134: How I Prepare for In-Person Speaking Engagements

Free Time with Jenny Blake

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134: How I Prepare for In-Person Speaking Engagements

❤️ Jenny Blake

Oct 07, 2022

My heart was thumping out of my chest as I sat at the front of the room for my first paid, in-person speaking engagement since February 2020—two and a half long years ago. Could I still do this? What if the content doesn’t resonate? I hope this goes well so it can help generate future work!

I’m grateful to share that the event was a smashing success—with enormous thanks to my cohost, who brought me in. Today I’m sharing the strategies that help me prepare for high-stakes speaking engagements like this one.

🌟3 Key Takeaways

Keep your slide deck in Google Slides, so they are easily accessible from any computer.
When (abundantly!) pricing speaking engagements, include all travel expenses and one pre-event strategy session so that you minimize logistical back-and-forth.
Make sure to ask for post-session participant feedback from the organizer to help you improve for future sessions (if they don’t already have a survey, create one).

📝Permission

Not to prepare too far in advance. Trust yourself to receive what would be most beneficial for this particular group, at this particular moment in time, once it’s closer to the event.

✅Do (or Delegate) This Next

If you are part of a larger event and you’re not the kick-off keynote, ask to attend any/all sessions on that same day to help you weave key themes, stories, and language from that organization into your session.