The importance of taking some time before you start your event

The importance of taking some time before you start your event 

I thought I’d talk to you today about the importance of creating space for yourself as a speaker, and some practical tips on how you can do this. 

First things first 

At MyOhMy Events, we try to keep our delegates outside in the tea and coffee area until we’re ready to take them into the room with us. Unknown to the delegates, the reason for this is to create space for you as a speaker to collect your thoughts, as well as give you time to correct any of those slides that you urgently need to amend.  

There’s nothing worse than knowing that you’ve got a spelling mistake on a slide that you must correct, but everybody keeps coming into the room and talking to you. So it gives you a little bit of time and space to get everything in order before you begin. 

 A clear beginning 

Having an additional space allows you to decide when you are ready you invite people into your space and it gives it a very definite start to the session itself. 

Sometimes it can be quite hard if people are drifting in and seating themselves and having a chat and getting to know each other, which is great for community and relationship, but in terms of then having to stop those relationships and start the event, it can be a little awkward. There are ways to manage this. 

Start when you’re ready 

Make sure you position yourself in such a way that says I’m preparing, I’m getting myself ready, I’ll call you when we’re ready to start the session.  

Creating space 

If you can’t have a separate room or a space where a tea and coffee reception is down the hall, why not try to separate the room you’ve got? Have all the tea and coffee at one end and make it quite clear with whoever’s helping you or receiving your guests, that you’d like them to create a barrier and encourage delegates not to take their seats until you as the speaker, are ready to receive them. 

This creates delineation, it makes it quite clear when you have started the event and when you are ready to begin, but also gives you that space I mentioned for any last minute activities.  

 Your presence 

You can get yourself into the right mindset and be ready before you actually hit go and start meeting delegates. When you do meet your guests for the first time, you can be full of energy, you can feel well prepared and you’re set and ready to start.  

Elevating you as a speaker, in a position of expertise gives you that level of authority.  

Behind the scenes 

Managing the physical space gives you mindset space and head space, and gives you time for those last minute preps and tweaks without distractions or interruption. This method also gives the event a very clear start time and closing, leaving the lasting impression of a streamlined and well organised session.