Introduction
A strong continuing education program requires quality content and a great overall learning experience. The speakers who present your material are critically important for delivering quality content that engages your learners.
Likewise, the quality of your speakers reflects on your continuing education program. Engaging, knowledgeable, and inspiring speakers can turn an average program into an unforgettable one. Whether you’re organizing a workshop, webinar, or conference, finding the right speakers is key to ensuring your learners leave enriched and empowered.
Read our blog for strategies to identify and secure the best speakers for your continuing education program.
How to find the best continuing education program speakers
Ready to boost learner engagement at your continuing education program? Follow these seven steps to find the best speakers to drive a great learning experience:
1. Define your goals and learner needs
Before you begin looking for speakers, you should establish the goals of your continuing education program. Ask these questions to begin:
- What knowledge or skills do attendees need to gain?
- What are the key themes or topics to address?
- Who is your target audience, and what are their expectations?
Understanding these elements will help you to identify speakers whose expertise aligns with your continuing education program’s objectives.
2. Develop speaker personas
To find the right speakers for your continuing education program, you need to know your requirements. Just as you would create learner personas to better understand your learners, create personas of the types of people you want to invite to speak.
Personas are fictional representations of your target audience – in this case, your speakers. They can help you articulate the qualities you want in your learning program speakers by envisioning a single, ideal speaker.
Here are some things to think about as you develop speaker personas:
- What is their area of expertise?
- How much experience should they have?
- How relevant is their experience to your audience?
3. Find real-life speakers that match your personas
With speaker personas in hand, it’s time to find the actual people to develop and present your learning content. Here are some possible places to look for the right speakers:
- Your organization
Your association represents a specific trade or industry, so you likely have some of the expertise you need in-house. Or your team might know someone who fits the bill. Send out a “call for speakers” to your staff and share the personas you’ve created so employees understand what qualities you’re seeking.
- Your association’s conferences
Look at surveys from past events and consider asking highly rated speakers to present content for your learning program.
- Your networks
Look within your own social and professional network by searching profiles on LinkedIn or even putting out a call via your social media accounts to let your friends and family know what type of speakers you need.
- Your competitors
Check out competing associations’ events and learning programs to see who’s speaking. Chances are, they’ve secured speakers who are a good fit for your learning program content.
- Industry webinars and podcasts
Be on the lookout for well-regarded experts in your industry who are publishing their own content.
- Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
As speakers, SMEs bring credibility and depth to their presentations. You can find SMEs at academic institutions; they are often professors or researchers, industry leaders, or authors and thought leaders contributing to your field.
While seasoned speakers are a safe choice, don’t overlook emerging professionals who may bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas. Reach out to rising stars in your field or recent award winners to add dynamic energy to your continuing education program.
4. Invite speakers to your continuing education program
Before finally extending an invitation, be sure to research potential speakers to ensure they’re a good fit. Complete the following steps before inviting a speaker to your continuing education program:
- Watch a speaker’s past presentations on platforms like YouTube or Vimeo.
- Read reviews or testimonials from a speaker’s previous events.
- Consider conducting a brief interview to gauge a speaker’s fit for your program.
After conducting a speaker interview or reviewing their work to ensure they’re a good fit for your program, it’s time to send your invitation! Try personalizing your invitation by clearly outlining the goals of your continuing education program, why you believe the speaker is a great fit, the specific logistics (including event date, format, and compensation), and how the speaker’s participation will benefit your learners.
5. Put the right technology in place
Presenting (and for that matter, attending!) a continuing education course may seem dull and uninspiring. Offer engaging, interactive features in your learning experience to help make speakers (and learners) feel more engaged. Some ideas:
- Q&A
For live streaming events, allow attendees to ask questions via chat that the speaker can answer live.
- Polling
For live streaming or re-broadcast events, ask polling questions and display the results to help attendees interact and feel a part of the audience.
- Surveys
Ask for feedback during and after each session, just as you do at in-person sessions.
- Discussion groups
If you’re webcasting a live event, work with your speakers in advance to talk about ways to involve online attendees in any group activities; for example, by engaging online learners via chat functionality.
6. Prep your speakers
Make sure your speakers are comfortable with the technology they’ll be using to present their content. Practicing with your speakers before they present will help them deliver a better learner experience. Here are some tips:
- Have first-time webinar speakers record their sessions without an audience. Speakers may feel more comfortable and can take time to pause and re-start if needed. You can re-broadcast the sessions later.
- Set up a prep call to make sure tech-averse speakers understand how your platform works.
- Make sure speakers are aware of the LMS features they can use, such as Q&A, polling, surveys, etc., to make their sessions more engaging.
7. Offer competitive compensation and build relationships
To recruit the best speakers to your continuing education program, consider offering competitive compensation. Doing so shows professionalism and respect for your speakers’ time and expertise. Work to budget for honorariums, travel expenses, and accommodations if necessary. After the program, maintain relationships with your speakers by thanking them, sharing learner feedback, and inviting them to future events. Building a roster of trusted speakers can make organizing future programs much easier.