Is an A-list Celebrity the Right Speaker for Your Event?

Michelle Obama. Barak Obama. Oprah Winfrey. Ellen DeGeneres. Ashton Kutcher. What do they all have in common?

Besides being well-known celebrities and trailblazers committed to making a difference in the world, they are also highly sought-after speakers at industry conferences. Their oratory skills, personable nature, passion for the causes they believe in and ability to inspire, engage and energize the audience are some of the top reasons why they are high on the consideration list of every event organizer.

While they all sound amazing, how do you decide which one of them is the right speaker for your event? Or, more importantly, how do you decide if they are even right for your event?  If your response is “it all comes down to the budget”, then you are partially correct. Yes, budget is a critical factor, but it is not the only factor.

In fact, it is only part of the equation when it comes to selecting the right speaker for an event. So, what are the top considerations to keep in mind when selecting a speaker for your event? Here are some questions to think about:

Is the speaker aligned to the goals and objectives of your event?

It is so important to define clear goals and objectives for your event before you begin the speaker selection process. What are you hoping to accomplish by organizing the event? What is the mood you are trying to create? Are you looking to inspire the attendees or is your goal to provide them with actionable insights they can take back with them? Is it a sales kick-off, an anniversary celebration, a customer appreciation event, an intimate gathering of senior leaders or an event to showcase your solutions to prospects?   Are they attending your conference to get entertained, celebrate a milestone or learn something new?

Once you establish these goals and objectives, it is easier to narrow down the list to speakers who fit that bill. For example, if the main objective is to equip attendees with key learnings about a specific topic, then inviting a practitioner or subject matter expert in that field might be a better choice than inviting a celebrity.

Also, make sure the speaker’s presentation style is aligned to the format of your event. Is the speaker more comfortable delivering a speech or prefers a facilitated conversation in a Q&A format? Does he/she like to interact with the audience? And if so, do you have the provision to take questions from the audience? If you have a gathering of thousands of attendees, then taking questions from the audience would be a logistical nightmare. Think about all these elements before you begin selection process.

Does the speaker match up with your audience demographic?

You need to know your audience. Really well. Is you attendee make-up mostly millennials or Gen Z? Are they attending from all over the world? Do women make-up the bulk of your attendees? Are they activists? Are they change-makers? Are they C-level executives or mid-career professionals?

A quick analysis of your past and current attendees will help you determine which speaker might be more popular among certain segments of the attendee population. For example, if your audience is truly global or more eclectic, then you might want to invite a speaker who is well-known internationally and can speak to a wide variety of topics that all attendees can relate to.

Additionally, find out if the speaker has a unique perspective or new content to share at your conference.  Are your short-listed speakers a regular on the speaker circuit? Have they been speaking at a lot of events lately to promote a new book? If that’s the case, there is a possibility that your audience might have already heard them speak at other events and may not be wowed by them. Always do your homework to make sure that the speaker can deliver fresh content tailored specifically toward your audience demographic.

Does the speaker have the same values and mission as your organization?

If the speaker stands for similar beliefs and values as your organization and passionate about the same causes that your organization believes in, then there is a huge benefit to inviting that speaker. When you select a speaker who is closely aligned to your messaging and values, you have an opportunity to elevate your own brand. By emphasizing commonalities between the speaker’s mission and your organization’s work, you can establish a strong correlation between the speaker and your organization’s brand, thereby elevating your own brand and mission. For example, if you invite a speaker for his/her humanitarian efforts and your organization firmly believes in giving back to the community, then you have so many opportunities to explore joint partnerships.

Speaker selection is a thoughtful process. There are many more factors that need to be taken into consideration when selecting the right speaker for an event. It is an investment that can yield long-term benefits and build a long-lasting relationship with the speaker.

Email ERG speakers to learn how we can help you find the ideal speaker for you next event.