How to be a great (and productive) moderator of a panel

Have you ever attended a panel and the moderator liked the sound of their own voice and talked too much? Ever sat through a panel discussion where someone hogged the stage and you didn’t hear from everyone? Ever watched as the audience asked stupid questions and time was wasted (yes people, there are such things as stupid questions).

A great moderator fixes that!

The objective of a great moderator is to educate, entertain and interact with the audience.  A great panel is like a valuable white paper, full of content and thought provoking questions.

As the moderator your client is the audience. Here are ideas of strategies to apply before, during and after the panel to make it more successful.

Before the panel

• Create bullet points for discussion and share them with the panel.
• Organize a group conference call for panelist to connect.
• Get photos and short biographies of panelist.
• Provide three questions to panelist in advance to do some preparation, but not overly prepare.
• Keep all questions contextual for flexibility in responses.
• Prepare case studies and examples you can add as the moderator to compliment the panelist input.
• Manage logistics i.e. water for everyone, individual microphones, seating, advise panelist to silence their cell.
• Determine the social media strategy i.e. what hashtag are you using, who will manage questions that are tweeted by audience members?
• Determine the seating order and have a strong panelist begin.

During the panel

• Make the first question easy and the ice breaker.
• When asking a question, direct your attention to the panelist and then look out into the audience (that will encourage the panelist to look at the audience when they respond).
• Advise the audience of the guidelines and social media information.

Managing the panel

• Keep questions contextual,
• As them to focus responses to benefit the audience.
• Request they avoid pitching their products and services.
• Provide ‘bad’ examples and case studies so the audience can learn what to avoid (don’t just share good news case studies).
• Allow the panel to talk to each other (and over each other a little) but not to be rude.
• Allow debate, not stage hogging.

 Managing the audience

• Always repeat the question for the benefit of the audience and the panelists.
• Ask the audience to state their name before they ask their question.
• Ask the audience to ask specific questions (and not make statements or share opinion) so the whole room benefits.
• Use microphones for questions (either located in the center aisle or have runners with hand held microphones).

 After the panel

• Share the panelists contact information with the audience.
• Encourage the audience to meet the panelists one on one.
• Send thank you note to the panelists.

Have you moderated a panel? What are your best practices? Share them with us here on our blog.