9 things you should never say in your presentation

Think back over the presentations you have sat through.

You’ve probably heard someone say, “Excuse me if I seem nervous,” “I haven’t had a lot of time to prepare” or, perhaps, “You probably can’t read this,” in launching a parade of blurry slides.

If you have, you can probably recall little else about that presentation.

These are common expressions that can ruin presentations. Here are nine more phrases presenters should avoid:

1. “You won’t need to make notes.”

This line is usually followed by “the presentation will be online later.”

There’s nothing wrong with posting your presentation online, but if all the information the audience needs is on those slides, they might as well save some of their precious time and just wait for it to go live.

Good presentations do not feature text heavy slides—and no-one ever went to a presentation hoping to hear someone read aloud. Restrict slides to a supporting role and engage your audience with your thoughts and ideas. Allow them to make as many notes as they like.

2. “I’ve got a lot of information to cover.”