How to send thoughtful guest speaker invitations (opinion)

Speaking events, such as lectures and workshops, are a mainstay of ongoing education and professional development for most workplaces. Speakers are invited to share their expertise, fill knowledge gaps and inspire an audience. Much of the guidance around these events is centered around skill development for the speaker: preparing a topic, use of hand gestures and slide design. However, there is limited guidance for the organizers of said lectures and workshops.

This is unfortunate, because the behind-the-scenes effort to organize an event is just as important as the actual talk the guest delivers. As experts who have both given and organized speaking engagements, we have curated small, concrete skills for organizers to create thoughtful experiences for speakers. We call these microskills. We recommend these eight microskills for organizers to use when inviting and hosting guest speakers.

1. Research a potential speaker. Though you may already have a topic in mind for the event, you should confirm the potential speaker is a good match. Search a speaker’s name, personal website, institutional website and social media accounts. Consider topics on which they frequently speak and if they are relevant to your goals. Use respectful inquiry to gauge their preferred speaking topics: “I was not able to find a complete list of topics on which you speak. Please share the topics about which you are comfortable speaking.” Recruit speakers belonging to underrepresented and marginalized groups; however, do not assume they are experts in DEI or social injustices, or that they wish to discuss political events or their personal journey simply because of their identity.

2. Choose considerate dates and times. Give ample time for the speaker to make arrangements, as many have calendars booked months in advance. Holidays and weekends are often challenging between work and dependents, so be cautious if giving these as the only options. Schedule the presentation for a time that allows for healthy rest for the speaker. Try to avoid interrupting the rituals in the morning or evening. Consider time zones when booking: Avoid assuming that speakers are able to wake up at 6 a.m. or stay awake until 10 p.m. to give a talk. Mind the power dynamic and recognize that speakers may accept an offer based on a need for experience, exposure and reputation building. The responsibility to send calendar invites is yours—include pertinent dates, locations and links.
3. Offer compensation: Speaking requires significant preparation. When it comes to speaker’s fees or honoraria, be equitable and fair. If the talk is in person, costs that may be covered include travel, ground transportation, food, registration fees and lodging. Virtual talks should be compensated. Speakers often have their own fees, so ask, “What is your speaker’s fee?” Or share your offer up front: “We can offer $500 for this talk.” Thoughtful invitations do not put the onus on the speaker to ask for compensation or negotiate a price. We do understand that speaking for free is reasonable depending on the group, mission and other specifics. Remember that you can still offer nonmonetary forms of compensation.
4. Discuss audio/visual needs. While some talks are in person and require travel, many remain virtual. Most seasoned speakers are comfortable with major video conferencing platforms (i.e., Zoom or Microsoft Teams). However, it is still wise to ask the speaker if they will need any special audio or visual support. Survey their setup: quiet room, microphone, headphones and camera. Offer a tech check a few days ahead or even 30 minutes early. If the speaking gig involves a moderator to mind the audience for Q&A, discuss the run of the show with the speaker. Offer captioning or a sign language interpreter to support people with disabilities.

5. Promote the event. Design a flier that shines. Items may include the speaker’s name, titles, professional headshot, name of talk, location, time, brief biography and contact information (i.e., social media, personal websites). If they are an author, include their book and hyperlinks to purchase it to facilitate sales. Ask the speaker to approve the flier before finalizing and posting. Advertise widely on social media and Listservs when appropriate. During the talk, with the speaker’s permission, designate someone to post content on social media. Offer to record the talk so there is material for YouTube, social media or even a sound bite or visual trailer the speaker can use to secure future talks. And understand that not every speaker wants their voice or slides publicly available.
6. Consider social events. During in-person events, there are often socials surrounding the talk. The path of least resistance seems to be arranging a single large group outing. But remember your guest may be introverted. A speaker may not say so; however, they might prefer to skip the large social event for a one-to-one or small group gathering instead. Ask the guest if there are any people in your group or institution they’d like to meet individually. Collect a list with the goal to hit a smaller portion. Get permission from all parties before promising a meeting to the speaker. If the speaker is traveling, provide a list of local activities (such as walking trails, restaurants, cultural performances) that they can reference during free time. Be sure to schedule free time to unwind. Ask if they have dietary restrictions and preferences for meals.
7. Provide feedback and quotes. At the end of the talk, collect feedback from attendees. This is a gift to the speaker and is material they can use to improve their talks going forward. Sending out a digital survey is one easy method. A link can be posted in the chat or a QR code on a slide toward the end of the talk to encourage participation. Include in the form an option for audience members to provide permission for feedback to be used for promotional quotes.

8. Pay it forward. If your impression of the speaker is positive, send one message to another person in your network so that they may consider booking the speaker. With the speaker’s permission, share fliers, video or audio recordings, slides, or select feedback and quotes alongside your referral. Of note, the value of a positive evaluation can make a huge difference for promotions and bonuses, and for establishing reputation and expertise. Repeating a lecture allows the speaker to iterate and develop the material. Repetition builds a brand and following.

Thoughtful invitations for speakers require deep work by organizers. An intentional experience allows the guest to feel welcomed. It also deepens the meaning of the experience for everyone. Always consider your bandwidth, as this list should not detract from the joy of hosting. Many of the strategies above are easy to implement. Select what fits. Even using just some of these strategies will heighten the speaking experience for everyone.