10 December 2024

5 Ways to Speak at a Conference and Why They Matter

By Ronald Smith

When you want to talk at a conference, you have different choices for how you can share your ideas with the audience. The two most common ways people present at conferences today are:

  • Speaking alone (being the only person in charge of everything).
  • Joining a panel (being part of a group that either answers questions from the audience or gives short presentations on the topic and then has a QA session).

After coming back from Affiliate Summit, a conference where I had the chance to speak in various ways over the years, I took some time to reflect on the lessons I learned from each of these roles:

1. Speaking Alone

This is definitely the toughest speaking gig of all. Don’t think you’re invincible here. Make sure to get ready well in advance – give yourself plenty of time to practice. Some of my top solo presentations were rehearsed twenty or more times before hitting the stage.

To deliver a top-notch solo presentation, you need to harness all your research skills, creativity, discipline, and bravery. If you lack any of these, start by joining panels or presenting with a partner. If you lack two of these, work on developing them before attempting to speak on your own.

2. Presenting with a Partner

When more than one expert applies to speak on the same topic at a conference, they may ask you to co-present with someone else. I’ve had the chance to do this once in the past six years, and I really enjoyed it. The great thing about co-presenting is that you can plan together and decide who covers what, but you also have the flexibility to deliver the content in your own way.

Co-presenting also comes with a hidden and important challenge of wanting to outshine each other. However, you can turn this challenge into an opportunity.

3. Panelist

The best panels I’ve experienced, either as a listener or a participant, are the ones where each panelist gets a chance to make their points before going into the QA session. I find that collaborating with others to put the content together and make the final product coherent and easy to understand is the most valuable part of participating on panels.

I want to share with you some important skills that you can learn from this. When you listen carefully, think critically, stay flexible, and work well with others, you’re developing valuable abilities.

4. The Role of a Panel Moderator

I’ve noticed that some moderators introduce the panelists and then step back, only jumping in with questions when the audience isn’t participating. This passive approach can actually harm the overall quality of the panel discussion.

As a moderator, it’s important to show your leadership skills and share your expertise with the group. Give your panelists the space to participate, ensuring that no one person dominates the conversation, but also make sure to actively contribute yourself.

5. Leading an Expert Panel or Roundtable Discussion

I’ve found that these breakout sessions can be really effective, but they definitely require more patience than any of the other types of speaker roles I mentioned earlier. The discussions where you get to ask the experts are usually much more lively and interesting than the traditional stage presentations or panels.

As a speaker, it’s important to combine the skills of a panel moderator with active listening. You want to keep your audience engaged and involved throughout the discussion. It’s not enough to just show up without any questions, examples, or case studies of your own. Take the lead in the discussion and make sure it’s beneficial for everyone participating.

In conclusion, no matter how you’re presenting at a conference, the benefits are always huge. Whether you have the whole hour to yourself or you have to share the stage with other speakers, it’s always worth participating. And remember, this advice comes from a speaker who really prefers delivering solo presentations.