I was listening to a webinar on poster presentations, when the host mentioned how it was a big turn off when a poster presenter was “playing Angry Birds when someone is walking by.”
Part of the secret to getting people to stop by your poster is to look willing to engage with people. You can’t do that if:
- You’re looking at your phone or tablet for more than a few moments.
- You’re sitting on the floor reading or eating.
- You’re talking to someone else about something completely unrelated to your poster.
Now, there is a happy medium. You don’t want to appear disengaged, but desperation is not appealing, either. You don’t want to:
- Stare at people as they walk bye with pleading puppy dog eyes.
- Haul people off the conference floor.
- Launch into detailed explanations of your poster when nobody asked for it.
External links
Poster presentations that rock
Picture by ftrc on Flickr; used under a Creative Commons license.
This is definitely true during any specifically set aside 'poster presentation' time. You should be available and approachable, and you should help those around you to be also. One option is to engage the presenters of posters immediately near you, sort of 'explain yours to me quickly, and I'll do the same', perhaps standing between your posters. This is particularly good during times when there are no viewers of your poster at the moment. You'll learn stuff about what other are doing, and they'll learn about yours. If the discussion is interesting/animated you may attract some who are passing by, and even if they don't ask questions they'll get some of what you are presenting. You should always pay attention to your own poster, and if someone is there be available, but don't leap at them either.
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