| Like most good achievements, a
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| | speak, you let them sign up to the
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| magnificent meeting depends on planning
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| | contract; if they don't like it, there
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| and preparation. These are essential to a
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| | are plenty of other speakers around.
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| good conference and this article explains
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| | Professional speakers never have a
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| the basics of what you need to
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| | problem with such contracts. In fact,
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| do.Planning
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| | they like them.
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| The first stage in organising any
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| | Suitable speakers are those that can
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| conference is planning. Your plan should
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| | deliver your key messages - not
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| start with these questions:
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| | necessarily the most senior people in the
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| What do we want our audience to go home
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| | business or an expert. Base your decision
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| and say about the meeting, apart from the
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| | on who should speak based on their
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| fact that they had a great time?
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| | ability to communicate with your audience
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| What is the key message we want our
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| | - not on any other measure. This means,
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| audience to remember?
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| | for instance, that the best person to get
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| What action do we want our audience to
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| | a particular message across might be a
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| take after attending this conference?
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| | senior manager, rather than the chief
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| In other words, start your planning with
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| | executive. This does not matter - what
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| your meeting's overall objectives. Write
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| | does matter is that the audience gets the
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| these objectives down and ensure that
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| | message, not who they get it from.
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| everyone involved knows them - from
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| | Indeed, some large multinationals use
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| people who hand out the coffee to the
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| | actors to get important messages across,
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| speakers themselves. The answers to these
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| | rather then senior executives.Speaker
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| questions will be your mission statement
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| | preparation
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| for the meeting. You must have a clear
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| | Having selected your speakers and got
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| set of simple objectives for your meeting
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| | them to sign up to your contract, the
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| otherwise it will fail.Having set your
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| | next stage of preparation is working with
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| objectives you will need to work out how
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| | them to write their talks. Under no
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| you will achieve them. Challenge all your
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| | circumstances should you allow a speaker
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| assumptions about your proposed
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| | to do this alone. If you do, you will
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| conference. For instance:
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| | lose control over your messages and your
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| Do you actually need a conference to
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| | overall conference mission. In other
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| achieve your objectives? Will some other
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| | words, speakers are going to need to work
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| kind of meeting or even no meeting do?
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| | closely with you and accept their talks
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| Do you need one big meeting or a number
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| | being edited - even written for them. In
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| of small, more intimate ones?
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| | fact, many top company conferences use
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| Does the meeting need to be a grand
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| | scriptwriters who produce all of the
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| formal affair, or an informal
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| | talks for all of the speakers. That way
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| get-together?
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| | the delivery of key messages and the
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|
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| | conference mission is tightly controlled.
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| In other words, just because you have
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| | Of course, this does not mean your
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| been set the task of organising a
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| | speakers can have no input. Their
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| conference, does not mean you have to! If
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| | contributions are highly valuable. It
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| there is an alternative, superior method
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| | just means you need to get them to work
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| of achieving your objectives, choose that
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| | with a professional writer who can take
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| route instead. Do not opt for a
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| | their material and shape into something
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| conference just because it seems a good
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| | that fits with the overall conference
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| idea.Choose your key messages
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| | objectives. Speakers will usually only be
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| Assuming you have set your sights on a
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| | interested in their talk; hence they can
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| conference, you'll now need to work out
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| | disturb the balance of the meeting as
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| what messages you want to convey. These
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| | they are not properly focused on the
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| will arise from your mission statement.
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| | conference as a whole. Using a
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| It is worthwhile noting, though, that
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| | scriptwriter means that you can ensure
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| there is plenty of research to back up
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| | that the meeting does not become
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| the fact that your audience - no matter
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| | unbalanced in any way.Preparing audio
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| how expert - will only remember a handful
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| | visuals
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| of messages from your meeting. Typically,
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| | The scripts for each talk can be the
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| the average conference day can only
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| | basis for the preparation of visuals for
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| deliver four or five main messages.
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| | the conference. Often, speakers fall into
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| Once you have set out your key messages,
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| | the trap of preparing their slides and
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| work out the order in which these will
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| | then trying to write their talk around
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| make most sense. Try to produce a logical
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| | them. This means presentations can often
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| sequence so that one key message clearly
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| | drift and lose the attention of the
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| comes out of the previous one. This will
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| | audience as they are not tightly
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| make it much easier for your audience to
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| | controlled. By writing the words first,
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| remember the meeting. Do not put your
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| | it is possible to choose visuals that are
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| messages together in some kind of
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| | much more accurately linked to the
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| internal sequence, such as by company
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| | material being said. Also, being able to
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| department. Instead, put your messages
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| | read the text of a talk allows graphic
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| together that would be seen as logical by
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| | artists to be more creative as they know
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| the audience. If you do not know what
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| | exactly what the speaker is trying to
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| would be logical to them, you need to do
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| | convey. Never start a talk with visuals -
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| some audience research to find out.
