What's your process for selecting speakers?

1 Define your criteria

Before you start looking for speakers, you need to have a clear idea of what you are looking for. What are the main topics, subtopics, and formats of your conference? What are the learning objectives and outcomes for your attendees? What are the skills, expertise, and experience of your ideal speakers? How do you want to balance the representation of different backgrounds, perspectives, and voices? Having a set of criteria will help you narrow down your options and evaluate them objectively.

2 Research your options

Once you have your criteria, you can start researching potential speakers. There are many sources you can use to find speakers, such as your network, previous events, online platforms, publications, podcasts, and social media. You can also ask for recommendations from your colleagues, partners, sponsors, or audience. When you research speakers, look for evidence of their content quality, presentation style, audience feedback, and alignment with your conference theme and values. You can also check their availability, fees, and requirements.

3 Contact your shortlist

After you have a list of speakers that meet your criteria, you need to contact them and invite them to speak at your conference. You should prepare a professional and personalized email that explains the purpose, scope, and benefits of your conference, and why you think they are a good fit. You should also include the details of your offer, such as the topic, format, duration, date, time, compensation, and expectations. You should also ask them to confirm their interest and availability, and to provide any additional information you need.

4 Negotiate and finalize

Once you have received responses from your shortlisted speakers, you need to negotiate and finalize the terms of their participation. You should be respectful, flexible, and transparent in your communication, and try to accommodate their needs and preferences as much as possible. You should also clarify any questions or concerns they may have, and make sure they understand and agree to your conference policies and guidelines. You should also send them a formal contract or agreement that outlines the roles, responsibilities, and rights of both parties.

5 Prepare and support

The last step of your process is to prepare and support your speakers before, during, and after your conference. You should provide them with all the necessary information, resources, and tools to help them deliver a successful presentation. You should also communicate with them regularly, and offer them feedback, guidance, and assistance. You should also acknowledge and appreciate their contribution, and solicit their feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Selecting speakers is a crucial part of conference organization, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. By following these steps, you can create a process that works for you and your conference goals. You can also ensure that you provide your audience with a valuable and memorable learning experience.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?