Most company events need a speaker or two to inspire employees, entertain the crowd, and bring everyone together. If you’re on a budget, you might feel tempted to let a CEO or manager speak at your conference. However, professional speakers from outside the company offer several benefits that you won’t get with internal employees.
1. They’re Trained Speakers
Your coworkers might have intriguing stories to tell, but they’re not necessarily professional speakers. An inexperienced speaker could make even the liveliest story sound boring and dry. Conversely, outside speakers have the skills and experience to present simple facts in a bold, entertaining manner.
Trained speakers give dozens or hundreds of speeches throughout the year. Over time, they learn how to grab the crowd’s attention, speak authoritatively, add a sprinkle of humor, and even make the audience shed a few tears. This is essential for business conferences, which have a reputation for being dull and tedious.
2. They Offer New Perspectives
External speakers look at your company from an outside perspective. As a result, they can approach situations and discuss topics in a completely new way that your employees never considered. They could also talk about ways to polish their presentation and create the best possible experience for their guests.
3. They Inspire Employees
Many outside speakers have personal stories that inspire and uplift your guests. Your speaker might have everything figured out now and have reached their career pinnacle, but when they were growing up, they might have experienced poverty and hardships that taught them about compassion, hard work, and determination. When they tell their story, they’ll pass these values along to your coworkers.
4. They Drum Up Excitement
When employees do all the talking, your event might seem like another business meeting. However, an outside speaker turns your conference into an exciting opportunity to learn from an industry expert. You could even highlight your speaker’s experience and accolades to make employees feel like they’re meeting a celebrity.
Some businesses even hire minor celebrities, such as athletes, actors, or influencers, to draw a larger crowd. They usually come with a higher price tag, but you’ll delight your employees with a guest that they’ll talk about for months.
5. They Boost Productivity
After weeks of the same routine, your employees could start to feel worn out and sluggish. This lowers productivity and makes them dread work instead of looking forward to it. An outside speaker offers a break in their routine, which revitalizes your employees and boosts productivity once they’re back in the office.
6. They Improve Morale
Outside speakers frequently work with businesses and corporations. As a result, they know how to liven up the company culture, inspire your employees, and make them feel good about their jobs. A skilled speaker could give a motivational speech that boosts your employees’ morale and makes them feel like valued individuals, not cogs in a machine.
Overall, external speakers bring a fun, lively presence to your events. If you have a positive experience with one speaker, you might invite them back for future conferences and build a long-term partnership.