The 3 Biggest Mistakes Smart Professionals Make When Speaking in Public

By Marke Z. Freeman

Mastering High-Impact Communication: Speak with Power, Presence & Purpose | Join our FREE Speaking Webinar Tuesday., July 15th!

Ever had a Homer Simpson cringy moment when speaking?

Have you ever lost track of your thoughts, struggled landing your points or been speaking with an audience that seems disconnected from the information being delivered. "D'OH!"

You’re sharp. You’re experienced. You’re successful in your lane.

But when it’s time to speak in front of an audience—whether on a stage, in a meeting, or on camera—something still feels... off.

You’ve got the credentials and the content, but what you don’t have is the confidence or clarity to communicate your message in a way that sticks.

And let me tell you this truth right now:

Being brilliant doesn't guarantee you'll be heard.

If you want to lead, inspire, or grow your influence, you’ve got to speak like a pro. That means connecting with your audience, delivering your message with power, and leaving people moved—not just informed.

So, what’s getting in the way?

Here are the 3 biggest mistakes I see even the smartest professionals make when speaking in public—and what you can do to fix them.

❌ MISTAKE #1: Speaking Without a Strategy

Let’s be honest: Most people just "wing it." They scribble a few notes, run through their points, and call it preparation.

But here’s the truth—if you don’t have a clear structure, your audience won’t know what to take away.

Winging it leads to rambling, repetitive, and forgettable delivery. You may sound smart, but you won’t sound strategic.

✅ THE FIX: Use a proven framework like my Power of 3 to structure your message with clarity and rhythm. This not only keeps you focused but helps your audience retain what you say. (It’s one of the first tools I teach in my course.)

❌ MISTAKE #2: Delivering Information, Not Transformation

A lot of professionals speak like they’re giving a report—full of facts, stats, and steps.

But here’s the problem: Facts don’t inspire. Data doesn’t move hearts.

Your audience doesn’t just want to hear you. They want to feel you. They want to relate to your journey, your story, your "why."

✅ THE FIX: To speak like a pro, you must go beyond surface-level content. You must evoke emotion, spark thought, and provoke action. That comes through storytelling, intentional questions, and anchoring your message to a core idea people remember.

❌ MISTAKE #3: Overlooking Delivery

You could have the best message in the world—but if your tone is flat, your body is stiff, or you rush through your words, people will tune out.

Speaking isn’t just what you say. It’s how you say it. That includes your verbal delivery (pace, pauses, vocal variety), your physical delivery (presence, gestures, facial expressions), and your emotional delivery (connection, conviction, authenticity).

✅ THE FIX: Practice the art of delivery just like a performer or athlete would. In the Speak Like a Pro Academy, I walk you through exercises that help you master your voice, body, and energy so you leave a lasting impression every time you speak.

🎤 READY TO LEVEL UP YOUR SPEAKING?

If any of these mistakes hit home—you’re not alone. I’ve been there. I’ve frozen on live TV, tripped over my words, and left the mic knowing I didn’t deliver my best.

But I also learned, practiced, and developed the tools to speak with confidence, clarity, and conviction. And now, I teach those exact tools inside my Speak Like a Pro Academy.

But first—I want to invite you to take the next step for FREE.

🎁 JOIN MY FREE WEBINAR: “Mastering High-Impact Communication - Speak with Power, Presence & Purpose”

🗓️ Tuesday, July 15th

🕖 7 PM CT / 8 PM ET

👉 Reserve your FREE seat now: https://www.speaklikeaproacademy.com/webinar

And if you're serious about taking the next step…

Join the Waitlist for Speak Like a Pro Academy—the ultimate course for speakers ready to build confidence, craft their signature story, and book paid gigs that align with their mission.

🔗 Join the Waitlist

In this powerful training, I’ll show you:

✅ How to craft a strategic message that connects and converts

✅ The key to confident verbal, physical, and emotional delivery

✅ My go-to technique to hook your audience from the first line

✅ What every coach, leader, and professional needs to grow their influence through communication

🔗 Save Your Spot Now

And I’ll even give you a sneak peek inside the Speak Like a Pro Academy and how it’s helping people just like you land paid speaking opportunities, build their brand, and speak with unshakable confidence.

You are reading this because you know your voice was meant to move people. Let’s unlock its full power — together.

I'll See you in class. 

Marke Z. Freeman

Professional Speaker

Author, CHAMPIONS’ Creed 

Executive Coach, Speak Like a Pro Academy