![]() ![]() They’ll fly in the morning of, give their speech, and be on the first flight out. But oftentimes, big names don’t get fully behind an event. We would all love to hear from the greatest minds in business: Warren Buffett, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk - the list goes on and on. It’s not always the biggest names who will bring the most value. Would a book-signing opportunity help them? Could you set up a VIP dinner with executives they might want to meet? Whatever you do, ensure the event is a win-win.ĥ. Think about their goals, and organize your event so there’s a positive outcome for you and your speakers. But keep in mind that your organization might be a valuable resource for your prospective speakers as well. Influencers typically have large, valuable audiences, so it’s easy for event organizers to see them strictly as resources for themselves. Does she want to meet certain people, or are there certain opportunities that would bring value to her? Tell the person how your event can help her achieve that. ![]() The best way to do this is to ask what’s important to her. If you want a speaker to accept an invite to your event, you’ve got to be clear about what’s in it for her (and I’m not talking just about money). Find out what’s a big win for your candidate.Īgain, don’t just be a taker. An added bonus of this approach is that speakers will often give discounts to people they consider friends. When you form a relationship by helping someone, you’ll get to know him better, and he’ll be more inclined to accept your invitation later. Even just sending an email that says, “I really enjoy your work and would love to get involved” can go a long way with a speaker or influencer. If you’ve seen on social media that he’s working on a big project, offer to lend him your expertise. ![]() Here’s what I suggest instead: Offer to help your prospective speaker. This is not a good idea for two reasons: 1) Speakers are less likely to accept when they have no existing relationship with you, and 2) if you’ve never spoken with them before, you don’t actually know whether they’ll be a good fit for your event. They need a speaker at their event, so they’ll reach out and invite the person to speak in their very first contact. Help your prospective speakers before asking for something. When an influencer is told by a friend that he or she should be at your event, it means a lot more than cold outreach from you alone.ģ. Reaching out for recommendations is easy: Send out messages via Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn, and see what comes back. Even if you don’t realize it, you may have connections with high-level influencers you wouldn’t have the ability to contact otherwise. It’s very possible that the people you’re connected with in your industry have had to plan similar events and might have some recommendations (or perhaps warnings) for you. You’ve used Google now, it’s time to consult Human Google - otherwise known as your network. Even if you don’t choose a speaker from one of these lists, you can often find other candidates by reviewing tweets or comments about the article. However, such lists are usually a great starting point because they signal who’s interesting enough to be talked about. Speakers included in these articles may have paid to be featured, and it’s very unlikely that the author of the article has seen every listed individual speak. Of course, these results should be taken with a grain of salt. There might even be one specific to your industry. For example, if you start searching for “ Top Marketing Speakers” or “ Top Sales Speakers” keywords, you’ll find a number of lists providing recommendations for speakers with those areas of expertise. Search for recommended speakers others can vouch for.Īt the risk of stating the obvious, Google is your friend, and it should be your first stop in seeking a speaker for your event. There are literally hundreds of speakers to choose from, so how do you narrow your search?ġ. You need someone who knows and understands your industry and can give a speech that will be exciting and engaging to your audience. If you’re an organizer of one of these gatherings, you know how difficult it can be to find the right speaker. These events are a great opportunity for firms to exhibit their thought leadership and engage the people who matter most to their success. It’s almost a requirement now for brands to hold their own user- or industry-focused conferences and summits. Tech companies have increased the number of events they put on over the past few years.
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