How to get the Best out of your Presenters
Most presenters will give you
their best most of the time regardless of circumstances
and conditions. However, you can guarantee that they
give you their very best "every time" by simply
paying attention to the details in three important areas.
These are:
1. "Star" treatment
2. Creature comforts
3. Technical requirements
Whether you have hired a mega celebrity to headline
your conference or an industry speaker to do a breakout
session for no fee, each is still your "guest"
speaker and each should be accorded the same courtesy
and attention as you would towards an honored guest
in your home.
Here are some pointers to help your presenters give
your group their very best. You'll also find a Presenter's
Checklist in the checklist section.
1. Welcome Letter
Start the "star treatment" at the very outset.
As soon as the contracts are signed, send “welcome-aboard”
letters to all of the presenters who will be appearing
at your conference. Thank them for accepting the assignment
and don’t be afraid to be effusive about how excited
you and your group are about the contribution they will
be making to your meeting. Let them know that you look
forward to making them as comfortable as possible and
that you wish to assist in any way to assure the success
of their programs. Try to personalize each letter as
much as possible.
Some speaker bureaus are reluctant to relinquish presenters’
phone numbers and addresses. Although we at Eagles Talent
Connection take seriously our responsibilities as liaisons
between meeting planners and presenters, we encourage
direct communication between them.
2. Stay in Touch
Follow up your initial welcome letter with continuing
correspondence. Convey to your presenters that they
are important to you. You’ll want to assure them
that their sleeping room reservations have been made,
that ground transportation has been arranged, who their
contact person is upon arrival, and who has been assigned
as their host while at the convention site. You’ll
want to extend invitations to social functions, request
photos and program descriptions for your program guides
and ask for a written introduction for use by your MC.
Finally, you’ll need to do a final check on the
audio/visual requirements of the presenter to make sure
you’ve got it straight.
When a presenter is booked through Eagles Talent Connection,
we make it our business to stay in constant touch with
both you and the presenter until well after your conference
is over.
3. Mailing List
Include your presenters on your meeting or convention
mailing list. This way you'll be sure they receive all
of the promotional materials that are sent out prior
to the convention. Information about your organization
such as annual reports, newsletters, brochures, and
organizational magazines may prove helpful in assisting
your speakers to tailor and personalize their presentation
to your needs.
4. Pre-Program Questionnaire
Your ETC program consultant will ask, when it's appropriate,
that a Pre-Program Questionnaire be filled out by the
meeting planner or a knowledgeable member of your staff.
These questionnaires are designed to give the presenter
a feel for your audience and a clear understanding of
your objectives. They also are extremely useful in helping
speakers tailor their presentations to your specific
audience.
5. Telephone Visit
At Eagles Talent Connection, we encourage presenters
and meeting planners to telephone one another at least
two weeks before the engagement. Hearing each other’s
voices is reassuring to both parties. During the phone
visit, you can reiterate your excitement about the presenter
appearing at your meeting. Take a few minutes to go
over the questionnaire, answer any questions and let
the presenter know what is expected. Also, reconfirm
arrival time and airport pickup arrangements, and discuss
audio/visual and technical requirements if you need
to.
6. A/V and Technical Requirements
Hopefully, you checked on your presenter’s technical
needs prior to signing the contract, to make sure they
were feasible. Upon signing the contract, we recommend
that you order both, verbally and in writing, the appropriate
audio/visual and other technical equipment, and get
a confirmation in writing. Also be sure to recheck and
reconfirm your order no later than one week prior to
the engagement and again the day before.
Once the A/V and the tech are set up in the meeting
room, don’t assume it works. Personally test it
no later than one hour and again ten minutes before
the presentation. (Use the A/V and presenter’s
checklist in the checklist section)
7. Presenter’s Sleeping Room
It is usually best to reserve the presenter’s
sleeping room as soon as the contract is signed. The
location of the room is important. Most presenters prefer
their rooms to be located as close as possible to the
meeting room insuring easy access for props, forgotten
items, and attention to last minute details. If you
can get them pre-registered, so much the better, allowing
you to simply hand the presenter their room key upon
arrival. Guarantee the room for possible late arrival
and request that the hotel forward a written confirmation
to both you and the presenter.
Should the presenter’s program be scheduled for
late morning or afternoon, be sure to arrange for a
“late checkout.” Most hotels are extremely
accommodating. If you are paying for the presenter’s
room and meals, be sure the hotel knows to automatically
post those charges directly to your organization’s
master account. This expedites checkout and avoids unnecessary
paperwork and billing.
8. Gift Basket
Everybody loves a little something extra. Make your
presenters feel special by having a small welcoming
basket of fruit or a small platter of cheese with crackers
waiting in each presenter’s room upon arrival.
Any one of a dozen token gifts would do: a small box
of chocolates, a locally printed T-shirt or even an
ice bucket with spring water. Add a personalized handwritten
welcoming note. Small thoughtful gestures create warm
feelings.
9. Social Functions and Meals
Extend an invitation to all of your presenters to join
you for social functions and meals. Be very specific
about where and when these functions are taking place.
Offer to personally meet them at a specific place and
time. Or arrange to have someone on your staff act as
an escort. Even celebrities and seemingly extroverted
speakers and entertainers are sometimes uncomfortable
walking into a social setting full of strangers. Although
you'll want to do all you can to host and entertain
your presenters, be sure to do it in such a way that
they can easily and politely decline if they want to.
10. Invite The Partner
Should your presenter be accompanied by a spouse or
traveling companion don’t forget to invite them
both to your social functions.
11. Assign A Host
A presenter’s life on the road is not at all glamorous.
It can be tough, tiring, and lonely. A little TLC is
always very much appreciated and goes a long way to
endearing a presenter to you and your organization.
It will make your presenters feel special and cared
for if there is someone waiting to greet them when they
arrive at the hotel. Since you probably won't have the
time, assign someone else to do it. The presenter's
host will represent you as their personal escort and
attendant during their entire stay.
Arrange to have your presenters pre-registered so they
can be taken right up to their rooms without having
to register. Have their convention packet and nametags
ready to hand them. The host should be able to explain
the meeting agenda, tell them about what's already happened
and what's coming up, and invite them to the social
functions. Names, room numbers, and beeper extensions
of persons they can get in touch with if needed should
be made available.
Your presenter’s host should be available to show
your presenter around and introduce them to the leaders
and other key people with whom they might be working.
Have them check out the meeting room and test the A/V
equipment. Give your host a copy of the Presenter’s
Host Checklist (provided in the checklist section) to
guide them in following through with their assignment.
12. Pre-check Everything
Don’t take anything for granted. Never assume
that just because you ordered something, it’s
automatically done. Always re-check and reconfirm everything.
Personally check that the speaker’s reservation
has been confirmed and that the hotel has a room waiting
for your guest. Reconfirm all the little but important
details such as airport pick-up and A/V requirements.
That’s why the checklists in the checklist section
are so useful. Use them, print and duplicate them, highlight
items that are important to you.
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Eagles Talent Connection, Inc.
57 West South Orange Ave.
South Orange, NJ 07079 USA
Attn: Presenter Submission
PHONE: 973-313-9800
FAX: 973-313-0040
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© 1998 - 2008 Eagles Talent Connection, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
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