So you’ve received an invitation to speak at a summit
By: Dawn Serra
Tags: Event Planning, Online Summit, Feminist Business, Online Marketing, Public Speaking

Though most of our work is about helping hosts with their events, I often get asked for advice about the invitations that many people receive FROM hosts. When you receive an invitation to speak at a summit, what should you ask? What should you look out for? How can you know if it’s the right fit?

Though the Radical Summits approach is unique and we are a rather small boutique firm, there are a bunch of awesome people dreaming important things for the world, so here are some of the things we recommend for each stage of the process from invitation to interview to promotion for potential speakers.

So you’ve received an invitation to speak at a summit

First off all, congratulations! An invitation to speak at a summit or a conference means someone thinks the work you’re doing is going to resonate with their audience. (At least, we hope that’s why they’ve invited you!)

The invitation you received is an excellent opportunity to look for some key details that can help you decide if this is a good fit for you.

Summit speaker invitation tells

The bad news is that the vast majority of online summit and conference hosts are using a model that is about centering the host’s needs above all else. This means, many people host online events for the sole purpose of gaining access to other people’s lists and communities so that they can grow their own list quickly and without the labor that others had to put in to grow their audience.

The good news is there are many tells in most traditional invitations that make this kind of approach pretty easy to identify. Here’s what to look out for:

Specificity around the work that you do. Take a close look at the invitation. Is their praise of your work generic enough that it could apply to almost anyone? If so, that’s a red flag. Are they sharing specifics around how they know your work like workshops they’ve attended, prior talks, a specific post or idea that you’ve shared, or articulating key aspects of your perspective? While there’s only so much room in an invitation to share what someone may love about your work, they should be specifically speaking to WHY they appreciate your work.

Take a close look at the invitation. Is their praise of your work generic enough that it could apply to almost anyone? If so, that’s a red flag. Are they sharing specifics around how they know your work like workshops they’ve attended, prior talks, a specific post or idea that you’ve shared, or articulating key aspects of your perspective? While there’s only so much room in an invitation to share what someone may love about your work, they should be specifically speaking to WHY they appreciate your work. Specifics on what they’d like you to speak about. It’s not uncommon for poorly structured invitations to say “I love your work and I’d love for you to speak at my summit. Are you in?” Speak on what, exactly? And why would speaking on that be a fit for your audience or your summit theme? A great invitation will say exactly what they’d like you to speak or present on so you can make a more informed decision.

It’s not uncommon for poorly structured invitations to say “I love your work and I’d love for you to speak at my summit. Are you in?” Speak on what, exactly? And why would speaking on that be a fit for your audience or your summit theme? A great invitation will say exactly what they’d like you to speak or present on so you can make a more informed decision. Clarity on their why. What is this event about? Why does it matter? What is the host dreaming for the world and why are they bringing together these specific people? Who is the audience and what do they care about? If an invitation doesn’t include some kind of detail about the deeper why, that may be important to ask about.

What is this event about? Why does it matter? What is the host dreaming for the world and why are they bringing together these specific people? Who is the audience and what do they care about? If an invitation doesn’t include some kind of detail about the deeper why, that may be important to ask about. Minimum list/audience size requirements. This is a personal pet peeve of mine and it’s a HUGE FIERY red flag for me. Minimum list sizes are the tool of a model that positions the host at the center with a goal of gaining access to other people’s audiences and communities. If there’s a minimum list size requirement, it’s an automatic no from me no matter what. The host either likes my work and sees it as a valuable addition to the conversation or they don’t. The end. Your list size has absolutely NO bearing on whether your work is a good fit for their vision and audience. Some of the most important and valuable voices are doing work in a variety of spaces where social media and email list building aren’t front and center. Also, people who have enormous lists often also have heaps of unearned privilege. If you receive an invitation with a minimum list size requirement, know that the host is counting on a sense of scarcity as a way to trick you into a yes. This arbitrary number either strokes the recipient’s ego assuring them they’re “big enough” to be counted as worthy or it makes the recipient feel the need to apologize for not meeting this arbitrary requirement, often then leading to additional requests for unpaid labor from the host to “make up for” the failed requirement.

This is a personal pet peeve of mine and it’s a HUGE FIERY red flag for me. Minimum list sizes are the tool of a model that positions the host at the center with a goal of gaining access to other people’s audiences and communities. If there’s a minimum list size requirement, it’s an automatic no from me no matter what. The host either likes my work and sees it as a valuable addition to the conversation or they don’t. The end. Your list size has absolutely NO bearing on whether your work is a good fit for their vision and audience. Some of the most important and valuable voices are doing work in a variety of spaces where social media and email list building aren’t front and center. Also, people who have enormous lists often also have heaps of unearned privilege. If you receive an invitation with a minimum list size requirement, know that the host is counting on a sense of scarcity as a way to trick you into a yes. This arbitrary number either strokes the recipient’s ego assuring them they’re “big enough” to be counted as worthy or it makes the recipient feel the need to apologize for not meeting this arbitrary requirement, often then leading to additional requests for unpaid labor from the host to “make up for” the failed requirement. Accessibility. Though it’s rare for a host to include information about the ways they’re building accessibility into their events, it’s important for us to look for it and to ask about it as a way to normalize the importance of hosts planning for accessibility from day 1 rather than as an afterthought later on. Big bonus points if you receive an invitation with access details (like closed captions, live captions, transcripts, etc).

