Your Speakers' Needs

What Your Speaker Needs from You

First, please have an assistant for your speaker. If they are coming from out of town, they are completely lost without an assistant. They don't know their way around so they really need someone dependable to "take care of them" and make them feel welcome. The assistant should be available for transportation to and from the airport, the hotel, the event, etc. They should also make sure the speaker has anything she needs, like meals at the appropriate times, water at the podium, etc.

Here is some feedback from the Proverbs 31 Ministries Speaker Team:

• If you booked a female speaker, please do not send an unaccompanied male to pick her up from the airport.

• Make sure you tell your speaker the type of audience they will be speaking to so that they can prepare a message that is appropriate for the audience. If you tell the speaker that they will be speaking to a group of young moms and then invite teens or grandparents or men to join the audience, the speaker will not be prepared and will have to adjust his/her talk on very short notice. This can cause undue stress.

• Don't book a hotel for your speaker that you would not be comfortable in. And, make sure your speaker has their own room. They need quiet time to prepare before speaking.

• It is difficult to speak on a full stomach and on an empty stomach. A light meal or snack about an hour before speaking, with plenty of time for a bathroom break, makes speaking much more comfortable. There are no tummy pains or growls to distract from the message!

• Don't overload their schedule. It is easy to plan lots of activities with the planning committee but please check with the speaker before making lots of extra plans. Be considerate of their time and their need for some down time. They love to socialize with the team and the attendees but, they also need some quiet time.

• Have a prayer team in place that prays specifically for the speaker. Ask the speaker if he or she has any prayer requests. Introduce the speaker to his or her prayer team as soon as possible. Have them all pray together before the event and before the speaker walks up to the podium.

• Communication before the event is essential. The more you can tell the speaker about the audience, the agenda, music, dramas, expectations, attire, audio/visual capabilities, etc. the better for you, the event, and the speaker.

• Make sure you tell the speaker which translation of the Bible the church uses. It will be very distracting to the audience if the speaker is teaching from one version and they are using another.

• If you will have a worship leader at the event, consider connecting the worship leader and the speaker ahead of time so that they can work out a few details between them. This will provide a very smooth transition from music to message and it will ensure that the music and message are in sync. Worship music prepares the heart so that the message can be received.

• Clearly communicate to your speaker what your desired outcome is for the event. Is it outreach with a large non-Christian attendance? Is it to encourage? Are you looking for something more practical, instructional, inspirational, or a combination.

• Everyone love to be spoiled. Find out as much as you can about your speaker in advance. If you book them through a speakers bureau, contact them and ask what kinds of treats the speaker likes. It may seem silly but, there is a big difference between a diet coke and a diet pepsi :) Also consider that the speaker is traveling. It's very thoughtful to leave a big gift basket in the room but remember that he or she has to travel. Water, fresh fruit, snacks, and a favorite beverage is probably plenty.

• If your speaker is traveling with an assistant, please do not ignore them. Many times we have watched as a speaker is offered water or coffee or tea while the assistant stood at their side and was completely ignored. I have personally traveled with speakers and been asked, "who are you" in a very rude tone of voice, when I tried to eat in the speakers lounge between sets (after being invited to eat with them by the event coordinator). You are not "responsible" for feeding and caring for a speakers assistant unless it is written in the contract. However, it is simply common courtesy to care for each other in all circumstances. A simple, "can I get you anything" will go along way to make both your speaker and their assistant feel welcome and appreciated.