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But let’s be honest… that’s not how it goes for everyone.
In fact, I’ve watched countless talks fall flat. Not because the speaker didn’t care. Not because they weren’t knowledgeable. But because they made some very common, very avoidable mistakes.
Let’s walk through them, so you can avoid them.
Mistake 1: Making the Talk All About You
This is one of the most common mistakes I see, especially with business owners. You’re proud of what you’ve built, and rightly so. But when your entire talk is about your journey, your ideas, your challenges, your triumphs… something gets lost.
Here’s the thing: people aren’t there for your autobiography. They’re there to learn, to be inspired, and to see how your experience can help solve their problems.
Yes, share a bit about yourself. You need that human connection. But don’t make it a monologue. Think of it more like a bridge. Use your origin story to show them why you care and how you can help.
Then shift the focus to them.
Ask questions. Talk about the pain points they’re facing. Paint a picture of what’s possible. That’s when they lean in.
Mistake 2: Forgetting to Engage
This one breaks my heart. A smart, capable business owner stands up, delivers a technically correct presentation… and loses the room within minutes.
Why?
Because knowledge isn’t enough. You need to engage.
Engagement is the glue between your content and your audience. It’s what turns a passive listener into an active participant. It’s what makes your message stick.
And it doesn’t take fancy tricks. Here are a few things that work:
- Start with a bold opening. Something surprising, emotional or unexpected.
- Ask rhetorical questions, or real ones. Get a show of hands. Ask for a nod. Give people a moment to reflect.
- Use voice, pace and pauses to add drama and energy.
- Vary your tone. Nobody wants to be spoken to like a sleep app.
- Move. Use the stage with purpose, not panic.
If you feel like you’re losing them, you probably are. Pause. Reconnect. You can always bring them back.
Mistake 3: Ignoring the Power of Storytelling
We’ve all heard it. “You need to tell stories.” It’s become such a cliché that people have stopped listening.
But stories work.
They work because humans are wired for them. Our brains respond to stories far more than to raw data. According to Stanford University, stories are remembered up to 22 times more than facts alone.
And yet… most business owners either don’t tell stories at all, or they tell them badly.
They ramble. They lose the thread. Or they avoid storytelling altogether because they think their stories aren’t interesting enough.
But let me tell you something I say to every client I coach:
You are interesting. You just don’t see it, because it’s your life.
The moment you decided to quit your job and start your business. The time you made a massive mistake and turned it around. The client who came to you in crisis and left transformed. These are gold. These are the moments that connect.
So find your stories. Craft them. Practice them. And use them with purpose.
Mistake 4: Underpreparing (Because You’re Nervous)
This one’s sneaky. You’d think people who are nervous would prepare more. But it often works the other way.
Anxiety kicks in, and so we avoid. We procrastinate. We tell ourselves, “I’ll deal with it tomorrow,” until the night before, and then we’re up till 1am, tweaking slides and panicking.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
The trick isn’t to over-prepare or under-prepare. It’s to prepare strategically.
Start early. Rehearse out loud. Get feedback. Refine. Practice again. And build in enough time that you can feel calm and present on the day.
Because when you prepare properly, your confidence grows. And the fear shrinks.
Bonus Mistake: Thinking You Have Nothing Valuable to Say
This one hurts, because it keeps so many good people quiet.
I’ve coached hundreds of speakers, and here’s something I see time and time again. They underestimate their value. They think they need to be “more polished,” “more qualified,” or “more charismatic” before they’re allowed on a stage.
None of that is true.
If you’ve got insight that can help people, you’re ready.
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be clear, real, and relevant.
What to Do Instead
Let’s flip these mistakes around. Here’s how to get it right:
- Start with the audience. Who are they? What do they care about? What do they need from you?
- Have a bold opening. Draw them in straight away.
- Weave in stories. Not just for emotion, but to make your points land.
- Practice with purpose. Out loud. With feedback. With time to tweak.
- Believe in your message. If it matters to you, it will matter to them.
Final Thoughts
Public speaking is a skill. That means it’s learnable. You don’t need to be naturally gifted or wildly extroverted. You just need the right tools and the willingness to practice.
And once you do? Everything changes.
You become the speaker people talk about after the event. The one they remember. The one they trust. The one they buy from.
So avoid these common traps. Focus on your audience. Sharpen your skills. And start owning your message.
Because your business deserves to be heard.
