It is an ongoing challenge for any successful company to keep their sales team inspired to reach new heights, develop a habit of innovative approaches and perform cohesively. Though much of these behaviors can be fostered by upper management modeling and valuing these qualities, there are times when a company directive has more power coming from an outside party.

 

If you have been tasked to discover a new voice to deliver the company mission statement from a fresh and different perspective, you are no doubt looking for a motivational speaker.

 

The following tips have been assembled to help you find the right match and pull off an event that will keep the company soaring towards success.

 

List the Company Goals

 

The first step is making sure you understand what the company hopes to achieve from the speaking engagement. These expectations may be a combination of short-term and long-term goals but having them written down and agreed upon will be an essential part of your research process.

 

As you meet with upper management, try using the topics below to help refine their vision and develop a clear focus of the event:

 

• Team Building: A strong sales team is one that trusts one another and the company they work for. If a team seems to be working more independently, exhibiting cliquish behaviors or missing a spirit of comradery, activities that rebuild bonds of trust and support are in order.

• Rekindle Morale: All teams need their spirits uplifted from time to time. Much like a cheerleader, a good keynote speaker can remind everyone what the company stands for and revive vital energy that is needed to keep them passionate about their work.

• Institute Change: Whether a change is external or internal, it is a fact of life, and will always impact company culture. Mindful leadership and honest communications are fundamental in navigating these upheavals smoothly while emerging as a strong unit. When change is expected or recently experienced, this is a great time to gather the sales team together and support them.

• Boost Productivity: For a company seeking to reach specific sales targets during the fiscal year, it is important to make this topic an intentional focus of the speech. Though increased sales and productivity can be achieved through other material, communications aimed towards this exact goal will help management measure their success.

• Show Appreciation: Of course, companies exist to make money, and a good sales team helps them do this year in and year out. A wise leader will take the time to reward their loyal staff. Arranging for a quality speaker to add excitement, spark and motivation to their day is a great way to accomplish this act of appreciation.

 

Once you have a company’s mission acknowledged and confirmed, you now have the key to finding the ideal talent for your event.

 

Do Your Research

 

There are many talented individuals to sift through and you an easily become frustrated and overwhelmed. Times such as these can cause us to lose sight of priorities and cut corners in areas that need special attention.

 

To keep yourself level-headed, use these suggestions to stay organized and composed:

 

• Schedule in advance: In a perfect world we would always have time on our side. Reality is quite different, so do not procrastinate. It is a good practice to have your speaker booked six months before your event.

• Carefully review work portfolios: As you go through your list of potential speakers, look at their portfolio of previous engagements. You want to find examples of topics and audiences that resemble your own.

• Watch uncut video of relevant events: If video is not available on a speaker’s website, have them send a copy to you that complements your proposed event. As you examine their performance, observe the level of attentiveness and participation of the crowd.

• Listen to their choice of speech: You are looking for an individual that will captivate the group, so make sure they are speaking in a manner that is customized to the audience and the industry they work in.

• Compare the quality of work with the cost: When analyzing a speaker’s portfolio and experience, measure the quality of work alongside their proposed booking fee. Your sales team is sacrificing valuable time, so make sure they are getting what you paid for.

 

These simple steps help establish a solid foundation from which to move forward from as you begin the next stage of partnering and teamwork.

 

Establish a Relationship of Trust

 

Now that you have researched a variety of speakers, it can be tempting to pick your favorite one and hand them the reins. To ensure you arrange the best event possible, staying involved is crucial and developing a trusting relationship with the speaker is indispensable.

 

As you interview potential talent, be sure they know you are committed to supporting their position and are willing to work with them to create the finest content possible. Be clear about the goals the company expects to meet, and the future outcomes they hope to see.

 

Though no one wants to be micro-managed or told how they should do their job, providing insight into the company culture and acting as quality control for the presented material should be welcomed not resented.

 

Visualize the Outcome

 

Everyone involved, from the leaders to the planners to the audience wants to have a positive experience and leave the event feeling inspired. To create such an affair, make sure you hire a speaker whose mission statement aligns with your desired outcomes and who is curious and inquisitive enough to work with you to achieve them.

 

Making use of these featured ideas and tips can help you arrange an organized event, but it is the people that make it soar. Glitter and pizzazz may wow the crowd temporarily, but a high-quality motivational speaker can bring about real change for years to come.

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Pandit Dasa is a mindful leadership expert, motivational keynote speaker and author who has spoken at Fortune 500 companies and helps organizations improve employee engagement, retention and workplace happiness. He helps individuals develop positive leadership qualities, lower stress and anxiety, increase focus and productivity and boost emotional intelligence.

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