4 Ways Associations Pick The Wrong Keynote Speaker
Hands down, picking the right keynote speaker is one of the best decisions you’ll make for your members and the success of your event. Keynote speakers can set the energy, the theme, and the 1st memory of your conference and state of your association. But truth be told, it’s easier than you think to pick the wrong speaker.
Below are the five biggest mistakes associations make when picking a speaker to kick off their conference.
MISTAKE #1 -
They pick a speaker who lacks relevant or relatable stories – or doesn’t share those stories.
Before I was a speaker, I used to sit in the audience and wonder what the speaker on stage knew about my day to day. Did they know what leading a team in catering was like? Did they work nights and weekends, too? Get joy from being part of events, other people’s biggest moments of life and celebration?
Sometimes yes and it was AWESOME! They made me feel connected, seen and understood. We were friends by the end. But sometimes, the speaker fell on deaf ears - their stories out of touch, their wording all wrong and it left sour taste in our mouths. How can we follow your advice if you don’t know our lives?
If a speaker emails you and doesn’t use the word “member”, do they understand what an association is and how your needs are different than others?
If a speaker is not able to share with you examples of stories they believe could be relevant to your audience, do you trust that their stories they use with everyone else will feel custom to your veteran attendees?
It is so important to find a speaker who shares stories that are relatable to the pain points your members experience. Additionally, the speaker needs to be able to tell those stories in an engaging way that keeps your audience immersed and tuned into the talk.
MISTAKE #2 -
They pick a speaker-lineup that lacks diversity or a speaker who lacks an appreciation of the importance of diversity.
It has to be said time and time again: Diverse voices matter.
Gender, race, religion, body size, ability, background and more - the days of all white, male speakers are gone and with the plethora of talented speakers out there from different backgrounds, there’s no need to have your entire speaker line up be all white.
Respecting pronouns, respecting differences and being mindful of inclusive word choices are a MUST when choosing speakers - it can be offensive and disastrous if not!
It is so important to find speakers in your industry who come from diverse backgrounds. Different perspectives and different experiences will give your members new perspectives to consider, new ways to approach problem solving and new inspiration for overcoming challenges.
MISTAKE #3 -
Associations that book celebrity personalities as keynote speakers.
I am not going to lie - meeting famous people is COOL. But hearing them speak for 60 minutes? Well, it can be hit-or-miss. Most of the time, celebrities that are famous for a reason outside of speaking - they may be a great baseball player who knows the value of teamwork or perhaps a reality-TV show star with big ratings - which is why associations may seek them out to draw in attendees to the conference. But what happens once the audience is in their seats is often disappointing - the stories told from stage are often full of “I”, “I”, “I” and messages may be weakly shared, if at all - because the celebrity isn’t a speaker, they’re a famous person who is really good at something other than speaking.
Instead of only seeking out speakers whose names you recognize from the headlines, take the time to research the best speaker for your unique association and event. Consider some of the speakers that fellow organizations in your industry have used, put out calls for suggestions on social media channels and poll your membership to see if they have any great speakers in mind.
MISTAKE #4 -
Associations that don’t poll their membership for choices or suggestions.
While every planner wants to be in full control, remember that polling your membership doesn’t relinquish any of that control, and it’s not a cry for help. Instead, it’s a great way to show your membership that you value their opinion.
What questions should you ask? A few of my favorites are:
What is your favorite trait in a keynote speaker? (i.e. humor, motivation, brand new topic, etc)
Who has been your favorite speaker we’ve had previously? Why?
Who have you heard on podcasts and webinars that you found valuable and/or would like to hear more from at the conference?
Remember - choosing the right keynote speaker is one of the keys to creating a memorable event that will truly make a positive impact on your members. Set aside a few hours to do the research, and when the event is over, you’ll be remembered as the planner that created one of the best experiences ever for your members!