As a conference speaker, you want to engage your audience and get constructive feedback from the chair. But how do you manage these two aspects of your presentation effectively? In this article, we will share some tips and best practices to help you prepare, deliver, and follow up on your conference speech.
Before you design your speech, you need to know who you are speaking to. What are their backgrounds, interests, and expectations? How familiar are they with your topic and terminology? How can you tailor your content and style to suit their needs and preferences? Researching your audience will help you craft a relevant, clear, and persuasive message that resonates with them.
This is right up there. Also, while the audience may come from a homogeneous background like the same industry, homemakers, same community etc, we all are inherently different. So we need to respect every member of the audience as unique individuals. After all, it is the audience who will be the measure of success of a session.
The chair is the person who introduces you, moderates the session, and facilitates the Q&A. They are also your ally and supporter. Communicate with them before, during, and after your speech. Send them your bio, abstract, and slides in advance. Ask them about the format, timing, and equipment of the session. Confirm with them how they will signal you when your time is up. Thank them for their introduction and feedback. Follow up with them if they have any questions or comments.
The chair is the sounding board and it's great to connect with her/him as much as possible. It's important to follow their instructions and have some cues in place.
Your delivery is as important as your content. You want to convey your expertise, enthusiasm, and credibility to your audience. To do that, you need to practice your speech, rehearse your transitions, and polish your language. You also need to use your voice, body, and visuals effectively. Speak clearly, loudly, and slowly. Use pauses, intonation, and emphasis to highlight your key points. Make eye contact, smile, and gesture to connect with your audience. Use simple, clear, and consistent slides to support your message.
The most important connection with everyone comes with attentive listening and a disarming smile. Even the toughest critic will melt:)
The Q&A session is an opportunity to interact with your audience, clarify your message, and address any objections or concerns. To handle it professionally, you need to prepare for possible questions, listen attentively, and respond politely. You also need to respect the time limit, the chair's role, and the audience's diversity. Prepare some answers for common or challenging questions. Listen to the questions carefully and repeat or rephrase them if necessary. Respond with facts, examples, and references. Thank the questioners and acknowledge their contributions. Follow the chair's cues and wrap up gracefully.
Feedback is essential for improving your conference speaking skills. You can seek feedback from different sources, such as the chair, the audience, your peers, and yourself. You can also use different methods, such as surveys, evaluations, comments, and recordings. Seek feedback actively, but also selectively. Ask for specific, constructive, and actionable feedback. Focus on the strengths and weaknesses of your speech, not on your personality or appearance. Be open-minded, respectful, and appreciative of the feedback you receive.
It also helps to be accessible post the session as some members of the audience may like to interact and share their thoughts. Being polite, respectful, attentive and smiling are the key.
Feedback is only useful if you apply it wisely. You need to analyze, prioritize, and implement the feedback you get. You also need to monitor, measure, and celebrate your progress. Analyze the feedback and identify the themes, patterns, and gaps. Prioritize the feedback and decide what to change, what to keep, and what to ignore. Implement the feedback and make the necessary adjustments to your content, delivery, or style. Monitor your performance and measure your improvement. Celebrate your achievements and reward yourself for your efforts.