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Selecting a good Speaker for your Meeting
Sparkle your meetings with trained, tried and skilled professional speakers. These polished presenters stand in front of groups informing, inspiring and educating, giving high value and substantial return on investment.
Good meetings are an art. The ability to hold the attention and interest of a group convince them of your issue and inspire them to support you is a trained skill.
What then are the basic ingredients for your successful meeting? Here is a brief Meeting Planners guide.
- Determine the needs of your audience and the specific reason for the meeting. For example:-
· Does the audience need specific or technical information?
· Do they need motivation or encouragement?
· Does the company need to launch a new product or project?
· Is a merger to be announced which may threaten jobs?
· Is there a problem with lack of diversity, sharing or cooperation?
· Do you need to enlarge the vision of the group?
- Identify the type of speaker who will best match the needs of your audience.
· Go to your best resources. Obtain personal referrals for possible professional speakers.
· Most professional speakers have informative websites.
· Go to the National Speakers Association (NSA) website www.nsaspeaker.org where there is a large well described resource of talent to select from.
- Make a short list of candidates. Professional speakers serve as your partners to make your meeting a success.
- They will ask questions about your needs and may even suggest another more appropriate speaker.
- They will send you detailed information about their speaking experience and their specific expertise.
- They will send you testimonials (and a video or audio tape if required).
- They will tailor their presentation to precisely fit the needs of your group.
- They will send you a sample agreement outlining their conditions of business.
4. Select your speaker on the basis that you want a new member to join your team.
· Realize that you are not paying just for a speech; you are paying for the speakers expertise, experience, talent and pre-speech research.
· Some speakers may have product such as books, tapes and CDs that they will make available.
· Work with your speaker; share information about your business and your people.
· Help the speaker become familiar with your organization while facilitating a customized presentation.
· Let the speaker know about the whole scope of the program, the other presenters and events.
- Professional Speakers should provide you with a good introduction to themselves and their topic. The introduction should be short, energizing and create positive expectations.
- Professional Speakers start and finish on time recognizing that other presenters and events are on the program and that they understand the responsibilities of the Meeting Planner.
- Make certain that the room is set up for maximum impact and results.
- Test all audio/video equipment beforehand.
- Have a competent audio/video engineer available if needed.
- That the room seating is laid out for maximum effectiveness.
- That all concerned are well briefed and know what to do at what time.
Meeting planners immediately know whether their event has been a success. Smiles on the faces of the audience tell them,
“That was a great speaker, good meeting, well organized”.
It all goes together.
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