Keynote Speaker Canceled - What Do I Do?

Keynote Speaker Canceled?  

The first thing to do if you found this post because you are in a situation where you speaker canceled is to call me at (512) 970-0398.  Maybe I am available to come and speak to your event, or maybe I know another experienced presenter who can fill in.  

The key is not to panic.  There are lots of things you can do that will still allow you to have an awesome event that will have a lasting impact on your event's attendees.

While it is rare that speakers cancel, this does happen from time to time.  While there is no excuse good enough for the meeting planner, I have known of speakers who have had travel issues with airlines. weather, been in car accidents, gotten the flu, calendared the wrong date, or had a family emergency. Life happens.

A speaker no-show is more common for small groups that are not paying the presenter or use local executives for their program.  Professionals make their living serving the client and will move mountains and part the oceans to be at the event.  Because professional speakers work with meeting planners everyday they understand and respect all the nuances that go into executing a meeting.  Also, professionals (especially those who are active in the meeting business and who see speaking as part of that industry) often have friends who are also speakers. A good reason to work with those who are active in the National Speakers Association is that they will have access to thousands of peers. 

I have seen events of all sizes scramble at the last minute to fill an open slot in their agenda.  Below are four things you can do if your speaker cancels at the last minute and you have tried calling me (or someone) to help you find a replacement. 

(These apply for both local business club luncheons or a large multi-day industry conferences):

1.  Always have a Plan B.  I have worked with several organizations who have my phone number on speed dial in case of a need for a last-minute speaker.  While you might not think this would be something that would happen very often, I have filled in seven times in the last four years (last minute can mean a few days in before the event, several hours in advance, or once I was pulled from the audience to deliver a 45 minute keynote).

Savvy professional speakers also have a network of industry friends they can recommend who can step in at the last minute if a problem occurs. While you never want to get that call from your speaker saying they are too ill to speak to your audience, if they have already found a fantastic solution it will make your day much better.  (Speakers who are members of the National Speakers Association can tap into this network no matter where in the world they are scheduled to speak).

2.  Look to your event agenda, past speakers or future speakers.  A multi-day industry event will have a full docket of speakers who will already be present.  Look to see whose program could be up-graded from a break-out to a keynote.  If it is a break-out session you need to fill, see if the keynote speaker has more information that can be delivered as a "booster shot" to those who might want more following his or her main stage program (some speakers will charge you for the extra presentation, but most will be happy to step in and help you out in your time of need).

If it is a local business luncheon, look at your list of past speakers you have had over the last two years and see if you can bring one of them back for an encore presentation.  Since they already know the audience and the venue, they might be comfortable filling in with little notice.

Additionally, maybe a future speaker would be willing to come in and do his talk early.  Some people might not be able to do this from a preparation stand-point, but asking is always a good idea.

3.  Create a round-table lab.  Your audience is full of brilliant people.   Select two or three topic questions that are cutting-edge and involve timely issues.  Get someone on the board or planning committee to be the Master of Ceremonies and explain openly and honestly about how the speaker could not be there.  Next proclaim this to be a fantastic and unique opportunity to crowd source knowledge and best-practices.  Make the audience the heroes.  Then share the discussion topics, having each table elect a discussion leader.  Every few minutes the MC will encourage a new question be bantered about at the tables.  During the last 20 minutes of the meeting each table reports to the whole the best thoughts shared in their group.

4.  Make it a networking opportunity.  Turn the speaker-less meeting into a "Networking Speed Dating Bonanza" by encouraging people make more contacts.  Extend the reception time, and once seated for the meal have everyone introduce themselves around their table.  When dessert is served encourage everyone to move to a new seat in the room.

A main reason people attend business events is for the "networking opportunities", and most meeting planners admit that no matter how much time they schedule for people to mingle, they do not do a good job of it.  Make this open time powerful by facilitating introductions and connections. 

Leadership is paramount to success in this situation.  If you confidently communicate to the attendees that the meeting will still have an equal or greater impact, then they will follow.  If you are timid about the changes to the program being positive, then they are lost.

If you found this article from a search while you are in a panic... I wish you luck, but I am confident you can and will find the right solution for your event.

Have A Great Day

thom singer
512-970-0398

"The Meeting Professional" - MPI's Member Magazine

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has recently re-designed their monthly membership magazine. 

The first issue of the new "The Meeting Professional" (Formerly known as "One +", which was before that was known as "The Meeting Professional")  has just been released, and I am honored to have an article in this re-inaugural issue (you can find my article on page 44 of the August 2013 edition:  "Speak Easy:  The right speaker should help build up your mini-society before, during and after the conference").

I will be writing for them semi-regularly, and look forward to creating my next piece for this exciting industry publication.

If you are in the "Meeting Industry" (or even if you are not!) you should check out all the new things they have done with the publication.  It is very impressive.  As an MPI member, I am proud of this magazine!!!

Have A Great Day

thom singer

5 Tips To Maximize The Networking at MPI's WEC 2013

Many of my friends in the Meetings Industry will be in Las Vegas this week for the MPI World Education Conference 2013(WEC).  As a member of MPI (Texas Hill Country Chapter) I had hoped to attend the WEC this year, but my schedule did not permit this to happen.  

WEC is a major event in the Meetings Industry that will be attended by organizers, vendors, speakers, hoteliers, and others who work so hard to make event happen.

