One important aspect of hiring is to pay close attention to the attitude and character of the speaker you are hiring. Bad hires will for sure ruin your company’s image and possibly not so good consequences. You might not have imagined how big the cost of hiring a public speaker is. Hence, it is very imperative to choose the right candidate to represent your brand or your clients brand. Below are top five tips to help you to choose the apt public speaker you want.
Top Five Tips to Hiring the Right Speaker for Your Event
Tip # 1: Briefing on the event purpose and expectations
The most crucial task is to brief on the purpose and expectations of the event to the prospective speaker. You need to tell them clearly on whom the target audience is and the topic. For a public speaker, the target audience is very essential to know and based on that their speech will be delivered. Check with the speaker on what items they want such as stationery, mic, etc. You must also check on the agenda that is to be followed.
Tip # 2: Discuss financials and benefits with the speaker
Once you agree or even before agreeing on a contract, it is better to discuss in detail the benefits and compensation. Benefits can range from accommodation, travel and food. You can also pay per hour or on a fixed price. If these are not clear, then your speaker might not be interested in speaking at your event or might attend it with more expectations and later demand a higher pay. If the speaker asks for a fee and it’s in your budget then pay it, if not see if the speaker is willing to negotiate the fee or possibly work out other win-win arrangements.
Tip # 3: Create a tough screening and selection process
To get the right speaker is not an easy task. The screening and selection process may be tedious and try not to outsource this task to another company. If you want the best, do this activity personally. Visit the Speakers website and view their sample videos, listen to audio, read articles, reviews, press releases and most important read the testimonials. If you take the time to do this it will make a better connection between you and the speaker and be very helpful in making your hiring decision.
Tip # 4: Making use of Behavioral and Psychometric questions while hiring
Show more interest on the speaker’s past performance. Ask many questions to understand the character of the person you are hiring. Ask the speaker “How did you manage a tough question during your speech?” rather than asking, “How comfortable are you with managing questions during your speech?” This is a very important aspect if you want the event to be successful.
Tip # 5: Crafting the perfect job description
Excellent job descriptions always create a win-win situation for both the speaker and the recruiter. The description should not be a template, rather be a clear expectation of what the speaker should be doing. Explain the roles, responsibilities and activities planned for the event. Try to include a list, which will demand excellent soft skills as this skill set is very vital for a speaker.
You can be sure to find your perfect speaker if you follow some of the tips offered and I do put emphasis on visiting and reviewing the speakers website as this will create a good connection with them before you actually meet in person.
If you need help finding the perfect speaker for your event give us a call at 402-218-4426 or email. You can also search our speaker directory here
You can also easily post a call for speakers by filling out our short form and let speakers that are a fit respond to you.