How can you tailor your speaker selection to your audience's interests?

1 Know your audience

Before you start looking for speakers, you need to understand who your audience is and what they want to learn from your conference. You can use various methods to research your audience, such as surveys, interviews, social media, or analytics. You should aim to collect information about their demographics, preferences, challenges, goals, and feedback. This will help you create a profile of your ideal attendee and identify the topics, themes, and formats that will appeal to them.

2 Define your objectives

Next, you need to define the objectives of your conference and how they align with your audience's interests. What is the main purpose of your conference? What are the key messages and outcomes you want to deliver? How do you want your audience to feel and act after attending your conference? These questions will help you establish a clear vision and direction for your conference and guide your speaker selection process. You should also consider how your conference fits into the broader context of your industry, niche, or community and how it can address current trends, issues, or opportunities.

3 Search for speakers

Once you have a clear idea of your audience and your objectives, you can start searching for speakers who can meet them. You can use various sources to find potential speakers, such as online directories, databases, platforms, or networks. You can also ask for recommendations from your colleagues, partners, sponsors, or previous attendees. You should look for speakers who have relevant expertise, experience, and credentials in your field or topic. You should also check their reputation, reviews, and ratings from other events and clients.

5 Confirm speakers

Finally, you need to confirm the speakers you have selected and finalize the details of their participation. You should send them a contract or agreement that outlines the terms and conditions of their service, such as the date, time, duration, location, topic, title, description, objectives, and outcomes of their presentation. You should also provide them with any information or resources they need to prepare their presentation, such as the audience profile, the conference theme, the technical specifications, or the feedback mechanism. You should also communicate with them regularly and update them on any changes or issues that may arise.