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So you’ve secured yourself an opportunity to speak at a conference, but how can you ensure that you make the most of your participation?

Follow my top five tips to make sure you make the right impression on the day:

1. Be Prepared

There’s nothing like being ahead of the game and doing your homework when it comes to delivering a conference session.

The first question to ask yourself is – who is going to be in the audience? Before you even start formulating your presentation you need to know the level of attendees you will be addressing. Will there be senior executives present, or more hands-on managers, or is it a technical audience? Will they be well-versed in the subject you are wanting to discuss, or will you have to go back to basics?

It’s worth asking the conference producer for a clear profile of who they expect to attend – if the event has happened before they may be happy to send you a list of participants.

Networking is a key element of any speaking opportunity, so get your business cards ordered well in advance. It’s also worth making sure that your social media profiles are up to date – these days people will Google you to see if it is worthwhile coming to your session.

2. Don’t do a Hit and Run

It always seems a shame when you see speakers arrive five minutes before their speaker slot, then hurry out the minute the next speaker comes on. There are often people keen to catch up with speakers during the networking breaks, considered by many as the most valuable part of the day. If your diary allows, plan to arrive at the start of the day and stay until the end.

Have those business cards handy, and, if you have interesting conversations, it’s worth making quick notes on any you’ve received in return. It will make any follow ups in the coming days a lot easier if you can remember who’s who.

As a speaker you may find the organiser is happy to send you a list of the delegates booked on to the event too. This will be helpful in identifying who you want to target and don’t forget to ask the organiser to introduce you to anyone of particular interest.

3. Practice Makes Perfect

Much as we’d all love to be able to stand up in front of a room of people and coherently talk for 45 minutes off the cuff, the fact of the matter is that public speaking is easier if you know your presentation inside out.

Leave enough time to practice at least half a dozen times before your get on the stage.

If you have the time and budget, invest in a public speaking course. We have worked for years with Margaret Thatcher’s old communications director who runs fantastic speaking courses that really make a difference.

4. Let People Know you are Coming

These days it’s easier to create a buzz before the event itself. Talk about your participation on your website, on twitter, Linkedin and Facebook. Make sure your sales prospects know you are speaking so they can come and see you – this also helps to establish your credibility in their minds.

Engage with the conference organiser’s marketing and communications plan too to help amplify the fact you will be speaking.

5. Get the Logistics Right

What kind of AV requirements will you need for your session? Are you going to stick to PowerPoint, or are you hoping to bring video clips into the presentation?

Whatever you’re planning, make sure that the conference company’s operations team (usually the person dealing with speaker liaison in the run up to the event rather than the producer who recruited you) is aware of any AV requirements. Surprises on the day can lead to red faces all round when things don’t run as smoothly as they should.

On the subject of keeping the organisers updated, it is worth making sure that you meet any deadlines they set, such as sending your biography and a high res photo and company logo. Don’t forget that they are working to a print deadline, so if you want to be featured in the brochure, it’s worth getting in quickly!

It sounds obvious, but it’s definitely worth double checking the venue address and if necessary your hotel and travel booking. And, to make sure you are where the action is, do stay at the hotel where the conference is taking place if you need to stay over.

There are my top five tips, but we’d love to hear others’ experiences. Please share your best practice tips for making the most of speaking opportunities in the comments below.