The right speakers can captivate audiences, inspire meaningful discussions, and provide valuable insights that resonate long after the event concludes. On the contrary, poorly selected speakers may deliver less-than ideal events, leading to disengagement, diminished interest, and missed opportunities for learning and networking.
This blog explores the significance of selecting the best speakers for virtual events and outlines key considerations to ensure that you find the best fit for your event objectives and audience. By understanding these factors, event organizers can enhance attendee satisfaction, drive meaningful interactions, and ultimately, elevate the success of their virtual events. Let’s delve into the essentials of choosing exceptional virtual event speakers.
How To Find Outstanding Virtual Event Speakers
Let’s explore nine essential steps to help you find and book outstanding virtual event speakers who can elevate your event and leave your audience inspired and engaged.
1. Define Your Event Objectives and Audience
Before you begin your search for speakers, it’s imperative to clearly define your event objectives and target audience. Key questions to consider include:
What is the purpose of your virtual event?
Who is the ideal attendee and what are their interests, pain points, and preferences?
Are you aiming to educate, inspire, sell a product/ feature or facilitate networking opportunities?
Understanding your event’s goals will help you identify the types of speakers and content that align with your objectives.
Additionally, consider your target audience’s interests, backgrounds, and expectations. What topics or areas of expertise would resonate most with them? By aligning your speaker selection with your event objectives and audience needs, you’ll increase the chances of delivering a highly engaging and impactful experience.
Key Tips
- Clearly outline your event goals and desired outcomes
- Identify your target audience demographics and interests
- Determine the key topics and themes you want to cover
- Consider the format and structure of your virtual event
- Align speaker selection with your overall event strategy
2. Conduct Thorough Research
Once you have a clear understanding of your event’s objectives and audience, it’s time to begin your research. Explore various sources to identify potential speakers, including industry associations, professional networks, speaker bureaus, and online platforms dedicated to speaker discovery.
Leverage social media channels like LinkedIn, X, and industry-specific forums to stay updated on trending topics and influencers within your field. Monitor relevant hashtags, join online communities, and engage with thought leaders to gain insights into potential speakers.
Don’t limit your search to traditional sources; consider unconventional avenues as well. Podcasts, webinars, and online conferences can be goldmines for discovering talented and insightful speakers who may not have a prominent online presence yet.
Key Tips
- Utilize speaker bureaus and industry databases
- Explore social media platforms for thought leaders
- Attend other virtual events to scout potential speakers
- Seek recommendations from colleagues and industry peers
- Review speaker websites, blogs, and published content
Also Read – What exactly is a guest speaker?
3. Evaluate Speaker Expertise and Relevance
As you compile a list of potential speakers, carefully evaluate their expertise and relevance to your event’s theme and audience. Review their professional background, published works, speaking engagements, and online presence to gauge their depth of knowledge and thought leadership in their respective fields.
Pay close attention to the topics they cover, the industries they specialize in, and the unique perspectives they bring to the table. Ensure that their areas of expertise align with the themes and learning objectives of your virtual event.
Additionally, consider their communication styles and ability to engage virtual audiences. Virtual events require speakers who can captivate and maintain the attention of remote participants, which can be a different skill set from traditional in-person speaking.
Key Tips
- Assess the speaker’s experience in your industry or on the chosen topic
- Review their past speaking engagements and audience feedback
- Check for recent publications, research, or notable achievements
- Ensure their expertise aligns with your event’s focus and audience needs
- Consider the unique perspective or innovative ideas they carry
4. Consider Diversity and Inclusivity
Fostering diversity and inclusivity should be considered a top priority when curating your speaker lineup. A diverse range of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences can enrich the event experience and appeal to a broader audience.
Seek out speakers from underrepresented groups, different cultures, and varying professional backgrounds. This diversity can bring fresh insights, challenge conventional wisdom, and promote a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all attendees.
Furthermore, consider speakers with diverse communication styles, delivery methods, and multimedia approaches. This variety can cater to different learning preferences and keep your audience engaged throughout the event.
Key Tips
- Aim for a diverse lineup of speakers in terms of gender, ethnicity, and background (social, cultural as well as professional)
- Include speakers from various geographic locations and cultural perspectives
- Seek out voices that represent different experiences within your industry
- Ensure accessibility for speakers with disabilities
- Balance established experts with emerging voices in your field
5. Review Speaker Engagement and Interaction Skills
In a virtual setting, audience engagement and interaction are critical factors for a successful speaker session. Evaluate each potential speaker’s ability to foster a dynamic and interactive experience.
Review their previous virtual speaking engagements, if available, and assess their ability to keep audiences engaged through storytelling, multimedia presentations, polls, Q&A sessions, and other interactive elements.
Look for speakers who are comfortable with virtual platforms and have experience adapting their delivery styles to suit remote audiences. They should be adept at reading virtual body language, responding to chat comments, and fostering a sense of connection despite the physical distance.
Key Tips
- Watch video samples of previous virtual presentations
- Assess their ability to engage and hold audience attention remotely
- Look for speakers comfortable with interactive elements (Q&A, polls, etc.)
- Evaluate their presence and charisma in a virtual setting
- Consider their technical proficiency with virtual event platforms
6. Negotiate Terms and Budget
Once you’ve narrowed down your list of potential speakers, it’s time to initiate negotiations. Clearly communicate your event details, including dates, format, expected audience size, and any specific requirements or expectations.
Discuss speaker fees, travel expenses (if applicable), and any other associated costs. Be transparent about your budget and explore potential sponsorship opportunities or alternative compensation models if necessary.
