As event organisers I’m sure we can honestly say we’ve had our own diva moments but speakers can sometimes be in a league of their own. ‘Darling, you know I can only fly long haul on airlines with 180° flat beds and don’t forget those rose petals!’ I’m sure some of that will resonate so how do we ensure we manage them effectively? It’s all in the planning and having a systematic approach to your work ethic.

Know their special requests

Collating all the intricate details of your speakers and capturing them securely in a central system is a great start. Even the nicest of speakers HATE to be asked for the same information each time so ensure your colleagues can access this too. This also goes for supplier communications – accurate and consistent rooming lists and dietary reports ensure suppliers are in a position to offer a better service too. Who knew so many people were allergic to feather pillows?

Communicate clearly

Concise communications – keep to the facts and ensure your layout is clear. Branded emails are a simple way of visually breaking up the monotony of emails and by using a system that automatically generates a consistent layout for you at the touch of button is like seventh heaven! Regular speakers will also become familiar with your branded layouts and will relate to this as a good experience.

Send easy to read itineraries

Itineraries – a pivotal document for any speaker so make every word count. Think of the speaker experience from start to finish and summarise those key points – where do they need to be and at what time? Have you managed to pre-empt those likely questions? Make the layout of your itinerary easy to read at a glance so elements of particular importance are emphasised. I’m probably biased but I love using Qmeeto’s itinerary builder, it takes all my speaker logistics and automatically converts everything into a really simple itinerary that I can email out in minutes.

Be confident on-site!

When it comes to on-site, we are thrown all sorts of extra excitement so remember to keep calm. You’ve planned everything perfectly; your supplier lists captured all those requests, believe that you and your on-site partners have done the best you can. Speak confidently with your speakers so they too are reassured. Remember too to be on-time and always keep one step ahead of your on-site schedule. It’s a lot easier to deal with those diva moments when you know you have your Superman/woman pants on underneath.

These are just some ways of how to improve the planner’s potential on-site speaker dramas. Confidence in yourself along with your planning tools & techniques will put you in great stead for even the most Diva-ish of speakers. Remember that knowledge is power and for every Diva there is ALWAYS a very appreciative speaker that makes it all worthwhile.

Article written by Liz Franklin
Liz is Owner and Chief Event Expert at Liz Franklin Event Management