The difference between a speaking session that has your audience glued to their seats and one that has them looking for the exit before you’re done can hinge on a few key preparations. Taking the time to focus your mindset, queue up your key points, and practice your delivery is what can turn a good speaking engagement into a great one.
To help you prepare for your next on-stage session, we’ve compiled our best practices for delivering your message effectively and connecting with the audience in a memorable way.
Don’t Skip the Mental Prep
Understand who will be in the room and at the event. Always start by thinking critically about who you are talking to. Why is this group of people in the room right now? What knowledge, insights or solutions are they seeking? What are their roles, challenges, and pain points? Who else is presenting? Note where your expertise overlaps with other speakers and what unique perspective you might bring in. Thinking this through will help you frame your speaking for maximum relevance and connection.
Think through potential tough questions. Based on the session topic, other speakers, the event theme, and the latest news cycle, what is currently happening that the audience might want to ask about? Is there an emergent trend or hot-button issue that would be relevant for them to bring up? Don’t be afraid to get real – embrace these topics as an opportunity to showcase your expertise and engage more deeply with the audience. Preparing for the tough questions now will help you stay composed and confident, and better guide the conversation instead of getting caught off the cuff.
Don’t be afraid to be contrarian. People attend industry events to hear diverse perspectives from leading industry minds . If your opinion differs from another speaker topic or panelist, think through how you will respectfully voice your thoughts while keeping a productive conversation going.
What to Say
Open strong. Start with an anecdote, rhetorical question, thought-provoking statistic, or powerful visual. This sets the tone and sparks curiosity. Then, instead of simply stating your name and job title, share a compelling backstory to help the audience understand your unique perspective. How did you end up in your current position? What are your core focus areas? Why are you excited about speaking to this specific audience today?
Focus on a key message. What’s the one takeaway you want people to remember? Use this point as your guiding principle. Weave it through your talk and circle back to it regularly. If possible, use a presentation deck for visual reinforcement and to help organize your flow.
Ask questions. Prep at least one “ask-the-audience” question. This could be a knowledge check-in (“How many of you are facing [common challenge]?”), something industry-specific, or even some light humor. If you are on a panel, engage other panelists by asking for follow-up. Questions are great for maintaining engagement with the audience and creating a more natural and dynamic conversation-like feel.
Add personal examples. These extra details not only contextualize your answers but also help you build a connection with the audience. Try to draw some examples from outside your own company to show broader industry awareness.
Use data to back up your key points. Sprinkle in relevant statistics or findings from your company’s work or original research to add credibility to your points.
How to Say It
Stick to your expertise (and be humble). Lean into your expertise and readily admit when someone else might be better equipped to speak on a topic. It’s endearing, not damaging, when speakers are honest about the limits of their knowledge. Authenticity is powerful.
Use easy-to-understand language. Avoid jargon those outside your space might not be aware of and break down complex concepts into simpler terms.
Pace yourself. Speak at a rate that’s easy to follow, using added emphasis and strategic pauses for note-takers.
Use body language. Whether you’re sitting or standing, try to strike a balance between comfortable and confident body position. Don’t hide behind a podium or situate yourself awkwardly on a stool. It may sound silly but remember to face the people to whom you are speaking. Use a healthy amount of gestures to emphasize key points and project confidence and enthusiasm. While speaking, scan the room without fixating on one person or spot, make brief eye-contact with audience members, and engage in active listening (nodding, eye contact) to other speakers if you are part of a panel.
Don’t rely too heavily on your notes. It’s fine to have notes with you for reference, especially if you have a specific data point you want to call out, but reading directly from your phone or a big piece of paper can be distracting and takes away from your expertise.
Run through these tips the next time you are about to clip on a mic, and you might just notice your audience leaning in and nodding along instead of dozing off or cracking open their laptop to focus on something else.
