13/11/2017
5 Must-Do's for Your Conference Speakers
Like most jobs, the role of speaker has undergone a change in expectations recently. Speakers must now do more than just present. They must interact with and engage attendees. But asking what the audience thinks once during the presentation, when the question-mark emblazoned slide appears isn't engagement. Interaction must be before, during and after conference responsibility for speakers. Attendees expect interaction and are vocal when they don't receive it. Conference planners can thank social media for that. In order to meet your audience's expectations you need to insist your event speakers do the following:
1. Possess a Social Pedigree
Before awarding any application to present, examine the speaker's social pedigree. The speaker should be involved in social media, use it regularly, and have a decent-sized following.
2. Talk About You
A good speaker has a following, and while not every association conference is of interest to everyone, you might be surprised how many of your members will come just to hear a particular speaker. A good speaker will publicize your event as part of his/her speaking roster.
3. Show an Interest in Your Audience
In the case of keynote speakers, they often come from broader industries than the niche served by your association. This means they may have to tailor their presentation accordingly. Make sure they have the interest and knowledge about who they're addressing or you could be dealing with social media backlash.
4. Give You Content
Request your speaker to provide you with a guest blog post ( does not have to be unique to your site), article snippets, interview, or additional background into how his idea came about will not only feed your need for content, and publicize the speaker, but also build interest on your audience's part.
5. Engage Your Audience Before and After
Answering questions and engaging attendees afterwards impresses the audience and may affect next year's attendance numbers
