A Sitecore User Group is a great way to introduce yourself to the Sitecore community, network with your fellow Sitecorians, and share knowledge that could help other members of the community. User groups can also be an excellent gateway into presenting on Sitecore specific topics. Local user groups are where any number of people hone their SUGCON and Sitecore Symposium skills, and they help individuals gain valuable experience in public speaking that is cross-applicable to a lot of professional arenas.
Public speaking is always nerve-wracking, but there are a few tips that I’ve discovered that I believe are almost universally applicable.
Topics don’t have to be game-changers to be valuable
Everyone wants to write the code snippet that fixes the Sitecore problems of the world, but your topic doesn’t have to be astonishing to be useful. When I ask why someone doesn’t present at a Sitecore user group, almost the first thing I hear is “I don’t have anything interesting to say.” I guarantee that isn’t true. As professionals we spend so much time immersed in our work that we forget that not everyone does the same things we do. In fact, hardly anyone does.
Tip: write down the top five things you do in Sitecore every single day and take a few minutes to search for documentation or blog posts on those topics. See what’s out there. The results might surprise you.
It’s good to be nervous
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten was this: if you’re not nervous, it doesn’t matter enough. There are a lot of tips and tricks on how not to be nervous before speaking publicly, but I think your nerves are a positive. And honestly, they’re not going anywhere. That’s a good thing; it means that you care about the subject and the community.
Tip: Practice. Practice in front of your mirror, your pets, out loud in your house, and then ask a few of your coworkers to listen to your presentation during the lunch break and give you feedback. 9 times out of 10 they’ll have solid comments and ask the kinds of questions that you’ll get in a Q&A. There’s no such thing as wasted time when you’re practicing.
There’s never a perfect time to get started
If you’re waiting for the planets to align and usher in the perfect moment before you volunteer…well, there’s no such thing. There are times that are better than others (I would not, for example, suggest signing up to present for a Sitecore user group that’s scheduled for the day after a major project deadline), but the perfect time is never going to come along. Putting off presenting until the perfect time means that you’re unlikely to ever get started.
Tip: Find a local Sitecore user group and get your name on the calendar. There’s nothing like a commitment to get the ball rolling.
Having fun is a top priority
Finding a topic that you love is key. If you are passionate about what you’re presenting, that passion shines through. Enthusiasm is the Chemical X that transforms a presentation because it brings with it a level of engagement that can’t be generated any other way.
Tip: Take a look at that list you made. Consider which one you’d most like to discuss at a round table, or over tapas after a convention. That’s the topic you want.
There are any number of reasons to present at a Sitecore user group, both personal and professional. The first step is the hardest. But after taking the leap, you’ll be surprised by how much fun it is, and how ready you are to do it again!