Why You Need to Practice Before Presenting at a Conference

This past week for me was an intensive immersion into the world of presentations and public speaking. While I research, observe, and write about presentations on an almost daily basis, last week was exceptional because I was backstage at TED, front row at TEDx training provided by the TED team, behind the scenes at TEDxNashville, as well as on the stage in front of the TEDxNashville audience of 1,800 attendees. Last week was a non-stop adventure into the world public speaking, and I loved every minute of it.

I could fill a book with all of the valuable lessons I learned last week, and I intend to share many of my takeaways in the coming weeks. However, today I would like to emphasize the importance of practicing your presentation for weeks or months before the date of your presentation. Practicing before a presentation might be an obvious suggestion, however I want to provide some not-so-obvious reasons for rehearsal to ensure that preparation and practice stay at the top of your priority list.

1.  Traveling is exhausting. 

If you are required to travel to deliver your presentation, and you plan to put the finishing touches on your presentation in your hotel room or on the plane, think again. Traveling is rarely as easy as it appears on an itinerary.

For example, I intended to get some work done on the trip from Vancouver to Nashville, yet I struggled to complete my long list of tasks because the in-flight wi-fi was out of order of one flight, and the other flight was so bumpy that I actually felt ill and thus had to stop typing and put my computer away. I had hoped to finish my to-do list later that night when I got home, before TEDxNashville the next morning, however because my  flights were behind schedule, I was exhausted by the time I walked through my front door. Thankfully, rehearsing my presentation was not among my to-do items, because I would have been in trouble if I had waited until the last minute to put the final touches on my speech.

Think of your travel time as a vacation from the hectic pace of everyday life, instead of productive office hours. Take a good book to enjoy while you are waiting in the airport, and sitting on planes. If you have a few moments that seem ideal to look over your presentation notes, by all means seize those moments and go for it, however do not assume that you will have any time at all to prepare for your presentation while en route to your final destination.

Preparing for your presentation in a less than ideal environment could actually cause more stress than positive results, so do not try to force your rehearsal time into your travel days. Instead, practice during the weeks and months before you pack your bags and hit the road for your presentation.

2. Backstage is chaotic.

Similar to airports and planes, backstage is also not the best place for refining your presentation. At most events and conferences, backstage is a whirlwind of activity that sometimes borders on chaos. Not only will it be difficult to find a quiet spot amidst the hustle and bustle of activity, but even if you do find an oasis of silence and solitude to rehearse, you will be missing out on valuable opportunities to network and participate in the event.

Yes, you will need to look over your notes and slides at least once before you take the stage, however this task cannot be considered “practice.” Looking over your slides and content before you walk on stage is a way to refresh your memory, not commit something unfamiliar to memory. So, instead of planning to practice backstage, plan to be fully prepared before you arrive at the event venue so you can be present for the event as it unfolds around you. You will enjoy the experience more, and you will also avoid any unnecessary stress in the moments before you take the stage.

3. Your schedule is unpredictable. 

Backstage at TEDxNashville, reporters, photographers, and event staff swirled around the speakers with requests and updates. In addition, speakers chatted with one another, swapping stories, ideas, and contact information. If any of the speakers had hoped to rehearse their presentation before they took the stage, their plans were likely not executed as imagined simply due to the unpredictable schedule on the day of the event.

In addition, due to some technical issues that occurred during TEDxNashville, the schedule of on-stage performances had to be slightly altered on the spot. While this particular adjustment did not affect any of the speakers, it could have. You need to be prepared to take the stage to deliver your presentation from the moment you walk through the door of the event.

Be ready to respond to unexpected events, as well as the worst case scenario, and you will be wildly successful if all things go as planned on your big day.

Conclusion: If you practice in the months leading up to your presentation, you will be less likely to get flustered in front of the audience. Also, you will be prepared to deliver your message in a conversational style that will help you connect on a deeper level with the audience. In addition, you will be able to relax while traveling to the conference, and also prepared to participate in the conference while there. When preparing for a presentation at a conference: practice, practice, practice, and then head to the conference. Do not attempt to add practice sessions to your travel itinerary. 





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