You’ve given your presentation a number of times. You’ve got it down pat. You can show up and be ready to fly in 15 minutes. So what’s all this stuff about arriving an hour early? Oh yeah, that’s right—to allow time for unexpected traffic and for finding the restroom once you arrive. In the world of fantasy presentations that might be all you need to worry about … but that’s not necessarily the way it works in the real world.
Consider this: You pull up at your destination 15 minutes early. You find your contact person and gab for a few minutes. She directs you to your presentation room. You notice there is no projector. Did they forget? Is it on the way to the room? This uneasiness causes you to forget a prop on your second trip to your car. You’re now scrambling. You don’t get to do your final mental run-through of your opening. You don’t get to meet any of the attendees. In fact, your audience sees an anxious person in front of the room. Not a great start.
Moral: Don’t learn the hard way about all the things needing attention just prior to your talk.
To be in top form, you must be relaxed and full of confidence—and confidence erodes at warp speed if you’re dealing with last-minute hassles. Here is a starter list of things you’ll absolutely want to consider:
First, nail down the preliminaries:
- Confirm the address and specific directions.
- Draw yourself a map (if one isn’t provided).
- Know the exact building and room (number or other identifier).
- Is there a special area in which you should park? Is it better if you come in a back or side door?
Find out.
After that, arriving early allows you to:
- Find your contact person, your name tag, and, if appropriate, your place card.
- Put your contact person at ease—you’re there early!
- Review the schedule.
- Confirm the length of your talk and the ending time.
- Make sure there’s enough room for all parts of your presentation: pacing, gestures, demonstrations, etc.
- Set up your props.
- Note any possible hazards: bunched carpet, extension cords, etc.
- Know the lighting controls—or find someone who does.
- Check the sound system (microphone, volume control, speaker feedback areas, length of cord, etc.).
- Check for unwanted background music—can it be turned off?
- Check the room temperature—the best range for an awake but comfortable audience is 68 to 72 degrees.
- Learn the names of some audience members, get their stories.
- Tweak your speech so it specifically addresses the facility, the weather, the spirit of the event, even members of the audience. (Quickly compose a situation-appropriate opening)
- Rearrange seating, if necessary: Is the front row close enough? (or far enough away?); Do you need to create a center aisle?
- Make a final quick stop in the restroom to check your appearance.
If, even after all this, you end up with 30 minutes of extra time, be aware no great speaker ever said, “Darn it! I got here too early.” That half-hour is golden. Wander away for a few minutes to calm yourself down … or pump yourself up. Meet a few more people to gather more stories or learn more about the organization. Visit a breakout session (if appropriate). Use that time to make yourself visible—show yourself as someone who is part of making the whole event a success, not just the speaker who appears, speaks, and disappears.
If you want to refine your presentation even further (and make an even better impression on the group), arrive early enough to hear the other speakers on the bill. Why?
- So you don’t copy or contradict them.
- So you can expand on (or play off) things they’ve said.
- To find out what the audience laughs at—or doesn’t.
- To learn the audience’s level of interactivity—do they jump in with answers to questions, or do they need coaxing.
- To show you’re a team player, supporting the whole event.
You’ll be surprised at how many people notice your commitment to the event goes far beyond your own part. Even before you’re in front of them, the audience will see you’re smiling, interested, curious, upbeat—and they’ll remember it.
Finally: When you’ve done your preparation right, you’ll be comfortable, confident, and certain to give your best performance.