BIP Winter 2024

Voices

How to shine as an event speaker Here’s how to polish your public speaking skills for live business events. By Cerrina Jensen

chanics of a microphone and the way it amplifies sound is im mensely helpful for anyone who intends to use it. Test it out, make sure it’s in the right spot (6-8 inches from your mouth for handheld, 8-12 inches for lapel and 3-4 inches for podium), and that you know how to talk into it without sounding like a creepy crank caller, or a sputter ing novice. Observe others and take mental notes about what works well and what doesn’t. I think the whole dress code thing is out the window. I have been riveted by keynotes delivered in jeans and a flan nel. But whatever you choose to wear, make sure it works for the venue and use a mirror to ensure everything is where it should be before you hit the stage. No matter your size, gender or style, you’ll want to feel comfortable and beauti ful during your presentation. Do yourself a solid, and don’t choose something ill-fitting, itchy or unflattering. Lastly, and this one is a biggie; please follow the given instructions. As someone who has been deeply involved in event planning, I find it really difficult to work around speak ers who don’t properly prepare for what they’ve been invited to do on stage. Please do not be that person.

COVID will always be a tragic and bizarre worldwide nightmare, but it did impart many silver linings. For one, we learned just how vital face-to-face human-to-human connection is for (most) everyone. We are hardwired to crave community, relatability and a sense of belonging. The business conference industry is back in full swing, and professionals from all sectors travel to learn, present and mingle. While the virtual meeting and event space is here to stay, it has become a far cry from live and in-person op portunities to connect. Thank goodness, those virtual-only events we were all forced to endure continue to fade away as distant memories. And that brings me to my primary point. Some of us have gotten a little rusty in the art of professional networking and public speaking. So, the bossy wannabe schoolteacher in me is here to sprinkle a few remind ers to help us all — including myself — put our best (well

Cerrina Jensen is an employee benefits advisor at Solv Independent Insurance Associates in Sacramento, California, and former National Member Recognition chair of NABIP. dressed) foot forward when among our colleagues. Nail your next event First and foremost, if you are speaking at an event, be it a small mixer in your town or a huge expo with hundreds or thousands of attendees, please do your homework beforehand. Know your audience, and learn to pronounce names before you’re on the mic. Doing it at the moment is never a good look and probably doesn’t feel great for the person whose name you’re stumbling over. Speaking of hot mics, another friendly reminder is to understand how they work. Knowledge of the basic me

Have fun, and never take yourself too seriously. “ ”

22 bip magazine Winter 2024