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How To Invite Speakers To An Event

A guest speaker is an exceptional way your organisation can promote its values, establish authority in your industry and motivate your team and clients. By inviting speakers to an event, you can utilise external experts to engage your audience with their unique experiences and spark motivation to propel your business or group towards success.

But the question remains, how do you go about inviting speakers to a conference or event?

From selecting a celebrity guest speaker to crafting a guest speaker invitation email or letter, the process sounds a lot more daunting than it has to be.

Follow our guide to learn how to send the perfect guest speaker invitation to secure the talent you have had your eyes on.

Finding a keynote guest speaker that's right for you

In between choosing from the top speakers and wanting to send out a flurry of keynote speaker invitations, it’s natural to feel giddy organising your guest speaker event. But before you start sending out those invitations, you’ll need to consider what celebrity guest speaker best represents your business and event, and what messages or lessons you want to convey.

Inviting speakers to an event should be an intentional and targeted campaign that serves a purpose and delivers a return on your investment - whether it’s through learning, workshopping ideas, self and team development or even ticket sales. Selecting a suitable guest speaker for events also ensures you have an interested audience that will attend and engage in your event.

How you host an event also determines the level of interaction your event will provide attendees. A virtual guest speaker allows your talent to connect with your event no matter where they are in the world and permits the event to be accessible to your global workforce and network. Their presentation can also be recorded and steamed online to prolong and promote the success of your event, as well as your organisation within its industry.

What to include in a guest speaker invitation

Reaching out to a respected expert in their field or an awe-inspiring celebrity can be a little unnerving. However, it’s important to not solely rely on one figure as they may have conflicting commitments. You may want to extend a guest speaker invitation letter to several prospects to ensure you have a choice of appropriate and available candidates.

In your guest speaker invitation, you must be clear and concise so your potential keynote speaker can immediately understand the purpose of your event and encourage a prompt response regarding their availability. You should include the following in your initial guest speaker invitation email.

A short and pleasant greeting and personal message.
The reason for the request.
Information about your organisation.
What your event will accomplish.
When and where the event will be held.
How many people will be attending.
The expected length of the presentation.
A short comment on why they are suitable for the event.
Your contact details.

If they decline your guest speaker invitation due to other engagements or undisclosed reasons, you must maintain a high level of professionalism and thank them for their consideration.

The problem with reaching out yourself

While contacting speakers personally can be a nice touch, and a good way for the speaker to get acquainted with you and your organisation, individual reach-outs can be difficult and time-consuming.

There's never a guarantee that you'll be able to get a hold of the speaker you're after, and a poorly worded reach-out can come across as demanding, unclear, and potentially not worth responding to.

Here's a sample of a guest speaker letter or email invitation

Dear [name],

I hope this message finds you well. On behalf of [name of organisation], I am reaching out regarding a speaking opportunity for your consideration. [Name of event] is an event focused on [promoting/discussing] [theme of event] with our [staff/clients/industry networks etc.].

[Event name] will be held at [name of venue and address] with an audience of [approximate number of attendees]. We hope to include you as a [panel member/keynote speaker/workshop host] to discuss [topic] for [expected length of presentation].

We believe your unique experience and expertise in the field will contribute to an exciting discussion that will [raise awareness/promote/motivate]. Our team is eagerly awaiting your reply with your availability and the ideas you would like to include in your presentation.

We kindly request you let us know by [date] whether you’re interested in participating as a featured guest speaker.

Thank you in advance for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

[Name]

[Full contact information]

[Business and event website]

Pickstar - the best way to invite speakers to an event

Inviting speakers to an event can be a long process that requires a lot of planning, time and luck to find the contacts you need to get in touch with celebrity guest speakers. But it doesn’t have to be. Pickstar offers a self-service platform that allows you to choose from a diverse range of keynote guest speakers and discuss your event directly with them.

From one central platform, you have an unmatched ability to extend a guest speaker invitation to notable figures like Dylan Alcott, Brooke Boney and David Koch, among countless others spanning the worlds of sport, business, politics and entertainment.

With fast response times, our service puts you in touch directly with the stars themselves or their management team to discuss their availability, price, and how they can best contribute to your special event. With no pressure or obligation to commit until all parties have agreed, planning your event is a breeze with Pickstar on your side.

Whether you need a keynote guest speaker for your next conference or an industry leader to run an in-house workshop, we can connect you with the perfect presenter for your needs.