By Dorothy Cole


Guests in conferences are invited to motivate, inspire, challenge and even engage participants, among other roles. A guest will either make the event memorable or colorless. This is why event planners should be cautious when hiring a keynote speaker Texas. You need to find a way of getting value instead of settling and paying exorbitantly for hyped amateurs.

Clearly set out the expectations of the audience and event from a guest. This is where you determine whether you want someone to inspire participants as a role model, a person who makes participants to feel appreciated or one who will just entertain them, among other options. There are speakers who are invited to train participants or even challenge their culture and thinking. Such expectations will define the best guest for you.

How can you rate the experience and expertise of the speaker? It helps to sit down with him or her to understand his journey and therefore judge whether he can inspire as well as deliver value. If you are still vetting several speakers, you should check their profiles and verify their experience as well as training as indicated on these profiles.

Do you want a specialist? There are speakers who can work on any topic, especially if you want to highlight their experience or to entertain the crowd. However, there are conferences where you want to train participants on particular matters. In such situations, you need an expert or specialist who can impart his knowledge on the audience other than a general guest.

The guest should be made aware of conference purpose and expectations. The audience, season of the year and expectations dictate the best person to address the gathering. An example is the difference in expectations between experienced professionals and new entrants. While experienced professionals are looking for new challenges, the new entrants want a role model or an inspiration. This means that your area of search will differ.

If you have no idea who to pick for your conference, you can get a referral from peers in the industry. They will recommend a fantastic person they have worked with in other forums. Such guests are more reliable because their services have been tested. Consider attending an event where he or she is facilitating or reviewing clips and recordings of his performance in other events.

You might want a guest but he is not available during your desired time. The best speakers are usually engaged and rarely available on short notice. The secret is to make the appointment and booking as early as possible. It is especially difficult to find them during peak season. By beginning your search early, you stand a higher chance of getting the influential speakers. It saves you the shame of settling on the mundane speakers who make your event to appear dim.

There are charges for any speaker you choose. Their participation will also need to be facilitated through travel, food and accommodation. These details should be entered into the contract you sign to avoid disputes that might damage your reputation or affect your performance. Choose a guest who will deliver excellent value for money through a memorable presentation.




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