In our nearly 20 years of presentation design experience, we’ve seen the same five mistakes crop up again and again — in decks from Fortune 500 companies, growing startups, and everywhere in between.
The good news? These common presentation mistakes are fixable. Once you know what to look for, you’ll start spotting them everywhere—from internal reports to high-stakes client pitches.
Mistake #1: Repeating Yourself in Headers and Body Text
This is one of the most common presentation mistakes we see: a slide header states the message, and then the body content simply restates it.
Example:
- Slide Title: Drive Growth Through Innovation
- First bullet: We plan to drive growth through innovation.
If your header and body are saying the same thing, your message loses impact. Instead, choose one of two options:
- Use the header to deliver the main message, and keep the bullets supportive
- Or use a neutral header and let the bullets build the story
Never both. Your audience doesn’t need everything repeated—they need it clarified. And we’re not the only ones preaching this! According to research from Harvard Business Review, effective presentations focus on simplicity and clarity.
Mistake #2: Cramming Too Much Content on One Slide
People often worry about having “too many slides,” but the real issue is having too many ideas on a single slide. This is a classic example of common presentation mistakes that reduce clarity and overwhelm the viewer.
Example: Instead of one slide titled “2024 Priorities” with four major bullet points, break it out into four separate slides. Each idea gets space to land.
The goal isn’t fewer slides—it’s clearer ones.
Mistake #3: Using Too Much Text
When a slide is packed with text, your audience starts reading and stops listening. That’s a lose-lose.
This is one of the most avoidable common presentation mistakes: relying on full sentences or paragraphs to do the heavy lifting.
Use your voice to tell the story. Studies show that audience engagement drops when slides are cluttered, according to Forbes. Let the slides provide structure, emphasis, and key takeaways—not walls of text.
Mistake #4: Relying on Jargon and Buzzwords
Audiences don’t trust what they don’t understand. If your slides are filled with insider jargon or undefined acronyms, you’re creating barriers between your message and your audience.
Even if it feels obvious to you, define acronyms and simplify where possible. Clarity builds credibility—and helps people stay with you.
Mistake #5: Dropping the Thread
This is one of those subtle but damaging presentation mistakes: promising a structure at the beginning and then veering off course.
If you say you’re going to talk about three topics—revenue, retention, and roadmap—but only cover two, your audience notices. It creates confusion or even distrust.
If you set up an agenda, stick to it. If you need to change course, signal it clearly.
Conclusion: Fixing These Common Presentation Mistakes Is Easier Than You Think
Great presentations aren’t just about visuals—they’re about structure, clarity, and delivering your message with intention.
If you can avoid these five common presentation mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to building stronger, more engaging communication—whether you’re pitching, teaching, or aligning your team.
Need help turning a rough draft into a compelling story? We’d love to help.
