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How Not to Die of Boredom During a Business Presentation
(Also: How to Give One Without Crashing and Burning)
First things first: special thanks go to Mișu for his amazing contribution to this article. This is a piece on presentation anxiety and audience boredom; an article on your spoken message during a presentation, sprinkled with a bit of grammar and seasoned with professional style.
Table of Contents
- 1. You Don’t “Make” a Presentation (Unless You’re Assembling IKEA Furniture)
- 2. Nobody Cares About You (Yet)
- 3. The Audience Is the Hero, Not You
- 4. The Secret Ingredient: A Core Message
- 5. Smile, But Don’t Creep Them Out
- 6. Presenting Online: Welcome to the Thunderdome
- 7. Start Like You Mean It
- 8. Guy Kawasaki Was Right
- 9. Tell Stories, Not Just Stuff
- 10. Always Assume They Know Less
- 11. Use the Tools. Don’t Be One.
- 12. Describe the Slide Like a Pro
- 13. Avoid the Phrases That Kill Vibes
- 14. Use Your Voice Like a Jazz Instrument
- 15. Your Body Speaks. Loudly.
- 16. The Pre-Presentation Checklist (A.K.A. How Not to Panic)
- 17. Feedback Is a Gift (But Also a Slap)
- 18. Final Thoughts: You Are the Message
1. You Don’t “Make” a Presentation (Unless You’re Assembling IKEA Furniture)
Let’s settle this right away: you don’t make a presentation in English. You give a presentation. You deliver a presentation. You can even do a presentation if you’re feeling informal or perform a presentation if you’re dramatic and possibly wearing velvet.
Just… don’t say “make a presentation.” Unless glue sticks and cardboard are involved.
Welcome to presentation anxiety, Business English edition. Where nerves meet vocabulary, and slides meet the tragic misuse of transitions.
Harsh? Maybe. But true.
2. Nobody Cares About You (Yet)
Your audience only starts caring when they feel something. So the first rule of avoiding audience boredom is this: connect. Be passionate. Be human. Show your weird love for metrics or muffins or motorcycles just don’t be safe. Safe equals boring. And boring equals phones under the table.
You’re not performing Shakespeare. You’re having a professional conversation only with 27 blinking faces and one guy chewing loudly on the third row of Zoom.
3. The Audience Is the Hero, Not You
When you design a presentation around your ego, it shows. They will smell your presentation anxiety like greyhounds! The best way to improve delivery? Focus on audience needs. What do they want to walk away with? What do they already know? What will surprise them?
You are not there to prove your worth. You are there to transfer value.
Pro tip: ask them at the start if they’re ready to begin. Then don’t follow with a 7-minute bio about your dog, your thesis, and the time you met someone who once worked at Google. Introduce yourself in one sentence. Then tell them what they’ll get.
That’s what we call professional style.
4. The Secret Ingredient: A Core Message
You should be able to summarize your entire presentation on the back of a bus ticket. If you can’t? You’re saying too much.
Strip it back. What’s the big idea? If everything you say doesn’t serve that idea, delete it. Yes, even the joke about the giraffe in a boardroom (unless your topic is giraffes in boardrooms, then definitely keep it).
This is how you avoid information overload and how you build confidence.
5. Smile, But Don’t Creep Them Out
We’ve all seen it. The over-rehearsed smile. The fixed stare. The “I read this tip online and now I look like a haunted ventriloquist dummy” moment.
Smile like you mean it. Make real eye contact. Talk to individuals, not to the giant void of “audience.” Keep the lights on, literally. No one wants to watch a voice floating in the dark next to a PowerPoint.
This is how you build emotional connection, and start to command attention. suddenly, your presentation anxiety is gone!
6. Presenting Online: Welcome to the Thunderdome
Online presentations are a different beast. No one tells you how awkward it is to stare into your webcam like a hostage trying to look confident.
So here’s the quick survival kit:
- Put your camera at eye level (you’re not filming a horror movie).
- Get your camera distance right, don’t look like a dismembered bobblehead.
- Turn off self-view if you can’t stop fixing your hair.
- Use names when engaging participants. It makes them feel seen.
- Be animated, but not like an overcaffeinated game show host.
And for the love of laser pointers, don’t read your slides.
Would you like to also dive into speaking less to communicate better? Here are a few pointers:
7. Start Like You Mean It
Audiences give you about 60 seconds before they mentally check out. Don’t waste it with: “Hi. My name is Susan. I work in the marketing department. I’ve been here for 13 years. I’m going to talk about Q2 goals.”
No one cares. Start with:
- A story
- A strong stat
- A “what if?” question
- A visual that makes them blink twice
Then slip in your name. You’ll still get credit, but with maximum engagement.
