A conference organizer wants everyone to stop being shy around speakers. In a new post, she describes how she deliberately brought attendees and speakers together at SmashingConf Freiburg, and explains why she thinks it matters to tell a speaker you liked their talk.
The post, titled “Tell the speakers that you liked their talks,” argues that feedback is essential for speakers, even if they don’t always get it. The writer, who has organized events and stepped in as an emcee, says she tries to make these connections happen whenever she can.
Bringing Attendees to Speakers
At the after-party at SmashingConf Freiburg, the writer says she noticed a group of attendees who wanted to talk to a speaker but felt intimidated. She intervened directly.
“I immediately encouraged the situation to happen (and it did)! It helps that I am a little bit shameless after a couple of drinks but facilitating speaker and attendee conversations is something I’ve been trying really hard to make happen whenever I can.”
She brought the speaker in question and a few people to join their group, describing the process as moving like Pac-Man. The result was a conversation between people who might otherwise have stayed apart.
The writer also drew on a recent experience emceeing CSS Day earlier in June. There, she made a point of encouraging people to approach speakers throughout the event.
“At the speakers’ dinner, I asked every single person I was going to present on stage if it was okay if I did so. Of course they said yes – they are all a wonderful bunch of folks.”
The Silence Problem
The writer arrived at what she calls the “speaker circuit” relatively recently. She never experienced the wave of feedback that she knows speakers used to get on Twitter before the platform changed.
“I never experienced the wave of feedback that I know speakers used to experience on Twitter before Twitter was ruined.”
That absence of public response has left her wondering whether her talks landed at all. She has had events where she received no online feedback, which made her wonder if the content came across as flat.
“It isn’t necessarily an ego thing – but sometimes you wonder if you did okay, if people hated it, etc.”
She is not alone in this worry. The writer has spoken with other speakers about what to do when there isn’t a lot of feedback on a talk, and found that others share the anxiety.
Personal Confessions
The writer admits she struggles with giving credit to her own friends who speak. She assumes they know she loves their work and cheers from the front row, so she forgets to say it aloud.
“I’ve had a few conversations with other speakers about what to do when there isn’t a lot of feedback on a talk. It was good to chat this through as I thought it was a me problem but turns out, after all, no thought is original.”
She wants to change that habit. She says she needs to live-post more and blog more, so people can see the amazing conferences she attends, with fantastic organizers and incredible speakers.
What You Can Do
The writer’s core message is simple: tell the speakers you liked their talks. Even a small compliment or a brief conversation is worth it.
“People put a lot of work into it and they want people to enjoy it and, at least for me, I kinda do want to know if we did alright.”
The post offers several reasons why feedback matters:
- Speakers want to know their work resonated.
- Public silence leaves speakers wondering whether their content landed.
- A few words of appreciation can confirm that the work mattered.
The writer also acknowledges her own biases. After speaking, her brain fixates on everything she believes went wrong.
“After I speak on a stage, my brain is rambling on about all the things I know I said incorrectly and all the details I know weren’t perfect.”
That self-criticism is part of what makes hearing positive feedback from attendees all the more valuable.
Comparing Two Roles
| Role | Feedback Focus |
|---|---|
| Organizer | Encouraging conversation |
| Speaker | Wondering if the content landed |
The writer moves between both roles in the post. As an organizer, she actively brings people together. As a speaker, she feels the weight of silence.
For anyone who has ever hesitated to approach a speaker after a talk, the writer offers a straightforward invitation: just say what you think. The speaker will likely appreciate it more than you realize.
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