Work-life balance expert and industry speaker Jeff Davidson lays out the dos and don’ts for the planner-speaker relationship.
[This article edited and expounded upon and originally published on Planyourmeetings.com]
After 950 presentations at conferences and conventions, I have a fairly good idea of what type of meeting planner is best to work with. Here is the unvarnished truth, (solely on my experience), based on 12 criteria. It’s not all-encompassing, but if you focus on building the planner-speaker relationship using these criteria, you’re off to a great start.
The Best Clients
Complete my pre-speech survey
Have accurately gauged audience needs
Are skilled planners
Have one person serve as prompt liaison
Do not over-schedule their attendees
Allow me free reign beforehand
Allow me free reign with handouts
Offer a good flyer and good write-up
Provide a hands-free lavalier microphone
Arrange the room as I requested
Have adequate food, restroom breaks
Are prompt payers
Less-than-Best Clients
Do not complete my pre-speech survey
Have inaccurately gauged audience
Are first-time or unskilled planners
Manage by committee with no one in charge
Over-schedule their attendees
Hog my time beforehand
Micro-manage the handouts
Offer a poor flyer and/or poor write-up
Do not provide a lavalier microphone
Ignore the room arrangement request
Have inadequate food, restroom breaks
Are slow payers
