The outlook for in-person events is on the rise, so it’s important to be aware of the current speaking trends.
There is no doubt that speaking trends have shifted over the past couple of years. If you are seeking opportunities to be chosen for a stage, you might want to consider topics that are high on the priority list of event planners and event attendees based on recent surveys in the speaking industry.
Hot Topics
How might you tailor your presentation to include one of these highly requested topics?
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Leadership and motivation
- Mental health and mindset
- Future of work
- Corporate culture
- Technology
Expanding Roles
In addition to speaking, consider other ways to leverage your time and speaking fee with an event planner.
Here are insights for how speakers are expanding their roles/opportunities before, during, or after the event:
- 78% deliver keynotes
- 52% participate on panels
- 25% host or moderate
Panel Format
Over the past year, I have worked with a number of corporate clients who have been asked to speak on panels and wanted help with their preparation.
I’ve observed the panel format is becoming more popular at conferences and might be a good fit if you’d like to speak, but don’t want to take the stage on your own.
Special Requests
Beyond speaking, organizers are requesting speakers to also:
- Meet and greet with attendees
- Engage in social media promotion
- Participate in a book signing (if they have a book)
- Meet with the executive team
These “asks” could be included in the speaker agreement, or they could be leveraged in your speaking fee.
Shared Success
Lastly, as a speaker, it’s important to know how meeting planners and organizers measure success.
If we can contribute to their success, we’ll have more success with an invitation to return or a referral to speak at another event.
- Attendance or an increase in attendance at the event
- Positive survey responses/NPS score
- Engagement with vendors, speakers, event tech
- Social media engagement
- Attendee/member retention/return to an event
- Increase in website traffic
- Resource downloads during and after the event
I hope you find this information on current speaking trends useful for upcoming speaking events.
Cool Tools
At a recent networking event I attended, I was stuck when I was asked for my business card. I couldn’t believe I didn’t have any cards with me (not to mention that my cards sorely need updating!) My colleague told me not to worry and whipped out her Dot card. (https://dotcards.net/)
What is a Dot card? It’s a digital business card that she stored on her phone instead of a paper business card.
What I like about the Dot card is that you can customize how much of your contact information you want to share, sharing your contact information is easy, you can change/update your information at any time, and no more stacks of paper cards on your desk!
Do you have any speaking events on the horizon? Please respond in the comments below and let me know what you have planned.
Most people don’t remember the data they hear in presentations. However, they do remember stories.
Why?
Stories make an emotional connection with an audience.
Stories make us, as speakers, more relatable.
And if a story is told well, the impact you can make with a story is longer-lasting than data.
Grab my free Storytelling Workbook to start crafting your stories to create a greater impact with your audiences – enter your name and email below to download a copy.