It’s show time! It’s time to take all that planning for an amazing panel discussion and put it into action.
Arrive Early. You just never know what will happen on the way to the event, so get there in plenty of time.
Say Hello. As soon as you get to the venue, seek out your panelists to say “hello.” Help them get settled and answer any last minute questions they have. Chances are they don’t need your help, but they will appreciate the effort.
Check In. Once you know that everyone is present and accounted for, send a text message to the event chair/planner to let them know all is well. You may also want to get some feedback on how the conference is going, what areas and topics have been discussed and what areas still need to be addressed.
Walk Through. Walk through with the meeting planner, audio-visual crew and/or hotel personnel to check the:
Meet Up. 45-60 minutes before the panel is to start, meet each other face to face for about 15 minutes. If a panelist cannot attend, make other arrangements to get together onsite prior to the panel. Make sure they are relaxed and prepared to have some fun! (Here is what should happen during that meeting)
When all the pieces to the panel puzzle are in place, you’ll be more confident and comfortable moderating a lively and informative panel discussion!
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How to Create GREAT Questions for Your Panelists to Answer during Your Panel Discussion
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Kristin Arnold, professional panel moderator and high-stakes meeting facilitator, shares her best practices for interactive, interesting, and engaging panel presentations. For more resources like this, or to have Kristin moderate your next panel visit the Powerful Panels official website.