I spoke at an event a while back with about 500 people in attendance, and it struck me how many speakers didn’t stick around after they spoke.

At least two other speakers walked off the stage, spent a few minutes in the green room, and then, *poof*, they left the event!

And I get it - many speakers are busy going from event to event with phone calls, meetings, and new opportunities fighting for their attention.

However, a mentor of mine shared some advice five years ago that still sticks with me today.

He said, “You are not more important than the rest of the people at the event. You simply have the opportunity to serve on the stage. Stay in the room and your message will continue to make an impact.”

The next time you get to speak, make time in your schedule to be fully present for the entire day when you speak. That means even if you don’t have your breakout session until 3:00 in the afternoon, show up and be fully present for the entire day. If the first session starts at 9:00, be at that session.

It shows your audience that you value their time as much as you value yours. It also gives them the freedom to connect with you before and after your talk.

There are just as many great opportunities to connect with your crowd in the hallways as it is during your session.

The Keynote Clarity for Thought Leaders Flash Briefing is presented by Jon Cook, founder of Keynote Content. Jon and his team help thought leaders, namely speakers, coaches, and consultants, craft and share their messages to better serve their audiences. Connect with Jon and his team at Keynote Content by visiting keynotecontent.com. You can subscribe to The Keynote Clarity for Thought Leaders Flash Briefing by visiting bit.ly/KeynoteClarity and enabling it there. Then, all you have to say is, “Alexa, what’s my flash briefing?”