Onboarding your summit speaker sets the tone for the entire event, so it is important to have a solid system in place.
Speaker Agreement
This is a non-negotiable, you absolutely MUST have some sort of speaker agreement.
It is essential that you establish a professional relationship between you and the speaker.
A speaker agreement sets the expectations for the summit speaker as well as what is required of them and you!
We highly recommend you use an online tool for sending your contracts.
You can use something like Dubsado, Honeybook, SignNow, HelloSign, etc.
A digital contract looks so much more professional and it makes it so much easier for your speaker than just sending a regular PDF that they might have to print in order to sign.
Speaker Intake Form
The speaker intake form allows you to collect important information from your speakers such as their bio, headshot, presentation title, social media links, etc.
This is important because you need this information in order to create promo graphics, their speaker pages, and more.
And a form streamlines the process for both you and your speakers.
Our favorite tool for this is AirTable, but ultimate use whatever you like best but AVOID just collecting via email
Your Scheduler
If you are conducting intro interviews (or just interviews in general) then you need an online scheduler set up.
An online scheduler such as Acuity, Calendly, or Dubsado, is essential because it saves you time and makes things easier on you and your speaker.
Don’t just send a confirmation email, also automate reminder emails for your interview because people forget!
We send at least a 24 hour and a 1 hour reminder for each interview.
Be sure to include any important information and any tips for your interview, such as using a mic if they have one, or recording in a quiet space, etc.
Speaker Onboarding Page
This is a page that houses ALL the important information the speaker might need from how to schedule their interview to important dates to FAQs and more.
We still send important information in emails, but this is a great asset to create because it helps cut down on back and forth with your speakers.
Welcome Email
Once someone has officially agreed to be a speaker, we send them a welcome email!
This email includes:
- The speaker agreement (or to look out for it in a separate email)
- A link to book their interview
- A link to fill out the speaker intake form
- And any other important information they need right at that moment
Remember, your event would be nothing without your speakers so you need to officially welcome them and let them know how grateful you are for them.
Use A CRM Tool
We highly recommend using a CRM tool (like Dubsado or Honeybook) to help keep your speakers organized.
We use ours to send and track all the speaker agreements, follow up on unsigned agreements, and even for scheduling our interviews.
Remember to use the tools you are already using in your business for your sumit!
So tell us, do you put your speakers though a proper onboarding process?
Resources Mentioned
- Download our free Summit Planning Blueprint to learn more about our signature 5P Summit Planning Framework™ today.
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