Though it’s rare for a host to include information about the ways they’re building accessibility into their events, it’s important for us to look for it and to ask about it as a way to normalize the importance of hosts planning for accessibility from day 1 rather than as an afterthought later on. Big bonus points if you receive an invitation with access details (like closed captions, live captions, transcripts, etc). Other speakers. Another big red flag is when hosts don’t provide information on who else they’re inviting or at a minimum, what their commitment is to including a wide range of voices and identities. Typically if this is not included, it’s because the host hasn’t thought about it (which means the speaker line-up is likely to be super homogenous) or because they’re trying to downplay how white or how cis or how conventionally attractive their speaker line-up is going to be. If it’s not included, ask and ask directly. Any host who can’t easily speak to the ways they’re examining privilege and identity is one to be suspect of.

Another big red flag is when hosts don’t provide information on who else they’re inviting or at a minimum, what their commitment is to including a wide range of voices and identities. Typically if this is not included, it’s because the host hasn’t thought about it (which means the speaker line-up is likely to be super homogenous) or because they’re trying to downplay how white or how cis or how conventionally attractive their speaker line-up is going to be. If it’s not included, ask and ask directly. Any host who can’t easily speak to the ways they’re examining privilege and identity is one to be suspect of. Compensation of speakers. You deserve to be paid for your time and labor. Unless you’re a celebrity or someone with tremendous financial privilege, it’s important for speakers to be paid/compensated for their participation. Sadly, many hosts consider “exposure” to be payment enough. But we know exposure doesn’t pay rent or buy groceries. Some hosts offer to pay speakers via affiliate marketing. This is another area worthy of additional questions — affiliate marketing can be very tricky and some software makes it nearly impossible to track certain kinds of behaviors (which means the host gets the sale and doesn’t have to share it). Many hosts over-promise and under deliver. If payment isn’t mentioned, ask about it directly. Hosts have a responsibility to pay their speakers (most hosts simply hope no one asks). That said, we must remember that hosts are taking on the vast majority of the financial risk when they decide to host an event, so the payment doesn’t need to be the same as what you might get paid by a corporation or an academic institution. Even if it’s $100, some form of payment is an important way of saying “I value your time and expertise.” If a host simply can’t afford to pay, that doesn’t mean they can’t speak to their desire to pay you while acknowledging their financial reality. They can also offer other forms of compensation like promoting your latest book or offering a discount on a program they have. Hosts who have thought about this are able to speak to it with thoughtfulness while hosts who are simply trying to extract free labor will often focus on all the “exposure” you’ll get in the hopes that you don’t ask additional questions.

You deserve to be paid for your time and labor. Unless you’re a celebrity or someone with tremendous financial privilege, it’s important for speakers to be paid/compensated for their participation. Sadly, many hosts consider “exposure” to be payment enough. But we know exposure doesn’t pay rent or buy groceries. Some hosts offer to pay speakers via affiliate marketing. This is another area worthy of additional questions — affiliate marketing can be very tricky and some software makes it nearly impossible to track certain kinds of behaviors (which means the host gets the sale and doesn’t have to share it). Many hosts over-promise and under deliver. If payment isn’t mentioned, ask about it directly. Hosts have a responsibility to pay their speakers (most hosts simply hope no one asks). That said, we must remember that hosts are taking on the vast majority of the financial risk when they decide to host an event, so the payment doesn’t need to be the same as what you might get paid by a corporation or an academic institution. Even if it’s $100, some form of payment is an important way of saying “I value your time and expertise.” If a host simply can’t afford to pay, that doesn’t mean they can’t speak to their desire to pay you while acknowledging their financial reality. They can also offer other forms of compensation like promoting your latest book or offering a discount on a program they have. Hosts who have thought about this are able to speak to it with thoughtfulness while hosts who are simply trying to extract free labor will often focus on all the “exposure” you’ll get in the hopes that you don’t ask additional questions. Timeline of interviews. Many hosts rely on a false sense of urgency to get people to say yes. They’ll say something like “all interviews must be recorded in the next 2 weeks”. However, the lack of planning on their part does not constitute an emergency on your part. Tight timelines can be inaccessible to people who are disabled, working multiple jobs or running multiple businesses, who are parents, etc. If a host isn’t open to collaborating on a time that works for you both, that’s an important thing to note. Hosts who are centering their speakers and their audience usually work with speakers to find times that work for both of you rather than dictating a tiny window and only accepting speakers who can fit their timeline (which proves that it’s less about your work and what you offer and more about finding people who serve the host’s needs first).

