Choosing the right speaker is among the most impactful decisions you can make when planning a successful event. A powerful speaker can set the tone for your entire event, leaving attendees inspired, engaged, and talking about it long after your final session has concluded. But selecting and managing speakers is no small feat. From juggling stakeholder expectations to sifting through speaker materials, the process can feel overwhelming.
With insights from meeting planner turned keynote speaker, public speaking coach, and podcast host,Courtney Stanley, you’ll learn how to pick the perfect speaker for your next event in five easy steps.
1. Identify Your Stakeholders
The first crucial step to finding your speaker is understanding who your stakeholders are and how their expectations will shape the decision-making process. Stakeholders can include anyone affected by your event’s success such as your boss, CEO, CMO, and conference attendees. Once identified, you can lead stakeholder conversations with questions that help you narrow down your speaker options.
Additionally, tap into your network and community for speaker suggestions. Ask colleagues, industry peers ,or even past attendees for recommendations based on their unique experiences. Referrals often lead to discovering speakers who both fit your objectives and have a proven track record of success.
2. Outline Event Objectives
The second step is gaining a clear understanding of your event’s objectives. This process will help you align your speaker selection with your stakeholder’s goals and ensure the event delivers meaningful value to your audience. You can start this process by asking the following questions:
- What are my stakeholders looking for? Stakeholders may have differing perspectives of what the event needs to achieve. Whether it’s inspiring leadership, sharing actionable insights, or even entertaining the audience, it’s important to clarify your stakeholder’s expectations and the tone they envision for the event.
- What objectives are we trying to meet? Are you looking to educate your audience, build community connections, or promote your brand? Are there multiple objectives you want to achieve? If so, listing your objectives and prioritizing them can help you consider how your speaker’s expertise and presentation style will further these goals.
- What are the most important things we want the event to achieve? For example, do you want your attendees to leave your event feeling empowered to implement your information into their work? When you have a clear picture of your priorities, you can see how your speaker will complement them.
3. Review Speaker Marketing Materials
Once you’ve nailed down your stakeholders and event objectives, you can move onto looking at prospective speakers that could be a strong fit for your event. This process can feel a bit overwhelming since you must dig into their marketing materials and portfolios.
Speaker portfolios can include sizzle reels, highlight videos, and other promotional content that showcases their best moments on stage. While these materials can be well-produced and impressive, they don’t always provide a full picture of the speaker’s style, depth, or ability to engage an audience over an extended period of time.
To get a clearer sense of their capabilities, go beyond their highlights. Dive into the details of their presentation style by reviewing the following:
- Social media: Look at their social media channels (LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter/X, Instagram, etc.) to see how they present themselves and interact with their audience.
- Recorded sessions: Look for recordings of your prospective speaker’s presentations that vary in lengthso that you can get a sense of how they do in different formats.
- Audience reaction: Pay attention to what the audience is doing during their recorded presentations. Are they actively engaged, taking notes, or participating in discussions? These cues can provide insights into how well the speaker connects with the audience.
- Topics covered: Explore the breadth and depth of topics your prospective speaker covers. See if their expertise and range can fit into your event, or if you need to look at another speaker who does.
4. Interview Your Speaker
After narrowing down your list of potential speakers, it’s time to jump on a call with them. While many speakers work with agents or representatives, speaking directly with them is essential. This conversation can be a valuable opportunity for both parties to get to know each other, align on objectives, and ensure the speaker is the right fit for the event.
To make the most of this discussion, come prepared with key questions and information to guide the conversation. Below are some important points both parties should cover during the call.
Planner Points to Cover:
- Provide an overview of the event, including conference theme and context.
- Share stakeholder objectives and the outcomes you want to achieve.
- Discuss practical details such as number of attendees and demographics.
- Highlight the desired topics or themes you want the speaker to address.
- Review technical requirements, including AV equipment and logistical needs.
- Clarify your budget and expectations for the speaker fee.
Speaker Points to Cover:
- Ask about their typical or ideal audience and their experience engaging in similar groups.
- Explore the most successful topics and preferred presentation lengths.
- Determine their flexibility for customization to align with your event’s goals.
- Inquire about pre-or post-event add-ons, such as workshops, meet-and-greets, or follow-up materials.
- Discuss their approach to promoting the event, including social media and marketing efforts.
- Confirm AV needs and ensure they align with the event’s technical set-up.
