2024 Toward Zero Deaths Conference: Resources for Speakers

Preparing the Presentation

• What type of presentation are you doing? What’s your goal?
  • Call to action
  • Inform
  • Convince
• Three Keys
  • Know your audience
  • Know your focus
  • Know your approach
• Be comfortable with your content
  • If using a script—learn key words
  • If using notes—prepare notes using your words (practice out loud)

Doing the Presentation

• Beginning the presentation: Set the stage/create an introduction for your presentation
  • Define the topic
  • Lay out the agenda
  • Define any ground rules
  • Grab their attention
• During the presentation
  • Make eye contact (when possible)
  • Gear your voice to the back of the room (Always use a mike when there is one available. You may think you speak loud enough, but your voice will diminish over the course of the presentation.)
  • Don’t turn your back on the audience
  • Don’t pull out your phone or check your watch for time. Keep your phone/watch next to your notes or somewhere that you can see it. Moderators will notify you if you are getting close to your time limit.
• Ending the presentation
  • Summarize your key points
  • Ask for an action (if appropriate)
  • Provide an anecdote or short story (e.g., an example that may resonate with the audience or bring your point home)

Why Do Some Presentations Fall Flat?

• They're too long. (Be sure to leave some time for questions/audience interaction. Leave them with “food for thought.”)
• They're too broad. (Focus on a few main messages that will make your point/tell your story.)
• They include too much information. (Decide what the key points are to be sure the audience stays focused on what’s important.)
• They have no set goals. (Return to the tips above!)

• Laptops are provided and will be set up in each room. Speakers must use the laptop provided by the conference. We cannot support personal/work computers.
• Please bring your final PPT presentation on a flash drive and upload it to the room laptop prior to the presentation. (NOTE: We also recommend that you email yourself a copy as a back up “just in case.”) 
• If you have a video, please embed it in the PPT or have it on a separate file.
• Check into your room 15 minutes prior to your session. Your room moderator will help you get set up and/or can locate your AV technician if needed.
• If your room moderator is not in the room and you need assistance, please contact Christy Dehn at 612-581-2634.
• There will be a handheld microphone available in each room. Even if you are a loud speaker, we request that you use the microphone while speaking.
• Please bring a flash drive with your final PPT presentation when you check in at the speaker/moderator check-in location. TZD conference staff will upload your presentation and add a PDF version to the TZD Conference web page. If you do not want the presentation to be available on the TZD website, please disregard this step. (NOTE: You will still need to upload your presentation to the laptop in your concurrent session room.) 

Before the Session

• Pick up your moderator packet at the conference registration table.
• Check with speakers regarding name pronunciation, special needs, or questions.
• Make sure the speakers’ audio-visual equipment is working. An AV technician is available to problem-solve.
• Familiarize yourself with the layout of the room, light switches, microphones, etc.
• Let speakers know about the order of the presentations and time limits.
• IMPORTANT: Make sure the speakers have added their PowerPoint presentations to the “conference folder” on the desktop of the laptop in the room. The filename should include the session number and their last name.

During the Session

• Introduce yourself at the beginning of the session.
• Start and end the session on time.
• State the name of the session name and number, and say why the topic is important to the audience.
• Briefly introduce each speaker, talking about their qualifications (see bio sheets; shorten if needed.) 
• Signal the speakers at 2 minutes before their time is up. If speakers run beyond the allotted time, you should remind the speaker that we need to move to the next presenter.
• Question and Answer
  • We suggest that Q&A is held after all speakers have spoken, but you can be flexible.
  • At the beginning of Q&A, ask the audience to scan the QR code on the back cover of the program for the evaluation survey, remind them of the session number, and ask them to complete the survey during Q&A.
  • Repeat the question in the microphone so all audience members can hear the question.
  • Alert the speaker(s) and participants when there is time for one more question.

At the End of the Session

• Thank each of the speakers and lead the applause if appropriate.
• Remind attendees to complete their evaluation.
• Thank the audience for attending.