1. What is your history of speaking in front of a room?

What you are trying to find out is how comfortable the speaker is with being on stage. Some speakers may have great content, but fall short when it comes to delivery. What you want is a speaker who can connect with your audience. Rapport with your audience should be the number one quality you want in your speaker.

2. What is the range of audience size you are comfortable speaking to?

Most professional speakers are fine speaking with audiences in the 100 – 300 range. However, when the audience size is much larger than 300, or significantly smaller than 100, some speakers become ineffective. An audience of more than 300 requires a bigger personality and smaller audiences require the speaker to supply the energy. Be certain your speaker is the right fit for your crowd size.

3. Have you written a book?

Speakers who have written a book are experts in the field and have generally done more research than others on their topic. It is also much easier to promote a speaker for your event, if they are also an author and your audience will have the opportunity for continued education, after the speaker has gone.

4. Do you include any complimentary books in your speaking fee?

Very few speakers include books in their speaking fee. A few may discount their books. You will be considered a rock star in your audience’s eyes if you arrange for them to each go home with a book. If you are lucky enough to find a speaker who includes books in their fee, be sure to ask if they will stick around and sign their book for the audience afterward. IF you can arrange this, you will be a big hit!

5. Why did you become a speaker?

Some speakers speak, because their job requires them too. Some are speakers, because they make a lot of money. Others speak because they like it. Some speak, because it’s their calling. Hire the last group!

6. Have any other speakers endorsed you? Who are they?

Who would know the sign of a great speaker better than other speakers. Look for speakers with endorsements/testimonials from top speakers and authors in the circuit.

7. How and why do you engage the audience?

Audience engagement/participation is important to give the maximum impact and to keep the listeners…listening. How this is accomplished is just as important as why they engage the audience in the way they do. Engagement for the sake of engagement isn’t as effective or impactful is engagement with a purpose.

8. Which speaker(s), if any, do you model yourself after and why?

This is a question most people don’t think to ask. It can reveal a person’s style, but it will also reveal if they are a student of their craft. If your prospective speaker doesn’t have a good answer for this question, move on to the next candidate.

9. What makes you different from every other speaker out there?

Look for a non-generic answer to this question. If you get a generic answer, you will likely get a generic talk. If you get a creative answer, the speaker’s talk will likely be creative too!