Unless you actually were born yesterday, you know something that other people do not. Maybe it is a technical skill, maybe it’s an application of knowledge from another field, maybe it’s a story of a terrible mistake you made. There is something in you that others could learn from. You just have to find it.
Appearing as a speaker is an excellent way to build your visibility and credibility in your field. That is good for you, and good for your employer, and it’s something you can do while genuinely helping other people.
Have you ever been the person standing awkwardly on your own in the corner during a “networking event” at a conference? Giving even a 5 minute lightning talk means that people have seen your face and have something to talk to you about. It’s like a magic trick for introverts.
Whatever you think your opinions and ideas are, having to explain them publicly, clearly, and concisely from a stage will force you to really think them through. All your future work will benefit from that clarity.
By sharing your ideas in public, you invite people to respond with their own ideas, questions, and challenges. It’s a great way to accelerate your own learning and engage with new ideas.
There are some excellent reasons not to speak at a support conference too.
Yes, you can mention your product or company. But unless it is a pitch competition, or an explicit sponsor slot, you need to be offering something more useful to your audience. Don’t be that person.
Yes, I know I already said everybody has knowledge to share. But if you haven’t put the work in to figure it out, don’t go on stage yet. It will be boring at best.
Even the best talk can fall flat if the right people are not in the room to hear it. If you can’t adapt your knowledge to the audience, it is best to skip it.