A vital element in creating influence in today’s market is the ability to build and deliver thought-provoking presentations. From short elevator speeches to longer, more formal talks, crafting a compelling message is well within your reach—provided you know how to avoid the most common pitfalls.

Most people want to improve their presentations but don’t know where to start—and that can be costly. That is where this book can help. Terri Sjodin shares the results of her multiyear research project, which identified 12 common sales presentation mistakes that may cost an individual the win, the deal, or the opportunity, and shows how to avoid them.

She cuts to the chase and eliminates the guesswork by providing specific solutions to help you craft an improved presentation to use at your next meeting (in-person, virtually, or in a hybrid environment).

Why focus on mistakes? Because you can’t improve what you don’t recognize as a problem.

Presentation Ready is divided into three sections: building your case, leveraging creativity, and honing your delivery. Each chapter explores a specific presentation mistake—why it happens, why it’s damaging, and how to correct it. You may laugh or cringe at some of these confessions, stories, and observations, but they are all true. The solutions will ultimately help you course-correct to save yourself time, increase your earning potential, and gain greater confidence for future presentations. Learning vicariously through the experiences of others will give you the edge you need to transform your presentations almost overnight.