While I will not at this conference, I am excited about the theme of the WEC.  "When We Meet, We Change The World" is a powerful theme.... as bringing people together creates opportunities.  Meetings are not just about a ballroom with some interesting speakers, as the purpose of the gathering is the experience of people who attend.  Too often we forget that it is not the content provided to attendees, but the serendipity of what they do when they come together.

If you are going to be at the WEC, here are my top 5 tips for maximizing your networking experience at the event:

1.  Say good-bye to your co-worker once you arrive.  A major mistake made at large conferences is that people cling to those they already know.  They sit with their friends at every meal, and attend all the sessions together.  Better to split up and then come together on occasion to share details of individual experiences. 

This does not mean no contact with your buddies... but do not fall into the trap of being together all the time or you will miss the opportunity to meet new people.

2.  Put your SmartPhone and tablets away during meal, breaks and happy hours.  Most large conferences these days are overrun by the "Phone Zombies".  People who spend every break trying to connect outside the even fail to have any meaningful conversations with those present.  If you must check in with your office, walk outside.  To take your phone out in the networking areas sends a message to those close by that you find your electronics more fascinating than they are (and that is rude).

This does not mean you cannot have your phone out during the speakers presentations.  Take out your phone and tweet or post to Facebook any information you find interesting.  Those of us not at the conference will enjoy sharing in your learning experience. 

ALSO... if the speaker is boring... go ahead and check email or surf the internet.  If the speaker is not engaging enough to keep your attention, they do not deserve your attention!

3.  Be the person to initiate conversations.  People attend these events to meet others, but most are waiting for someone to talk to them.  Some are a bit shy at big events (both introverts and extroverts can clam up in big crowds), and when you say "hello" you can melt their shyness away and kick-start their whole meeting experience.  Once you have a short conversation with someone you will be surprised how often you will cross paths with them again and again at the event.

4.  Bring lots of business cards.  Do not assume anyone will remember your name.  While there are lots of people who want to push us all to use technology in place of a business card, it is often the easiest for everyone to trade the traditional paper cards.  It does not require anyone to have the same apps, and since most people are visual, your will card has a unique look were the new links all look the same. 

Telling someone to look you up on Google or LinkedIn puts the burden on them.  Make it easy for people to connect with you.

5.  Have fun.  When you are having fun people will be drawn to be around you.  This event will have a great mix of learning and social activities... so do not miss out on the festive side of WEC.  Too often people can get so caught up in the business and education that they forget to make the most from talking with other people.  Some of the best learning comes from the impromptu "hallway conversations" you have with other attendees and vendors... and sharing with people is always fun!!!

While there is a lot of "new" ways to connect.... the good old-fashioned face-to-face conversations that take place at meetings is still paramount to business success.  So get out there and talk to each other while in Las Vegas.

I wish I was there with you - See you next year in Minneapolis.

Have A Great Day.

thom singer

Thom Singer is known as "The Conference Catalyst". He works with meeting planners and conference organizers to set the tone for a meeting. His presentations educate, inspire and motivate attendees to engage deeper in the event and make meaningful connections.  http://www.conferencecatalyst.com 

www.ConferenceCatalyst.com

Tech Conferences Are NOT Destroying The World. That Is Just Some Dude Looking For A Catchy Headline!

LinkedIn is promoting a blog post that unfairly points to the Meetings Industry as the root of Global Warming.  Hunter Walk writes "Tech Conferences Are Destroying The World.  I Have A Solution" in which he points to live meetings (actually, live technology focused meetings...which makes me wonder if non-tech meetings cause the same issue or if he just wanted a powerful headline?) as a major cause of climate change, and he wants the conferences themselves to charge an extra fee to buy Carbon Credits to offset the air travel pollution caused by attendees.

Ummmm... this blog post has over 16,000 views as of my writing this here... but it only has 54 likes and 85 comments (because it is ridiculously off base).

Nowhere does he point out that most meetings are local and regional anyway.  Plus, the big national and international conferences draw heavily from their own area, so it is not clear if all attendees should pay for air travel related pollution, or just those who fly to the event. While the industry is working hard to implement many more "green" policies and procedures, Mr. Walks solution is really about something the airline industry should do (adding $100 per ticket for carbon offsets).  While I am not sure either way if this is really a solution, it is not on the back of the meeting to charge this fee.

Mr. Walk fails to give any credit to the positive impact that the meetings industry has on the economy.  The   Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy Study reveals that the U.S. meetings industry directly supports 1.7 million jobs, $263 billion in spending, a $106 billion contribution to GDP, $60 billion in labor revenue, $14.3 billion in federal tax revenue and $11.3 billion in state and local tax revenue.

Yep, those are some big numbers.... but people who pick on the events business never show the value they create, as that takes away the power of a one-sided argument   It is easy to grab headlines when you pretend that meetings are just about the happy hours and beer, but the reality around the value of meetings (to the attendees and the economy) are powerful when you look at the whole picture.  

I am surprised to see LinkedIn promoting an article that wrongly pins the meetings industry as so evil.  While this online networking site is about virtual links, the real value in LinkedIn comes through the live connections that people make and cultivate.  Connections are more than "links", "likes", "shares" and "follows".  (Also, the comments on Mr. Walk's post that encourage only online meetings are silly, too).

Seems I blog often in support of the Meetings Industry, but that is because I am proud to be part of this business.  When people come together (and yes, that can happen online, but this should not discredit live) it is amazing what can happen.  Conferences, trade shows, conventions, and seminars are more likely to spur conversations, connections, ideas, and actions that will save the world (rather than destroy it).  Just saying!

Have A Great Day.

thom singer