Present like a pro: Six tips to take your conference presentation to the next level

I recently attended more than 20 presentations at two different conferences. There were a lot of excellent topics discussed, but as often happens, I noticed a few things people newer to giving talks – and even some seasoned pros – could have done to take their presentations from good to great.

???? Here are six steps that make a difference:

1. Validate your content
2. Get to the point
3. Mind the microphone
4. Limit the technology
5. Manage the audience
6. Keep the slides simple

Let's explore of each of these steps in more detail.

???? Validate your content

Picture this: You're eagerly waiting for the "How to train your dog in five minutes a day!" session, armed with your notepad. But as the speaker starts, they dive into training cats instead, with no mention of dogs at all. You double-check the session description and speaker's name. It all matches up with what you expected, but NOT what you're getting. What's happening?

At least once during every conference I’ve ever attended, I’ve found myself stuck in a room listening to a talk that has no resemblance at all to the session title or description. Leaving would be awkward. So, I zone out or start checking email.

I can’t explain why this situation happens, but I know that it can be avoided.

As the presenter, you need to validate that the audience is going to hear about what you told them you would address.

When preparing your slides, always go back to your session title and description.

Review them. Make sure your slides match.

Validate that your talk will address what the audience expects to hear.

???? Get to the point

OK, this is a huge pet peeve of mine.

If you’re delivering a 45-minute presentation, DO NOT spend more than five minutes explaining who you are, how large your organization is, how many different buildings you have in different states, etc.

Get past that part quickly.

People can look you up on LinkedIn.

They can Google your company.

Hit the basics and get into the subject matter at hand. That's what the audience wants.

If you take longer than five minutes to hook your audience, at least half of them will be fully consumed with checking email or scrolling social media.

You won’t get them back.

???? Mind the microphone

This is a simple tip, but it’s essential. When you are using a handheld microphone, there is one – and only one – rule you must follow:

THE MICROPHONE MUST BE IN FRONT OF YOUR MOUTH WHENEVER YOU ARE SPEAKING.

If you turn your head to the side, the microphone must move with your head.

That is all.

??? Limit the technology

“I’m just going to switch out of PowerPoint here, open this on YouTube, hit play … umm … bear with me ... it was working earlier.”

If you’ve heard a speaker say this, you know what happens next.

The video doesn’t play. The tech support walks up. A few minutes of awkward silence ensue. Eventually, the video plays. Maybe.

Do you need that stress and hassle?

Sometimes a video is good to share, but often, I find they don’t add that much value to the presentation.

Just be mindful that the more elements that you add to the presentation, the more chances there are for things to go wrong.

Keep it simple for small rooms where you’ll have little or no tech support or opportunity to rehearse.

??? Manage your audience

Brace yourself, this one is controversial.

Unless your session is truly designed to be offered as a Q&A discussion, be cautious about taking questions during the presentation. You should almost always hold questions until the end.

Why?

The biggest problem is that some people who ask questions in the middle of a session don’t do it very well. They’ll talk for two minutes and then ask you a four-part question that you’ll have to repeat to the audience so they can hear it. It may or may not be relevant to the topic. You've now lost at least five minutes.

In short, it will totally disrupt your flow.

It seems like a nice gesture – and it is – to take an audience question in the middle of a presentation, but it can be a real distraction.

The best bet is to hold all questions until the end.

???? Keep the slides simple

Lots of people don’t like PowerPoint, but I am fine with slides. They are useful for many types of presentations, especially case studies. However, we (I’m guilty too) pack way too much information on to each slide.

This has always been a problem, but it might be one of those things our current culture of video meetings has made worse.

Presenting in-person content requires more care.

You really have to think about how much content your audience can see from 50 feet away from the screen.

Take these three steps before you submit your slide deck:

1. Review the final presentation draft's word count and cut it by 20%.
2. Try to avoid having any slides with a font under 32 pt.
3. Use as few words as possible to make your points.

?? Putting all the pieces together

Conference presentations can be an excellent opportunity to showcase your work and make lasting connections, but let's face it, they require effort.

So, make sure you're well-prepared and ready to leave an impact. Show your audience respect by following the six steps in this article, and get ready to shine.

Your speaker rating will validate your effort!