Tips on picking a great speaker (2)

via WikipediaWhen to look for an outside speaker?

"We cannot ask Peter again, can we?"
Before starting to give tips on how to look for a professional speaker, we have to see how we get to the point where we actually start to look for outside help.
In many cases you can find people with enough qualifications inside your own company, organization or its extended network. Suppliers, customers, services providers: they might often be all too excited to help you out by sending one of their better speakers to your event. For them it might be an ideal way to solidify an existing relationship. Chambers of Commerce and other business association often rely on their members to share their knowledge and expertise with the not-so-experienced members. Often they are happy to do this on a voluntary basis: that is what makes these organizations often run.

But when you want your company or organizations to take a new turn, when your board of directors is coming to China for a meeting, when you really want to make sure your customers have a good time, it is time to look for a professional speaker outside your own network. In short: when a performance is critical, when you cannot afford a "no show" and need to be sure a target is met.
Then the selection can start. Next: how to pick a great speaker?