I just returned home from the Florida REALTOR Convention in Orlando, Florida. It was an amazing event with over 4400 REALTORS from around the Sunshine State from Pensacola to Key West and from Amelia Island to Marco Island. I had a wonderful time as an invited facilitator for the R.E. BAR Camp on Tuesday and delivered two education sessions during the main event.
I’m very honored to have the opportunity to speak at many events around the country and Canada and thought I’d share some insights on what makes a great event from a Speaker’s perspective. I hope these thoughts and observations will allow event planners and their teams a chance to see things from another point of view and possibly create an internal checklist or protocol for future events that address many of these thoughts.
Keep in Touch – Many times speakers are booked months in advance, sometimes even a year in advance. I already have a few events booked for 2020 and much like the Buyers and Sellers many of our Realtor members work with, communication is critical to making everyone feel comfortable with what is going to happen. Timely email updates and short phone calls are welcome to avoid any oversights and also to confirm expectations for all involved.
Something for Everyone – While some events are smaller and very specific about the topic or reason for the gathering, if the event is going to be a large conference or convention, try to make sure the agenda appeals to a wide variety of attendees – from rookies who might have just earned their license to multi-year veterans of the business, brokers, managers, leaders and even vendors. Sessions should be relevant, engaging, and entertaining.
Start on Time – I wish everyone would make an agreement to stop rewarding the people who show up late by delaying the starting of events and penalizing the attendees who found a way to make it on time. Of course, there might be weather-related issues (it always seemed to snow or rain heavily on days we would hold events when I was the Director of Agent Development) that could cause event organizers to delay the start. It’s also might be tempting to wait until the room is filled with attendees instead of a large number of empty seats but it is tough when speakers and presenters have planned out their sessions only to be forced to move quickly or skip some of their material. Also, if there will be a guest presenter or preliminary messages delivered (by association executives or board leadership), please encourage them to be respectful of the agenda and the time they were allotted to speak.
The Power of Sound – Audio/Visual is crucial in today’s event experience. Most presentations have some sort of visual components such as a slide deck, videos, or some other aspect that will be a focus of the audience. Proper lighting and sound will make the experience so much better, eliminating one complaint or negative review. If possible, have a good team (in-house team members work great or consider outsourcing to a professional AV company) on hand to make it easy for the speaker and a better experience for the attendees.
Some CE is Better than Some CE – I like to joke that every one of my sessions will have CE – Carpenter Enthusiasm. Finding speakers who deliver their content with passion and true enthusiasm to share with their audience is a sure-fire way to earn great feedback from your members and guests. As it is often required by local or state associations, many attendees register and show up just to earn the credits for their continuing education but that doesn’t mean the content should be bland, poorly delivered, or non-relevant. Speakers that can instill confidence and excitement in their students are the ones your members will want again and again.
Give Me a Break – I love presenting and could go all day long. In fact, there have been many events where I have delivered material all day long but building in breaks are critical to an attendee staying focused and engaged with the presentations. One mid-morning break should be sufficient in a half-day event and an additional afternoon break is suggested for full days events (including the standard lunch break). Breaks shouldn’t be much longer than 15 minutes and starting the sessions at the end of the allotted time for the break is crucial for staying on track with the agenda. Many speakers have created material and planned to deliver their presentations based on the amount of time they were told when being booked to speak. Extended break times can drastically affect a Speaker’s ability to cover their material in the time allotted. It’s always a bit disappointing to both the speaker and the attendees if the presentations are rushed or if the material isn’t covered.
Meet Your Monitor – Monitors are a huge help and can really make things run smoothly. Monitors should arrive in the room well in advance of the session so the speaker can meet them briefly and review any questions about the introduction (pronunciation of names, any changes, etc), verify specific timing of the session, and discuss any entry/exit rules that might be in effect.
What Do You Think About Food and Drink? – The real estate industry runs on coffee…and donuts, bagels, pizza, and alcohol. Offering coffee and continental breakfast before a morning session is a great way to get people to show up early but remember to consider a mid-session break because once that coffee has been drunk, it’s going to need someplace to go. Is there going to be a lunch break offered? If it’s on-site, you probably don’t need more than 45-60 minutes to eat. Obviously, if you’re allowing the attendees to go off-site for a meal, proper consideration should be given based on what is available nearby, parking concerns, and be very clear on when the next session will begin. Remember, any extra time that attendees are not focused on the content being delivered, they are finding other distractions. Don’t give them an opportunity to find a reason to leave the event after checking their emails, voice mails or text messages.
If alcohol will be served during or after the event, make sure to keep the instructor in the loop on the agenda. Also, be respectful of the distraction and disruption that could occur for speakers and attendees if the educational sessions might be competing with a happy hour or open bar.
I once delivered a presentation that had an open bar in the back of the room…during my session. The event host has told me ahead of time and inquired before the event if I was okay with it. I was fine with it and had a great time sharing my content but it was a little loud and distracting for some attendees trying to listen to the presentation while the bartender popped bottle tops and champagne corks.
A few other random thoughts and insights…
- Consider shooting some promotional videos with speakers while they are at your event. Ask them to share one or two nuggets from the sessions they delivered or share some wisdom or advice with your members. You’ll be able to use those videos in a recap of the event or throughout the year as “added membership bonus material.”
- Invite speakers to be a guest at the rest of the event. If I’m in town for a real estate convention, I love to see some of the other featured speakers. It’s a great way to meet new friends or catch up with long-time connections, as well as sharpen your own materials, styles, and delivery.
- Welcome baskets are awesome…and always welcomed. If the speaker is traveling in after a long day of travel, consider coordinating a meal or having beverages available in the room.
- Be very clear about reimbursement policies and protocols. Make payment on the day of the event or as quickly after the event as possible. In many cases, this will be covered in the speaker agreement.
- Spotlight the speakers on social media, where and when it is appropriate. Follow the speaker on the social channels and share their posts, tweets, and images that support your event. Let them know your event hashtag or website in advance and ask them to help promote their appearance as well.
- And finally, share any feedback received from attendees. This is how speakers stay sharp and continuously improve. Feedback can also help with future marketing and testimonial pages.
If you have any questions about making your next event memorable, please reach out. I’d love to find a way to work with you and your organization and deliver a fun day of education, inspirational content, or simply facilitate an event that will make the attendees glad to be a part of your organization.