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Kevin_VanDeWalker President, MPRESS Speakers Bureau

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PUBLIC SPEAKING

10 Tips and Traps for Selecting a Speaker

By Kevin VanDeWalker

There can be many peaks and valleys, hurdles and pitfalls that you will want to avoid when selecting a speaker for your next meeting. Your speaker is the most important part of your meeting.
If your speaker educates, entertains and produces what was promised, every memory of the event will be positive. If your speaker doesn't deliver excellence, every memory of the event will be negative. Below are nine tips and traps to keep in mind when you begin your search.

1. Tip: When you contact a speaker or speakers bureau always
start with the end result in mind.

Trap: If you are not clear on what your final objectives and goals are for
the event; you are like a ship on the ocean trying to find land without
a compass or rudder to steer the ship.

2. Tip: Reason for the meeting-- Are you planning to inform,
entertain, educate, inspire or motivate your group?

Trap: You can have the right speaker in the wrong slot. The
audience is often distracted after lunch and often sleepy
after dinner. Don't place a speaker to educate in a after
dinner slot when attendees get sleepy. Use a speaker to
entertain instead.

3. Tip: Use checklists and openly communicate with the speaker.
Be generous with as much information as possible about
your industry, association, company and the attendees.
This will help the speaker customize the presentation.
The best speakers tailor their remarks to fit the client.
Listen carefully to the speakers' demo tape and check to
see if the speaker is doing this for the client.

Trap: If you do not communicate your needs in writing, you
could end up having a speaker present the wrong topic
to your group and have a meeting disaster.

4. Tip: Determine if that speaker is the type of person that
makes it easy to do business with. Has the speaker completed
at least 100 paid engagements with a fee over two
thousand dollars per program? There is no substitute for
experience.

Trap: Don't work with people that make you jump through hoops
or people that that don't return your calls in a timely manner.
Life is too short to deal with these types of headaches. Many
speakers will tell you they charge over two thousand dollars per
program, but can they supply references from at least 25 paid
speaking engagements to prove it? If they do not have a fee sheet
with a menu of services, chances are they are not professional speakers.

5. Tip: Ask for a presentation package with audio or video demo
tapes, photos and third party testimonial letters. The
better speakers will show you presentations that were
given to different size audiences. Check to see if they
mail information within 24 hours or return your calls
within 60 minutes as an indicator of their professionalism.
Professional speakers have dedicated fax lines and
automated systems to send out press kits when they are
out speaking to corporations and associations.

Trap: When you see a presentation given to only one small
audience, it sometimes is an audience of other speakers
that are all gathered together to shoot demo tapes.
They will laugh and clap for their friends and when they
get up to speak, their friends will laugh and clap for them.

6. Tip: Check their references. Ask if the clients needs were met, and
what was the audience's reaction to the speaker and to
the message? Ask what three things did you
like best about the speaker? What three things could
they have done better to improve the event? And don't
forget the most important question of all.
Will you be using the speaker again? If they say no, then
get another speaker.

Trap: Don't believe everything a speaker says. Many
speakers over sell and under produce. Celebrities
may cancel at the last minute.

7. Tip: You are not paying four or five thousand dollars for a speech
that lasts ninety minutes. You are paying four or five thousand
dollars for all the years, energy and effort it took to
create the speech. Don't be too fast to choose the least
expensive entertainer. Take some time to reflect on your
wants and needs for top entertainment over novices.

Trap: You often get what you pay for. Professional Speakers
that we work with command fees of four thousand
dollars and up for a keynote speech. People will
remember a speaker that bombs and the person that
hired the speaker.

8. Tip: Save money in travel expenses by using local talent or
use the same speaker for two different time slots. Many
speakers will do the second speech on the same day for
a fifty percent discount.

Trap: Some speakers want to fly first class when coach is
available. Make sure your agreement covers this issue of
travel and expenses in writing. Clearly communicate in
writing your goals and objectives.

9. Tip: Professional speakers have often worked 10-12 hours a
day, 5-6days a week, for several years to achieve a
certain level of financial success. Anything less will
not produce enough income and cause them to quit.

Trap: Many people think that just because they have the ability
to talk they also have the ability to speak. This is a big
mistake. They have to have intelligence, talent and the
willingness to work for seven long years to obtain
any real success in the speaking business. So, check to
see how long they have been in business. Ask them what
else have they been successful at besides speaking?

10. Tip: Do not wait until the last minute to find a speaker. Give
yourself at least sixty to ninety days before the meeting
to locate a speaker that you like.

Trap: Many speakers are booked solid for months in advance.
If you wait too long you may not get the speaker you want.
Here is the good news. If you work with a speakers bureau they
will be probably be able to find a match at no added cost to you.

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