Tips for Developing Your Conference Talk
Giving a talk is a professional rite of passage for many of us. In a few months, Kara will be delivering a talk for the local DisruptHR chapter, and while it’s not her first, it still brings up some of those nerves and a strong desire to excel. Stephanie has also given many talks and continues to practice the skill. She hopes that one day she may even have the privilege to stand on the TED stage.
Presenting can be intimidating, even if you’ve done it many times before. Based on what we know about how to be a compelling presenter, here are a few suggestions for how to prepare to take the stage (or screen) for the first time.
Some general pointers to get started
Use the pomodoro technique (or something similar)
One of the challenges of a project such as writing a presentation from scratch is that the process is big, and it can be hard to get started. In the beginning, build some momentum by setting a timer for 25 or even 10 minutes and just see what you can do to move forward on your talk. This will look different depending on where you are in the process but is immensely helpful.
Embrace the nerves
You may be wrestling with imposter syndrome, other feelings of inadequacy or anxiety. Don’t wait for those feelings to dissipate before you begin. Nerves are natural in this situation. Keep that in mind and put your hat in the ring anyway; the nerves will make you take the process seriously and put your best foot forward. If you’re one of the lucky folks who doesn’t experience nerves when preparing for a talk, make sure that doesn’t make you sloppy in your preparation. Great talks require good planning.
Build your confidence along the way
Not unrelated to the two earlier suggestions, find ways to build your confidence along the way. Find what feels “easy” for the first talk; perhaps a safe audience or casual venue. If you can identify what specifically intimidates you about the project, you can then find small ways to test yourself and build your confidence along the way.
Give your process some structure
Identify your key message
What should your talk be about? Here are a few ways to come up with an idea:
What is the thing people look for your advice on?
What is a red thread throughout your career?
What is a lesson or insight gained from a pivotal moment in your career?
What are your stories about?
What would be the easiest thing for you to create a talk on?
Don’t overthink it either. This doesn’t have to be your only talk. Pick something that feels right and keep going. You’ll tweak it later when you have a new or different audience to address.
Define success
Once you have a sense for the topic, make it more specific. What do you want people to Know, Feel and Do at the end of your talk? Write that out in full sentences and wordsmith it until it feels specific, authentic and clear enough that you have a sense for what your talk will include.
Craft a blurb
Next, turn that Know, Feel, Do into a blurb. Many conferences require you to submit a brief blurb either to propose a talk or so they can include the description on the program and website. Your blurb should be a few sentences, no longer than 100 words. You’ll want to be descriptive and also appeal to the audience. Consider the WIIFM - what’s in it for them? What will make them most curious to listen?
Write a high-level outline
Transform your blurb into a high-level outline. What are the main areas of discussion? Put them in a flow and structure that feels cohesive. Whether it’s Why-What-How, Intro-Problem-Solution, Summary-Ideas-Summary, find a structured format that works for your content and start to jot down some ideas under each heading. You can also write this by envisioning what your slide deck titles may be. That being said, don’t jump into building out your deck too early. That comes later.
Pick some stories
Now that you have a sense for the main themes, think of some stories you can integrate into the talk. Storytelling is a powerful component of any talk as it helps your audience relate to you and understand your message. Drop ideas for stories into your outline. You don’t have to draft them at this point, just note what you need to remember.
Write a more detailed outline
Begin plotting out a more detailed outline (keep your high-level one somewhere as a skimmable reminder). Your more detailed outline will start to include your talking points as well as ideas for slide content and visuals. You may be tempted to skip this step and go straight to a deck, but building a detailed outline in a text document can help you more easily see where you have the most energy and ideas than if you jumped into deck building. For example, you may find that you planned to talk about three mistakes people make, but all your talking points and ideas are relevant to just one of them. Seeing that in your outline will help you reassess and potentially modify your high-level flow.
Build your deck - Headings, then text/visuals and voiceover
If you plan to use a deck (they’re often expected, but don’t feel like it’s a requirement), now it’s time to build it out. If this comes easily to you, follow your inclination. If you don’t know where to begin, start by writing your headings or slide titles, then add your talking points to the speaking notes BEFORE you build out the text and visuals for your slides. Being clear on what you want to say with each mouse click will help you calibrate how much time you plan to spend on each slide and adjust accordingly.
Check your flow
Once you have a slide deck that is roughly 70% complete, review it from beginning to end, with a view on the high-level flow. Does it still feel right? This is a great time to recognize where things feel out of order (or unnecessary) and make adjustments.
Get feedback/Ask for help
We recommend getting feedback early and often throughout the process. We’re not always communicating what we think we’re communicating and a feedback partner can let you know when they’re confused, what they loved, and what would enhance your talk. This will help you improve more quickly and more effectively than you would by iterating on your own.
Rehearse easy, then harder
Practice is an important element of building your confidence for the talk. Any practice is helpful. If you’re feeling nervous, start small: perhaps alone in front of a mirror. Then move on to “higher stakes” situations like over Zoom with just one colleague; then standing in front of two people, etc. Practice “walking onto the stage” wearing the outfit you plan to wear for the talk, try to get into the space where you’ll actually be giving the talk and map out your paces. Keep working again and again, stepping up the “level of difficulty” every time. The key here is to try to remove as many elements as possible that’ll feel “new” on the big day. Nerves are natural, but the more you practice so that things feel normal, the calmer you will be.
Mostly (but not completely) memorize
Many folks are tempted to memorize their talk word for word. It can feel safer and more prepared. But true memorization runs the risk of making you sound over-rehearsed, rote, and unnatural. We recommend mastering and memorizing your first and last sentences: know EXACTLY what you will say to open and close your talk powerfully. Then, mostly memorize the rest; know the sequence of your talking points, and a few turns of phrase that you especially want to include. But allow yourself freedom to be loose with the language you use in a few places in your talk so that your natural delivery style and personality comes through and you show up as present.
You’re never really done
Once you’ve prepared, practiced, and finally delivered your talk, don’t let yourself stop there! There’s always the next opportunity. There’s always another moment to get ready for. Before you close the book on the talk, get some feedback. Some presenters we work with will even build collecting feedback from the audience directly into their talk as part of the close out. If that doesn’t feel right, prepare an audience member or two to give you feedback afterwards. If you want to step it up even further, ask for someone in the audience to video record you so that you can watch your own talk back later and give yourself some feedback. Capture their input, learn what you can and apply it to your next talk.