You're preparing to speak at a big event. What strategies can help you stand out from seasoned professionals?

Before speaking at a big event as a keynote speaker or instructor, I make it a point to study my audience and adapt my content to their learning and informational needs. Understanding your audience means aiming to be emotionally and culturally intelligent in your delivery. The final, special ingredient is storytelling—you need to tell a good story to make your presentation both appealing and entertaining. The goal is to achieve "edutainment," a combination of education and entertainment. This is my approach in a nutshell!

Before speaking in front of a crowd, all suggested strategies for knowledge of the topic are extremely important. However, speaking from a place of humility and authenticity and not from a place of power is more compelling, as is speaking from a place of courtesy and respect that conveys true care and concern for all humanity.

Know Your Stuff Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to public speaking. Ensuring you're well-versed in your topic is crucial. Dive deep into your subject matter, beyond the basics that your audience might already know. This depth of understanding not only boosts your confidence but also allows you to handle any unexpected questions with ease. Your thorough grasp of the topic will shine through, making your presentation more compelling and distinguishing you from others who may only skim the surface.

To stand out at a big event, especially among seasoned professionals, apply following presentation strategies. Start with a compelling introduction that captures attention—tell a story or present a startling fact that connects with your audience emotionally. Structure your presentation around clear, focused key points, ensuring each is supported by impactful visuals or data. Practice effective delivery techniques, such as confident body language, varying your tone for emphasis, and pausing strategically to let key messages sink in. Finally, conclude with a powerful call to action or memorable takeaway that resonates long after you've finished speaking.

Research your topic deeply. Understand the latest trends, statistics, and debates. Prepare to answer questions and address counterpoints.

I focus hard to stick to what I know. I have very specific experience and that is enough. I like to share the wins and the losses. Many times, the most interest comes from the hard knocks and the lessons learned from setbacks and challenges.

If you try to be someone else you’ll always be vying for 2nd place. No one can do what you do because no one has been through what you have. Utilise that and use your experiences to connect to your audience. I’ve seen the more vulnerable you are as a speaker, the more powerful you are. Someone’s breakthrough could be on the other side of that story you’re too scared to tell.

Highlight your unique experiences and perspectives. Share personal stories that relate to your topic to make your presentation unique and relatable.

Tell your story. Stories engage us emotionally and connect us with the speaker. Incorporate relevant anecdotes and personal experiences to help your audience relate to your message.

People always enjoy personal stories, so connect with your audience through your own experiences. Everyone has their own unique stories and experiences. Share these personal stories to convey facts and ideas in your speech, making it more relatable and engaging for your audience. Personal stories create an emotional connection, making your message more memorable. They also help to illustrate your points in a way that is authentic and compelling. Don't be afraid to be vulnerable and share both successes and challenges, as this honesty can foster a deeper connection with your audience.

Engaging the audience with humor, participation and interaction is a great way to stand out. Incorporating call and response, bringing volunteers to be part of a demonstration, standing vs. sitting or the raising of hands to bring a visual to numbers/statistics are ways to increase audience engagement and stand out from among the other presenters

Use visuals, anecdotes, and interactive elements to make your presentation memorable. Engage the audience with questions or activities.

You have to engage the audience actively. Ask interesting questions to the audience, set up a small quiz game, or add dialogue. By involving your audience in these ways, you make your presentation more interactive and enjoyable. Active engagement helps to keep the audience’s attention and encourages participation. It also allows you to gauge their understanding and interest in the topic. Use a variety of techniques to keep the energy high and make your presentation more dynamic and memorable.

One of the best ways to prepare for a speech, and find that "perfect point" to relate on is to pay attention in the 24 hours before the speech! Are you on a college campus? What's their mascot and did you see it running around? Are you on a tech campus? Where do people spend their time and where do people "relax"? Are you in a historical building? Did you catch how people stop by on tours to see? Reference the reality that surrounds the conference to FEEL more real - it'll make all the difference.

Certainly ask questions through out your presentation to involve your audiance. Also state at the beginning that their will be a questions and answers session at the end of the prevention. Always let your audience know how long you will be speaking for.

Structure your presentation clearly. Begin with an introduction that outlines your key points, then delve into each point with supporting evidence, and conclude with a strong summary.

Use clear, concise, and visual language to help your audience understand and remember your message. Use visuals, such as slides or videos, to support your message and engage your audience.

Creating a strong visual impact can greatly enhance your presentation. Use visuals such as images, charts, graphs, and videos to illustrate your points and make your content more engaging. Well-designed slides can help convey complex information in an easily digestible manner. Visual aids should complement your speech, not overwhelm it. Ensure that your visuals are clear, relevant, and high-quality. They should enhance understanding and retention of your message.

Keep it simple. Always make sure you have practised with any equipment in advance of your presentation. Is there someone with IT experience that can be on hand if anything goes wrong. What will you do if there is a power cut. Be prepared.

The ideal 20 minute presentation consists of 10 visual slides with close to zero words. Words distract the more left brain types in the audience. I usually invite people to NOT take notes and promise to send a summary of the info or links to references.

Practice, practice, practice. Rehearsal is essential in preparing a successful talk. Practice until you're comfortable with your content, and you can deliver it naturally.

Ensure you're comfortable with the technology you'll use during your presentation. Familiarize yourself with the venue's equipment. Dress appropriately for the event. A polished appearance can help convey professionalism and confidence.

Effective practice is crucial, but practicing correctly is just as important. Rehearse your speech in conditions similar to the actual event, using your visual aids and adapting to potential distractions. Perfect practice ensures a polished performance, helping you appear poised and professional. It also allows you to focus on delivering your message effectively, rather than being concerned with logistics or delivery.

Practice makes you stronger and more confident. Just like a sportsman who knows their sport but still practices to become even stronger, you must practice repeatedly to identify your errors and areas where you get stuck. Practice in front of your parents and friends, and take feedback from them. Record a video of your practice session, watch it to identify mistakes, and then record again, correcting those mistakes. Repeat this process 5-6 times to refine your performance.

Practise infront of a work colleague. Then grow your audience to several more people. Ask fir feedback. They are likely to praise you which will severely boost your confidence.

I attended a full day personal development/business seminar. There were 6 speakers, of which 5 were very well known international speakers. The first speaker was a business owner who was speaking in front of an audience of 4,000 people for the first time. I still think her keynote was the most memorable of them all. Why? Because of her authenticity and vulnerability. While all the other speakers were extremely polished and confident speakers who had their talks rehearsed extremely well, the first speaker showed vulnerability and openly admitted feeling a little nervous being on stage, her slides didn't work a couple times and she just said "ahh shit" and laughed nervously. She was authentic and she was herself. It was refreshing.

Shift your focus from "being impressive" to delivering an empowering, inspiring, relevant message. It's not about you! You were invited because someone felt you had something to say. If you don't know what that is, then why are you there? Because you need the money?