"Final Prep" Be Prepared!
By Tony Jeary


What:

The last 24 hours before your session is the "Final Prep" phase, and the last chance to make sure everything is ready. We recommend using a checklist tailored specifically for your "Final Prep".  

Why:

Success at “show time” depends on a myriad of details and arrangements – all of the pieces you've carefully planned in advance – coming together as planned at the right place and time. Your "Final Prep" checklist provides a convenient method to avoid overlooking anything without having to rely on memory, and reduces anxiety from worrying about unknowns or things you might have forgotten.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We've all heard the time-tested truth "Who you are speaks so loudly, I can't hear what you're saying." Yet it is equally true that people's perception of who you are is controlled by dozens of small actions that you take every day. How quickly you return emails and phone calls, how you dress, the manner in which you speak and listen, the quality of your work, the people you surround yourself with, and even the look of your business card - all speak volumes to others about the person you are.
How:

Before your session, create a customized checklist that covers the items you want to do or confirm in the last 24 hours before the session. Here's a sample checklist showing the kinds of things we include in our own "Final Prep" countdown. Use these listed tips for yourself, with your assistant or in conjunction with your meeting planner.

Sample Final Prep Checklist

To Pack
a. Event file including pre-Survey, Contacts and Logistics information
b. Notes, Slides, Scripts, Lesson Plans, Props, Handouts
c. Equipment
d. Appropriate Attire

On-Site Setup

Facility Liaison
a. Directional Signs
b. Catering Arrangements
c. Location of Rest Rooms
d. Heating and Air Conditioning Controls

Room Arrangement: Confirm/”make it your own
a. Furniture Arrangement
b. Equipment placement (screen, projector(s), computers, VCR, microphones, flip chart stands)
c. Supplies (pointer, markers, masking tape, etc.)
d. Materials placement (Overheads, pre-made Flipcharts, Props, Agendas, Handouts, Evaluation Forms
e. Name tags or place cards

Technical Rehearsal (computers & other equipment functioning, lighting and sound control level sets, confirm sightlines/slide legibility)

Handout Management Plan (delegate handout distribution to maintain connection)

Dress Rehearsal

Last 30 Minutes
a. Freshen up
b. Connect with Host; confirm Host Introduction
c. Greet participants as they arrive
d. Attire Check (before and after reaching the podium)
e. Body Language Check

Benefits:
a. As indicated in Volume 8 ("Harnessing the Fear Factor"), work ahead of time will allow you to manage presentation anxiety and "take the stage" with preparation-based confidence.
b. Use of the "Final Prep" checklist will help to turn more "Unknowns" into "Knowns" and set your mind at ease knowing that you haven't forgotten anything.
c. A good "Final Prep" will give you the opportunity to focus on your audience/participants versus any problems that you might have with your set-up.

Action Plan:
1. Well before your next event, work with your team to develop a generic checklist that includes items appropriate to your session. Think back over your “lessons learned” from similar events/presentations in the past and put all “mission-critical” items on the list.
2. About a week before the event, tailor the checklist to the specifics of the upcoming session and distribute it to team members to make sure all know who is responsible for what. Confirming who is to arrive early to check facility-related matters is especially important.
3. After the event, evaluate your Final Prep checklist in light of the actual outcomes of your session – were you fully prepared? If so, congratulations; if not, revise your list for the next time to cover all of the bases.

In short, every action you take, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, is a form of communication.

The key to being successful, and in particular, to communicating the essence of who you are to others, is to make sure your actions deliver a consistent and compelling message. A message you have predetermined ahead of time will help you to achieve your highest goals and objectives. A Perfect Message.