How to brief a speaker

A speaker can only give the talk your room needs if they know what the room is. A clear brief also gets you faster, more accurate answers about availability and fees.

The essentials

• Event basics: name, date, city and venue, and whether it is in person, virtual or hybrid.
• Audience: how many people, their roles and seniority, and what they already know.
• The outcome: what should people think, feel or do differently after the talk?
• Format: keynote length, Q&A, panel or workshop, and where the talk sits in the programme.
• Budget: a range is fine. It saves both sides time.

What helps a speaker say yes

• Context on why this event, and why now.
• Anything sensitive in the room: a restructure, a merger, a difficult year.
• Who else is speaking, so talks don’t overlap.
• Practical details: arrival time, AV, recording and whether slides will be shared.

Checklist

1. Event name, date and city
2. Audience size and who they are
3. The one thing the audience should leave with
4. Talk length and format
5. Budget range for the speaker’s fee
6. Your name and email so the speaker can reply

Our brief form asks for exactly these, in four short steps, with no account needed.