Finding speakers for your event — what works and what is a waste of time

She had booked him on the basis of his LinkedIn following. 180,000 followers, an impressive profile, sharp posts. The keynote lasted 45 minutes. After 20 minutes, the front row started looking at their phones. After 30 minutes, she had already decided never to book him again.

"His online presence and his stage presence had nothing to do with each other," she says. "That was something I should have checked."

How organisers find speakers

LinkedIn is the most widely used source for speaker discovery. 67% of event organisers start there. The problem: LinkedIn followers tell you nothing about platform quality. They tell you something about writing ability and personal brand.

Speakers bureaux offer a curated selection and take the administration off your hands. The downside: a bureau's margin is 20–40% of the speaker's fee — you are paying for the curation and the convenience.

Recommendations from colleagues are the most reliable source. Asking "Who have you seen recently that made an impression?" yields better candidates than any bureau or LinkedIn search.

Industry conferences are scouting opportunities. Organisers who attend events to discover speakers build a better pipeline than those who search exclusively online.

The costs

In-house speaker: €0 in fees, though time and preparation are required. Emerging talent (first major engagements): €500–1,500 Experienced subject-matter speaker: €1,500–4,000 Well-known name within the sector: €4,000–10,000 National public figure from outside the sector: €8,000–25,000 International name: €15,000–50,000+

The question is not: what does a speaker cost? The question is: what is the added value of this particular speaker for this particular audience?

What organisers check too rarely

References. Always ask for two recent events at which the speaker has presented and contact the organiser. No exceptions.

Video of a previous performance. A speaker reel is marketing material — always the best clips. Ask for a recording of a complete presentation, unedited.

Relevance to your audience. A nationally recognised speaker on leadership is not automatically relevant for a conference of AV professionals. Specialisation beats name recognition.

Adaptability. Speakers who deliver their standard presentation regardless of the audience are cheaper to book but deliver less value. Ask: what do you know about our specific audience and what will you adapt?

When you do not need an external speaker

A strong content-driven programme with knowledgeable in-house speakers will outperform an external keynote speaker who is a poor fit. Delegates do not come for the name — they come for relevant insights. An in-house speaker with genuine expertise and thorough preparation is more valuable than an external name who has neither.

The alternative formats

Panel discussions: less expensive, more diverse perspectives, greater interaction. Downside: a strong moderator is essential.

Fishbowl discussions: four or five speakers in a small circle, with the audience observing and able to step in. High engagement, low speaker costs.

Expert roundtables: a small group (15–20 people) in conversation with one or two experts. More expensive per participant, but a higher quality of interaction.

The lesson

The event manager now always reviews an unedited recording of at least 20 minutes. "In doing so, I have passed on three speakers I would otherwise have booked. And booked one I would otherwise have let go."

She also pays a referral fee to colleagues who put forward a speaker she ultimately books. "Five per cent of the speaker's fee. It costs me very little and the network is worth its weight in gold."