Choosing the Perfect Opening Speaker For your Next Event:
As an event planner you have a lot of balls in the air – everything from venue selection to AV set-up to accommodations to choosing the perfect speaker to launch that all-important convention.
Sometimes, event planners overlook the importance of selecting the perfect opening speaker given all of the other items on the "to-do" list, but your opening speaker kicks off the event and sets the tone for all the activities that follow. Critical. So, how do you find the perfect opening speaker? Here are 5.5 tips to ensure a successful search.
"Thanks for the amazing virtual presentation to open our SKO. Fantastic job. This is my 24th National Sales Meeting with this organization. I was part of picking the motivational sales speakers on the last 10. I can honestly say, that was the best presentation we have ever had. The feedback from our team on the chat during and after was extremely positive. Even the cynics were engaged, which is always the toughest crowd. Well done and thanks for your energy and hard work. I look forward to the closing!"
Dan Gense
Specialty Products Manager
Philips Healthcare
Chip Eichelberger, CSP
Contagious Energy • Customized Content • Motivated Audiences
I am Chip Eichelberger and have been speaking professionally since 1993. Since 1966 if you count being the ringmaster at our first grade circus. If being the open - ing and/or closing speaker at over 946 CONVENTIONS and working with Tony Robbins for 6 years has taught me anything it is this:
Less is more!
Most of the time I see the leadership forcing the meeting planner trying to put too much information into one event. Try to make the breakout sessions shorter than planned. Use the room set-up recommendatons I suggest in that document for all meeting rooms. Make the breaks longer and give the participants more opportunities to network.
Do not go more than 60 minutes without giving them the opportunity to stand up – do something! Ask them a question, have them stand and share the answer with a neighbor, do a massage and play some upbeat music, do some stretches, play a game – anything. Unless you want to lose them, do not put multiple speakers back to back to back to back to back to back. Give them time to share best practices in an effective forum.
GET CONNECTED WITH CHIP
Questions? Comments? Contact Chip directly at 865-300-2742 or complete the form below, and Chip will get back to you as soon as he is able.
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