Check out why knowing yourself is the ultimate tool in life:
8. Guy Kawasaki Was Right
If your slides could run the presentation without you, you’ve failed. Kawasaki’s 10-20-30 rule still holds:
10 slides
20 minutes
30-point font minimum
Too much text means people read, not listen. Want your spoken message to matter? Don’t bury it under paragraphs.
Use handouts for data-dumps. And visual hierarchy to make key points pop.
9. Tell Stories, Not Just Stuff
Facts are forgettable. Stories stick. If you want your audience to remember what you said, give it a heartbeat.
Instead of “Q3 profits rose 17%,” try: “Claudia in Bucharest found a cheaper supplier.
That decision saved us $11,000 last quarter. That’s why Q3 profits rose 17%.”
Use characters. Use change. That’s story. That’s persuasive communication.
10. Always Assume They Know Less
Not because they’re dumb. But because they’re busy. Distracted. Tired. New to the field. Hungover. Whatever.
So explain like you’re talking to a smart friend who didn’t read the email thread.
Clarity is not dumbing down. Clarity is respecting attention.
11. Use the Tools. Don’t Be One.
PowerPoint is your partner, not your enemy. Use it wisely:
- Morph transitions? Cool.
- Animated text? Great.
- Laser pointer to guide attention? Yes, please.
Just don’t animate every bullet like it’s a cartoon. We’re not at a toddler’s birthday party.
12. Describe the Slide Like a Pro
Not “as you can see here…”
Try: “In the bottom left corner, notice the spike in user complaints.”
Or: “This chart in the upper half shows our trajectory.”
This sounds simple, but it’s presentation gold. Clear, spatial language helps everyone follow, especially non-native speakers.
13. Avoid the Phrases That Kill Vibes
Skip:
❌ “As you know”
❌ “I’m sure you’re aware”
❌ “Like I said”
Instead, use:
✅ “You may recall that…”
✅ “Let me emphasize once again…”
✅ “Earlier, I mentioned…”
They sound inclusive, not arrogant. And help you stay professional.
14. Use Your Voice Like a Jazz Instrument
Speed. Pauses. Pitch.
It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. Want them to lean in? Lower your voice.
Want them to remember? Pause. Let your voice create emphasis.
It’s the cheapest, fastest way to boost credibility – and keep them awake.
15. Your Body Speaks. Loudly.
- Crossed arms? Defensive.
- Hands in pockets? Lazy.
- Finger pointing? Aggressive.
Stand tall. Open your arms. Nod. Move with purpose. Let your body match your message, not fight it.
This is not just body language theory. It’s neuroscience. We trust what we see, not just what we hear.
16. The Pre-Presentation Checklist (A.K.A. How Not to Panic)
Know your audience
Know your gear
Rehearse out loud
Have backups (USBs, notes, printouts)
Don’t write an essay on your slides
Speak, don’t read
Practice pacing with a timer
Avoid caffeine overload
Breathe (like, actually breathe)
You don’t need to be perfect. You need to be prepared.
17. Feedback Is a Gift (But Also a Slap)
After your presentation, ask your peers:
- Did my visuals help or hurt?
- Was my message clear?
- Did I look confident?
- Did I sound human?
- Did I actually answer the brief?
If you can handle the truth, you’ll get better. Fast.
18. Final Thoughts: You Are the Message
Slides are background. Words are a vehicle. The real product… is you.
If you connect, they care.
If you care, they listen.
If you listen, they engage.
This isn’t just a skill. It’s a superpower. Build it. Use it. Share it. And BAM! No presentation anxiety!
And if all else fails, just remember: no one ever died from a bad presentation. But plenty have slept through one.
And yes, Mișu, Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Presentation! Apply your 5 P’s guys, and you will shine bright like a diamond!
Before you go, check out how you can enter “the zone” and stay there for as long as you want:
Vivi Ball is a Romanian-born actress, language trainer, life coach, published author, blogger, Goth and industrial music promoter and photographer with a passion for cooking and self-realization.
Vivi has been writing about the process of self-realization through mindfulness and compassion since the age of six. She helps people know themselves and live their best life. Vivi has been teaching English and Romanian to 10,000 + students since 1990, and she has been blogging about the role of cooking at the intersection of food and self-mastery using simple recipes and copyright food photos.
Vivi and her daughter, Adara created Cooking Romania by Vivi, a blog of easy recipes for busy people, with a Romanian twist. This blog is a tribute to her paternal grandmother, Victoria Paladi.
In addition to her culinary endeavors, Vivi explores themes of mindfulness, self-love, and personal growth through her self-realization project, The Vivi. This platform offers insights into her spiritual journey and aims to inspire others to pursue inner peace and a fulfilling life.
Vivi’s diverse interests and experiences reflect her commitment to quality entertainment, teaching, self development, storytelling, cooking and photography, all while honoring her cultural heritage and family traditions.
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