It comes down to respect and clear communication. Be upfront about your expectations and open to the speaker’s ideas. Provide the resources and information they need (like a detailed brief, access to key people for insights, etc.). Respond to their emails and calls promptly. And recognise that your speaker wants your event to succeed just [...]

Communicate ASAP. If a significant change comes up – for instance, you want the speaker to shift focus to a different topic, or the schedule has been rearranged – inform your speaker immediately. Most professional speakers will do their best to accommodate reasonable changes, especially if a big news event or organisational shift occurs. However, [...]

Yes – but make these requests early and understand they may affect pricing. Many speakers are willing to add extra value (like participating in a VIP dinner, doing a breakout session, or joining a panel) if asked in advance. These extras should be negotiated during the booking process, not the week of the event. Also, [...]

In general, it’s not necessary to formally approve a professional speaker’s slides – that’s part of what you hire them for. However, if you have compliance requirements or need to ensure certain information is presented (or not presented), you can politely request to see the slides a week or so before the event. If you [...]

Absolutely – and you should. Great speakers will tailor their content to your audience and theme. Provide them with details about your event objectives, audience demographics, and any specific messages or terminology you’d like them to include. Just remember to do this well in advance (during your initial briefing or planning call). Most speakers are [...]