A good conference requires not only an exceptional venue, varied catering, or luxurious attractions. The quality of the conference is determined by its substantive level, which only the right people sharing their knowledge can ensure.
These are speakers invited by the conference organizer, recognized for their knowledge and experience that perfectly fit the conference theme, referring to the latest scientific knowledge, current statistics, or ongoing trends. What should you know about a good speaker?
It may not be the same as looking for a needle in a haystack, but it's easier to make the wrong choice than the right one. Why? Sometimes it is enough that public speaking is not someone's strong suit, resulting in monotonous reading from a sheet or an overly complex presentation of information that is actually very important and interesting. Such a presentation method means this knowledge will not stay in our memory.
Sometimes the organizer makes a mistake by choosing non-practicing speakers, which may lead them to theorize excessively without referring to experience and real examples from their work. It can be difficult for these people to answer questions from the audience, who, on the other hand, might practice the given field and look for practical solutions. So where should one look for suitable speakers to be sure they will meet the requirements of conference participants?
When organizing events like conferences is our daily bread, we should build and nurture contacts with speakers. If they are proven individuals, we should start searching from them at the next opportunity. But where initially to find them? It is important to follow similar events and the speakers participating there. Hearing good opinions about them and knowing that the topics they handle are close to the event we are organizing, we should remember their names and look for information about them online.
Another option is the internet itself, where influencers or bloggers promote themselves. We might find recordings of their speeches on YouTube, allowing us to immediately assess their speaking style, whether they engage the audience, generate questions from viewers, and receive feedback. Contacting them once interested should not be difficult. We can also find companies and organizations dealing with topics of our interest online and look for people willing to speak and share their knowledge and experience with a broader audience.
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The basic rule should be to find practicing specialists with experience in public speaking. We should also do research on opinions about the considered speakers. We can find them online, and additionally, we can ask organizers of other conferences involving a given speaker or participants of the event. It's also important to see the speaker's view on the topic to be addressed during the conference. The person may have an idea for their presentation, which we as organizers might find suitable or quite the opposite. Conference speeches also have a limited time after which the audience has the right to ask questions. It is important whether the speaker considers these factors and shows openness to cooperation and adapts to the conference rules. The speaker's personality traits also matter.
Remember, a speaker's substantive knowledge does not necessarily mean they have the soft skills essential for a successful presentation. Therefore, our role will be to assess whether the person is resilient to the stress of speaking before a large audience. Furthermore, a sense of humor—useful when something goes wrong—and a positive attitude toward the audience rather than an oppressive experience are very important. From the organizer's perspective, it's crucial whether the speaker is open to cooperation. Voice strength and language correctness should also catch our attention. All this will impact the quality of the presentation and collaboration with the conference organizers.
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