Make sure to inspect the venue the night before.
Look at where the confidence monitor is, so you can see the countdown timer and your slides.
Know where the steps are, so you can walk up without confusion.
Check your AV, since screen resolutions might not be what you expect.
Walk the boundaries of the room, so you can psychologically OWN the space, like a predator-marking territory.
Pace the stage, so you know how far you can walk when it’s well-lit— hard to do when the room is lit super dark for a keynote
Spend time with the conference organizer, who is the most connected person at the show.
Bring your video guy, so he can stake out the best angles.
If you have a handout, determine where and when you’ll distribute it.
Network with the other speakers, so you can support them and they can support you— this is how you get more speaking gigs.
And have a good time, since your work is done and you’ve earned it!
