Speaking at a conference is a vital way of summarizing your work for others; of positioning yourself as a person working in a particular field; and of receiving feedback on your work from colleagues. In this "Directions", we suggest: reasons for speaking at a conference; characteristics of an effective presentation; strategies for preparation and presentation; information on using visual aids successfully; and managing questions. In addition to delivering a good paper effectively, conference success also depends on your ability to develop networks with colleagues in your field. If you make a good impression and the right contacts you may be invited to contribute to multi-authored books or edited collections, research projects, theme issues of journals, or to deliver guest lectures. To that end, this paper also provides some guidance on taking advantage of a conference experience to forge new professional relationships and to consolidate existing ones.