3 Selection Tips For Finding The Perfect Guest Speaker For Your Big Event

Posted on: 28 January 2018

If you're planning a big upcoming event, you'll want to hire a guest speaker. They command most of the attention and will bring up some important topics. As such, you need to take your time finding the right guest speaker to ensure your event's success.

Assess Your Budget 

Like every event decision, you need to assess the budget before agreeing on a guest speaker. Obviously, the bigger the name the guest speaker has, the more money you'll pay upfront. These extra costs might be worth it, though, considering how much publicity and attention they can garner for your event.

However, if you don't have a lot of money, you can still find quality speakers on a tight budget. Just make sure you account for the essential traveling accommodations, including hotel, transportation, and food. Knowing these costs ahead of time can save you from upsetting the speaker and ruining your event entirely.

Check Availability 

Before you can narrow down your list of choices, you must first check each speaker's availability. You wouldn't want to schedule a speaker only to find out days before the event that they've been double-booked.

If you can, see what the speaker's schedule is months in advance. You'll then have a better idea of whether or not their schedule will work. You should also err on the side of caution and line up one or two additional speakers. This way, no matter what happens to your first speaker, you'll have other options and can move forward with your event.

Target the Right Demographic 

In a perfect scenario, your audience will remain engaged throughout the speaker's entire presentation. This is only possible if you assess your event's demographic, to ensure the audience is receptive and tuned in to what your speaker has to say. 

Think about what the event is for. If it's to raise awareness for a particular disease, for example, chances are your demographic will be older. You should then hire a speaker that is around the same age and has a professional tone. Conversely, if your event leans more towards the side of fun and has a younger crowd, you'll need a speaker that's more lively and perhaps comedic. 

The success of your future event is often dependent on the guest speaker you hire. That's why you need to weigh your options and plan months in advance, so that your event can be enjoyable for everyone in attendance. 

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