How to Write Conference Presentation [From outline to script]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- May 31
- 6 min read
Our client Mark asked us an interesting question while we were making his conference presentation:
“How do I know what to put in the script and what to leave in the slides?”
Our Creative Director answered without hesitation:
“You tell the story in the script, and you support it on the slides.”
As a presentation design agency, we work on many conference presentations throughout the year, and in the process, we’ve observed one common challenge: people confuse what belongs in their spoken words with what belongs visually on the screen.
So, in this blog, we’ll talk about how you can confidently go from an outline to a full script without turning your presentation into a cluttered mess.
In case you didn't know, we specialize in only one thing: making presentations. We can help you by designing your slides and writing your content too.
What Makes a Conference Presentation Different?
Let’s be real with each other. A conference presentation is not the same as a sales pitch, a classroom lecture, or a team update.
When you step onto that stage, you’re there to do three things: deliver value, connect with the audience, and make your message stick.
You only get one shot. No rewinds. No “let me rephrase that” moments. You’re in front of a room full of people who have chosen to spend their time listening to you. That is both an honor and a pressure.
Now here’s where most presenters go wrong. They think more content means more impact. So they stuff their slides with walls of text, dense data, and bullet lists that look like grocery receipts. Then they stand there and read it all aloud.
Let’s pause for a second. Imagine yourself sitting in the audience. You know exactly how painful it is when a presenter just reads their slides word for word. You stop paying attention. You pull out your phone. You start thinking about what you’ll have for lunch.
We’ve seen this happen at conferences over and over again. The problem isn’t lack of knowledge or expertise. The problem is lack of structure.
Without a clear structure guiding you from outline to script, you either under-prepare (and ramble) or over-prepare (and overload your slides). Neither works.
Writing a great conference presentation means knowing where to start, how to shape your message, and how to split the load between what you say and what you show.
How to Write a Conference Presentation [From Outline to Script]
Alright, you’re here because you want to write a conference presentation that actually works. Not just any presentation, but one that feels smooth, confident, and powerful.
Let’s break it down step by step, drawing from what we’ve seen work (and what we’ve seen crash) over years of designing for conferences.
1. Start With the Core Idea
Every presentation needs a spine.
Before you even think about slides, before you write a single word of your script, lock down your core idea. What is the one message you want your audience to walk away with?
We call this your presentation promise.
You are not there to cover everything you know. You are there to deliver a clear promise and fulfill it.
For example, Mark’s presentation was about building resilient supply chains. But his promise wasn’t “Here’s everything I know about supply chains.” His promise was: “You’ll learn three strategies to make your supply chain resilient in a volatile world.”
That clarity changes everything. Suddenly, you know where to focus.
Pro tip: Write your promise on a sticky note and keep it in front of you while you work. Every time you add a point, ask yourself: does this help deliver on the promise?
2. Build the Outline (Not the Slides)
This is where most people rush ahead and open PowerPoint or Keynote. Hold up.
First, build your outline on paper or in a document. No design yet. No visuals. Just a raw skeleton of your talk.
Here’s a simple structure we recommend:
Introduction (Why should they care?)
Main points (Usually 3 to 4 key points that build your case)
Evidence or examples (To support each main point)
Closing (Wrap it all up and reinforce the promise)
The magic here is in prioritization. You don’t need ten points. You don’t need five supporting stories per point. You need just enough to make your audience understand, believe, and remember.
Once you have the outline, walk through it out loud. Imagine explaining it to a friend. You’ll immediately notice if something feels clunky or unnecessary.
3. Write the Script With a Speaking Voice
Now you’re ready to write the script.
Important: This is not an essay. This is not a white paper. This is a conversation between you and your audience.
Write like you speak. Use short sentences. Ask rhetorical questions. Use natural transitions like “Now, here’s the interesting part” or “Let’s break that down.”
We often see speakers fall into one of two traps here:
Trap 1: Writing too formally. You end up sounding stiff on stage.
Trap 2: Not writing anything at all. You wing it and ramble.
What works best is a middle ground. Write a full script, but keep it conversational. This lets you rehearse with confidence, but still sound natural.
Pro tip: Read your script out loud as you write. If you stumble over a sentence, rewrite it. Your mouth knows what works better than your brain here.
4. Decide What Goes on the Slides
This is where most people trip up.
Here’s the golden rule we tell every client: Your slides support your story. They do not tell it for you.
What does that mean in practice?
Keep text minimal. Use short headlines or keywords, not full sentences.
Use visuals purposefully. Charts, diagrams, photos, or icons that reinforce your spoken words.
One idea per slide. Avoid cramming multiple points onto a single slide.
For example, if Mark is explaining “three strategies for resilience,” each strategy gets its own slide. If he’s showing a statistic, it’s clean and bold, not buried in a sea of numbers.
Slides are not your teleprompter. They are your backup singers.
5. Rehearse With Both Script and Slides
Now comes the part most people avoid: rehearsal.
We get it. Rehearsing feels awkward. But here’s the truth: the difference between a good presentation and a great one is almost always rehearsal time.
Here’s how we recommend you rehearse:
First, script only. Practice delivering your talk without slides. Focus on flow, pacing, and tone.
Then, add slides. Practice with the visuals, making sure you’re not reading them but referring to them naturally.
Time yourself. Make sure you stay within your allotted time. Conference organizers love speakers who respect the clock.
Pro tip: Record yourself on video. Watch it back. Yes, it’s painful, but you’ll catch distracting habits (like saying “um” too much or fidgeting) that you can clean up before the big day.
6. Prepare for the Unexpected
Finally, a quick word about the real world.
We’ve seen it all:
Projectors that fail.
Microphones that cut out.
Audiences that ask unexpected questions.
The more prepared you are, the better you can roll with surprises.
We always advise speakers to memorize their opening and closing. Even if everything else goes sideways, you’ll open strong and close strong.
Also, bring a printed copy of your outline or script. Not to read from, but as a backup.
And remember: the audience is on your side. They want you to succeed. If you fumble or recover from a tech issue gracefully, they’ll respect you even more.
What We’ve Learned From Experience
Over the years, working on countless conference presentations, we’ve learned that great presenters don’t necessarily have better ideas.
They have clearer structures.
They know how to separate what they say from what they show. They craft a script that feels human, not robotic. They rehearse until the message flows naturally.
Most importantly, they respect the audience’s time and attention.
That’s the difference between a forgettable talk and one people keep talking about long after the conference ends.
Why Hire Us to Build your Presentation?
If you're reading this, you're probably working on a presentation right now. You could do it all yourself. But the reality is - that’s not going to give you the high-impact presentation you need. It’s a lot of guesswork, a lot of trial and error. And at the end of the day, you’ll be left with a presentation that’s “good enough,” not one that gets results. On the other hand, we’ve spent years crafting thousands of presentations, mastering both storytelling and design. Let us handle this for you, so you can focus on what you do best.