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| | always write the text first and add the
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| Indeed, finding out as much as you can
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| | visuals later.Preparing the venue
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| about your audience is essential to any
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| | You have now reached the stage where you
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| meeting.Describe your audience
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| | have a detailed timetable of the
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| You now have a good idea as to what you
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| | programme, the words that will be said
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| want to say at your conference. But who
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| | and the visuals that will accompany them.
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| will be listening? You need a definition
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| | You now need to make sure that the
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| of your audience that will help everyone
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| | environment in which all this activity
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| involved. Your audience definition should
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| | will take place is set up to help you
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| describe a typical member of the audience
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| | achieve your mission. You will need to
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| - age, gender, job title, work interests,
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| | visit the venue a number of times to
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| personal likes and dislikes, professional
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| | prepare efficiently and effectively. You
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| qualifications etc. Together with your
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| | will need to look out for the ways in
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| conference mission statement and your key
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| | which your audience will pass through the
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| messages, your audience description will
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| | building - gain a good idea of 'foot
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| provide you with a very clear outline of
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| | flow'. Make sure the building is going to
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| your meeting. Together these three items
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| | help you achieve what you want. If
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| will tell you:
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| | modifications are needed, such as
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| What you will say
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| | barriers or signage, get them organised
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| Why you will say it
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| | now. You will also need to work out items
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| Who will be listening
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| | like seating arrangements for the
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| What they will do
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| | audience and the speakers, as well as
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|
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| | lighting, acoustics and a host of other
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| Your audience description will also
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| | 'production' factors. If you are not
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| provide your speakers with a good guide
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| | experienced in this aspect of conference
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| as to what they need to say in order to
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| | organisation, you will need the advice of
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| get their message across. Knowing who
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| | a professional conference director or a
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| they are speaking to is a tremendous
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| | conference production company. Don't make
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| boost for speakers as they can much more
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| | the mistake of getting these people in
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| accurately target their talks.You have
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| | after you have made your decisions about
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| now completed all the main parts of your
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| | the venue and your meeting. Get these
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| initial planning and your need to move on
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| | people in early; seek their advice and
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| to detailed preparation.Preparing your
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| | their input to your preparation. These
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| conference
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| | people organise many conferences and know
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| The first stage of preparation is script
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| | all the problems - and more importantly
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| writing. You need at the very least an
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| | can come up with solutions to any
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| outline script of your event. Often,
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| | difficulties you may face. If you have
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| people produce a conference programme
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| | already organised your mission statement
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| that shows the timings and the list of
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| | for the meeting and drawn up your list of
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| speakers. But this is not enough. Your
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| | key messages, a conference producer will
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| outline script needs to be much more than
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| | be so much more able to help.Practising
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| a simple programme. That's because
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| | Under no circumstances should you allow
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| everyone involved in the conference needs
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| | a conference to go ahead without
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| to know exactly what will happen, when it
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| | rehearsal. Otherwise, the event itself
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| will occur and how it will take place.
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| | will be the first rehearsal. Can you
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| Otherwise, it might not be possible to
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| | imagine seeing a play's first rehearsal?
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| ensure you meet your conference
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| | Even professional actors can improve upon
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| mission.Your script should start with the
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| | their first attempts. Yet, you are likely
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| logical order of your key messages you
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| | to be using people without such skills as
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| produced in the planning stage. Then
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| | your presenters. Hence, their first
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| allocate some timing to each message.
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| | rehearsal is almost certainly going to be
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| Generally, no key message should take
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| | quite bad, compared with the final
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| longer than 20-30 minutes to deliver; the
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| | performance. If you do not have any
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| human attention span is comparatively
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| | rehearsals, your conference will be
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| short and you'll need plenty of breaks to
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| | nothing more than a bunch of amateurs
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| keep your audience 'alive' and 'fresh'.
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| | trying to do their best, and probably
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| Also, at this stage, decide where to hold
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| | failing. You simply must rehearse;
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| your long breaks, like coffee, lunch and
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| | otherwise you will be unable to meet your
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| so on. These long breaks should always
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| | objectives.Ideally, you should rehearse
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| come in your programme at dramatic
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| | each speaker alone, several weeks in
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| points. You will want to leave your
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| | advance. Get a presentations coach to
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| audience with something powerful to talk
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| | guide them through some key improvements
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| about so make sure the key message
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| | and to help them learn some stage skills.
