If you are a conference speaker, you know the importance of aligning your content with the theme and goals of the event. But how can you adjust your content to fit a conference theme without compromising your message and expertise? Here are some tips to help you adapt your content to different conference contexts.
Before you start preparing your content, you need to understand the theme and the audience of the conference. What is the main purpose and focus of the event? Who are the attendees and what are their expectations and needs? How can you connect your topic to the theme and add value to the audience? Research the conference website, social media, and previous events to get a sense of the tone, style, and level of the conference.
The briefing call with the client is all-important. It's the opportunity to ask about their goals as well as the audience's goals, to understand what topics are on everyone's minds. Or even to pick up on nuances of language, like what do they call people in their industry? "guests," "students," "participants," or —?as is the case in insurance: "lives." Knowing that language can go a long way toward convincing the audience that you're paying attention to their industry. Overall, if you have the chance to brief with the event organizers, never pass it up. It's a goldmine of audience insights.
Let YOUR talk topic shine. Remember, you are the vessel for your talk. What do you want to say? Who are you? What do you care about, what have you been working on, and why are you the best person to share a session? Have you given any other recent insights or sessions recently? This is your story. What is the current state or sentiment of your topic within the community? Is it a challenge, and is there more to the story the audience doesn't know? What can attendees learn by joining your session? This is where you will fit your story into the larger theme of the conference.
Depending on the conference theme, you may have different options for the format and structure of your presentation. For example, you may have to deliver a keynote, a workshop, a panel discussion, or a lightning talk. Each format has its own advantages and challenges, and you need to tailor your content accordingly. For instance, a keynote requires a clear and compelling narrative, a workshop needs more interaction and engagement, a panel discussion demands more collaboration and flexibility, and a lightning talk requires more conciseness and creativity.
Once you have chosen the format and structure of your presentation, you need to refine your core message and key points. Your core message is the main takeaway that you want the audience to remember and act on. Your key points are the supporting arguments or evidence that back up your core message. Your core message and key points should be relevant, specific, and consistent with the conference theme. You can use stories, examples, data, or analogies to illustrate your key points and make them memorable.
Your introduction and conclusion are the most important parts of your presentation, as they set the tone and leave the impression on the audience. You need to customize your introduction and conclusion to fit the conference theme and capture the attention and interest of the audience. Your introduction should include a hook, a bridge, and a thesis statement. Your hook is a question, a statistic, a quote, or a story that grabs the audience's attention. Your bridge is a connection between your hook and your topic. Your thesis statement is a summary of your core message and key points. Your conclusion should include a summary, a call to action, and a closing remark. Your summary is a recap of your core message and key points. Your call to action is a suggestion or an invitation for the audience to do something related to your topic. Your closing remark is a final statement that reinforces your core message and leaves the audience with a positive feeling.
The final step to adjust your content to fit a conference theme is to adjust your language and visuals. Your language and visuals should match the tone, style, and level of the conference and the audience. You should use clear, simple, and engaging language that avoids jargon, acronyms, and technical terms. You should also use visuals that support your content, such as images, charts, graphs, or videos. Your visuals should be relevant, clear, and attractive, and follow the conference guidelines and branding.
By following these tips, you can adjust your content to fit any conference theme and deliver a presentation that resonates with the audience and achieves your goals.
It's not easy, but it is always an honor. Public speaking at conferences build credibility, awareness, respect, and networks. Take time to revise and build quality into your submissions and then celebrate when the opportunities present itself.