Speaker Management

The stages of speaker management

Speaker management runs through six stages. Each has a clear output, so you know when it is done.

1. 1

   Invite or select

   Invite speakers directly, or run a call for speakers and select from the proposals. The output is a list of confirmed speakers and topics. The call for speakers guide covers this stage in detail.

   Call for speakers guide
2. 2

   Confirm terms

   Agree the date, time, length, topic, fee or no fee, expenses and recording permission. Record it in writing. Agreements vary by place, so use a lawyer for anything beyond a simple letter.

3. 3

   Collect information

   Gather bios, photos, session descriptions, technical needs, dietary and access requirements and travel details, in one form. The form template below does this.

4. 4

   Brief and prepare

   Tell speakers about the audience, the room, the running order and the technical setup. Run a tech check before the day.

5. 5

   Support on the day

   Welcome speakers, show them the room, give them a contact and make sure they have what they need to go on stage on time.

6. 6

   Follow up

   Thank speakers, send feedback and any recording, and note what to keep and change for next time.

A speaker management timeline

Adapt the weeks to your event. For a conference, start about four to six months out. For a smaller event, compress the schedule but keep the order.

A speaker information form you can copy

Send one form that collects everything. It avoids a long email thread and gives you consistent data to publish. Copy this into your own form tool or document.

SPEAKER INFORMATION FORM
Event: [Event name]   Date: [Date]   Please return by: [Date]
Questions: [Name, email, phone]

ABOUT YOU
Full name (as it should appear): [Name]
Job title: [Title]   Organization: [Organization]
Email: [Email]   Mobile (for the day of the event): [Phone]
Assistant or agent contact (if any): [Name, email]

BIO AND PHOTO
Short bio (maximum [100] words, third person): [Text]
Headshot: [Upload a high-resolution photo, at least [1000] pixels wide]
Website and social handles you would like shown: [Links]
Introduction text you would like read aloud: [Text]

YOUR SESSION
Session title: [Title]
Session description (maximum [75] words): [Text]
Format: [Talk / panel / workshop / roundtable]
Three things attendees will learn or do: [1], [2], [3]
Level: [Beginner / intermediate / advanced]
Co-speakers or panelists you recommend: [Names]

TECHNICAL NEEDS
Slides: [PowerPoint / Keynote / PDF / none]   Aspect ratio: [16:9 / 4:3]
Slides due by: [Date]   Send to: [Email]
Microphone preference: [Handheld / lapel / headset]
Video or audio in your slides: [Yes / No] (please bring files separately)
Other equipment: [Clicker, demo device, internet access]
Do you consent to the session being recorded or streamed: [Yes / No]
Do you consent to your slides being shared with attendees: [Yes / No]

TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION
Traveling from: [City]   Arrival date and time: [Date, time]   Departure: [Date, time]
Hotel nights needed: [Dates]   Transport to venue: [Needed / own]
Passport name (if flying): [Name as on ID]   Frequent flyer number: [Optional]
Expenses covered: [List]   Fee: [Amount or none]   Payment details: [Process]

ACCESS AND DIETARY
Dietary requirements: [Text]
Accessibility needs on stage or in the room: [Text]
Anything else we should know: [Text]

CONSENT
I confirm the details above are correct and agree my name, photo and bio may be published for the event.
Name: [Name]   Date: [Date]

Communicating with speakers

Speakers are busy and often unpaid, so clear, short, predictable messages are what win cooperation.

• One named contact

  Give every speaker the name and mobile number of one person. A single contact avoids mixed messages.

• Dates in every message

  State the deadline and what you need in the first line. People answer messages that ask for one thing by one date.

• A speaker page or document

  Keep one place with the schedule, venue details, parking, wifi and the technical brief. Send the link, not a new attachment each time.

• Reminders at set points

  Send reminders on the dates in your timeline: forms due, slides due, travel confirmed and the final logistics note.

• Answer fast on the day

  Speakers on the day need a person who answers the phone. Check that someone is in charge of each.

Speaker management mistakes to avoid

These problems come up again and again. Plan against them.

• Late slides and bios

  Set a deadline earlier than you need, because everyone is late. Keep a short reminder sequence.

• Unclear terms

  A speaker who is unsure about fees, expenses or recording may cancel, or feel misled afterward. Write terms down early.

• No tech check

  Most on-stage problems are formats, cables and video. A short check the day before avoids them.

• Speakers who miss each other

  On a panel, speakers who have not spoken before the day give a flat session. Introduce them in advance.

• Forgetting the thank-you

  Speakers remember how they were treated. A quick, specific thank-you gets a yes next year.

Managing speakers for online and hybrid events

The stages are the same when speakers appear online, but the risks move from travel to technology. A speaker who cannot be heard or seen loses the audience in seconds, so the preparation matters more, not less.

• Test their setup

  Ask each speaker to join a test session from the device and place they will use on the day. Check sound, camera, lighting and connection, and agree a back-up such as a phone number to dial in.

• Send joining instructions early

  A link, the time in the speaker's own time zone, who to contact and what to do if the link fails. Send it a week ahead and again the day before.

• Rehearse the handover

  Practice who shares slides, who starts the recording and how the host brings the speaker in and out. Most online errors happen in handovers.

• Plan for remote speakers at a live event

  At a hybrid event, decide how a remote speaker is shown on screen, how the room's questions reach them and who watches the chat for them.

  What is a hybrid event

• Streaming for speakers and panelists

  Eventdex's virtual meeting app lets speakers and panelists stream live from the platform, with audio, video, chat and Q&A for the audience.

  Virtual meeting app

Speaker management on Eventdex

Eventdex does not describe a speaker portal, speaker contracts, fee payments or travel booking on its pages, so those parts of the timeline stay in your own tools. What it does cover is the submission, the program and the day itself.

• Submissions in

  For abstracts and papers, you can customize the submission form, collect only relevant information, review submissions and add only the accepted ones to the agenda.

  Eventdex for university events

• Speakers out to attendees

  The event app carries the agenda and speaker details, and organizers can send real-time notifications and agenda changes.

  Event mobile app

• Speaker badges

  Badge tags show a person's role on the badge, such as speaker, exhibitor or VIP, and a badge can show more than one role.

  Event badges

• Questions and feedback

  Speakers can run live Q&A, with the option to export the questions afterward, and organizers can survey attendees about sessions and speakers.

  Live event Q&A widget