Business meetings: how to programme good talks

At a good business matchmaking event it is common to programme talks for the participants. So how do you programme good ones, and how do you find speakers?

First, understand that when you put a speaker on at your business matchmaking event, your name is attached to theirs and, of course, to the talk they give. So it matters that you look for a good speaker. Review with them, together, what they are going to present to your participants.

Finding the speaker

With your audience and your niche already defined, it is time to look. If it would serve your event to have a session on digital marketing, for instance, then the professional you approach needs to actually know that field.

Social media is a good way to find speakers. Most professionals in this space are easy to find today through Instagram, and those channels also let you see the quality of their work before you commit.

You can make the first approach through social media. Bear in mind that if you do not have a large following yet, some of them will not reply immediately.

Making the invitation

This part is essential, and it is worth producing a properly designed document. Canva is very good for this kind of work.

If they are interested, you will probably have a meeting, online or in person. Use it to say clearly what you want and check that they agree. Settle the cost.

Do mention to the speaker that appearing at a business matchmaking event will bring visibility to their own work. There are excellent professionals out there who are simply waiting for an invitation like this.

Agreeing on the subject

Now that you have the speaker, the important thing is agreeing on what gets presented. There is no point having one of the best-known professionals in the field if what they cover does not fit your audience.

For that reason it is well worth surveying your own participants, to find out what would genuinely be useful to them.

Agree interesting topics with the speaker, and look for subjects that benefit you, the speaker and the audience alike. Everyone should come out ahead.

With the subject and the speaker settled, publicise both, to draw more people to the event.

There are several ways to get the most from a talk. Start with keeping to the agreed running time, and with the speaker interacting with the room, so that participants feel comfortable at the event.

Speaking yourself

If you want to, there is also the option of being the speaker at your own business matchmaking event. Doing that well takes genuine skill at public speaking. If you are interested in presenting your idea well, take a look at our article with tips on presenting, here.

Final thoughts

You now have what you need to offer a quality talk to the participants at your business matchmaking event. If you are still struggling to organise your own event, take a look at our training plus the software that automates your matchmaking rounds. You can see the solution here.

Good luck with your event.