Before you present: 7 critical checks for tech speakers
February 1998. Munich. Sun Microsystems. My first customer presentation.
I stood in front of a roomful of IT professionals with a marketing deck about our “newest, better workgroup server.” I hadn’t rehearsed beyond flipping through the slides a couple of times. I didn’t know who these people were or what problems kept them up at night. And when someone asked how this server would actually help their business, I froze.
The silence felt like an hour. 😬
That presentation haunted me for years. But it also taught me something: your technical solution might be brilliant, but if you can’t present it clearly, it won’t get the attention it deserves.
Fast-forward to AWS re:Invent 2024. I was in the speaker ready room, coaching speakers before they went on stage in front of thousands. I had years of experience helping speakers avoid the biggest pitfalls—but it was all in my head, scattered across training slides and hurried pre-talk conversations.
This checklist is the first time I’m actually writing it all down. Atul Gawande would approve: even experts benefit from a simple, portable checklist. You can’t take me backstage with you, but you can take this to your next re:Invent, your next conference talk, your investor pitch, or any presentation where the stakes are high.
Here are seven essential checks that will help you avoid my 1998 disaster and deliver something remarkable.
But before we begin, ask yourself: what transformation do you want to drive in your audience?
With that in mind, let’s get started:
1. Who is your audience? 👥
Picture them as clearly as possible.
What’s their background? What do they already know? Why are they here? What industry, culture, or experience level defines them?
The more specific you get, the better. “Tech leaders” is too vague. “CTOs at Series A startups struggling to scale their infrastructure” is actionable. When you know exactly who you’re talking to, everything else—your language, examples, and depth—falls into place.
2. What problem are you solving for them? 🎯
Pick one problem. Describe it so clearly that your audience nods in recognition, feeling the pain and frustration.
Everything in your presentation should either explain this problem or demonstrate your solution. No tangents. No “nice to have” context. If a slide doesn’t serve the problem or the solution, cut it.
For this post, my audience is tech professionals preparing for important presentations. The problem? The anxiety, insecurity, and real career risk of bombing on stage. Every item in this checklist addresses that problem.
What’s yours?
3. Where’s your Aha! moment? 💡
This is your hinge—the moment when the problem becomes so clear that your solution feels inevitable.
Here’s the test: After your presentation, can your audience explain your main benefit to a friend over dinner? In one sentence? Without hesitation?
If not, you haven’t created your Aha! moment yet.
Show the problem with such clarity and contrast that when you reveal the solution, your audience thinks, “Of course! That’s it!” Build tension in the problem, release it in the solution. That’s how you create resonance.
4. What’s the one thing they should do next? ➡️
Don’t leave your audience hanging. Give them exactly one action to take.
Not three options. Not “here’s a bunch of links.” One clear next step that moves them closer to solving their problem.
Try your demo. Visit your booth. Book a call. Invest in your solution.
One action. Make it obvious.
5. Are you designing for humans or computers? ❤️
It’s easy to go all-in on data, facts, and logic in tech presentations. That’s a mistake.
Before you finalize your deck, scan through this human-centered lens:
- Emotions: Humans feel. Show the pain of the problem, the excitement of the solution, the connection between people. Use humor if it fits and you can deliver it.
- Visuals: Use images—preferably on every slide. Make diagrams clear and simple. Use white space. Let elements breathe.
- Contrast: Don’t just say “500 megadodos.” Say “500 megadodos—that’s 10× more than the next best solution!” Show before and after. Use contrasting colors to emphasize key points.
- Clear transitions: Audiences are constantly distracted by their phones—powerful mind-control devices. Signal clearly when something new is coming: “That concludes our demo. Now let’s talk about…” Use section dividers. Keep sections short—introduce something new every minute or two. Win the game of catching their attention.
- Tangible examples: We’re empathetic creatures. Tell stories about how you or your customers experienced the pain. How the solution works in action. Bring physical objects if you can. Make it real.
- Make it personal: “Our solution is the best widget for X.” Wrong! Nobody cares about widgets. Right: “You can now enjoy a stress-free, profitable business by using our widget to handle all the painful aspects of doing X.” Make your audience the hero, not your product.
I learned this at AWS from my colleague Blaine Sundrud (thank you, Blaine!). Go work with him if you can, he’s great!
Here’s a full video explaining these 6 elements in more detail:
6. Does every slide have a clear job? ✂️
For every single slide, ask: Does this help explain the problem? Does this help explain the solution? Does this tell my audience what to do next?
If the answer is no, delete it.
No more “About Me” slides (unless they’re needed to establish your credibility). No “Context” or ”History” slides that don’t directly relate to your audience’s pain. No endless “Related Resources” at the end.
Every slide must earn its place.
7. Are you rehearsing to serve your audience? 🎭
Rehearsal isn’t about memorization or running on autopilot. It’s about internalizing your message so deeply that you can be fully present with your audience.
Start at least one week before your event. Rehearse at least twice a day. Use a mirror. Present to colleagues. To family. Record yourself. Ask for feedback.
When you step on stage, you shouldn’t be thinking about what comes next. You should be listening, connecting, and serving your audience. That only happens when you’ve rehearsed enough to create mental space for presence.
Bonus: Are you delivering more than you promised? 🎁
Notice what I just did?
I promised seven essential checks. You got eight.
This is how you build trust: under-promise, over-deliver. Make realistic commitments, then exceed them. Your audience will remember not just what you said, but how you made them feel—surprised, delighted, and valued.
What This Checklist Doesn’t Cover
This checklist addresses the most common pitfalls I’ve seen in hundreds of tech presentations. But it’s only the beginning.
Stage presence, vocal variety, body language, handling tough questions—these all matter too. They’re harder to checklist-ify, but they improve with practice and observation.
Study the speakers you admire. Watch TED talks. Attend conferences and take notes on what works. And consider working with a speaker coach—someone who can give you real-time feedback and help you find your authentic voice on stage.
This is just the start of your journey as a speaker.
From Disaster to Confidence
That 1998 presentation still makes me cringe. But it taught me to take speaking seriously.
At AWS re:Invent 2024, I stood backstage with nervous speakers, walking them through ideas like these. Some of them came back afterward, energized and grateful. “It worked,” they said. “I actually enjoyed being up there!”
That’s what happens when you prepare properly. The anxiety doesn’t disappear—it transforms into excitement. The fear becomes fuel. And your solution gets the attention it deserves.
Your Turn 🚀
If you’re working on a specific presentation and want feedback on one aspect—your opening hook, your Aha! moment, or whether your slides actually do their job—I offer free 25-minute office hours on Wednesdays and Fridays. Spots are limited, but if you’d like a quick sanity check or focused feedback, feel free to book some time.
And if you have your own presentation tips or checklist items, share them! Link to this post on LinkedIn, Bluesky, or Mastodon with your addition. I don’t host comments here, but I love seeing the conversation continue on social platforms.
Now go make your next presentation remarkable. Your audience is waiting.