Of all of the various ways to get people excited about your upcoming event – and to keep them excited during that event – guest speakers are one of the most popular and well-received. Below, you will find some tips for sourcing, scheduling, and preparing guest speakers for your upcoming virtual event.
Choosing the Right Guest Speaker
There’s no tried-and-true method for finding the perfect guest speaker for every single event, but there are some helpful tips you can use when determining who you would like to see on your virtual stage. First, think about people who are prominent in your industry – people your audience has likely heard of before. The power of a guest speaker, after all, lies in choosing the right fit for the event itself. There’s no one way to do this, but if you take the time to think about people who would make an impact, you’re sure to come up with several names.
Introduce Yourself
Send an introductory email to each person who you think would make an excellent guest speaker for your event. Introduce yourself and your mission, and explain why you think this person would be the perfect speaker. Make sure that you outline what the rest of the event will look like and set clear expectations for the individual if they choose to accept your invitation, as well. This way, you’ve given all of the information that person will need to decide whether this appearance is something he or she wants to do.
Schedule Speakers Appropriately
There’s no set-in-stone order that your speakers and presenters need to follow, so just take some time to think about the overall flow of the event. Make sure that your speakers and presenters follow a logical flow, and if possible – or if it fits the situation – try to mix up the drier parts of the event with more exciting ones afterward to keep the momentum going. Most importantly, consider your speakers’ schedules so that you can accommodate them, especially if they are high-profile talents who may have other engagements the same or the next day.
Preparing for the Event
The final step in preparing for your event involves preparing your guest speaker. This is best done with a kick-off call or video call in which you lay out the timeline and expectations leading up to your event, then give the speaker information about what to prepare for their presentation on the day of. Go over talking points and topics that might need to be refined before the event begins, and do all of this early enough so that your presenters and speakers have time to gather information if needed, too.
Guest speakers or presenters can be the highlight of a virtual event, but only when they are chosen with a great deal of care, scheduled at an appropriate time during the event, and given everything they need to prepare well in advance. Following the tips above is sure to help you find the best possible speakers for your event.