Get the Most Out of Your Conference Speaker in South Africa
South Africa plays host to many events where conference speakers are most likely the selling point that determines the success of the conference. The fact is, hiring a speaker can make or break your event. Most likely, a well-established keynote speaker in South Africa can add a lot of value, and determine the outcome of the conference.
Here is how you can utilise your conference speaker to make your event a success:
More Than a Speech
When most people think about the role of a conference speaker in South Africa, it is normally someone who gives a speech on stage in front of a crowd of people, in order to motivate them through examples of their past and present experiences. This is a good way to get the entertainment sorted for the event, but there is a lot more your speaker can help you with than just reciting a story.
Give them other tasks to do, such as mingling with the guests before or after the event. If the speaker is well-known, chances are that people will be willing to fork out more to attend if they know they will be getting more one-on-one time with them. You can also open up the floor for questions and answers after the conference speaker has finished their speech, to allow for more audience interaction.
Get Sponsors on Board
Every successful event needs sponsors. When you get a well-known and successful conference speaker for your event, chances are that sponsors will be more willing to sponsor your event. Sponsors know that with big names come big publicity, and having a well-known conference speaker appear in photos or on video with their logos in the background is a quick and easy marketing opportunity.
Potential sponsors might consider upping their financial contribution if they know that the conference speaker will market their company as well. You might ask your conference speaker to thank the specific sponsors, or to wear gear that has the sponsor’s logo on it.
Promote Your Event
Conference speakers can create a buzz by marketing your event on social media platforms or radio stations across South Africa. You can also create a unique hashtag for your event that attendees can use in the build-up of the event and during. Let the conference speaker share social media posts on popular platforms, such as their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
The conference speaker can even endorse the conference by giving away tickets to the event on their website. People can post and share the hashtag of the event, which will send audiences to the speaker’s website and market your event at the same time.
Locking down a professional conference speaker with a big following is not an easy task, and it does not come cheap either. When you do find the right fit, it is in your hands to maximise the value they bring to the event.
Robin Banks has established himself as one of the most successful and energetic conference speakers South Africa has to offer. He has a growing following of over 60 000 people on Facebook.