7 Tips for Leveraging Your Speakers as Event Advocates

Creating a successful event involves much more than just booking a venue and inviting attendees. One of the key factors that can make or break an event is the quality of your speakers. 

Speakers not only contribute valuable content to your event but also have the potential to become powerful advocates who can help promote your event and attract more attendees in the future.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore seven practical tips to help you harness the potential of your speakers as event advocates, transforming them into influential voices that resonate far beyond the confines of the event venue.

Importance of Speaker Advocacy

Leveraging your speakers as event advocates is a strategic approach that offers numerous benefits and can significantly elevate the success of your events. The importance of speaker advocacy cannot be overstated, as it encompasses the following key elements:

• Expanded Reach: By tapping into the networks and influence of your speakers, you gain access to new audiences that may have been previously untapped. Their advocacy efforts amplify your event’s visibility, attracting a broader range of attendees and potential participants.

• Increased Credibility: When respected thought leaders and industry experts advocate for your event, it lends credibility and legitimacy to your brand. Their endorsement serves as a powerful validation, making your event more attractive to potential attendees and sponsors.

• Authentic Promotion: Speaker advocacy provides an authentic and trustworthy form of promotion. As trusted voices within their respective fields, speakers can effectively communicate the value proposition of your event in a way that resonates with their audiences.

• Community Building: Speaker advocacy fosters a sense of community and belonging among attendees and speakers alike. When speakers actively engage with attendees before, during, and after the event, it creates a more immersive and interactive experience, cultivating long-lasting connections.

• Improved Attendee Experience: By involving speakers as advocates, you can enhance the overall attendee experience. Their promotion efforts generate excitement and anticipation, setting the stage for a more engaging and impactful event.

• Long-Term Relationships: Effective speaker advocacy can lead to long-term relationships with your speakers. By fostering a positive and collaborative experience, you increase the likelihood of securing their participation and advocacy for future events, creating a sustainable cycle of success.

7 Tips for Leveraging Your Speakers as Event Advocates

Here are 7 actionable tips to help you transform your speakers into influential advocates, amplifying the reach and impact of your events

1. Cultivate Authentic Connections

1.1 Foster a Collaborative Relationship

The foundation of effective speaker advocacy lies in cultivating authentic connections with your speakers. Treat them not merely as hired talent but as valued partners in your event’s success. Engage them in open dialogue, seek their input, and make them feel truly invested in the event’s objectives.

1.2 Understand Their Motivations

Take the time to understand what drives and motivates each speaker. Are they passionate about a particular cause? Do they have specific goals or interests they wish to promote? By aligning your event’s messaging with their personal motivations, you create a natural incentive for them to advocate on your behalf.

1.3 Personalize the Experience

Go the extra mile to personalize the speaker experience. Offer personalized communication, tailored event materials, and thoughtful gestures that make them feel valued and appreciated. When speakers feel genuinely cared for, they are more likely to reciprocate by enthusiastically promoting your event.

2. Provide Valuable Resources

2.1 Develop a Speaker Toolkit

Equip your speakers with a comprehensive toolkit that includes branded assets, social media templates, and pre-written content they can easily share across their channels. This not only simplifies the advocacy process but also ensures consistency in messaging and branding.

2.2 Create Engaging Visuals

Visual content is highly shareable and can significantly amplify your event’s online presence. Collaborate with your speakers to create eye-catching visuals, such as quote graphics, event teasers, or behind-the-scenes glimpses, that they can share with their audiences.

2.3 Offer Content Repurposing Options

Speakers often invest significant time and effort into crafting their presentations. Offer them the option to repurpose their content into blog posts, whitepapers, or other valuable resources they can share with their networks, further extending the reach of your event.

3. Leverage Social Media Influence

3.1 Identify Influencers

Analyze your speaker lineup and identify those with substantial social media followings. These influencers can serve as powerful amplifiers, sharing event updates and insights with their engaged audiences.

