Planning a meeting in Las Vegas or attending a convention in Las Vegas and having to organize satellite events?
| New Trends in Team Building and Corporate Speakers |
Booking Corporate Speakers That Bring Success
The trends in the field of corporate speakers reflect many of the changes of team-building services. Corporate speakers are no longer being sought after for entertainment or motivational purposes, but for topical information that will contribute to the company’s success initiatives and overall productivity.
“Event planners are under pressure today to make sure there’s a return on investment for the event,” says branding expert Nick Nichols of LVPR.com, a PR agency that handles some of the most high-profile speakers in the city. “So what they should look for are speakers who are going to provide one of three things: actionable content, audience engagement and customization.”
The first component, Nichols explains, is information that the audience will be able to apply in their work lives once back in the office. In other words, actionable content is more than just a feel-good speech that pushes listeners to an all-time high during the event, only to see the level of enthusiasm drop significantly afterward.
An event speaker who can successfully engage the audience will do more than show up with a PowerPoint presentation and conclude with a standard Q&A session. An engaging speaker incorporates the audience in all aspects of his presentation and doesn’t stay in the spotlight the entire time.
A speaker who is cognizant that his presentation is meant to inspire and produce results will also be adept at customizing his work. It’s impossible to think that a presentation will work for every organization, but unfortunately some speakers will repeat their information verbatim, regardless of the disparity between audiences. Planners will want to be sure that the speaker they select can adapt his message to the industry, audience as well as address the event’s goals.
When interviewing speakers or speaking to their booking agents, don’t hesitate to ask for a demo reel. Watching a speaker in action can help a planner gauge whether or not his presentation style is suitable for the intended audience. Ask about past clients, the speaker’s credentials and his area of expertise outside of public speaking. Make sure the potential speaker knows the type of engagement he will be presenting at and if he’s comfortable with all of the event specifications. Doing so will prevent an awkward match-up of speaker and event.
Part of the challenge of booking an appropriate speaker is that the meeting planner is sometimes left out of the loop in terms of establishing the outcome of an event. “Oftentimes, meeting planners don’t know what they want out of the event,” say Nichols.
Meeting and event planners need to work closely with the department putting on the event and get a clear understanding of what’s to be the end result. “As a planner, it helps to know the intended outcome and how to measure it, then you can convey that to the speaker or the presenter. The more specific you can be with the speaker, the better the chance is of getting what you want.”
Before a planner hires a speaker, it’s best to identify at least three points that the audience needs to leave the event knowing. Let the speaker know beforehand these points and ask if he will be able to convey these messages through his presentation. If the speaker can do this, it’s likely a positive return on investment can be achieved.
The trends in the field of corporate speakers reflect many of the changes of team-building services. Corporate speakers are no longer being sought after for entertainment or motivational purposes, but for topical information that will contribute to the company’s success initiatives and overall productivity.
“Event planners are under pressure today to make sure there’s a return on investment for the event,” says branding expert Nick Nichols of LVPR.com, a PR agency that handles some of the most high-profile speakers in the city. “So what they should look for are speakers who are going to provide one of three things: actionable content, audience engagement and customization.”
The first component, Nichols explains, is information that the audience will be able to apply in their work lives once back in the office. In other words, actionable content is more than just a feel-good speech that pushes listeners to an all-time high during the event, only to see the level of enthusiasm drop significantly afterward.
An event speaker who can successfully engage the audience will do more than show up with a PowerPoint presentation and conclude with a standard Q&A session. An engaging speaker incorporates the audience in all aspects of his presentation and doesn’t stay in the spotlight the entire time.
A speaker who is cognizant that his presentation is meant to inspire and produce results will also be adept at customizing his work. It’s impossible to think that a presentation will work for every organization, but unfortunately some speakers will repeat their information verbatim, regardless of the disparity between audiences. Planners will want to be sure that the speaker they select can adapt his message to the industry, audience as well as address the event’s goals.
When interviewing speakers or speaking to their booking agents, don’t hesitate to ask for a demo reel. Watching a speaker in action can help a planner gauge whether or not his presentation style is suitable for the intended audience. Ask about past clients, the speaker’s credentials and his area of expertise outside of public speaking. Make sure the potential speaker knows the type of engagement he will be presenting at and if he’s comfortable with all of the event specifications. Doing so will prevent an awkward match-up of speaker and event.
Part of the challenge of booking an appropriate speaker is that the meeting planner is sometimes left out of the loop in terms of establishing the outcome of an event. “Oftentimes, meeting planners don’t know what they want out of the event,” say Nichols.
Meeting and event planners need to work closely with the department putting on the event and get a clear understanding of what’s to be the end result. “As a planner, it helps to know the intended outcome and how to measure it, then you can convey that to the speaker or the presenter. The more specific you can be with the speaker, the better the chance is of getting what you want.”
Before a planner hires a speaker, it’s best to identify at least three points that the audience needs to leave the event knowing. Let the speaker know beforehand these points and ask if he will be able to convey these messages through his presentation. If the speaker can do this, it’s likely a positive return on investment can be achieved.
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If accepted, your submission will be edited for length and clarity. There is no monetary payment if your item is used; instead, you can publicize yourself through a five-line biography with your contact information that will appear at the end of the article.
Send submissions to
editorial@MeetingPlannerResources.org. We will contact you if your submission is chosen.