One of the participants at a recent corporate workshop asked this question:

How do you recover from a presentation blunder?

Here are a few options to help you gracefully handle those unplanned moments:

1. Ignore it and keep going, chances are no-one else will notice.

2. Acknowledge it. You might say: “I forgot to tell you something important so I’m going to back up for a moment.”

3. Use humor. Humor can go a long way to bring your audience along with you so don’t sweat it. You might say “That might have looked like a mistake, but I actually planned it that way.”

4. Improv. Find a creative way to incorporate the blunder into your talk.

5. Be kind to yourself. You’re allowed to make mistakes and being human gives your audience permission to do the same.

Some tips to help ward off some common fumbles:

1. Print your notes so you have backup if technology fails.

2. Pause if you lose your place, forget a word, or need a moment to think about your answer.

3. Remember that your audience is cheering you on so treat them like friends, not the enemy.

4. Be prepared. Know what you want to say and practice out loud ahead of time. Use my 4 step process to clarify your message. It helps you stay on topic even when you stumble.

“The most valuable of all talents is never using

two words when one will do.”

I found this message in a fortune cookie but it could have been written by my dad. He was a journalist for over 25 years and considered word count an art form.

My dad was also a ruthless editor. He taught my sister and I how to write short, clear sentences and ingrained in us the power of brevity.

Getting to the point is as important in your presentations as it is on the page.

When it comes to speaking, chances are you know more about your subject than your audience. You may be able to speak on your topic for 45 minutes, but that doesn’t mean your audience has an attention span of 45 minutes.

Less is More.

Share too much information, and you risk losing your audience.

The key to an effective presentation is editing.

After writing the first draft of your presentation, ask yourself, where are you using two words when one will do?

Wondering how to get started or which words to choose?

Download 4 Steps to a Winning Work Presentation to get organized, get clear, get confident. They’re free!