It happens to many presenters. They step on stage, and from that moment, they lose track of time. What they usually do is delegate time tracking to the conference organizer. And this leads to incomprehension, it leads to mistakes, and leads basically to the fact that you’re disrespecting the audience in the end.
Why don’t you keep track of time with your devices? Carry a watch, set a timer on your smartphone, or even better, get a wireless clicker that has a timer integrated. And integrate time tracking also into your rehearsal so that you know how much each section in each part of the presentation lasts.
As we said in the Presentation Structure Module, when you reveal the structure and timing of your presentation, you’re signing a contract with your audience and you’re telling them “I respect your time.”
Time is so important because when you are presenting you’re not only using your time, you’re using your audience’s time as well.
Whenever you are on stage, don’t get caught by the excitement. Try to end your presentation early, end it on a high note and make room for a nice conversation with your audience. This is almost always the best outcome for your presentation.
Summary:
- Always be time conscious and keep track of time while you are on stage.