How not to be Mr Bean (our top 11 tips for presenting like a pro!)

You can’t fail to cringe when you see Mr Bean – he’s possibly the clumsiest, most inept person on the planet. While his antics may raise a laugh on the big screen, the idea of ‘doing a Bean’ and bumbling through a presentation is a nightmare for many. 

So, what are our top tips for avoiding awkward?

1. Leave nothing to chance.  

Never go into a presentation situation without (double) checking all of the content ahead of the event. While some presenters make it look like they’re so naturally talented that they can talk to anyone about anything on the fly, rest assured that they’ve done their homework. They’ve well-rehearsed and tested every seemingly off-the-cuff comment and every possible response to audience questions.  

To be a pro presenter, make sure your content will work (the right messaging for the right audience), and your visuals and audio are hiccup-free.  

2. Don’t give away anything until the time is right 

A great presentation depends on impeccable timing. That means not dropping the ball when it comes to making announcements.  

For example, if you're presenting awards, make sure you have holding slides so you don’t inadvertently reveal the winner's name before you’re ready. Pre-empting a celebratory announcement in error throws a dampener on everyone’s day and destroys all the work you’ve put into creating a high point in your presentation.  

3. Control your chaotic clicking 

Back away from the button! Don't be the anxious clicker who leaps ahead to the next slide before finishing discussing the previous one. Nothing makes you look more disorganised, ill-prepared, and Bean-like than jumping back and forth through your slides to cover content you’ve missed.   

4. Pump up the volume (or not)  

Yes, check your mics! You may not want them working at full volume, but neither do you want them screeching with feedback, stone cold silent, or working when they shouldn’t be. Sharing a private off-stage or off-colour conversation or your bathroom break with your audience is hard to come back from – and can be a career-defining moment.  

Take a moment to check out these people who’ve had a toxic ‘hot mic’ moment. Reader discretion is advised! 

5. Just don’t 

Please, don’t use Canva for presentations.  

We’ve seen it done time and time again, and it simply doesn't adapt well to large screens. Canva may be free and have the upper hand in design sophistication, but unless you’re a total pro, it’s a high-risk strategy, and many hours of your hard work and effort could go to waste. What looks great on your PC isn’t necessarily what your audience will see, and it’s often too late on the day to change it.  

6. Document what you’re doing – for everyone’s sake. 

Take the time to prepare a comprehensive run sheet and share it with your event team well in advance. Your run sheet should capture the entire schedule of the event day, outlining the order of activities, tasks, and other important details. 

By sharing it with others, you allow fresh eyes to pick up on anything you’ve missed or misunderstood and tweak it in good time. Your team could save your butt, so don’t underrate the value of their experience and input.  

7. No time to rest, test and test again! 

Murphy’s Law says that if something can go wrong on the day, given half a chance, it will. 

That’s why professional presenters and their teams test everything – and not just once. From videos to music to mics and lights, put everything through its paces and repeat.   

8. Don’t trust the internet 

See Muphy’s Law above. Relying on event venue Wi-Fi or internet to stream videos can be a recipe for disaster.  

Instead, if you have video content, download it so you can be sure it will play instantly and without interruption.  

9. Stay stum if you slip up 

The one thing in Mr Bean’s favour is that his character rarely speaks. But that doesn’t stop him from making mistakes. And let’s face it, we all do – just hopefully not as many as Bean. 

If you do make a gaffe, you have two choices. The first is to ignore it and move on, as chances are your audience won’t even have picked up on it. And the other is to calmly correct yourself without becoming flustered and move on. The more fuss you make, the more noticeable an error is.   

10. Be seen as well as heard 

Don’t sacrifice the audience's clear line-of-sight (of presenters or screens) for the sake of style!  

While some fancy decorations (for example, huge floral centrepieces) may look great when the venue’s set up, nothing’s more frustrating for audience members than having to lean to the left and right trying to get a glimpse of a speaker or slides around the offending décor.  

11. Share in good time 

As with your run sheet, be mindful that your success requires others to be able to do what they do best: make you look great.  

So, give your presentation content to your AV tech team at least 24 hours before the event. Like your event team, they (i.e., we) have the experience to pick up on potential errors or unknown pitfalls and sort them out in good time.  

Don't be like Bean

When it comes to disasters, Mr Bean has been there, done that. But we know you can run your show like a pro. Just follow our top tips, or give us a call if you’d like some hands-on help. We’re here to help you avoid awkward.  

PS: Never seen Bean? Check out some of our favourite Mr Bean moments here.