For Engineers – How to Speak Effectively at Customer Conferences

When you’re an engineer presenting at a user meeting or customer conference, you are the expert on the topic you plan to deliver to your customers. Remember, your audience does not want to know everything you know; they just need to know about the subject of your presentation.

You can connect with your audience, regardless of how tech-savvy they are, or aren’t! This approach will help ensure that your message gets across.

Your job title is important, but you also have a role. In developing your presentation, define your role by asking yourself, “How do I help my customers on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis?” Emphasize the outcome and sell your audience on the end result you provide your customers.

Grab your audience’s attention in your first 30 seconds. I suggest you say, “Welcome to (name of your session).” Then say, “In case we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting, I am . . .” Give your name, and then say, “In my role as a . . .”

Next you might say, “My co-presenter is . . .” Build up the credentials of your co-presenter. Why are they the perfect person to speak on the subject? When you build each other up, you add to the credibility of your company.

Finally, as you conclude your presentation, remember that your last words linger. Never introduce a new idea at the end of your presentation. Use your last words to reinforce a key, pithy point from your presentation.

Review what customers have learned from your presentation. If you open the floor to a Q&A, first let people know exactly how long they have. It’s also a good idea to have some questions in your back pocket. In other words, if nobody asks questions, you might say, “We are frequently asked . . .,” or, “At this point, I would expect you want to know . . .”

Know what you want your audience to do with the information they’ve just learned from your presentation. Give your audience a call to action. Always, close with words that stick in their minds.

There’s a cliché that engineers can’t speak effectively. Patricia Fripp has debunked this myth. As presenters, engineers have both the expertise and authenticity to build customer trust and accelerate the adoption of new technology.

Engineers can perfect their presentation skills easily, conveniently and quickly with Fripp Virtual Training.

“Patricia Fripp is the perfect mix of sales trainer and speech coach. She has an uncanny knack to quickly get to the core of an engineer’s roadblock and help them break free to more effective communications.”
– Tia Finn, Senior HR Strategic Business Partner, Digital Sales & Marketing

“For 20 years I have hired Patricia Fripp to train and coach sales teams with amazing success. FrippVT, in combination with in-person training and coaching, is an unbeatable combination.”
– Greg Stivers, Senior Vice President, Client Development, Concur

Join FrippVT today!

Executive Speech Coach and Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker Patricia Fripp works with individuals and companies who realize that powerful, persuasive presentation skills give them a competitive edge.