Why training your nonprofessional presenters can dramatically improve the quality, energy and brand impact of your event
If you manage corporate or association events, there is one important truth that is easy to overlook. Your professional keynote speakers may open and close the event, but the quality of your industry speakers, staff presenters and internal experts is equally important to the overall attendee experience.
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Why Nonprofessional Presenters Matter to Event Success
These nonprofessional presenters are often an essential part of the on-stage strategy. They may be sharing important technical content, organisational updates, industry insights or customer stories. The challenge is that subject matter expertise does not automatically translate into presentation expertise.
Subject Matter Expertise Does Not Equal Presentation Expertise
As one of the top innovation keynote speakers and future trends speakers, I have seen this happen many times. A great professional speaker can open an event with tremendous energy, only to have that energy collapse when the next presenter is poorly prepared, overloaded with slides or unsure how to communicate effectively from the stage.
Why Professional Presentation Training Is Worth the Investment
The good news is that this problem is highly preventable. Professional presentation training for nonprofessional speakers is typically inexpensive compared with the overall cost of an event, yet it can have a significant impact on quality and attendee satisfaction.
For example, LearnLogic at mylearnlogic.com provides the Certified Impactful Communicator® training programme, designed to help team members become more confident, engaging and effective presenters. The objective is not to turn every employee into a professional keynote speaker. It is to give them the practical tools needed to deliver their content in a way that protects the energy and quality of the event.
What Effective Presentation Training Should Teach
A strong training programme should teach presenters how to open with confidence, how to architect slides that avoid “death by PowerPoint” and how to structure the three acts of a presentation.
Those three acts include the opening act, the main act and the closing act. Each serves a specific role in helping the audience follow, understand and remember the message.
Building Confidence, Engagement and On-Stage Presence
Training should also include how to use presentation technology, how to manage on-stage presence and how to avoid the common mistakes that undermine otherwise valuable content.
Small improvements in pacing, slide design, storytelling and delivery can completely change the way the audience experiences a presentation.
Protecting Your Event’s Overall Quality and Brand Experience
Meeting and event planners spend significant time and money securing great venues, production teams and professional keynote speakers. It makes sense to protect that investment by helping every person who steps onto the stage perform at a higher level.
Every Presenter Contributes to the Event Experience
A great event is not defined by one speaker. It is defined by the total experience. When every presenter is prepared to contribute to that experience, the entire event becomes stronger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is presentation training important for nonprofessional speakers?
Presentation training helps subject matter experts, employees and industry professionals communicate their knowledge with greater confidence, clarity and engagement. It can also help maintain the quality and energy of the overall event.
What is the difference between a keynote speaker and a subject matter expert?
A keynote speaker is typically experienced in engaging an audience and delivering a compelling message, while a subject matter expert primarily brings specialised knowledge and expertise. Presentation training can help subject matter experts communicate their knowledge more effectively.
How early should presenters receive training before an event?
Ideally, presenters should receive training well before the event so they have enough time to apply the techniques, refine their presentations and practise their delivery.
