9 Tips To Help You Rock Your First (Or Next) Conference Presentation

A few years ago I submitted my first ever conference presentation proposal. My super supportive design team encouraged me to give it a shot, and a friend gave me a final guilt trip/shove that made me pull the trigger on the submit button.

I submitted the same proposal to 2 conferences. I knew that there was absolutely no way my proposal would get selected since it was my first time, but it was a great experience going through the process.

A few weeks later, I got an email from the first of the two conferences. My proposal had been accepted.

When I first got the email, I was elated! Overjoyed! Mega pumped! I was going to have the opportunity to share some of the research I’d been working on with the UX & Design communities!

45 seconds later, I was panicking and considering moving off grid to a cabin in the deep woods with no internet access so I could pretend I never got the acceptance letter.

I’m an introvert and public speaking is definitely not my forte.

Even though it was borderline terrifying, I was really passionate about the topic, so I wound up going for it.

The session went well, and I got some really great feedback from the attendees. And then I went and hid in my car…