I've presented about ten years at the conference and can answer your
questions.
>Is there a contact person I need to speak with who is directly involved with the conference, or do I just show up in the room I've been assigned to and go for it!
>
>Is there a way to confirm what equipment is available in the room I'm presenting in?
>
>
Just show up and go for it! If possible, go to your room a day ahead,
or at least a few hours ahead, to double check on where it is and that
your equipment is there; you should have already requested it when you
sent your proposal in. In ten years, I never had equipment not be
there (I've always requested the basic OHP and slide projector). If
you're showing slides, have them already sorted in your own carousel.
>Can you sell items at the end of your presentation - i.e, posters based on a project my students did, dealing with my presentation, for $5.00 a piece to raise money for our art club?
>
Certainly. Many presenters have sold their CDs, posters, and books at
their presentations.
>Any advice or suggestions are most welcome!
>
You might be lucky enough to have the room unused during the time slot
before your presentation. Get there a little early so you can start
setting up. If someone is presenting before you, allow them to finish,
but don't hesitate to start setting up after their time slot has ended.
If they're still going strong when it's time for your presentation, let
them know politely but firmly that their time is up and you need to get
started.
Here's the biggie if you've got handouts: The convention catalog will
suggest you wait 'til the end of your presentation to give them out.
That's because some people make a practice of cruising in, grabbing a
handout, and taking off to another presentation to grab another handout,
leaving you short for the people who attend. If it's SRO, the
latecomers sitting on the floor are mobbing you to get a handout at the
end of the presentation. I've seen some really ugly scenes of
people--TEACHERS-- acting like kindergartners fighting over the last
cookie. To prevent this, I get a pal or someone who looks helpful to
hand out numbers or something to the people who walk in the door. That
way, the handouts are spoken for and the people who come early/on time
will get a handout.
Hold onto an extra copy of your handout and take it to the hotel's
business center. Tell your attendees that anyone who did not get a copy
and wants one, can pay for a copy at the business center. I do NOT
recommend taking names and sending them copies either by e-mail or snail
mail. That's an incredible burden on you.
Presenting is fun and rewarding. You feel like a rock star for days
afterwards when people come up to you and say how much they enjoyed your
presentation.
