Conference speaker checklist - a companion for public speaking

Over the years of delivering hundreds of conference talks, including Keynotes, track talks and tutorials, one of the key lessons I’ve learned is that planning is key to success.

In my book Zero to Keynote, I share lots of advice on how to organise yourself, create a talk worth listening to and deliver with confidence, as well as weaving in the principles of communication.

For those who have read the book you will notice that about 75% of the content is focused on activities to do BEFORE the talk - because this is where the magic happens. It’s in the planning, prep and structure. 

The best on-stage presenters would struggle to present a poorly thought through, illogical and irrelevant talk. They may make it entertaining and ooze charisma but there’s little more value than that for the audience. 

Preparation is key.

All the way from coming up with an idea, to formulating the talk, to structuring the flow and on to weaving in clear, impactful and relevant language - there needs to be some structure and preparation. 

That’s why I’ve created a handy free checklist for conference speakers. It’s available for free with the Meeting Notes newsletter subscription. 

I created the guide to support the book - and also as a handy reference point for anyone building a talk.

Checklists

I find the power of a checklist alluring. A good checklist can guide your thinking but also steer the order in which you do things. Not everything on a checklist may be relevant for the context you find yourself in, but there’s still power in double checking each point. 

I use this checklist for all of my talks to make sure I’ve nailed a core message - and am on point with my audience and their expectations.

I use it to make sure I haven’t promised anything in the conference submission that I’ve accidentally missed out in the talk. 

This checklist also helps me do the most important part of any talk - writing it and rehearsing it. I’m still amazed at how many presenters squander their audience’s time, energy and attention due to not properly planning what they are going to say. 

Our primary vehicle for conveying our messages are words and words have meanings to people - hence we should choose them wisely. That requires thought, consideration and rehearsal - and that’s all part of the checklist. 

I also use the checklist to think about travel and logistics, as well as the room I will be presenting it. IT equipment, audio and clothes all impact how I perform and how I feel about myself - and how we feel about ourselves dramatically affects our ability to communicate. 

And finally there is the presentation itself - a checklist of ideas to consider weaving into the presentation - and some things to work on stopping, like umms and ahhs.

This handy checklist is my companion as I plan, prep, write, rehearse and travel for a talk. The idea is that if I have done the hard work here - and the preparation - I can deal with any issues with ease on the day of the talk. 

By following a plan like this I can also deal with those pesky nerves - something that has plagued me as a speaker for years. I know nerves mean I care but they are ever present, especially the 10 minutes before I take to the stage.

However, I know that my nerves are reduced if I do the preparation beforehand. I know that if I’ve created the best talk I can, my nerves wont overwhelm me.

I know that if I’ve prepared by following the checklist, and that I know my content, and I have no travel concerns, and I’ve scoped out the room, that my nerves will be lessened. And one thing is for sure, the more you know your content, the less nervous you should be. 

This handy checklist really is my own companion, and it’s also the companion for the Zero to Keynote book. I hope it helps you in the same way it has helped me. 

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