Additionally, address important logistical considerations, such as technical requirements, rehearsal schedules, and contingency plans for potential technical issues. Establishing clear expectations and agreements upfront can prevent misunderstandings and ensure a smooth collaboration.
Key Tips
- Clearly communicate your budget constraints upfront
- Discuss speaker fees, including any additional costs (tech requirements, materials)
- Consider alternative compensation models (e.g., revenue sharing, sponsorship)
- Be transparent about expectations for pre-event promotion and post-event content
- Outline any exclusivity or non-compete clauses if applicable
Also Read – Why Host a Webinar Panel of Speakers? Amazing Benefits for Every Business
7. Communicate Expectations and Support
After securing your speakers, it’s essential to maintain clear and consistent communication throughout the planning process. Provide them with detailed event information, including the agenda, format, and any specific guidelines or requirements.
Offer support and guidance on adapting their presentations for a virtual audience, leveraging interactive elements, and optimizing their delivery for the chosen platform. Provide opportunities for technical rehearsals and familiarization with the virtual event platform to ensure a seamless experience.
Encourage open communication and address any concerns or questions your speakers may have. Assign a dedicated point of contact to facilitate prompt responses and ensure that your speakers feel supported and valued throughout the process.
Key Tips
- Provide a detailed brief on the event format, audience, and objectives
- Discuss technical requirements and platform familiarization
- Set clear guidelines for presentation length and content structure, flow and depth
- Offer support for customizing content to your audience
- Establish deadlines for materials submission and rehearsals
8. Prepare for Speaker Success
In the lead-up to your virtual event, take proactive steps to set your speakers up for success. Provide them with detailed information about your audience, including demographics, industry backgrounds, and any specific interests or pain points.
Share insights from pre-event surveys or event registration forms to help speakers tailor their content and delivery to resonate with your audience more effectively.
Ensure that your speakers have access to all necessary technical support and resources, such as dedicated IT personnel, backup internet connections, and contingency plans in case of technical difficulties.
Additionally, consider offering opportunities for speakers to connect and network with each other, fostering a sense of community and collaboration among your expert lineup.
Key Tips
- Schedule technical run-throughs and event platform orientation sessions
- Provide speakers with audience insights and engagement data
- Offer guidance on optimizing their virtual presentation environment
- Ensure speakers have backup plans for potential technical issues
- Assign a dedicated point of contact for speaker support
9. Follow Up and Maintain Relationships
Your relationship with your virtual event speakers shouldn’t end when the event concludes. Make a concerted effort to follow up and maintain these valuable connections.
Collect feedback from attendees and share it with your speakers, highlighting areas where they excelled and any constructive critiques that could aid their future development.
Express your gratitude and appreciation for their contributions, and explore opportunities for future collaborations or speaking engagements. Outstanding speakers can become valuable assets for your organization, and nurturing these relationships can pay dividends in the long run.
Additionally, encourage your speakers to share their experiences and promote their involvement in your event through their networks and social media channels. This amplifies your event’s reach and reinforces your commitment to fostering a positive and mutually beneficial partnership.
Key Tips
- Send personalized ‘thank you’ notes to speakers, after the event
- Share audience feedback and engagement metrics with speakers
- Provide professional recordings or clips of their presentation
- Discuss opportunities for future collaboration or events
- Maintain regular contact through newsletters or industry updates
Conclusion
Finding and booking outstanding virtual event speakers is a multifaceted process that requires strategic planning, thorough research, and a commitment to fostering diverse and engaging experiences. By following these nine essential steps, you’ll be well-equipped to curate a speaker lineup that captivates your audience, delivers valuable insights, and leaves a lasting impact on your virtual event.
Don’t stop there, though! Your virtual event can be enhanced even more using Airmeet. Our user-friendly platform facilitates smooth communication between speakers and attendees with its incredible engagement-focussed capabilities, while our analytical tools enable you to assess success and deliver consistently high-value virtual events.
Recall that the key to hosting successful virtual events is to produce unique experiences. You can achieve that with Airmeet. With the right speakers at the helm, you can elevate your virtual event to new heights and leave a lasting impression on your attendees.
FAQ
When choosing virtual event speakers, consider their expertise, relevance to your event theme, past speaking engagements, ability to engage remote audiences, and diversity of perspectives. Look for speakers who align closely with your event goals and resonate with your audience’s interests.
You can find potential virtual event speakers through speaker bureaus, professional networks (such as LinkedIn), industry conferences and webinars, recommendations from colleagues and industry peers, speaker databases (like SpeakerHub or SpeakerMatch), and by reviewing recordings or sessions from past virtual events.
Assess a speaker’s effectiveness for a virtual event by reviewing their past virtual presentations or recordings. Pay attention to their communication style, engagement with the audience, ability to deliver content effectively through a screen, and use of interactive elements. You can also conduct virtual meetings or interviews to gauge their presentation skills and interaction capabilities.
Diversity is crucial in selecting virtual event speakers as it enhances the richness of perspectives and ensures inclusivity for diverse audience groups. Seek speakers from different backgrounds, cultures, genders, and experiences to offer varied viewpoints and appeal to a broader audience. Diversity fosters engagement and promotes a more comprehensive understanding of topics discussed.
When negotiating terms with virtual event speakers, discuss their availability, speaker fees, contractual agreements (including cancellation policies and technical requirements), and expectations for their presentation format. Consider your budget constraints while aiming to secure speakers who align with your event’s objectives. Clear communication and transparency are essential to ensuring a mutually beneficial agreement for both parties.
