperson and sales manager, she earned numerous awards and recognitions in her company and community. In 1987, in a corporate environment, she was asked to deliver self-leadership training programs to a diverse staff from sales, to administrative, to technicians. The program was so well received that training was soon her primary role as a computer sales manager.

Since 1990, via the self-propelled Professional Strategies, Inc., Pat coaches individuals, facilitates teleclasses and delivers workshops for organizations and associations who want solutions to reduce overwhelm, minimize frustrations and get clarity on a situation. She offers her expertise and experiences in Customer Satisfaction, Sales, Presentations, Improving Employee and Leadership Performance for business, industry and government and Self-Confidence Skills for individuals.

Her information-rich and high-energy coaching repeatedly brings appreciation of thoroughness in preparation and on-target delivery. Clients recognize they get an expert who delivers the right ingredients for high yields on investment of a professional delivery.