Please Help Me Crowdsource My Next Book – The Powerful Panelist

I’m writing the next Powerful Panels book to answer panelists’ frequently asked questions. I would LOVE to hear the specific questions you have about being a panelist.

Here’s my list of questions and I’m building it as I get ideas. What am I missing? Anyone who contributes a new question will receive a digital copy of the book!

The Invitation

• Why would they pick me?
• Why should I say yes?
• Can I expect to be paid? What about travel expenses?

Preparation

• Who briefs me?
• When and how do they brief me, individually and/or with the other panelists?
• What kind of research do I need to do?
• What kind of preparation do I need to do? (talking points, examples, questions?)
• How do I craft a meaningful and memorable nugget?
• Do I need to do some practice/role playing?
• Do I have to present something?
• Do I have to put together a slideshow?
• How do I flag topics I want to avoid or minimize?

Structure, Format, and Flow

• Introductions
• Moderator-curated questions
• Audience Q&A
• Other audience interaction
• Closing call to action
• Anything else we need to know?

Logistics

• What information does the meeting organizer/moderator need from me?
• Staging – what do I need to know?
• Where should I sit?
• Microphones – can I ask for one? How do I talk in a handheld microphone
• What do I bring?
• What do I wear?
• Virtual staging/lighting and sound – what do I need to know/do?
• Remote panelist – what do I need to know/do?
• What about slides? Can I use them? Any guidelines?

Meet Ups

• Should I meet up with the meeting organizer, panel moderator and/or panelists?
• Should I mingle with the audience before and/or after?

What to do/What not to do

• Best practices?
• Top 10 mistakes?
• How to appropriately promote your book, product, company?
• How to distinguish yourself/stand out?

Dealing with Concerns

• How to calm my nerves!
• I’m an introvert. How do I jump in the discussion?
• What to do when it’s not great…

How to Create and Engage in the Conversation

• How to bring in a controversial point of view?
• How to disagree without being disagreeable?
• How to connect with the audience (in-person and virtual)?
• Ways to make my message memorable?
• How to jump into the conversation?
• How to encourage the audience to take action?

Answering Questions

• How to answer the curveball/gotcha question?
• How to build a bridge between the question and the answer?
• Who do I answer to?

Following up

• How to thank the meeting organizer, panel moderator and/or fellow panelists?
• What if I want to be on more panels?

I’d love to hear your ideas of what needs to be in this definitive book for panelists on a panel discussion!

For more information about how to moderate a lively & informative panel discussion, check out our free 7-part video series on how to moderate a panel and other resources to help you organize, moderate, or be a panel member.