3.2 Encourage Social Media Engagement

Encourage your speakers to actively engage with their followers throughout the event lifecycle. This could involve sharing sneak peeks, live updates, or post-event reflections, all of which contribute to generating buzz and excitement.

3.3 Implement a Unified Hashtag Strategy

Create a unique, memorable hashtag for your event and encourage speakers to incorporate it into their social media posts. This not only unifies the conversation but also makes it easier for attendees and potential audiences to follow along and discover valuable content.

4. Facilitate Speaker-to-Speaker Networking

4.1 Foster Connections Among Speakers

Facilitate opportunities for your speakers to connect with one another before, during, and after the event. These connections can lead to valuable collaborations, cross-promotions, and amplified advocacy efforts.

4.2 Encourage Speaker Panels or Roundtables

Consider organizing speaker panels or roundtable discussions that bring together thought leaders from different backgrounds. These interactive sessions not only provide valuable insights for attendees but also create a sense of camaraderie among the speakers, fostering a desire to support one another’s efforts.

4.3 Provide Virtual Networking Opportunities

In today’s digital age, virtual networking opportunities are essential. Create dedicated online spaces or virtual events where speakers can connect, exchange ideas, and explore potential collaborations, even if they are unable to attend the physical event.

5. Recognize and Reward Advocacy Efforts

5.1 Publicly Acknowledge Advocacy

Publicly acknowledge and express gratitude to speakers who go above and beyond in promoting your event. This recognition can take the form of social media shout-outs, dedicated email campaigns, or even special mentions during the event itself.

5.2 Offer Incentives or Perks

Consider offering incentives or perks to speakers who actively advocate for your event. These could include discounted registration fees for future events, exclusive access to resources, or even small tokens of appreciation.

5.3 Leverage Testimonials and Case Studies

Collect testimonials and case studies from speakers who have successfully leveraged your event to further their personal or professional goals. Share these success stories to inspire and motivate other speakers to become advocates for your future events.

6. Extend the Advocacy Lifecycle

6.1 Pre-Event Promotion

Engage your speakers well in advance of the event to build anticipation and generate early buzz. Encourage them to share teasers, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and other promotional content that piques the interest of their audiences.

6.2 During-Event Engagement

During the event, provide opportunities for speakers to share live updates, highlight key moments, and engage with attendees through social media or dedicated event platforms. This real-time engagement can create a sense of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and drive interest in future events.

6.3 Post-Event Follow-up

The advocacy efforts should not end with the event itself. Encourage speakers to share their experiences, insights, and key takeaways with their networks in the weeks and months following the event. This not only extends the event’s reach but also creates a foundation for future advocacy efforts.

7. Measure and Optimize

7.1 Track Advocacy Metrics

Implement a system to track and measure the advocacy efforts of your speakers. This could include monitoring social media engagement, website traffic referrals, and other relevant metrics that demonstrate the impact of their advocacy.

7.2 Gather Feedback

Solicit feedback from both speakers and attendees to understand what resonated most and what areas could be improved. These valuable insights can inform your future speaker advocacy strategies and help you optimize your approach.

7.3 Iterate and Refine

Based on the data and feedback gathered, continuously iterate and refine your speaker advocacy efforts. Experiment with new tactics, adjust your approach and strive to create an even more engaging and impactful experience for both speakers and attendees.

Conclusion

Leveraging your speakers as event advocates is a powerful strategy that can amplify the reach and impact of your event. By cultivating authentic connections, providing valuable resources, leveraging social media influence, facilitating networking opportunities, recognizing advocacy efforts, extending the advocacy lifecycle, and continuously measuring and optimizing your approach, you can transform your speakers into influential advocates who champion your event far beyond the confines of the venue.

Remember, effective speaker advocacy is a two-way street. By investing in your speakers and making them feel valued and supported, you create a virtuous cycle where they become vested in your event’s success. This symbiotic relationship not only enhances the current event but also lays the foundation for future collaborations and continued advocacy.

Embrace the power of speaker advocacy, and watch as your events transcend mere gatherings to become catalysts for lasting connections, engaging conversations, and enduring impact within your industry and beyond.