Public Speakers: Here’s Why Attendees Are Leaving Your Session

Yes, I’m a public speaker, but I’m also an attendee. I truly enjoy sitting in on classes about writing, marketing, publishing, entrepreneurship, and self-care. I’ve learned a few things as a speaker, but I think I’ve learned more as an attendee. If you have people walking out of your session, here are some reasons why:

1. No one can hear you.
   If you have a monotone voice, speak up—even with a mike. Just because you have a mike in front of your lips doesn’t mean you’re projecting your voice enough for someone to hear you. Recently, I attended a class that was packed full of outstanding information. But I literally had to strain my neck, attempt to read his lips, and ask my friend, “What did he say?” throughout the session. And he had a mike!
   Quick Tip: For my quieter speakers out there, if you think you’re yelling, you’re not. Practice in front of your peers, and they’ll tell you if you need to amp up the volume.
2. The tech problems are annoying everyone.
   Some attendees are patient and understanding. Some aren’t. If you’re taking too long to get that HDMI cord to fit into the adapter, they’ll either leave your session to go to another one or they’ll grab their phone and start scrolling through the ’gram.
   Quick Tip: Prepare for tech problems ahead of time. Just go ahead and assume they’re going to happen. When I present, I have HDMI, VGA, and USB adapters, laptop and phone chargers, and my slides saved on a USB just in case.
3. Your session’s content doesn’t match the session title on the program sheet.
   I hear this often at large conferences that have several classes going on simultaneously: “I thought the class was about something else, so I left.” If you’re presenting a class on a specific topic, ensure the session title and session description match perfectly with the content you’re going to produce.
   Quick Tip: If you’re not sure how accurate your session title/description is, post it in relevant Facebook groups and get an opinion using the poll feature.
4. Other attendees have taken over the class, and now people are ticked.
   I have one (sometimes more than one) in every single class I teach. It never fails: An attendee will not shut up and wants to be the star. In fact, having attendees like this is so consistent that I’ve taught myself how to redirect the conversation so he or she doesn’t steamroll the class. If you have an attendee who takes too long to get to the point when asking a question or is the only one asking questions, then here are some phrases you can use:
   — “After the class, come and find me and we’ll talk about that.”
   — “Let me get a question from someone who hasn’t asked one yet.”
   — “Great question, but due to time’s sake, I’m going to hold off on that one so we can continue on with our slides.”
   Quick Tip: Sometimes you will have to politely interrupt an attendee and use finesse to ease back into the topic at hand. If you aren’t keeping the class focused and you’re allowing an attendee to take over, people will get ticked off and they’ll walk out. So handle it, dude.
5. You’re boring.
   Okay, now, hold on. Hear me out. If you want to keep a class’s attention, here’s what you need to do:
   —Move around. You aren’t a statue.
   —Tell a joke once in a while.
   —Interact! Ask them questions.
   —Look up, for Pete’s sake. Stop staring at your notes.
   Quick Tip: I understand that a lot of this comes down to one’s personality, but I also believe self-awareness can help a speaker become more interesting. If you’re aware that your eyes are glued to your notes, then memorize important parts so you can stop looking at them.
6. You don’t know your material. At all.
   Attendees can tell if you don’t know what you’re talking about. Do your research. Practice your presentation. Check your facts online. Admit it if you don’t know the answer to a question instead of making up one.
   Quick Tip: Just know what on earth you’re talking about, and you’ll be good to go.
7. Someone will not stop whisper-yelling to their friend, and it’s distracting.
   Several times in my years of teaching a class, I’ve had to stop talking entirely and wait for the attendees to finish their conversation and realize that they’re the only ones talking. I’ve seen attendees who are quietly and politely listening to my class get royally peeved because of other attendees who are having their own conversation. (Fact: It isn’t the younger generation who does this to me.)
   Quick Tip: Nip it in the bud immediately. Here’s how:
   — Interrupt their conversation and say, “I’m sorry, did you have a question?”
   — Stop talking and wait as in the example above. If they’re going to act like children, then so be it.
   — When an attendee is asking a question, but other attendees won’t hush it, I always speak up very loudly and say, “What was your question? I can’t hear you. Will you repeat it?”

Final Tips for My Speaker Friends:

1. Provide a PDF of your slides that attendees can download from your website.
2. Check your handouts. Are they legible? Because 8-point font is not okay.
3. Bring your book and swag. You might have a table set up somewhere showing off your swag, but bring that stuff to the actual class session. Don’t forget your credit card reader so people can buy stuff right after the class is over. They won’t always come find you at your table, so strike while the iron is hot.
4. Give people time to see your slides. As an attendee, I take notes even if a PDF of the slides will be available. I do it to retain knowledge. If you’re zooming through your slides, I’m going to get annoyed. Give me time to take notes.
5. Add a “Live tweet this session!” with your Twitter handle on the first slide. This gives you an opportunity to reach out to potential clients/readers/customers too.
6. Show the audience how to contact you at the end of the slides. Also show them any services you offer.
7. Wear something nice. I’ve seen women wear such uber-revealing clothing that no one is paying attention to the awesome knowledge she’s spouting because they’re so distracted. And don’t think women are the only ones who are guilty. I’ve also seen a male speaker wear pants so tight that there was nothing—and I mean, nothing—left to the imagination. If you want the class to soak up your knowledge, then don’t give them a reason to go into La La Land. Oof.
8. Watch your time. Set a timer on your phone. You’ll thank me later.
9. Turn off your phone! Goodness gracious. Yes, I’ve attended classes where the speaker’s phone has sounded in the middle of his session.
10. Mention how you’re handling Q&A ahead of time. Will you take questions at the end or during the class?
11. Proofread your slides, for heaven’s sakes. Of course the editor is going to discuss this. I couldn’t bear to leave it out. If your slides are full of typos, it’s going to cause plenty of eyerolls. To the audience, it appears as if you’ve rushed your presentation.

An expert editor, seasoned writer, and author-centric marketer, Shayla Raquel works one-on-one with authors and business owners every day. A lifelong lover of books, she has edited over 400 books and has launched several Amazon bestsellers for her clients. Her award-winning blog teaches new and established authors how to write, publish, and market their books. She is the author of the Pre-Publishing Checklist, The Rotting (in Shivers in the Night), and The Suicide Tree. In her not-so-free time, she acts as organizer for the Yukon Writers’ Society, volunteers at the Oklahoma County Jail, and obsesses over squirrels. She lives in Oklahoma with her dogs, Chanel, Wednesday, and Baker.