Article Category: Resources for Speakers

Speaking Survey says: Speaker DO’s and DON’Ts


SurveyEver wonder what the audience really wishes you would do better when you speak?

Chris Brogan conducted a quick and informal survey asking the question:

Quick: Give me YOUR 3 things you wish speakers would do better, or not do at all!

The raw results are interesting to look at, but not very accessible. So I did some further analysis:

  1. First, I stripped out all the noise, and divided it up into three columns so it was easier to read.
  2. Then, I began looking for sets of responses which were identical or closely related.
  3. I grouped these under a single phrase which collectively described them.
    For example, I grouped four responses — “have great take-home notes“, “give a deliverable“, “use handouts“, “give me more than PP as their handout” — under the collective description: “Provide useful handouts (not just slides)”
  4. This process involved some interpretation, but I tried to make reasonable assumptions.

Do’s and Don’ts: Time to Change Your Speaking Strategies?

The results of this analysis are:

  • 19 responses: Be engaging; Involve the audience; Conversation not presentation
  • 14 responses: Do not read the slides
  • 9: Focus on the message; avoid lengthy self-promotion
  • 8: Better(more) visuals/diagrams/stats/other media
  • 8: Show passion; Show enjoyment; Smile; Relax
  • 8: Clear, simple, and useful messages and language
  • 6: Do not use Powerpoint (or “bullets”) at all
  • 6: Do not go over time
  • 6: More time for Q&A / Answer questions thoughtfully
  • 5: Use stories / metaphors
  • 5: Challenge the audience; Don’t “dumb it down”
  • 4: Know your audience
  • 4: Better takehome handouts (not Powerpoint slides)
  • 3: Make your presentation fun
  • 3: Use humor (but only if you are funny)
  • 2: Answer “what’s in it for me”
  • 16 other responses which didn’t “match up” with others, such as “be confident“, “practice“, and (one that I’ll certainly remember) “Don’t wear ties with horrible patterns and mismatched colors

The top two are particularly telling. It would be hard to imagine any speaker could be engaging if they were reading their slides.

Not satisfied yet, I continued looking for patterns among these groups. After some juggling, I massaged them into three meta-groups.

Presentation Techniques (47 responses)

  • 14: Do not read the slides
  • 8: Better(more) visuals/diagrams/stats/other media
  • 8: Show passion; Show enjoyment; Smile; Relax
  • 6: Do not use Powerpoint (or “bullets”) at all
  • 5: Use stories / metaphors
  • 3: Make your presentation fun
  • 3: Use humor (but only if you are funny)

Audience Focus (37 responses)

  • 19: Be engaging; Involve the audience; Conversation not presentation
  • 6: Do not go over time
  • 6: More time for Q&A / Answer questions thoughtfully
  • 4: Know your audience
  • 2: Answer “what’s in it for me”

Content Focus (26 responses)

  • 9: Focus on the message; avoid lengthy self-promotion
  • 8: Clear, simple, and useful messages and language
  • 5: Challenge the audience; Don’t “dumb it down”
  • 4: Provide useful handouts (not just slides)

Viewed under this light, I believe the survey provides a wealth of information. I’m always looking for ways to improve my presentations, and the numbers above provide excellent clues as to where I should focus my efforts.

How about you? What are YOUR 3 things you wish speakers would do better, or not do at all?

Raw Survey Data

Responses to the survey are given below. Each row corresponds to three responses from one person.

Not repeat speeches have great take-home notes be genuinely engaging
create metaphors relate to the audience in the room add humor
Don’t read off the fscking slide

extend past the preso give a deliverable inspire
Don’t hide behind a podium Learn to use your voice follow presentationZen
actually answer questions with real info, not high level, been-said-a-million times, fast responses

dont read the slides provide practical application Tell me how *I* can use it/do it
assume the audience is intelligent less text, more action tell me why you are the best
provoke me be confident bannish bullet points
Eliminate the following words from their vocabulary: 1. Resource (referring to people). 2. Monetize. 3. Leverage.

I wish presenters wouldn’t read off powerpoint give me more than PP as their handout not go over time
speakers should spend less than one whole sentence on their own credentials. I didn’t pay to hear a resume.

