Ten Tips to Hire the Perfect Speaker for Your Next Event

You have the dates scheduled, the conference center reserved, and the agenda outlined; but now you need to book the speakers to make the event a success. Perhaps last year the speaker was hard to work with, too expensive, or just plain boring. You want to make sure that the same thing doesn’t happen this year. Here’s ten tips that can help:

• Start with the end in mind. As Stephen Covey says, look at the results you want. What is the purpose of the conference? What type of information are attendees looking for? Ask yourself the question, “If everyone got exactly what they need, what would that be?” Be cautious of looking for “motivation.” If motivation and energy aren’t tied with content and a plan, the attendees will lose their enthusiasm shortly after arriving back at work.
• Talk to speakers from previous years. Speakers are happy to give recommendations and advice on future speakers. They know that if you like who they recommend, they further build a relationship with you. While the professional speaker will not talk negatively about another speaker, they certainly will be happy to steer you the best person who can meet your needs.
• Contact other meeting planners. Talk with other meeting planners about speakers who have been exceptional. You may want to create a “preferred” list that can be used in your industry.
• Check credentials. Look at the background for the speaker. Do they have the credentials to speak on their chosen topics? Also look for membership in professional organizations like the National Speakers Association and the American Society for Training and Development. While there are good speakers who do not belong and poor speakers who do, most speakers serious about their own growth belong to one or both of these organizations. Also consider whether the speaker is a Certified Professional Speaker or CSP. This is the highest earned designation of NSA and indicates that the speaker has worked with at least 100 clients, given 250 presentations and has received great reviews.
• Ask for testimonials. This can include letters from satisfied clients or a reference list that you can call. Look what others have said about their style, approach and delivery.
• Preview the speaker in action. If possible, do this in person. Great speakers are busy speakers and have many local and national bookings. While the presentation or subject may not be what you had in mind, you can evaluate their platform skills and the response of a live audience. A demo video can be used, if necessary; but they often don’t represent the “best” the speaker has to offer.
• Arrange a meeting. While this may not always be possible, quality speakers know that face-to-face meetings are a great opportunity. This is your chance to see whether the person is a good fit; for the conference, for the participants and for working with you.
• Evaluate the attitude. Beware of the speaker who is egotistical and/or cocky. In the speaking business we call this “believing your own press kit.” It is often the sign of someone who is actually unsure of their talent, preparation, and delivery. The best speakers I know are actually very modest and are focused on the audience not themselves.
• Give them information. The more background the speaker receives on the event, the participants, the goals and objectives, the better able she will be to customize the presentation. Great speakers also do their own research by reading annual reports, checking on-line, and reading up in the industry. Some speakers use pre-program questionnaires to gather information. Others prefer a face to face meeting with key players or a telephone conference call with the leadership. Regardless of the approach, the more information the better.
• Partner with the speaker. Great speakers are eager to be a part of the entire event. Feel free to contact them to discuss details other than just their presentation. They often have valuable input into layout, AV options, and marketing. Many speakers now have e-mail newsletters and other regular communication with past participants. If appropriate, see if they will publicize and promote the event electronically. Consider a book signing or other opportunity for participants to have access to the speaker. Most speakers are gracious about talking with attendees knowing that this can make the event very special and memorable.

For more information on keynotes, presentations and seminars, please visit: www.ThePeoplePro.com

Let Gratitude be Your Attitude

Psychologists now know what makes people happy and it has little to do with money, keeping up with the neighbors, or chasing pleasure. The happiest people surround themselves with family and friends and practice a life of gratitude and appreciation.

No one needs to convince me of the value of friends, family, and gratitude, especially when life is hard. Unfortunately, 2005 was the hardest and saddest year of my life. On January 9, 2005, the car our daughter was driving was rear-ended at highway speed by a drugged driver. Our daughter, Stephanie, sustained back and neck injuries and her roommate and best friend, Maura was killed. Friends since the third grade, our families are also best friends. We vacation together in Colorado, Florida and the UP, and have watched the kids grow up together. There are no words to express the sorrow we have experienced.

Yet, this year brought new appreciation into our lives for the wonderful family, friends, and colleagues who supported us with prayers, friendship and love. So many people, who reached out and eased our pain, sustained our efforts and made us laugh. They brought us food, referred us for services, and took us to lunch. I am especially grateful to the people who shared their own stories of loss which gave us hope and direction. As one friend said, “You get up in the morning and put one shoe on at a time. That seems to help.” And it did.

I find myself grateful to the very special people who handle these sorts of tragedies; the highway patrol and legal system who have treated us with compassion and caring. These are very difficult jobs and you hear so little appreciation for what they do.
And in spite of years of attorney jokes, we are grateful to one of our attorney friends who stepped forward to handle things so we could focus on supporting our daughter and dear friends.

The business became a low priority this year, and I am grateful for the many referrals from friends and colleagues that helped with the finances. While we have excellent insurance, it became increasingly clear to me how a series of events can leave a family financially destitute in a short period of time. With limited time and energy to work, the bills mount up quickly.

I am grateful to the many health professionals who have assisted us and living in a country where we have easy access to care. Their suggestions, recommendations and empathy have helped us with both the physical and mental pain of this tragedy. I am appreciative of their expertise and experience.

As we look forward to the New Year, we are focused on letting others know how much we appreciate all they do. We are determined to savor the quiet, simple moments of our lives and live in the present. As psychologist Daniel Gilbert from Harvard University says, “If you knew exactly what the future held, you still wouldn’t know how much you would like it when you got there.” He suggests, “We should have more trust in our own resilience and less confidence in our predictions about how we’ll feel. We should be a bit more humble and a bit more brave.”

This year, we will be working on both.

Dedicated in loving memory of Maura Croke Harmon

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