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Are you new to the world of traveling and training?  A significant amount of my career has involved speaking at different locations, either for employers or at conferences.  Here’s a list of items I usually carry when giving presentations.  What do you pack when you’re presenting?  Leave your advice in the comments section.

Equipment for the Presentation

• My laptop plus a backup laptop
• My phone (I use it as a timer)
• Voltage adapter if traveling to other countries
• USB drive with a backup copy of my presentation (also stored on Google Drive)
• Two clickers and extra batteries
• Wireless mouse (can serve as a clicker in a pinch)
• HDMI to VGA adapter to connect laptop to the projector

The adapter you need will vary by laptop. Also check with the event organizer regarding what equipment they will provide and what you may need in order to be compatible with their setup. Bring adapters even if they say you won’t need them. I’m speaking from experience. 

• I sometimes carry a projector, lavaliere, and battery pack but most events provide them
• Hotspot in case the conference has limited wifi
• A locally stored copy of any videos you intend to show
• A PowerPoint presentation of technology screenshots

If you are demonstrating technology during your presentation and that technology requires wifi, figure out a way to show the technology even if you aren’t able to access the internet.  I often make a PowerPoint deck of screenshots so I can at least show the technology.

• If presenting live and virtually at the same time, carry multiple microphones just in case.

I usually have my Blue Yeti Pro, two headsets, and my phone earbuds as a last resort.

• If you need to also record voiceover for courses while traveling, you may want to carry the equipment discussed in this video:

Supplies for Activities and Room Setup

• Sticky notes or notebooks
• Large sticky pages for parking lots and brainstorming
• Pens or markers
• Small fabric bag to do drawings or collect business cards
• All of my handouts are delivered electronically (Google Drive!) so I don’t have to carry extra paper
• Tape for your posters
• Plastic displays (the kind that hold brochures or documents upright)

Personal Items

• Outfit that is appropriate for a lavaliere microphone

You’ll want an outfit that has a place to clip the battery pack.  It’s best to wear a top or jacket that won’t move much so that the microphone stays still.  Consider packing a belt.  With a dress I often hang the battery pack behind my neck since it can’t be hung at the waist level.  If wearing a dress with a zipper in the back, check that there is a hook eye closure at the top of the zipper so that the weight of the battery pack doesn’t open the zipper.

• Sweater
• Flats, especially if you’re teaching a full day!
• Deodorant and hair clip if it’s hot and humid
• Hairspray
• Granola bar, the non-crumbly kind
• Eye drops and lip balm in case the room is dry
• Water bottle or coffee
• Antacid tablets
• Oil control blotting tissues
• Lozenges (not menthol) or throat spray
• Handheld clothing steamer (found on Amazon – great for removing wrinkles in fabric and can double as a humidifier)
• Business cards
• A watch
• Fabric tape

If the lavaliere is causing your blouse to gap or sag, you can place a piece of tape under the fabric and anchor it to your skin. Fabric tape is also great if you’re in a humid environment and you need to keep posters from falling off the wall due to dampness.  Used this trick in Hawaii.  Nothing else worked.

• Tea bags or instant coffee

In case your hotel room doesn’t provide caffeine and you need it while you’re getting ready.  Conferences are often held in Las Vegas and it’s unfortunately one of the places you don’t get a coffee maker in the hotel room.

• Cashews and gummy bears

I like to have something with protein and something with sugar in case I need to pump up my energy during a break.

What do you pack when you’re presenting?  Leave your advice in the comments section.

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