I hope you get what you deserve! â€¦an easy-to-work with speaker who wants to help you achieve extraordinary event results.

The planner/speaker relationship is best when seen as a partnership more than a contract. When you can work together to meet the vision and exceed event expectations. The positive connection the audience feels and the solutions they walk away with are the ultimate reward. And don’t THEY deserve that?

There are certain things that I have seen and done as a speaker to ensure I’m contributing to the success of an event. More than a few times, the things I consider a base expectation are met with surprise. So, I did a little recon. What are the planner foundational expectations and what are the WOW factors?

I asked my planner friends what they liked, what they loved, and what they wished they could get from speakers if they had a magic wand. There were some great answers and I decided to share them with you.

The audience deserves a great experience, the planners deserve an easier process, and the speakers want to be remembered and appreciated. It’s a win-win-win when the relationship is honored, and collaboration is supportive.

The outcome of my planner survey came down to three primary points to consider. Time, Professionalism, and Investment.

TIME- What is one of the most valuable resources a planner has? TIME. It’s certainly one of mine, so I make it a priority to be responsive, punctual, and to stay on stage for the time they have given me. This is one of those areas I see as a base expectation, but I have heard planners complain over and over about how long it takes some speakers to get back to them or that they have had to get the ‘hook’ out to get them off the stage...blowing up their show flow. In my opinion honoring time is the easiest way to make a positive impression. Do what you say you’re going to do. And make it easy to work with you. 

Other time saving tips that planners like-

·      â€œPut your headshot, bio, AV needs, etc in one place so I can find it.”

·      Make it easy to get your handouts and follow up resources.

·      Get me your expenses in a timely manner.

·      Don’t waste my time dealing with drama or diva requests. (Green M&M's Only...NOT!!)

Amy Quigley, Key Account Director and Business Development for EGG events shares the importance of balance, “I like accessibility to the speaker before and after the event….to an extent. I appreciate when our speaker finds the balance between when it’s appropriate to interlace and socialize with the group and when it’s time to take your ball and go home.”

PROFESSIONALISM- This is the core of who you are as a speaker. Planners typically want speakers to deliver engaging, informative, and relevant presentations that meet the needs of their audience and align with the goals of their event. Specifically, planners may look for the following from speakers:

·      Planners want speakers who have a deep understanding of their topic and can share insights and ideas that are new, relevant, and valuable.

·      They want speakers who can captivate their audience and keep them engaged throughout the presentation, using techniques such as storytelling, humor, and interactive elements.

·      It’s great when a speaker can tailor their presentation to the specific needs and interests of their audience, taking into account their demographics, level of expertise, and even share specific industry related stories.

A fan of the counterpoint, I’ll add an interesting awareness from Katrina Kent, Vice President Meetings Management & Event Strategy at Liberty Mutual Insurance. “I know we always say that we love when speakers do their homework; however, I’d like to challenge that notion just a little bit. We hire speakers to be authentic to their content, topic, their expertise. And while it’s important to help us connect the dots, the primary onus is on us. Sometimes the core of what a speaker brings or is about becomes clouded by the extent to which they are “making it relevant to the group.” That can be counterproductive!”

This makes sense to me. Again, we’re looking to find the balance. Connect the dots as to how the content can be relevant to that specific audience but do it in a way that stays true to the unique message/lesson you are bringing to the table!

Time and Professionalism are the foundation of what you can expect from a professional speaker, in my opinion. The final point is where you differentiate.

INVESTED- How do you take it to the next level of collaboration? Become invested in the results! Take the time to partner with the planner, to:

·      Communicate well and become present so you can fully understand their vision.

·      Contribute your own ideas to make it special.

·      If it’s an association or nonprofit, consider ways to help them market (i.e., I enjoy making custom video messages they can send out in newsletters or put on their site).

·      If it’s a company, find other ways to help them integrate the message (i.e., I love to use my facilitation skills to moderate a panel of their execs or top sales pros to demonstrate how they are using some of the lessons I share in my keynote and highlight their innovative success strategies.)

Find ways to go beyond the traditional into the realm of extraordinary. Here’s a great idea from Amy Quigley, “I love the idea of speed dating with the speaker after the presentation. I’d pay extra for it.” This speed dating concept could be ideal. I have done laser coaching live with volunteers during certain events. People love it, but obviously it has more appeal for those extroverts in the crowd. Speed dating afterwards would be an even better atmosphere to be able to provide massive value and fit all different personality types.

“Good speakers work on conveyor belts unfortunately in that they message specifics by audience and are gone in an instant. And the great ones always leave us wanting more,” says Wayne M. Robinson CMP CMM, Staff Vice President Events & Multimedia, FM Global. He continues, â€œSome speakers have so much content to share it would be great to book them for not only one session but breakouts and/or workshops and even participation in planned events surrounding their presentation as opposed to the quick agenda spot. I know it’s difficult from both sides but there are so many topics that great speakers can cover that it should be a more immersive experience if possible. The barriers may be budget and time, but we are missing out on what could be if we don’t explore this.”

The benefits that can come from opening the conversation between planner and speaker are immense. The point of this article is to encourage speakers to go over and above, to break down walls so planners can communicate their needs, and to have both see the significant results that could come from this type of collaboration.

Interested in continuing the conversation? Visit me at my site or email me!