We are one day away from our flagship event, The Professional Speakers Summit 2023. Here are some essential tips on what you can do today to make the most of our 2-Day event.
Warning: This is a long read, and I urge you to read it carefully as it contains essential information.
THINGS TO DO ONE DAY BEFORE THE SUMMIT
Write Your Speaking Goals : Before attending the Professional Speakers Summit is an excellent time to write down your big speaking goals. Write down your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goals). Why is it important? Because having clarity of the goals will help you eke out the best out of the summit. Go ahead. Write down your goals for your speaking career.
List Down the Questions You Seek Answers for : This is an extension of the previous point. Having clarity of your big goals will also highlight the areas where you are lacking and problems that are holding you back from achieving your goals. Write down all the questions. There will be 100+ professional speakers at the Summit and am sure there are people more experienced than you who will have answers to your questions.
Comb Through the Schedule : The final agenda has been published at https://events.psai.in/PSS2023#/agenda?lang=en . We have successful global speakers and Indian speakers with global experience. Here’s a tip. Going through the summit agenda will help you handpick the specific topics that will help you the most in achieving your speaking goals.
Pick Your Master Classes : Please note that the masterclasses are parallel sessions. There will be three masterclasses that will happen at the same time. This means that if you pick one, you cannot physically be in the other two. So, pick the master class that speaks to you. Go through the schedule and identify in advance which ones you want to attend.
Warning. Masterclasses have Limited Seats : The three concurrent masterclasses will happen in three smaller rooms. Each room only has limited seats. Entry is only on first come first served basis. If a master class has reached full capacity, we will shut and lock the door. No exceptions. Last time, we turned away other speakers and sponsors. So, please be punctual and early.
Divide and Conquer : Breakout master class sessions mean you have to make a choice. By choosing one session, you will have to miss out the other two. You can overcome this problem by creating a buddy system with a friend. While you attend one session, your friend attends the other. Both of you take notes and fill each other up in the evening. Works like a charm.
Google the Speakers : Understanding the profile of the speakers will significantly help you in picking the sessions you want to attend at this summit. You can find the profiles of all the speakers at https://events.psai.in/PSS2023#/speakers?lang=en The speakers have been handpicked for their expertise and experience. They bring a lot of value to our event. Please google and learn about them. Watch their talks on YouTube. Send out a note to them that you are eager to attend their sessions. Trust me, it’ll make them happy, and it will help you make a good connection when you meet them in person.
Follow the Speakers on Social Media : Now that you know which topics you plan to attend, it is a good idea to understand what the speakers are like. Most speakers are on Instagram, Twitter and Linkedin. Follow them.
Polish Your Elevator Pitch : We will have a lot of professionals passionate about speaking and training. Most of them will be new to you and you want to make sure you make a good first impression. When the person you meet asks you, ‘So, what do you do?’, you don’t want to ummm and errrr. You want to describe yourself with crisp clarity that makes a powerful impact. Practice your introduction. You’ll be making tons of them throughout the two days.
Get Your Business Cards : You will be doing some serious networking, and you will need lots. So, bring sufficient business cards. I encourage you to print business cards that project you as a professional speaker. If you don’t have one, you still have time to have one designed and printed.
Write down your speaking topics : In the badge, you get at the summit, jot down the topics you speak on. This will be an excellent icebreaker and a conversation starter. When you meet others, look at their badges. You’ll find interesting people specializing in interesting topics.
Offer to Volunteer : Pulling off an event like the #PSS2020 is no joke. Every single organizer is a professional speaker. All organizers have volunteered their time and effort for this event. This is a true community event. This is our event. So, please help out. If you find a problem or a glitch at the summit, proactively reach out and help. It is an excellent way to bond with people and goes very well with the spirit of the community.
Update your Website & Social Media : Once you have met people, many will want to learn more about you and your speaking topics. You don’t want them to visit your website that has broken links or social media that has not been updated in a long time. Stay current. Summits are a perfect excuse to do digital spring cleaning.
Bring Your Books : If you have authored books, please bring sufficient copies to the summit. You can gift this to select people in the conference whom you want to make a good connection with. I strongly feel that books are a powerful business card. You can also display it at the special bookshelf for a small fee.
What other tips would you like to share to help us make the most of PSS2023? Please add your advice in the comments. I look forward to meeting all of you at the event.
