Finding The Speakers

With a better idea of the type and number of speakers required for the event, you can set about finding the right people. Sometimes this will be relatively easy - you may know someone who seems ideal, or perhaps they have already approached you to announce their intention to play an active role in the conference whether you like it or not. On other occasions, suitable speakers may be harder to find, although there are various ways of approaching the task to increase your chances of success.

Finding speakers from outside the firm?

• Business associates:
  Could they play a part in the proceedings?
  
  
• Other contacts:
  Have you thought whether friends and relatives could put you in touch with speakers, perhaps even local celebrities?

What about the sponsors? Can they help out at all?

• Your professional association:
  Could they provide a speaker for a trade event or a list of people you can approach, such as well-known names in the trade or personalities?
  
  
• Other businesses:
  Is another business staging a complementary exhibition alongside your conference? Would it be willing to put together a presentation of some kind on your behalf or share their contacts list with you?

What will make speakers want to attend your conference?

Should you try to identify their motives so that you can work on these later? Will just being there make them feel important? Will they enjoy speaking to delegates and be flattered by the attention and interest in what they have to say? Is it money that will appeal to them - a substantial fee backed up by generous travel and accommodation allowances, miscellaneous extras, unlimited use of the hotel's facilities and services and a choice of gifts from your range of products? There may be other motives such as the chance to visit an exotic location, to stay in a luxurious hotel, the opportunity to meet friends again, renew business acquaintances, and make new friends or establish business contacts.

How should you approach these selected speakers?

Face-to-face contact has the advantage of informality and gives you the chance to explain, answer questions and persuade. The disadvantages are that it may be too informal for some speakers who may consider this kind of approach as rather forward or even demanding. The pros and cons of a telephone approach are much the same as a face-to-face contact, but may also incur other disadvantages, such as difficulty in judging a mood by voice alone and the inability to show supporting materials. A more sensible approach might be to write a letter. The benefits of this more formal method include the opportunity to think about what you want to state, how to phrase it correctly, and whether to include explanatory documents. The drawbacks include the possibility of a poorly phrased letter, misinterpretations and misunderstanding. It may be wise to use an intermediary. This has the advantage that the go-between will know the potential speaker well and can time and phrase their approach accordingly, but also carries the risk that the intermediary may not put across your message in the way that you want them to do.

What needs to be discussed with each speaker at this early stage?

• The conference:
  Its type, theme, purpose, the audience, provisional business and social activities, dates, location. Cover as much relevant information as possible but keep it brief and to the point, bearing in mind what the speaker wants and needs to know.

• The speaker's role:
  What do you want them to do? Arrive at a certain hour? Make a speech on a particular topic, for a given length of time? Take any questions from the floor, as appropriate? Do you want the speaker to join the delegates for lunch and present an award to the top salesperson, to be around to participate in the fun and games during the afternoon and/or depart at a specified time.
  
  
• Your offer:
  The fee, if relevant. This will probably be reached by negotiation. Travel and accommodation arrangements - their responsibility or your responsibility? Clarify whether or not the speaker is bringing a partner and, if they are, whether he or she is staying over. Who is responsible? Who is paying - including miscellaneous expenses and sundry extras? Specify what's what now!

Anything else:

Are there any other details relevant to your individual situation which need to be covered? Be prepared to negotiate at all times, perhaps to meet on several occasions, talk regularly on the telephone and exchange letters up to and on agreement.