Introducing Linda’s Career Tidbits, a new series where I answer frequent career questions I’m asked. While these pieces may not be strictly focused on technical writing or technical communication careers, they would be generally helpful. If you have any of such questions you’d like to have me answer, reach out.

Before you can give a talk on any stage, you most likely have to pitch your talk and get it accepted into a program first. I’ve written an article on how to come up with impressive talk pitches for your ideas.

Once your talk is accepted, the next step is preparation.  Here are my go-to public speaking tips to make your presentation a success:

Follow a public-speaking presentation structure:

A presentation structure helps set audience expectations, keeps you focused, and makes it easier for both you and your audience to remember key points. It also helps you streamline your thoughts during the drafting stage.

I default to a variety of structures, depending on the kind of presentation I’m giving. My general go-to structure is:

1. State the goal or point of the talk.
2. Share a relatable story that highlights why this point is important for your audience.
3. Present the solution or opportunity or learning.
4. Share a relatable story that demonstrates the solution’s/learning value for your audience.
5. Recap and offer next steps or a call to action (CTA).

Other useful structures for when you’re pitching or talking about a solution:

1. What is the big problem we’re facing
2. What is the pain this problem is causing for you and your audience
3. What are some failed solutions that have been applied to fix this problem
4. What is your solution and what success have you seen with the solution?
5. What are the next steps?

Research your audience:

Understand their culture, norms, and preferences so you can tailor jokes, references, and examples to that particular audience. For instance, I usually reference a scene from the Jason Statham Bee Keeper movie to explain how social engineering works. This reference has been well received for my talks in the U.S., but recently at a talk in Croatia, the reference wasn’t well understood because the movie hadn’t shown there. I should not have assumed.

Fewer slides, More Talking:

Use visuals as much as possible on your slides, and avoid bulk texts and bullet point after bullet point.

Practice thoroughly:

Rehearse in conditions similar to the actual event—stand, move around, use gestures, and practice in front of friends. If possible, arrive early to practice on the real stage. Record yourself to review and refine your delivery. Improvement comes through repetition, reflection, and feedback.

Avoid rigid memorization:

Memorizing a script can backfire if you lose your place under pressure. Instead, practice sections individually and mix up the order. For example,

Practice 1: Beginning -> Middle -> End.

Practice 2: Middle -> Beginning -> End.

Practice 3: End -> Beginning -> Middle.

This helps you adapt if needed.

If you lose your thoughts, don’t fret:

If you lose your train of thought, repeat your last point to get back on track or ask the audience a reflective question to buy yourself a moment to regroup.

Engage your audience:

Use pauses, questions, and mental exercises to keep them involved.

Warm up your voice:

Just like warming up a car after it’s been idle, warm up your voice before taking the stage with exercises like tongue twisters.

For more on the topic of giving engaging presentations, here’s one of my favourite resources on public speaking: NoFreakingSpeaking

P.S. I'm writing a book for Developer Relations Individual Contributors that will feature more communication tips like this. Subscribe to the newsletter below to stay up to date and be the first to know when it is published, as well as to be eligible for a free copy.