Avoid the Duds: 10 Strategies for Selecting "The Perfect Speaker"

by: Nandang S Nugraha | Total views: 34 | Word Count: 1433 | View PDF | Print View

 by: Susan Friedmann

Today, more than ever, the success of meetings relies
heavily on the strength of program content and presentation. Nothing
can spoil a meeting more than hiring the wrong speaker. That’s because
speakers do more than just convey the overall meeting message. You look
to them to provide insights, awareness, and cutting-edge information in
an energetic, motivational, entertaining, and professional manner. What
more could you ask for? Well, the right speaker can emphasize an
important message, offer inspiration, help people cope with new
assignments, and lead the way towards change.

Selecting the right speaker for your event is one of the
most important, yet daunting elements for creating a successful
meeting. Your speaker can often make or break the event. If he bombs,
your reputation not only takes a severe nose-dive, but you also have
the pleasure of dealing with the barrage of complaints from a
disappointed audience. Yet, if he does well, you can walk away with
many of the accolades, compliments, and of course, the rave reviews. By
now, you probably realize that this massive responsibility is not to be
taken lightly.

Raise Your Expectations

The skill to selecting a great speaker is determining
what combination of education, motivation, and entertainment best fits
your function. Then set out to find a perfect match. But keep your
expectations high, since nothing can spoil a meeting faster than
booking the wrong speaker. The following 10 guidelines should help you
keep your focus and also keep you away from the “duds.”

1. Know the program objectives. Before you can start
looking for the right speaker, you must know the program objectives.
Begin with the end in mind. What are you looking to achieve? Is this an
annual meeting, a training program, an incentive get-together, an
awards celebration, or another type of event? This will probably be a
committee or management decision, rather than one you will have to
make. But you may have to make an intangible concept tangible.

2. Understand the audience’s needs. Along with the
program objectives, consider the needs of your audience. Does your
group need industry-specific or technical information? Will a mix of
motivation and entertainment serve your group’s purpose? Today’s
audiences are generally younger, more educated, more diverse, and more
sophisticated than in the past. They want content. They want to learn,
but they also want it to be fun, so consider the audience needs and
exactly what they expect. Consider surveying your audience. Ask them
what they want or what skills would most help them in their jobs. For
example, sales people may ask for advanced selling skills, but managers
may request teambuilding programs.

3. Check for reputation. With countless speakers out
there vying for your business, how can you possibly determine which one
best meets your needs? Many speakers produce highly professional or
glitzy marketing materials to help sell their services. You must look
deeper than simply scanning a few brochures and ask pointed questions
to find the right fit, such as What experience does this speaker have?
How familiar is this speaker with this industry? and, Who else has used
this person?

4. “Test drive” your prospects. If you don’t have the
opportunity to preview a speaker in person, then the next best thing is
to request a video or audio recording of a previous presentation. A
session that was recorded before a live audience gives you a better
sense of a person’s real ability.

Watch or listen carefully to how the speaker builds
rapport and interacts with the audience. Ask yourself if this person
would be right for your group. Is the combination of education,
motivation, and entertainment appropriate for your needs? Does the
speaker have a message that is appropriate, timely, and relevant to the
theme or purpose of your event? Does it conform to your company’s
philosophy and policy? Do you feel the speaker is genuine and has the
expertise to deliver a solid presentation?

5. Don’t be star-struck. If you are considering
celebrity speakers, make sure they can speak! TV personalities do a
great job on the air, but sometimes have little public speaking
expertise, and you should be aware that the skills needed for being on
TV and for speaking live are very different. However, many well-known
personalities make excellent speakers and can add enormous value and
clout to your event. Politicians and sports, media, or entertainment
celebrities often share life experiences, offer advice, or have an
inspirational message to impart.

6. Be wary of grandiose claims. Speakers who claim to be
all things to all people are probably desperate for work. Avoid them.
True professional speakers, on the other hand, usually have certain
areas or topics of expertise. They would much rather refer potential
business to a true expert than jeopardize their reputation by trying to
do a program outside of their knowledge zone. Also, beware of the
charismatic and fluffy speaker as your audience wants good, solid
take-away value.

7. Provide and ask for good information. Reputable
speakers want to find out as much as possible about the meeting
objectives, the audience, industry challenges, and so on in order to
tailor their presentation to the group. Share information on your
organization and audience to help the speaker design a program to fit
your specific needs. provide them with newsletters, catalogs, or any
other publications that highlight industry trends, key people, industry
jargon or buzz words, and insider news and views.

Also include as much information as possible about the size and demographics of the audience such as age, gender, and positions.

8. Ask for an outline. Ask prospective speakers for an
outline of the presentation to make sure they will be covering the
material as you discussed. This will clearly lay out what’s expected as
verbal communication is subject to being misunderstood or
misinterpreted. Seeing exactly what speakers plan to cover in the
sessions should help to ensure that the material is tailored to your
specific needs.

9. Maximize opportunities. Look for ways to maximize
opportunities with your speakers. Discuss different ways they can add
extra value and be a significant resource to help improve your
meeting’s success. Brainstorm ways that you feel they can assist you in
planning, preparing, promoting, and presenting. Some suggestions
include serving as an emcee, conducting special sessions or roundtable
discussions about current issues for select groups such as company
executives or the board of directors, and participating in a spouse
program.

10. Trust your instincts. Through your communication
with the speaker, you will quickly form an opinion or have a feeling
about this person. First reactions count here. “I like this person” or
“I don’t like this person,” or “I feel comfortable or uncomfortable
working with this person,” are strong indicators. These responses
usually comes from your gut — a very trustworthy organ. Have confidence
in your instincts and trust that so-called sixth sense. If you
experience any kind of negative feeling, think about looking for
someone else or get another opinion from a colleague. You want to make
sure that you can work with this person and that both of you are on the
same wavelength.

The true objective of hiring a professional speaker
hinges on establishing a partnership where a mutually beneficial
relationship grows and flourishes. When this happens, you know you’ve
chosen well.

The Perfect Match

Overwhelmed with the plethora of speakers to choose from?
You may want to turn to a speaker’s bureau for advice and guidance. A
good bureau should act as a consultant and partner to help your event
succeed. Even though many hundreds of bureaus are out there, the
numbers pale in comparison to the thousands of speakers. A bureau’s
sole purpose is simply to make your job easier and provide you with
solutions. They want to find the best possible match for your event
within your price range. So, where do go looking for one of these
bureaus? Here are a few places to start your search: the phone book,
chambers of commerce, convention and visitors bureaus, the Internet,
industry colleagues, and friends.

A Final Note:

Look for CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) or CPAE
(Council of Peers Award for Excellence) designations. Both these are
conferred by the National Speakers Association and are considered the
speaking profession's international measure of professional platform
skill (http://www.nsaspeaker.org).

Armed with these guidelines and resources, your search
for the perfect speaker will be more fruitful. And with a little effort
and some time, you will connect with a speaker who will fulfill your
goals— one that will be both inform and enlighten. Your audience will
thank you.

About the Author

Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies,” working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. Go to http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com to sign up for a free copy of ExhibitSmart Tips of the Week.

info@thetradeshowcoach.com

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