How to Stand Out in a Speaker Lineup

Sometimes you are one speaker in a series. You might be part of a panel presentation, or simply deliver a standalone presentation—one among many in a meeting or at an event, sometimes without interruption. Regardless, you face the dual challenge of standing out (being memorable) and fitting in (relating to the presentations before and after you).

To meet both challenges, start by getting copies of other speakers’ presentations (their PowerPoint slides, if appropriate) before hand. You want to ensure that you don’t duplicate what others say, which will annoy your audience. 

You can also defer to those speakers more knowledgeable about topics than you are by virtue of their title and/or experience. In other words, cover only that material where you can claim specialized knowledge and avoid repeating what has already been said. Better still, refer to specific speakers by name to help create an integrated program (as opposed to a series of disconnected presentations).  Both your fellow speakers and audience will thank you! you are one speaker in a series. You might be part of a panel presentation, or simply deliver a standalone presentation—one among many in a meeting or at an event, sometimes without interruption. Regardless, you face the dual challenge of standing out (being memorable) and fitting in (relating to the presentations before and after you).

To meet both challenges, start by getting copies of other speakers’ presentations (their PowerPoint slides, if appropriate) before hand. You want to ensure that you don’t duplicate what others say, which will annoy your audience. 

You can also defer to those speakers more knowledgeable about topics than you are by virtue of their title and/or experience. In other words, cover only that material where you can claim specialized knowledge and avoid repeating what has already been said. Better still, refer to specific speakers by name to help create an integrated program (as opposed to a series of disconnected presentations).  Both your fellow speakers and audience will thank you!