How can I get speakers to promote my event?

Speakers are the lifeblood of your event. We all know that feeling when your speaker launches into their talk and you see your audience fully engaged. But do your speakers play an active role
in engaging your audience before the event? Ninety-four percent of those who used influencer marketing believe the tactic to be effective (click to tweet).

Make sure you use the wide reach and authority of your speakers to make your event a real success. Here are some ways they can do just that.

Make expectations clear

When you hire speakers, make it clear from the get-go that you expect them to become ambassadors for your event and explain that they play a key role in its success. Make it easy for speakers to promote the event by being specific about what actions you’d like them to take, and by preparing as much creative material as you can for your speaker to share. Remind them that the more attendees at the event, the more people get to hear their fantastic content!

Getting started with linking

A simple way to get speakers started with event promotion is by encouraging them to share links to your event. Some places they can do this include their email signatures, social media profiles, and websites. They should be promoting their speaking engagement wherever they have an online presence. Be sure to specify which exact links they should share based on your evolving marketing objectives. Consider creating a promo code that the speaker can share giving their friends and followers a discount on event tickets.

The medium is the message

The next step is to get speakers accustomed to mentioning your event in the media. If they appear on TV, the radio, or even at book signings, they should be actively promoting the event. Good PR has many benefits for your event, including a boost in ticket sales, increased media coverage, and an influx of sponsorship opportunities.

What’s in your toolkit?

We believe that every event needs a promotional toolkit. Speakers have objectives in mind when they’re preparing their delivery and as a result they may want to engage with people before the event. A promotional toolkit gives them an easy way to do just that. Include different sized graphics and templates in your toolkit so that speakers can properly share them on the platforms of their choice.

Networking with influencers

It may seem obvious, but it’s worth reminding your speaker to spread the word about your event to their friends, family, and professional network in-person, beyond the reaches of social media. Remember the difference between content coming from you vs from your speakers. When your speakers say something, it’s really a form of influencer marketing and is more likely to be trusted by the audience.

Don’t forget the hashtag

Be adamant about speakers using the official hashtag in their tweets and messages before your event. One big issue with event hashtags is that participants forget to use them, or aren’t familiar with the correct one. When speakers use them, it gives participants a reference and can help spark a hashtag revolution that spreads to many channels.

Tweets from our community:

The way a speaker interacts with his audience has changed. See how #eventprofs https://t.co/6CseVTv3Ye pic.twitter.com/ibzpDbZpTl

— Event Manager Blog (@EventMB) May 6, 2016

What a truly great speaker can do for your event: https://t.co/4ZZDqLEYMP #EventProfs #MeetingProfs pic.twitter.com/nFgyy7WhEM

— Vicki Johnson (@vjmeetings) July 26, 2016

.@KepplerSpeakers on marketing an #event speaker: https://t.co/sMXRIpTcKJ pic.twitter.com/dEQJHgQ9g0

— Social Tables (@socialtables) June 20, 2016

Article by Justin Mulfati

Justin is passionate about bridging the gap between art and business, and is constantly on the lookout for great event marketing content to share with the sensov/ community.