Important tips for booking a Speaker.

There are over 5000 "professional" speakers worldwide - according to Speaker Associations. And there are probably just as many who don't belong to industry bodies. So when you engage the services of a keynote speaker, how do you know what you're going to be getting? Will your audience leave enthused with pertinent insights, or will they end up counting the ceiling tiles and light fixtures while the speaker rattles off one cliche after another?

I've been speaking professionally for almost 15 years. When you're about to engage a speaker, don't overlook these important tips to help you find a winning speaker for your event:

1. Years of experience as a speaker 
   no less than 3 to 5 years for the real thing.
2. International experience 
   this is rare and is a high credibility marker.
3. Range of experience 
   look for a good mix of corporate, community and other types of audiences, not just 1 type of audience.
4. Size of audiences 
   if a speaker can move a large audience 500+ they will be good with small and large. Check - if they only have experience with small groups, be more cautious.
5. Social Upliftment 
   if a speaker has social development or charity speaking experience you know you have someone who cares about empowering people.
6. Willing to take a brief 
   ask if the speaker is willing to take a full brief about the audience and the objectives. 
7. Reliablity 
   believe it or not, some professionals don't show up for their bookings and don't care. Look closely at the resume and ask if they have ever not showed up for a booked talk.  
8. Humour & Heart 
   experience proves that humour and heartfelt inspiration are the most effective motivational talks, so look for that winning combination.
9. Good references 
   it goes without saying that a speaker should be able to give you a list of testimonials with people's names and company names.
10. Showreel and photos 
    ask for a showreel (clips of talks) or photos so that you can get a clearer idea of the speaker in action.
11. Go direct 
    bureaus perform a valuable function, but very few speakers have exclusivity agreements, so it is often possible to book with a speaker directly.

By ensuring you've taken these 11 pointers to heart, you'll be more at ease when recommending your selectd speaker toyour MD or CEO. 

I'm sure you'll be getting one of the top global experts who speak.