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| delivered before a break is
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| | If you have people who are new to
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| controversial, emotional or surprising in
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| | speaking at conferences, get them some
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| some way. This will keep your audience on
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| | basic training. Then, get your speakers
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| their toes and wanting to come back into
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| | together so they can perform a 'run
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| the room for more. This means you may
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| | through'. In this way, everyone will know
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| well need to arrange breaks at unusual
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| | what will take place and the order of the
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| timings - don't opt for coffee at 11am,
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| | event. They will also get a 'feel' for
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| for instance, because that is 'normal'.
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| | the detailed timetable. These kinds of
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| Instead, put coffee immediately after a
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| | rehearsals can be in any large room - a
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| controversial message, even if it means
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| | hotel, a village hall, it doesn't really
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| breaking for coffee at 10.30 or 11.30. In
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| | matter. However, you will also want your
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| other words, shape your meeting around
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| | speakers to feel comfortable with the
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| the messages, not tradition. By arranging
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| | venue, so you will need them to run
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| your timing in this way, you will be
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| | through their talks on the actual stage
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| helping to ensure the maximum impact of
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| | they will be using. Do this a week or two
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| your key messages and therefore
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| | in advance, so they can go away and think
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| supporting your conference mission.
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| | about any changes in delivery they need
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| Your conference script can now have some
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| | to make and get a chance to practice
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| detail added to it. For instance, you can
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| | them. Finally, the day before the
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| now put some specific times onto your
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| | conference you should have a full 'dress
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| programme. These would include the length
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| | rehearsal' - lights, cameras, visuals
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| of each presentation, the length of each
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| | etc. Only then will your conference
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| link between talks and the timing of any
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| | mission be achievable. To do any less is
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| music, video or other multimedia you are
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| | to accept second best.Guiding your
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| planning to include. In other words, your
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| | helpers
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| conference script that determines how
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| | Throughout the conference planning and
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| long a video or a presentation will be -
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| | organising process you will doubtless
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| not the items that determine the
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| | have a team of assistants, from admin to
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| programme timing. Essentially, you are
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| | graphic artists to people who hand out
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| working much like a TV producer; these
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| | the badges to the audience. All of these
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| people have fixed times available to them
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| | people should know what is happening at
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| - 30 minutes, 50 minutes, an hour. What
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| | every stage of the process. For this
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| they have to do is fit all the music, the
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| | reason you should produce a complete
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| dialogue and any breaks into that time -
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| | guide to the conference - a manual for
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| no less and no more. That's what a
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| | the team involved. This should show all
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| professional conference script will be
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| | the detailed times, include important
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| like - detailed timings of every item to
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| | information about the venue, the hotels
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| be included. Far too many conferences
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| | being used and so on. Make sure all the
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| decide what to include and then try to
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| | important contact information is included
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| work the timings out afterwards.Choosing
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| | and instructions are added as to what to
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| your speakers
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| | do in all sorts of eventualities. This
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| Your preparation can now move on to
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| | manual will be the 'bible' which every
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| deciding whom you should use as speakers.
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| | 'back stage' participant will need to use
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| You will realise that you have done a
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| | to ensure the event runs smoothly. In the
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| great deal of work already, and that the
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| | professional theatre, such manuals are an
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| speakers will have to fit in with your
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| | established means of ensuring the
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| plans if the conference is to be a
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| | production runs smoothly. Initially
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| success. You do not need prima donnas who
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| | developed by the producer, these manuals
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| say they need an hour to give their talk
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| | eventually become the stage manager's
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| when your script only allows 20 minutes.
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| | rulebook for running the show. Your
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| Nobody, absolutely nobody, is more
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| | manual should do just the same.On the day
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| important than your audience. Hence, the
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| | Firstly, don't worry. Secondly, don't
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| script that has been prepared from their
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| | panic. If you have done all the planning
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| point of view is virtually sacrosanct.
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| | and preparation thoroughly, any
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| Speakers will need to be the kind of
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| | difficulties at this stage will be minor.
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| people who will fit in with your
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| | Whatever happens 'the show must go on'.
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| requirements; you cannot allow yourself
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| | So, sit back and enjoy watching the
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| to fit your programme around the
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| | audience have a good time. If you have
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| speakers. Otherwise, you will fail to
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| | planned it effectively, they will. Well
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| meet your conference mission. To ensure
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| | done.Graham Jones runs The Presentation
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| that you get the right speakers, prepare
| |
| | Business at to help you make great
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| yourself a 'Speaker's Contract'. This is
| |
| | presentations and run magnificent
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| a list of requirements that you have of
| |
| | meetings.
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| your speakers. When you invite someone to
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| |
|
