https://unsplash.com/@mikael_k
I recently spoke on a panel for a room of 50 people. While this wasn’t my first time presenting to such a large group, it did serve to clarify something for me that past presentations had not.
Hopefully my talk was memorable for the attendees. However, as the presenter, the only people who were memorable to me are:
the attendees who asked good questions during the Q & A, and
the attendees who introduced themselves to me afterwards and told me something unique about themselves.
Now, since I am more often an attendee at an event rather than the one presenting, I found this realization fascinating. As an attendee at events like this in the past, I would always try to come up with a good question but would usually talk myself out of asking it. And more recently I would introduce myself to the presenter, but feeling a little overwhelmed by her fame and accomplishments, I would usually just thank her for her talk instead of volunteering something interesting about myself—something by which the presenter could remember me.
Being on the other side of the table, I now see what it takes to become a memorable attendee at a large event. If you’re interested in forming lasting and real connections with someone presenting at a book talk, on a conference panel or with the CEO of your company at a large town hall, consider first asking a thoughtful question, and then (even if you don’t have a question or don’t want to ask it in front of everyone), go introduce yourself afterwards. Thank the presenter but then make sure you add something to her experience at the event. Tell her why the talk resonated with you using some personal details or a story. If you just say, “your talk was informative,” unfortunately, while true, it’s not going to make her remember you. Instead, tell her what was new information for you, how her approach changed how you were thinking about the subject, or what your experience with the subject has been.
For the attendees who told me about their personal connections to my talk, I remember their names and their faces. And our conversations easily facilitated a business card exchange for keeping in touch. For those attendees who simply thanked me, I appreciated it in the moment, but really I remember only a blur of handshakes—no names or faces registered, no business cards exchanged.
What’s your experience been remembering attendees during presentations you’ve given? As an attendee, how do you make yourself memorable for the presenter? Share with us in the comments below.