Conferences are places where like-minded individuals can come together to share interests. Attendees with similar experiences or inclinations from across the globe come under a roof and learn from one another about new topics, research, events, etc.
It is one place where many people can be in attendance. We are sure you won’t want to miss this opportunity to make an indelible impression as a speaker.
That’s why we have crafted this in-depth write-up to help you navigate through your next conference presentation.
Learn how you can master your presentation with these 10 actionable tips!
What is a Conference Presentation?
First, let’s find out what the term entails.
A conference presentation supplements your research with concise information and data. It provides a visual aid to the attendees; therefore, must be tailored accordingly.
Conferences can be a day-long event or last an entire week. They are a great opportunity for people to network and showcase their work.
Types include academic conferences, annual general meetings, conventions, press conferences, workshops, roundtable discussions, and general product launches.
Tips to Present at a Conference
These actionable tips are relevant to all types of conference presentations. With some little adjustments, you can incorporate them anywhere to woo your audience.
1. Sweat in Preparation
We all have heard the phrase – the more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle.
This is true for all kinds of work, including presentations. Before you begin to put together your slide deck, consider drafting an outline based on the following questions.
- What key message do you want people to take?
- How do you desire to make them feel?
- What do you want them to do with the information you will give?
- Do you have the required information for the results you want?
- Is your CTA compelling enough for people to act?
Draft questions based on the results you wish to achieve. This will help you streamline your thoughts and content accordingly and avoid going all over the place in your slides.
Preparing beforehand like this will save you half the trouble and enable you to deliver a concise, relevant, and impactful slide deck.
2. Familiarize Yourself With the Space
Unfamiliarity with the venue can cause discomfort in a lot of ways. Unaccounted-for variables can distract the speaker and the audience alike, resulting in a not-so-great experience.
An initial recce or familiarization with the space will help you in the following ways.
- Make appropriate use of the walking space.
- Get familiar with the technological tools in use.
- Adjustment of light and sound as needed.
- Choose your comfortable place to stand while delivering.
- Get aware of the layout and the seating of the audience.
- A dry run to make the process comfortable and eliminate stress factors.
3. Learn About People
Think of it like you prepare a stunning 5-course meal for your guests. But upon serving, you realize most of them are vegan and couldn’t resonate with your food choices. That’s what a well-crafted presentation would mean if it’s not catered to the people you will be presenting to.
The first step in mastering presentation psychology is to understand your people. So, learn about the people – their inclinations, understanding, expectations, and motivations. Take care of that when you craft your presentation, and you will surely get an undivided attention of the audience.
4. Keep Your Timings Correct
Learn about your timing and stick to that. You can contact your organizer to find out your allotted speaking time.
There is nothing that kills a presentation more than an overstretched one. So, knowing your time limits and adhering to them will help you craft your content accordingly.
5. The World of Visuals
Catchy visuals can impactfully supplement your speech and make communication easy for everyone involved. Take the help of visual aids like tables, charts, illustrations, video, graphics, etc., to simplify the data and make it more attractive and engaging.
If it feels like you don’t have the creative bone for the design work, you can use pre-designed and 100% editable PowerPoint templates. These decks will not only save you time but will also give a visual coherence to your textual information.
Also, remember that you are part of the visual communication strategy, as well. Dress appropriately for the event and take care of your body language and facial gestures.
6. Encourage and Engage People
Good presentations happen when speakers are able to communicate effectively. However, excellent presentations happen when communication is both ways, i.e., from the audience as well.
Engage people in your talk as much as possible. You can count on forging a solid connection by encouraging people to interact and be a part of the presentation and not just be passive listeners.
It will have benefits like –
- People will be able to retain better.
- You can count on a more attentive audience.
- It will give you new insights about your presentation based on the questions people might ask.
- There will be a better connection between you and the audience.
- They are more likely to act on your information.
- It will make your work of taking forward the presentation easier as people will be involved in it, too.
7. Simplicity is the Key
You might feel like going grand for your conference presentation with fancy technology, transitional devices, or other technological tools. But remember, overcomplicating your slide deck or presentation can have opposite effects.
Don’t overstuff your slides with information. As it might urge people to read, and they might stop listening to you. Also, cluttered slides aren’t visually appealing.
Keep your slides simple and understandable. Make use of negative space. Present only key details in your slides and elaborate on them in your talk.
8. Consistent Practice Will Take You Far
Consistent practicing will make you so comfortable with your speech that you won’t need to focus on your words anymore. You should know your speech like the back of your hand. Some of the best orators in the world have mentioned practicing their speeches as much as 200 times.
It will have benefits like –
- Make you more confident by fine-tuning your speech.
- You will be able to work on and correct your body language, voice modulation, and facial gestures.
- You won’t have to fuss over forgetting the speech midway.
- There will be no reading from the notes or slides.
9. Prepare for the Worst Case Scenario
Anything that can go wrong will go wrong and at the worst possible time. – Murphy’s law.
Preparing for the worst scenario will give you the leverage to be prepared in all situations.
Anything could happen, like a last-minute technological glitch, a troller in the audience, missing notes, a change in venue, system failure, bad internet connection, etc.
Preparing for every situation will enable you to be relaxed during the speech (in case of mishaps) and come across as a reliable and capable person. Have solutions and backups ready to avoid the last-minute hassle.
10. Refine and Readjust
Learning never stops, and that should also be your approach to improving your presentational skills.
Whether through self-evaluation or an audience/peer survey, evaluate how you presented. Based on the feedback, refine your skills.
Consistent improvement like that will truly make you a master presenter worth listening to. So, evaluate, adjust, and refine your skills to ace conference presentations.
A Few Tips to Remember
- You can use storytelling, mnemonics, memory palaces, etc., to make your speech engaging and captivating, but be sure to find the right mix of data and narrative.
- Take notes and references from other presentations and orators you found worth listening to.
- Structure your presentation and let people know the outline.
- Keep yourself well-fed, hydrated, and well-rested before the presentation.
- Enunciate your words clearly.
- Take the help of anecdotes and humor to your advantage.
A Few Mistakes to Avoid
- Overstretching the introduction or the explanation of the content of your talk.
- Speaking too slowly or overdramatically to make an impact.
- Throwing subtle hints to tell everyone how important you are is a big no-no.
- Referring to your book or other published work.
- Overusing technical jargon to appear smart.
- Speaking for a long time about your and your organization’s achievements.
- Avoiding eye contact with people.
- Not time yourself.
- Reciting the speech from memory like a monologue.
Final Thoughts
A conference is a great event for networking with like-minded people, sharing thoughts and opinions, and opening doors to new opportunities. You can make the most of this event by delivering an outstanding presentation that resonates with everyone present.
The above tips will help you craft compelling narratives, engage with the audience, and stand out in the dynamic and evolving world of conference presentations.
