For a conference talk next week, work backwards from your slot: at a speaking pace near 130 words per minute a 20-minute slot holds about 2,600 words, so plan for roughly 2,000 and leave the rest as a buffer, and decide whether the last five minutes are for questions. Cut the talk to one idea per slide, write the opening 60 seconds word for word, and rehearse the full talk aloud with a timer at least three times, starting with the version you will actually deliver. The day before, test your slides on the conference's equipment or on a second laptop, and have a copy as a PDF. On the day, start slowly, pause after each key point, and finish a minute early. For questions, repeat the question, answer in the first sentence and say so when you do not know. Everything here can be rehearsed this week.
Talks usually fail on timing and opening, not on content. This guide gives you the numbers for your slot and a countdown from the week before to the stage. Check the organiser's instructions first: slot length, Q&A rules, slide format and whether talks are recorded.
The countdown: from the week before to the stage
The week before
Fit the talk to the slot
- 1.Work out your word budget. At about 130 words per minute, a 10-minute slot is roughly 1,300 words, 20 minutes is 2,600 and 30 minutes is 3,900. Plan for around three-quarters of that so there is room to pause.
- 2.Write the point of the talk in one sentence. Cut every slide that does not support it, and aim for one idea per slide. Many speakers aim for around one to two minutes per slide, so a 20-minute slot is often 10 to 15 slides.
- 3.Write the opening 60 seconds word for word, including the first sentence. The rest can be notes.
- 4.Rehearse aloud with a timer. Run it three times: once to find the long parts, once to cut them and once to deliver it as if on stage.
- 5.Record one run-through and listen back for your pace, filler words and any slide you read from.
The night before
Technical safety and one standing run-through
- 1.Test the deck on a different laptop and save a PDF copy. Check fonts, videos and any live demo, and have an offline fallback for anything that needs wifi.
- 2.Run the talk once standing up in your presenting voice. Practise the first 60 seconds three times.
- 3.Write the three questions you most expect and the first sentence of each answer.
- 4.Stop editing. New slides the night before are the ones that break.
The 60 minutes before
Check the room and warm up
- 1.Visit the room if you can. Check where you will stand, where the clicker and the timer are, and whether the slides display correctly.
- 2.Say your first two sentences aloud twice at full volume somewhere private.
- 3.Eat something and drink water. Avoid extra coffee, which speeds up your pace.
- 4.Ask the session chair how they will signal time, and when the questions start.
The 5 minutes before
Settle the body
- 1.Breathe in for four, hold for four and out for six, six times.
- 2.Drop your shoulders and put both feet flat on the floor.
- 3.Say your opening sentence silently once.
On stage
Start slowly, finish early
- 1.Take one breath, look at the audience and begin with your prepared first sentence. Start slower than feels natural.
- 2.Pause for a second after each key point. Count one-thousand-one silently.
- 3.Look at one person for a whole sentence, then another, rather than scanning the room.
- 4.Check your time at set slides, for example halfway, and cut a section rather than speeding up if you are behind.
- 5.Finish a minute early, and say your one-sentence takeaway last.
- 6.For questions, repeat the question so everyone hears it, answer in the first sentence, and say I do not know, I will follow up when you do not.
Conference talk behaviours: strong vs weak
| The moment | Strong looks like | Weak looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | A prepared first sentence that states the point, delivered slowly. | Apologising, thanking everyone and explaining the agenda. |
| Timing | Planned to about three-quarters of the word budget, finishes a minute early. | Planned to 100% of the slot, speeds up and runs over. |
| Slides | One idea per slide, spoken in your own words. | Dense slides read aloud. |
| Pace | Steady, with a pause after each key point. | Rushing the last third. |
| Question and answer | Repeats the question, answers in the first sentence. | Starts answering before the question is finished. |
| A gap in your knowledge | I do not know, I will follow up. | A long guess. |
Where recorded practice fits
Timing is the thing people get most wrong, because a talk that takes 18 minutes in your head takes longer aloud. Recording a timed run-through and listening back shows you where you rush and which sections to cut. EchoPitch analyses communication signals such as pace, pauses, volume and filler words from a recording; it does not diagnose emotions. You can practise a conference talk on a single take.
Frequently asked questions
How do I prepare for a conference talk next week?
Work out your word budget for the slot, cut the talk to one idea per slide, write the opening 60 seconds word for word, rehearse aloud with a timer at least three times, test your slides on another laptop, and prepare answers for the three questions you most expect.
How many words should a 20-minute talk be?
At about 130 words per minute, 20 minutes holds roughly 2,600 words. Plan for around 2,000 so there is room for pauses and slides that you talk through, and leave Q&A time out of the talk if the slot includes it.
How many slides should I use for a 20-minute talk?
There is no fixed rule, but many speakers aim for roughly one to two minutes per slide, which is 10 to 15 slides for 20 minutes. Fewer, simpler slides are easier to talk through than many dense ones.
How should I handle questions after my talk?
Repeat the question so the whole room hears it, pause for a second, answer in the first sentence and then explain, keeping answers to about 30 seconds. If you do not know, say so and offer to follow up after the session.
Key takeaways
- Word budget: about 130 words per minute, so 2,600 words for 20 minutes; plan for three-quarters.
- One idea per slide; cut anything that does not support the one-sentence point.
- Write the opening 60 seconds word for word.
- Rehearse aloud with a timer at least three times.
- Test slides on another laptop and keep a PDF copy.
- Finish a minute early; repeat the question before answering.