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Engage.Analyze.Inform.Inspire.Q4-2009
TipsforFindingtheRightSpeakerforyourEvent
Yourspeakerselectionisoneofthemostimportantelementsinasuccessfulmeeting.Selectingtherightspeakerforyourmeetingcanbeadauntingtask,asspeakersareavailableineveryfeerangeandspecialtytopic.ThisfollowingisderivedandeditedfromarticlebybyNationalSpeakersAssociation.
1.
Determinetheneedsofyouraudience
Thoroughknowledgeoftheneedsofyourgroupisessentialinselectingtherightspeaker.Doesyourmeetingrequirethattheaudienceleavewithspecificortechnicalinformation?Doyouneedsomeonetomotivatethegrouptosell?
2.
Establishyourdate,timeandbudget
Startlookingforaspeakerassoonasthedateforyourmeetingisset.Considerhowmuchtimeyouhavetofillandwherethattimefallsinyouroverallprogram.Factorinthefeeyouarewillingorabletopayforaspeaker.
3.
Identifythetypeofspeakerwhowillbestmatchtheneedsofyouraudience
Aspeaker'sexpertiseinagivenfieldmaybethebigdraw,butawell-knownnamedoesnotguaranteeaprofessionalpresentation.Highpricesdon'talwaysmeanhighquality.
4.
Locateyourresources
Speakersbureauslocateandbookspeakersaccordingtoyourspecificationsandneeds.Abureaucanlocatespeakersandquotefees.
5.
Reviewyouroptionsandinterviewyourspeakercandidates
Aprofessionalspeakerwillbearealpartnerinthisprocess.Findaspeakerwhowilltailorhisorherpresentationtoyourgroup.
6.
Selectyourspeaker
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Hireaprofessionalandyou'llhireanally
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Whenselectingyourspeaker,considerthatyouarenotonlypayingforthetimethespeakerisontheplatformbutalsoforthehoursspentresearching,preparingandcustomizingthepresentation
7.
Getitinwriting
Youshouldhavealetterofagreementorcontractthatclearlyoutlinestheexpectationsofbothyouandyourspeaker.
8.
Workwithyourspeaker
Shareinformationaboutyourgrouporcompany.
9.
Setthestage
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Makesuretheroomissetupforoptimumimpact.
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Stayonschedule.
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Yourspeakershouldbeabletoprovideyouwithagoodintroductionofthemselvesandtheirtopic.Theintroductionshouldbeshort,energizingandcreatepositiveexpectations.
10.
Evaluatetheresults
Haveyouraudiencecompleteevaluationsonthespeakerandhis/herpresentation.Sendcopiesoftheevaluationstoyourspeaker.
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