I'm considering a speaker. How do I know they're actually good?

Do your research (it only takes a few minutes)

• Watch the highlight reel and a few short clips. Many speakers post two- to five-minute clips on LinkedIn or YouTube. Notice how they open, how they handle the room and whether the audience looks engaged.
• Read the one-sheet with a critical eye. It should tell you their topics, who each talk is for, and what people will be able to do afterward. Look for clear learning outcomes, not just big promises.
• Check their LinkedIn history. What have they actually done, and for whom?

Call a reference

Ask a past client three questions:

• Did they tailor the talk to your audience, or give a standard speech?
• Were they easy to work with before and on the day?
• What did people still talk about a month later?

Look for real experience behind the stories

Audiences can tell the difference between someone who has read about leadership and someone who has done it. A speaker who has run teams, opened stores or built a business brings stories your people will recognize from their own jobs.

Notice what they ask you

Great speakers interview you before they say yes: about your audience, your goals, the challenges your people are facing right now. A speaker who only talks about themselves will probably do the same on stage. And notice how you feel after the call: if the speaker can't make you excited and motivated in a conversation, they probably can't do it for a whole room.