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Hosting a seminar domestically is easy: you create a visual presentation, write a text, book a venue, and invite professionals from your niche. Doing the same thing abroad warrants a different approach, though. 

Whether you are a trainer or a business expert wanting to branch out overseas, you will have to think beyond just content and dive deeper into the logistics and potential challenges. In this article, we will teach you how to research your audience, plan the event, and deliver your seminar flawlessly.

Understand Your Audience

Before you even create and rehearse your content, think about the people who’ll show up at the venue. Check the list of participants and notice their professional background. Are they mostly higher-ups who will expect a thorough deep dive into the topic, or should you make a proper introduction for more inexperienced visitors? 

Additionally, think of your destination and analyze if there are any cultural norms you should account for. Make sure your humor is appropriate, pick and practice suitable body language, and tailor the material to the locals. Contact partners from your destination country and consult with them, if needed.

Think About Logistics

Delivering your content locally can be done in less than a month. With overseas seminars, you should be planning at least 3 months before the event. 

• First, look for the venue. The location should be accessible and have reliable infrastructure. No matter where you are traveling, check that it has good lighting, sound, and internet connection. 
• Second, plan the whole event. It won’t be just your presentation — the agenda should include breaks, interactive segments, discussions, and more. The audience will quickly get bored and tired without proper engagement.
• Third, get in contact with the venue providers and inquire about the equipment you’ll need. Maybe they already have projectors and microphones, and you won’t need to rent or bring yours from overseas. 

Even when a venue is reliable, there can be emergencies, such as power outages or technical issues. Prepare a backup plan in that case. Ask the venue providers if they have a power bank or a power generator. 

In addition, find a dependable eSIM provider to stay online and keep presenting even if the internet connection is unstable. Let’s say you’re flying to Tokyo; getting an eSIM for Japan will always be a better option than a traditional SIM card or a roaming plan, as it can be activated as soon as you land and costs less. 

Rehearse In Advance

Let’s imagine you have rehearsed at home and you know your material well. Then, you arrive at the venue for the first time, go to the front to present, and you feel completely out of it. That’s normal as the environment is completely new for you. That is exactly why it requires additional preparation. 

Before you board the plane, make sure to simulate the venue as much as possible when you rehearse. Record yourself, analyze how fast you’re presenting, the tone of your voice, and the clarity of your speech. Evaluate the presentation and tailor it. In case you are presenting with someone else or will have translators working on-site, connect with them virtually and try the seminar delivery together.

Arrive Early to Set Up

Once you are overseas, try to book a venue at least one day in advance and arrive there to set up. This will allow you to test all the gadgets and equipment, as well as get familiar with the venue. You can even rehearse one more time, if possible. 

Additionally, arriving early will help you adjust to the local time zone — otherwise, jet lag can completely kill your mood and energy. On the day of the event, repeat the same steps, connect everything you need, and do a check-up on all seminar partners and collaborators. Prepare backups. 

Focus on Delivery

Delivery matters, especially during overseas seminars, where the audience might not be something you expect. Start strong as always, introduce yourself and the topic of the seminar. Make sure the people in the venue know what they’re learning about. Where applicable, take breaks for questions, discussions, interaction, and even group activities. 

Stay flexible when presenting and be ready to change the flow. Sometimes, the audience won’t respond the way you wanted or will get distracted. Then, you will have to adjust your approach, change the energy in the room, and ask questions for additional engagement.

Secure Your Files

You will most probably share the files from the seminar with the audience members once you finish. But did you know some of them might be able to get into your computer and steal your personal files or data while you present? That’s what often happens on unsecured networks — like the one you will be connecting to at the venue. These public Wi-Fis networks are very easy to intercept, meaning whoever is connected to them is vulnerable to an attack. 

To prevent that and secure your files and apps, use a VPN. It will reroute your connection through an encrypted network, making any hackers completely locked out of your system and your files unreachable to unauthorized individuals. You can find the best VPN on Reddit comparison threads. This way, you evaluate your options and choose the most suitable provider.

Broadening Your Speaking Horizons

Once you are done, you will have time to get feedback from the audience members and analyze your performance. Treat it like a chance to fine-tune your approach and make the experience better for everyone next time. After all, hosting a seminar overseas is not an easy task. But knowing how to manage the logistics and present yourself will help you be equipped in the future.