​​How to Choose the Right Speaker For Your Event

Choosing the right speaker for your event can be a daunting process. There are plenty of things to consider, including your budget and the audience demographic.

It's important to remember that it's not just about finding a speaker who is an expert in their field; it's also about finding someone who will connect with your audience and get them engaged with the topic. 

We hope that this blog post will help you understand how to choose the right speaker for your event.

Work out Your Takeaways:

Think about what you want attendees to understand or do after the event. What are the key messages you want to get across? Do you want them to take action? What will they be able to do that they couldn't before? When it comes to booking a speaker, think of how you can use them as a guide or an inspiration for achieving goals.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. A speaker should be able to walk you through their presentation and tell you exactly what they're going to deliver for you. Make sure that it's relevant to your audience and that it will help them achieve the goals you've set for the event.

Check out our own speaker process here.

Know your Budget:

How much can you afford to spend?

If your budget is limited, then it’s important not just to know what type of speakers are available and their costs, but also how far within that range your budget should be. Once again, it all comes down to knowing what you want and what you can realistically afford.

Don’t be attracted to shiny objects! Celebrity speakers can be an exciting option for your event, and while they do make for a great selfie, they usually deliver more wow-factor than values and actionable takeaways, so if you have a limited budget this isnt always the best option.

Read Speaker Testimonials:

To make sure that you're getting what you pay for, read testimonials from people who have hired the speaker before. If you need help finding them, ask the speaker to provide you with a list of clients they have worked with and how those events went. 

Another way you can get an insight into a speaker's past events is by looking at their showreel. A showreel is the perfect taster of what a speaker has to offer and should give you a good idea of what to expect when they are on stage.

Check out Alison’s testimonials here!

Know the Delivery Style You Are Looking For:

What is the delivery style of the speaker you are looking for?

This is probably the most important question, and will determine what type of speaker you should be booking for your event. Are you looking for a motivational speaker who will entertain and inspire your audience with his or her energy? Or do you want a workshop presenter who can educate on a topic in depth?

For more information on choosing the right delivery style, check out our blog ‘What is the Difference Between A Motivational Speaker and a Keynote?’

Research Speaker Topics:

After you've identified your event's goals, the next step is to find a speaker who can deliver on those goals. This means researching the speaker's topics and applying them to your desired outcomes. Ask yourself:

• Is this person an expert in their field?

• What are their past successes?

• Will this speaker be able to articulate key points clearly and concisely?

If you're looking for someone who will engage attendees with a specific message or story, you should try and find someone who has experience delivering that kind of presentation. Our tip for this part of the process would be to reverse engineer! When you know what takeaways you’d like the audience to leave the event with, you can find a speaker who is experienced in delivering these topics.

Many speakers, like Alison Edgar, offer tailored/bespoke packages where they can integrate your topics into their presentation. 

Look for Great Customer Service/Organisational Skills:

Great customer service and organisation skills are crucial for a speaker.

Speakers should be able to manage their time well, communicate with you effectively and meet deadlines. If the speaker is not organised, then other aspects of your event will suffer too. For example, if you're organising a keynote speech for an international audience at an important business event, it's likely that many people in attendance will want to meet your speaker afterwards or have their photo taken with them. If they don't show up on time or at all because they haven't been organised enough, this could cause problems for both parties involved - especially if you have paid them money!

Keep Your Focus on the Main Result and You Will Get There:

When hiring a speaker, make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and remember that it's not about how many speakers you can book or how much money you spend; it's about getting the results you need.

A good way to do this is by imagining yourself in your audience member's shoes: ask yourself Is this presentation engaging? What will I take away from this?

Remember also that when it comes down to choosing between multiple options (which can be overwhelming), it helps if we narrow down our choice by asking ourselves questions like "Why did I hire this person?" and "What difference will their presentation make?"

When it comes down to it, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to finding the right speaker for your event. The key is to be honest with yourself about what you need and then do some research so that you can find the best fit for your event.

Get in touch today to find out what Alison can bring to your event!