By Denise Lacey, Managing Director, Halloran Consulting Group
Here in New England, buried under 8 feet of snow, we are dreaming of balmier climes…a late-winter jaunt south to a conference, perhaps?
Industry conferences are a wonderful opportunity to travel, learn, and network. For speakers, there are added benefits: free registration, the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise on a subject, and a chance to polish your public speaking skills.
Check out more industry insights on Halloran’s blog
Below are some tips for delivering a compelling conference presentation.
- Know your plot. Just as there are only two plots in all of literature, so do all conference presentations fall into two categories: “This is how to do X” and “This is how I did X.” The former assumes deep expertise in the subject matter. The latter, commonly known as the “case study,” presents opportunities for pithy anecdotes and lessons learned. Conference-goers love the Schadenfreude of the case study! The more snafus and tales of woe, the better we like it.
- Do NOT start with the dictionary definition of your topic. Nothing chills the heart of the seasoned conference attendee like the introduction, “According to Webster’s….” That clicking sound you hear is one hundred people launching “Words with Friends” on their iPhones. Find some other way to start. “Good morning,” for example.
- Structure your talk. Your auditors should feel as though they are being led gently by the hand down a well-signposted path, not blindfolded, shoved into a car, and driven to an undisclosed location. The structure of your talk should be transparent and easy to follow. One simple technique is “Tell them what you’re going to tell them; tell them; then tell them what you told them.”
- Outline your presentation carefully on slides…then throw them away. We are more likely to hang on your words if we have not already speed-read them on a screen. If you can’t bear to throw your wordy slides away, then use them as speaker notes and develop a new set to show your audience. Try one sentence per slide, or even all pictures. If the Internet has taught us anything, it’s that you can’t go wrong with a cute cat picture.
- Take out all the dull bits. Things we already know: “Planning is important.” “Communication is key.” “Roles and responsibilities must be clearly defined.” Such bromides breed resentment in people who have been subjected to stale coffee and baffling convention hall signage for three days. Tell us something we don’t already know and omit the rest. We can email you later if they have a question. Entertain, don’t train.
- Speak loudly. This is the only presentation tip that matters. If you have something interesting to say and you can be heard clearly, you’re golden.
The acid test? A good talk is one that you actually enjoy delivering. If you feel bored or awkward, your audience will feel that way too. So prepare your talk, book your ticket, and pack your resort wear. Spring is just around the corner. (It has to be.)
About the author
Denise Lacey joined Halloran Consulting Group in 2011. She oversees the quality auditing business and also focuses on quality risk management techniques for clinical studies, including risk-based monitoring and vendor management. She has led multiple clinical development gap analyses and process development projects, including a number of quality system redesign initiatives.
Denise has over 15 years of experience in clinical development, providing consulting services to a wide range of pharmaceutical, medical device, biotech, and CRO clients in the US and Europe. Denise has worked with numerous companies to implement Electronic Data Capture (EDC), including process development, role development, and training, with a special emphasis on adapting monitoring practices to take advantage of EDC technology.