Comment pouvez-vous équilibrer la préparation de la présentation et les événements de conférence?

Ideally, you'll be well-prepared for your presentation prior to the event. You'll have prepared your slides to match the flow of your presentation, and to highlight key points and takeaways. You'll have great stories or anecdotes to illustrate key points and takeaways, and you'll have practiced sharing those to ensure they are well crafted and cover only the key points. By having your slides and the flow of your presentation prepared well in advance, all you will have to do is to show up and deliver, which will leave you plenty of time to connect, learn from others at the event, and build new relationships. Often, by participating in other event activities, you'll be able to get more people to attend your own session!

When preparing a presentation—tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them and then tell them what you have told them (brief conclusion). Don’t be afraid to begin with a startling fact or quote or question to grab the audience’s attention. If possible, stick with 3 key points. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or to interact with the audience on brief occasions but plan this well—keep it simple. This interaction will help reduce anxiety and humanize the event—helping you to be more authentic and relaxed.

As a keynote speaker, I try to attend as much of an event as possible when I'm speaking. I always enjoy learning from others, and I also like to watch other great speakers to improve my speaking skills and delivery as well. So, I take a look at the agenda in advance, and choose topics or speakers that interest me. I typically leave at least an hour before and after my own session to ensure I have time to prepare, and also time to connect with folks afterward. I also tend to leave blocks of time unscheduled, so I can have time to meet with people at the event, visit the expo hall to see what vendors are offering, and also to enjoy some introvert time alone. 😊 By not overscheduling time at events, I think you'll find you enjoy them more.

I find it useful to have calendar slots assigned in blocks, so that if I need some down time to re-focus, or last minute changes, this due to something big happenning in the world today - there is space. This said, I love being flexible and giving space to other speakers - to meet, have 1:1 sessions and engage properly. I have made some amazing professional and personal connections this way.

At one conference, I was delivering a keynote and the video clips in my presentation didn't work. I took a deep breath, focused the impact I wanted to make on the audience and went on with the talk. Before stepping on stage, don't focus on what you want from the talk. Focus on what impact you want to have on the audience, what you want them to takeaway and how you want to make them feel. Talks aren't about you, it's about the people who are watching :)

To make the most of your time attending a conference when you're also speaking at the conference: Connect Beforehand: Engage with potential attendees before the conference through social media using the event hashtag, any online forums set up for the vent, the conference website, etc. Network: Attend other sessions, network with attendees, and connect with other speakers. This not only helps with promoting your own session, but will also enrich your conference experience. Stay Present: While learning from others, remain open-minded and be in the moment. Fun often comes from spontaneous interactions, shared laughs, and newfound discoveries.

I started speaking at conferences about six years ago. Honestly, when I started, I never thought I would be a "speaker" - I looked at it solely as a learning opportunity, and a chance to attend conferences that I would not have had a chance to attend otherwise. When I first started, I was so wrapped up in the prep that I attended very few of the sessions. I've learned a balance over the years that worked. One of the things that works well for me is to attend sessions that relate to my keynote in some way. That way, I can, at the last minute, weave in themes and discussions from other sessions into mine. (This works particularly well if I'm speaking at the end of an event.)