What to never do on stage (and what to do instead)

Here we are, your deck is locked in, slides refined down to the last comma, rehearsed until it's second nature, today is the big day. Your big day.

It’s also the day where a lot can go wrong, unless you religiously follow this check list.

This is your new secret weapon to walk in confident and feel the stage is yours, because you made it yours.

We will use the example of a physical event setup where 10 teams will pitch for 3 minutes each, no Q&A, one after another in front of 20 to 50 attendees, let's say a local superteam event or demo day.

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1. Check the playground's conditions

As an athlete entering the stadium, as a singer entering the concert hall, you need to know where you will perform. Study the space, understand every detail, and run your checks.

• Do you have a presenter monitor? (small screen placed in front of you, usually on the floor or at the foot of the stage. It displays the same slides as the main screen behind you)
• What kind of mic will be used? Handled mic, lapel mic, headset mic, podium mic?
• Do you have a clicker to change slides? Test it.
• If online, is your screen, mic and camera sharing rights allowed for the platform? (Discord, Zoom, Google Meet,...)

At best, you want to rehearse one last time in real conditions. If it's not possible, quickly walk around the "stage" area and imagine yourself presenting, before the event starts.

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2. Don't mess up with your mic

If you are not used to public speaking, there's good chance - like many others - you'll run into some mic issues.

I am not talking about the mic not switching on or technical failures, let's assume the mic works perfectly.

It's more about how you hold it, how close it is to your mouth so your voice comes through crystal clear to the audience.

Here, with the most common case of a handled mic.

The common mistakes:

• ❌ I know it sounds unreal, but I 've seen it happen way too often. The speaker - completely absorbed in the moment - will simply forget he/she is even holding a mic, and the mic starts going up and down, it will affect volume and create massive disruption for the audience's attention
• ❌ it's also very possible that you hold your mic to low, hence we cannot hear what you say loud enough

If using a mic is unfamiliar to you:

• ✅ just stick it to your chin, angled slightly upward, and stay still. This will do

With practice, you will learn what is the best distance between the mic and your mouth, 4–6 inches (10–15 cm).

Hold it at a slight angle (not straight-on), pointing toward your mouth.

Ok mic problem solved, next.

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3. Control your body

Start by imagining a small 2 square meter box around you. This is your presentation zone, your stage within the stage.

You are allowed to move, but only with intention. If you walk back and forth too much or keep making small nervous movements, it will distract your audience and make you seem less confident.

Your dominant position is a still, grounded stance. Keep your feet firmly planted, your posture open.

From time to time, take a step to the side, pause to make a point, then return to your central position. These small, deliberate movements help reset attention and give impact to your message.

Move with purpose. Return with control.

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4. Leverage the screen(s)

What you want to avoid at all cost? Turning your back to the audience to read your slides.

This is probably the number 1 pitch killer, you instantly lose your audience, and it makes you look unprepared.

If you have a presenter monitor, amazing. You can do a slide check anytime. If it's not the case, try to position the computer projecting slides within your sight to use it as a DIY presenter monitor.

If none of the above is possible, well, then there’s no other option, you’ll need to fully memorize your pitch and rehearse it until it feels natural. In this case even more, the level of preparation becomes your only way to deliver with confidence and control.

Tip number 3 will also help you avoid walking in front of the screen, another common mistake that breaks focus and blocks visibility.

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5. Look me in the eyes

Or most precisely, above the eyes. Here's the trick:

You’re going to create 3 imaginary points in front of you: one on the right side of the audience, one in the center, and one on the left side.

Not directly into people's eyes, but right above, like 10cm above the tops of their heads.

These will be your visual anchors to engage the whole room as you speak.

From time to time, especially when you pause to deliver a key message, you will have a quick glance at those 3 points, right, center, left.

The magic? Everyone will feel you are directly speaking to them.

The reason? You don't want to be affected by what people do, their facial expressions, if they are actively listening or just checking their Twitter feed.

This can destroy your confidence and make you doubt.

You will not let that happen, the stage is yours, this is your 3 minutes, no one can stop you until you are done. It's time to trust your performance and  let all those hours of work speak for themselves.

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That’s only the beginning of your journey toward becoming a true stage master.

There is much more to say about presentation style, like how to control the tone of your voice, how to use body language and facial expressions to create storytelling moments and move your audience emotionally.

Once you master these, you'll feel it's real magic.

But that’s for another article, one aimed at advanced speakers, which, if you’re not yet, you’re well on your way to becoming.

Let's go!

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