Our vision at Charles Clark International is to create epic experiences that attendees will remember. We are committed to giving you our highest quality energy and will do whatever it takes to make your experience impactful. I have stood on thousands of stages, taken a leading role in many events, and have spoken with countless event planners. Because of this, I decided to create a list of things to consider before hiring a speaker for your company. This list is created from wins and losses. It is meant to bring you clarity and direction as you move forward in the event planning process.
The success of a company event often lands on the shoulders of the speaker. Let’s unpack how we can ensure you are considering the big things necessary for an epic event.
1. Know Your Theme
Knowing your event theme is critical to hiring the right speaker and creating a successful experience. Having a solid theme picked out before searching for speakers will allow you to narrow down the hunt significantly. If your theme is How to Win in Life it might be advantageous to hire a speaker that focuses on leading and conquering goals both professionally and personally. Having a speaker who is a champion in something will create a more connected experience. If your event theme is about Being the Storyteller of your World, look into speakers who are authors – ones that know the art of storytelling on an enhanced level.
Your theme is what will make your event come alive. Imagine the theme as an invisible thread running throughout your entire event, from the moment attendees walk into the moment they leave they should feel immersed into the chosen topic. Ensure the theme is something that the audience is hungry for, something that is relatable and will bring motivation in every avenue of their life. I believe the theme is the number one thing to consider when hiring a speaker.
2. Understand Your Attendees
Could you imagine cultivating an entire event experience and your attendees feeling like observers instead of participants? It happens. It is pivotal to remember your attendees when hiring a speaker and planning your event. What do they need? Is there certain knowledge do you want them to acquire? Could they use encouragement? If yes, in what capacity? Truly understand the attendees will shift any event from good to epic. I suggest getting with your leadership and a handful of employees and asking them what kind of message would fill their current gaps. Hire a speaker that matches their needs, their energy, and their goals. This is a surefire way to make your attendees feel more connected to your company. Showing you care about them as a whole person instead of just employees will breed trust, confidence, and work ethic.
3. Have a Budget
We all wish money wasn’t such a hindrance when it comes to creating epic events for our companies. But, as we all know, money matters. Have a budget and be strategic with it. There are so many things to keep in mind when planning an event, but leave room in your budget for a compelling speaker. It would be pointless to put on an amazing event with good food, nice location, thoughtful giveaways, but a below average speaker. The speaker you hire is the one who will challenge, grow, encourage and inspire your employees for the days ahead. The entirety of the event matters, but some things matter most. Determine what would be effective budgets for every aspect. If needed, the right speaker for your event is worth making adjustments for. Your company budget is absolutely a big thing to consider before hiring a speaker.
4. Have an Idea for the Event Location
The world has been changing in the last few years and so has the way events are planned. When COVID hit in 2020, my entire business went online for a year. I went from speaking on stages, hugging attendees, flying on planes 3 days a week – to doing everything from my computer in my home office. It was a blessing for my business because I have now mastered how to do both with excellence. What works best for your company? Some speakers are very confident in virtual opportunities, others can not provide a robust virtual experience. I have met people that only want to speak virtually in today’s climate. Find yourself a speaker that is assured in their ability to best serve your company’s needs. Your potential speakers are going to want to know the location.
Also, consider the flexibility of the speaker. in the current climate, I have had to learn to be highly flexible and confident in my ability as a speaker As things are slowly transitioning back to in-person events, plan thoughtfully and epically. People have missed their communities and are ready to connect!
There are hundreds of little things to think about when planning your company event. My hope is that this blog got you thinking about 4 major pillars to consider when hiring a speaker for your company event. Make the speaker the heart of your event and allow them to transform your attendees for the betterment of themselves personally and professionally. If you are interested in hiring me as your event speaker, click here.
