What is the best way to recruit a mix of local and international speakers for your conference?

1 Define your goals and themes

Before you start looking for speakers, you need to have a clear idea of what your conference is about and what you want to achieve with it. What are the main topics, themes, and messages you want to cover? Who is your target audience and what are their interests and needs? How do you want to position your conference in your industry or niche? Having a well-defined vision and purpose for your conference will help you narrow down your search and identify the speakers who can best align with your goals and themes.

3 Contact and invite speakers

After you have a shortlist of speakers who match your goals and themes, you can start contacting and inviting them to speak at your conference. You can use email, phone, or social media to reach out to speakers, but make sure to personalize your message and explain why they are a good fit for the conference. Provide relevant details about the date, location, format, audience, theme, and agenda of your conference. Outline what you expect from them and what you can offer them in terms of duration, topic, format of their presentation, as well as compensation, travel, accommodation, and promotion arrangements. It's important to include a clear call to action and a deadline for them to respond. When contacting and inviting speakers, be respectful, professional, and enthusiastic in order to create a positive impression and build a rapport with them. Be flexible and open to negotiation as some speakers may have different preferences or requirements than others.

4 Follow up and confirm speakers

Once you have sent your invitations, it's important to follow up and confirm the speakers who accept your offer. You can use email, phone, or video calls to communicate with them and finalize the details of their participation. This includes signing a contract or agreement that specifies the terms and conditions of their engagement, such as payment, cancellation, and liability policies. Additionally, you should share the logistics and technical information with them, such as the venue, equipment, schedule, and contact person for their presentation. Furthermore, request any materials or resources they need or provide for their presentation - such as slides, handouts, or bio - and promote their presence and involvement in your conference by featuring them on your website, social media, or newsletter. As you follow up and confirm speakers, it's essential to maintain a regular and clear communication with them to ensure they have everything they need and are prepared for your conference.

5 Support and appreciate speakers

Finally, you want to support and appreciate the speakers who speak at your conference. You can do this by providing them with a warm welcome and a smooth check-in at the venue, introducing them to the audience and moderating their session or Q&A, giving them feedback and thanking them for their contribution, sending them a follow-up message or a thank-you note after the conference, and asking them for feedback and testimonials about their experience. Showing your gratitude and respect for speakers is an important way to strengthen your relationship with them and encourage future collaborations.

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?