Glossophobia or fear of speaking in public is perhaps the most common fear that spreads terror in the minds of presenters. If statistics are to be believed, people prefer death over presenting in public!
The idea is to not let presentation myths scare you off. Here are 4 of the most common myths that have effectively been “busted” in this blog post:
Myth 1 – Always use bullet points
Bullet points aren’t always a good idea. The truth is, our brains are not programmed in a way to think in bullet pointed lists. What you should do instead is, add visuals to your slides. People are more attuned to grasping images and visuals over textual carnage. A listed slide is less likely to trigger interest in the minds of your audience members!
Myth 2 – Be funny
While it’s certainly true that you need to grab your audience’s attention at the beginning of a presentation; it’s not really a good idea to start with a joke. Rules say, never start with a joke unless you’re familiar with the audience. If you want their attention, start with something that will be well received by them, a good quote for instance?
Myth 3 – The audience can’t read your slides
Common misconception!
People would rather read through slides than wait for you to narrate the entire slide. Which means, by the time you’ve narrated the slide, chances are the audience members have already read it off the slide.
Myth 4 – Speak every word off your slide
Rote memorization is what effectively “kills” your presentation. Instead, your presentation should have a logical flow to it. Not having a memorized script allows you to make spur of the moment changes, in case something unexpected crops up. You also have the freedom to choose your words while you’re presenting.
