How to Find Incredible Conference Speakers
As event planners, you understand the pressure that finding conference speakers can bring. You’ve meticulously crafted the agenda, secured the venue, and ironed out every logistical detail. But the success of your conference hinges on one crucial element: the speaker. A captivating speaker can ignite the room, but a dull presenter can deflate the entire event. At The Speakers Agency, we’ve been helping event organisers find incredible speakers since 2001. We understand the weight on your shoulders and have put together this guide to help you find your next incredible conference speaker:
1. Know Your Audience: Understanding the Demand
The foundation of finding an incredible conference speaker lies in the simple rule: supply and demand. But in this case, the “supply” isn’t the speaker themself, it’s the content your audience craves. Who are the people in the room? What challenges do they face day-to-day? Who inspires them? Understanding your attendees is paramount.
Audience profiling is a fantastic tool to delve into their demographics, interests, and pain points. But don’t stop there. Consider conducting surveys or polls to gather direct feedback. If you’ve hosted previous conferences, use an event app to allow attendees to rate speakers. This valuable data provides a clear picture of what resonated with your audience.
For instance, at The Speakers Agency, we were tasked with securing a keynote speaker for the renowned HR Drive Conference in Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the event, attendees used an app to rate the speakers. Butzi, the speaker we booked, received a phenomenal score of 4.7 out of 5! This feedback heavily influenced our discussions with the client for the following year’s conference. Knowing the audience enjoyed Butzi’s style allowed us to suggest similar profiles for the upcoming event, ensuring we continued to deliver content that resonated. By understanding your audience’s “demand,” it is easier to find a speaker that truly piques their interest.
2. Deep Dive: Researching the Market
Once you understand your audience’s “demand,” it’s time to delve into the vast pool of potential speakers. Here, research becomes your greatest weapon. Identify the specific field your conference focuses on, whether it is Technology, Diversity, Sustainability, Branding, Business, Innovation or something different. Who are the biggest names in that space? Industry titans, award-winning authors, and leading academics should all be on your radar.
Compile a comprehensive list of these thought leaders and their areas of expertise. This will serve as a valuable starting point, sparking ideas about the kind of speaker who would best resonate with your audience. Don’t be afraid to explore beyond the obvious choices. Up-and-coming voices and niche experts can bring fresh perspectives and captivating energy to your conference, too.
The Speakers Agency can be your partner in this research phase. We maintain a vast network of incredible speakers across diverse industries. By sharing the details of your conference theme and audience, we can leverage our knowledge to suggest a shortlist of speakers who perfectly align with your needs.
3. Assessing Expertise: Vetting Potential Speakers
Once you have identified a pool of promising speakers, it’s time to delve deeper and assess their suitability. Take a look at their previous work – this is where the internet becomes your friend. Search for videos of their past presentations. Do they captivate the audience? Is their delivery style engaging and informative?
Testimonials from past clients also hold immense value. Look for reviews and recommendations.
The Speakers Agency can also help in this evaluation process.
We maintain close relationships with the speakers we represent, allowing us to provide unique insights beyond what’s readily available online. Feel free to ask us about a speaker’s reliability, their ability to tailor presentations to specific audiences, and their overall professionalism. As a speakers bureau with a huge roster of speakers, we are always impartial in our advice, and will always be transparent about a speaker’s suitability for an event.
The Speakers Agency
Your Partner in Speaker Booking Success
Finding the perfect conference speaker can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. To help with this, we offer our clients access to a network of vetted, world-class speakers across a huge range of industries. Unlike some agencies, we maintain complete impartiality, prioritising the perfect fit for your specific conference brief.
With over 20 years in the business, we’ve curated countless successful speaker lineups, and we’re confident we can do the same for you.
Contact us today on +44(0)1332 810481 or email enquiries@thespeakersagency.com to speak to one of our dedicated booking agents.
FAQs on Finding the perfect conference speaker
Our booking process is designed to be smooth and efficient. Here’s a simplified breakdown:
- Tell us about your event:Â Share details like your conference theme, target audience, and preferred speaker style.
- We shortlist speakers:Â Using our network and expertise, we curate a selection of speakers perfectly aligned with your needs.
- Speaker selection:Â You review speaker profiles and choose the ideal candidate.
- Contract and logistics:Â We handle contracts, speaker fees, and travel arrangements (if applicable).
- Pre-event briefing (optional):Â We facilitate a call between you and the speaker to discuss the presentation in detail.
Yes! We have a diverse roster of speakers covering a wide range of topics suitable for various events. From conferences and seminars to corporate galas and award ceremonies, we can help you find the perfect speaker to engage and inspire your audience.
The more details you provide, the better we can tailor our recommendations. Here’s some helpful information to share:
- Event theme and target audience
- Desired speaker expertise and experience
- Preferred presentation style (keynote, workshop, etc.)
- Budget considerations
- Event location (virtual or in-person)
While we can sometimes secure speakers on shorter notice, it’s advisable to start planning early, particularly for in-demand speakers or events with specific date requirements. Ideally, begin your search 3-6 months in advance to secure your preferred speaker.
Absolutely! We work with speakers and clients from across the globe. If your event is located outside the UK, please let us know, and we can factor in any travel requirements and logistics.
Yes, many speakers in our network are well-versed in delivering impactful presentations online. We can recommend speakers with experience in virtual event platforms and presentation styles suited for remote audiences.
Speaker fees depend on various factors such as the speaker’s experience, level of demand, presentation duration, and any travel requirements. We’ll provide a transparent fee structure once we understand your specific needs and chosen speaker.
We understand the importance of charitable causes. While speaker fees are generally set, some speakers may be open to reduced rates or alternative arrangements for charitable events. We’ll be happy to explore these possibilities with the speaker on your behalf.
Yes! We can usually share speaker demo videos, presentations, or testimonials from past clients to help you get a sense of their style and expertise.
While uncommon, unforeseen circumstances can arise. In the rare case of a speaker cancellation, the benefit of working with a speakers bureau means that you are protected, and we’ll work diligently to find a suitable replacement speaker based on your preferences and availability.
We maintain a rigorous selection process for our speakers. We only represent speakers with a proven track record of excellence, captivating presentation styles, and subject matter expertise.