Tell stories show statistics keep my mind energized
use diagrams use handouts

Meet the people in the room Allow participation from the start Show pretty pictures
Not read the presentation slide to me Allow time for questions Talk to the whole room not just the front row
manage time better use visuals not give a lecture, engage people instead
practice relax listen
Don’t read long text slides to me Don’t make me hold my question until the end Don’t run out of time
Not chew gum. It is very distracting

Be passionate about what they’re talking about Not use lousy powerpoint presentations Engage the audience
be more engaging add an element fo FUN to the presentation (esp if subject is dry) Talk to me not at me
smile engage the audience be simple & clear w/points. like don’t assume the audience knows current catch-phrases
Make Presentations FUN Speak Clearly Have Great – CLEAR – Takeaways
not use Powerpoint slides as notecards Not start by saying they won’t talk too long tell more stories less theories
Not read Powerpoints verbatum Not tell lame ‘icebreakers’ Stay on Target’
stay away from powerpoint no rambling ask questions and involve the audience
engage with the audience forget the slides mesmorise me
Anchor on 3 or less very clear points Convey messages for these points via interesting and engaing stories

Don’t read long text slides to me Don’t make me hold my question until the end Don’t run out of time
DON’T READ YOUR #$@#% SLIDES DON’T READ YOUR #%#$# SLIDES DON’T READ YOUR #$#$% SLIDES
Actually give useful information

Engage the audience more Better media in slides Stop reading the slides
Stop telling us how wonderful something is, and how excited you are… get to the meat and potatoes Don’t talk soft and slow, like we won’t get it unless you do Don’t bring me down at the end (emotionally) to make a serious point… especially if you’ve been up-beat and funny unti
dont read from slides dont use humor if you cant or havent practiced dont give talks on things ur not passionate about
NOT give long, detailed biographies that I could have read in the program. Get on with the talk

No more Bulletpoints Dont read the script Do involve the conversation and the community
no PP pls ENGAGE, INTERACT, INFORM USE RICH MEDIA APPLICATION – show some YouTUBEs
they should frame the speech better to lessen tangents

Don’t try to be someone you’re not don’t be stiff as a door nail DO end when you’re supposed to
Not dumb down their presentation but challenge us instead Look like they are enjoying being there even if nervous Don’t wear ties with horrible patterns and mismatched colours
DON’T READ ME YOUR SLIDES! Care about what you’re saying. Or pretend to. Know your audience at least a little.
Give me the Why factor!

Don’t give a speech I already saw you give on YouTube. Don’t include the phrase “join the conversation” ad nauseaum No pants.
lead with most relavant point be engaged with that specific audience – don’t memorize open up follow on conversations
Good speakers establish genuine rapport in the first few minutes make points through story not text finish early
people are there to listen, not read Cut down on slide clutter

Poor speakers hide behind facts, podiums, and accomplishments

know your audience be humble, be fun, be honest, informative, not advertorial . leave lots of time for q & a
be more engaging add an element fo FUN to the presentation (esp if subject is dry) Talk to me not at me
show passion have conversation not presentation

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Comments icon6 Comments

  1. This is so awesome! Thanks for doing this analysis. Very cool stuff to read and observe. I appreciate that you took it the extra distance.

  2. CK says:

    In corporate and technical presentations, it is difficult to avoid PowerPoint. So, the suggestion that we don’t use it all is not feasible.
    However, minimal use of slides and most important, the thumb rule ” You are the show, not the screen !” will help us engage the audience.
    cheers

  3. sabina says:

    Good reading and useful tips for everyone- whether novice or experienced!

  4. Kelly kozar says:

    Thanks Andrew and Chris! I’m going to be incorporating your survey results into a module on presentation skills in which I teach.

  5. Jon Thomas says:

    “# 6: Do not use Powerpoint (or “bullets”) at all” Hey…that’s a low blow. I get the bullet points, but PowerPoint itself isn’t the problem. I would accept it if they had said “Bad” PowerPoint.

    That aside, this is a GREAT post and I appreciate the time you took to make the data more easily consumed. There are some great tips in there and anyone who presents in any way should know these by heart.

    One response that jumped out at me when looking at the raw data was, “Talk TO me, not AT me.” So so important to realize that presenting is a two-way conversation.

    1. Andrew Dlugan says:

      Sadly, I think some people have never seen “good” PowerPoint, so the “bad” modifier is redundant to them.

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