Preparing for your session
Looking for tips and guidelines to get ready for your Guild conference session? Check out these answers to some commonly asked presenter questions:
- What should I know about the audience for Guild events?
- What do I need to do before creating my presentation?
- What kind of presentation do people expect?
- Should I create additional resources?
- I’m doing a BYOL session. Is there anything else I need to keep in mind?
- How many people can I expect at my session?
- I have additional questions. Who can I reach out to?
What should I know about the audience for Guild events?
Most attendees are training professionals looking for practical information they can use when they return to work. Here’s what they tend to look for:
- Presenters who are conversational, to the point, and focused on their needs
- Sessions targeting more practical application than theory
- Examples and demonstrations of the concepts, tools, and techniques being shared
What do I need to do before creating my presentation?
The description is critical. It’s one of the main ways that people decide which session to attend. You’ll want to make sure the session you create fully matches the details of the description we have posted.
Be sure to review your session description once it’s posted on the conference website. This can serve as a refresher on the talking points you’ve committed to, and you can ensure that the description still matches your goals for the session after any edits that have been made to align the description with Guild standards.
Want to request minor edits to your session?
- Copy and paste your session description from the website to a Word doc
- Turn on “track changes” and make your edits
- Send the edited Word file to Juli Balding
What kind of presentation do people expect?
People prefer sessions that go beyond a passive lecture. We recommend presenters add thoughtful interactivity and audience participation to their talk. This can happen in a number of ways, including audience questions, discussions, exercises, working through case studies in small groups, polls, and games.
Be creative, use your imagination, and make your session one that YOU would want to attend!
Should I create additional resources?
While not required, you might also want to consider creating practical resource materials for your audience to enhance their experience and help them use your content when they return back to work. These materials can be for use during the presentation or for attendees to review afterward.
Examples:
- A short summary of the key points from your presentation
- Checklists and/or action plans
- Job aids or tools
- A list of recommended websites, articles, books, media, and more on your topic
NOTE: Your session presentation and any supplemental materials should not include promotional material of any kind.
I’m doing a BYOL session. Is there anything else I need to keep in mind?
People attending your session will decide what to bring based on the “Technology required” section of your description, so be sure this information covers everything they need.
We tend to notice that pre-work for sessions isn’t consistently done. Because of this, we recommend pre-work not be a required component of your BYOL session.
Finally, since people are learning a new skill, tool, or approach in your session, it can be helpful to provide resources for continuing to practice those skills after they leave.
How many people can I expect at my session?
About a month before the event, we survey the registered attendees to find out which sessions they think they’ll attend. We’ll then email you your projected number of attendees in the week or two before the event.
I have additional questions. Who should I reach out to?
We want your session to be a success and will help you in any way we can. If you need any additional assistance getting ready for your talk, feel free to reach out to David, Mark, or Bianca by emailing programs@eLearningGuild.com.