Many hosts rely on a false sense of urgency to get people to say yes. They’ll say something like “all interviews must be recorded in the next 2 weeks”. However, the lack of planning on their part does not constitute an emergency on your part. Tight timelines can be inaccessible to people who are disabled, working multiple jobs or running multiple businesses, who are parents, etc. If a host isn’t open to collaborating on a time that works for you both, that’s an important thing to note. Hosts who are centering their speakers and their audience usually work with speakers to find times that work for both of you rather than dictating a tiny window and only accepting speakers who can fit their timeline (which proves that it’s less about your work and what you offer and more about finding people who serve the host’s needs first). Commitment to social justice and social change. Whether it’s in the invitation itself or easily discoverable on their social media, a great host makes their values clear. This might be spoken to in the invitation directly, but there are also other cues that signal where a host’s values lie. Do they include their pronouns in their signature or their introduction? Do they have a quote or a hashtag they often use? What are they often speaking about on their own social media? Is it positioning the problem inside the individual or do they take a more systemic approach?

Whether it’s in the invitation itself or easily discoverable on their social media, a great host makes their values clear. This might be spoken to in the invitation directly, but there are also other cues that signal where a host’s values lie. Do they include their pronouns in their signature or their introduction? Do they have a quote or a hashtag they often use? What are they often speaking about on their own social media? Is it positioning the problem inside the individual or do they take a more systemic approach? Spreading the word. All events rely on people attending in order to fulfill their purpose. Of course, when you’re creating something valuable and important, you want people to know about it so that they can participate and hopefully have a wonderful experience. While the bulk of the labor for spreading the word will fall to the host, it’s not unreasonable for hosts to ask their speakers and presenters for help in getting the word out. But there is a difference between asking for help and demanding access to someone’s list and community (entitlement). As a host myself, I’ve often found that a stellar interview or pre-presentation discussion is enough to get speakers excited about telling their audience about an event. After all, as a speaker, if something really beautiful or meaningful is happening, I want my community to know about it. The red flag in this area comes when hosts expect speakers to agree to very specific marketing requirements long before any content has been created. How can I possibly know if the content is a good fit for my audience if I haven’t interacted with the host before and if we haven’t collaborated or recorded an interview yet? There’s a predatory nature to expecting someone to commit to certain marketing agreements prior to gaining insight or experience about an event. Keep a close on eye on what is being asked of you here.

At Radical Summits, we stress the importance of a very care-filled, thoughtful, thorough invitation to potential speakers because it’s often the first time someone is interacting with the host.

If you receive an invitation that is generic, doesn’t mention compensation or the other speakers, doesn’t speak to their values or what’s expected of you, it’s important to push back and ask clarifying questions. Hosts who are creating an event that’s about community, change, and relationships will appreciate the opportunity to engage in a deeper discussion about their values and the vision they’re holding.

Most invitations that are sent out these days are riddled with red flags. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t participate, it is to say that you’ll have some tough decisions to make.

Time and time again, I’ve seen hosts get called out for all white speaker line-ups or for culturally appropriating imagery from cultures they aren’t a part of or for using harmful language in their interviews, and speakers often end up in the cross fire for not having done their due diligence.

Being a speaker is an honor that comes with responsibility, so make it clear to the event host that you take it seriously and want to ensure it’s a good fit for you and those who will be attending.

You’re going to speak at a summit. Now what?

Once you decide to move forward as a speaker at an online event, there are a few things you can do that will make it a better experience for all involved.

Whether your session will be pre-recorded or live, a solid, high-speed internet connection is a must. Turn off all devices from the wifi other than your computer/laptop to maximize bandwidth. Plug the ethernet cable directly into your device if you can. Try to schedule your session for a time when fewer people are home and on the network.

Use a high-quality microphone, or earbuds at a minimum, to ensure a clear, consistent sound. A bad video is one thing, but terrible audio is nearly impossible to correct.

Ensure you have consistent, soft lighting and a quiet location.

Ask the host for an outline or key talking points they want to ensure you cover, and then do research on the host’s audience. Prepare for your conversation by writing out key points you’d like to make or having key statistics, resources, and books at the ready.

It’s also important to ask the host about the demographics of their anticipated audience. Will they have many disabled people attending? Trans and non-binary folks? How can you adapt your language and your knowledge to fit the needs of the audience so that everyone wins?

Avoid wearing anything that may rub against the microphone or cause rustling or jingly sounds that damage the audio. Long hair, earrings, turtlenecks, bracelets, and scarves can wreak havoc on an audio file, so avoid those wherever possible.

Most importantly, be you. The host invited you for a reason, so bring your wonderful self to the interview and let yourself shine. This isn’t about appealing to everyone who tunes in, but instead about connecting with the RIGHT people who are a great fit for you and the work that you do.

If you’re nervous, ask the host if they’d be willing to meet with you ahead of time for a practice run or if they can add 15–30 minutes to the call prior to your session starting for some chit chat. A little time to talk, breathe and get to know each other can work wonders for allowing you to be more comfortable during the session itself.

Only commit to what you know you can follow through on

It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement when you’re coming off the high of a great interview or when you see how awesome some of the other speakers are.

Before you commit to any kind of marketing or promotion, take time to consider the context of your life in the weeks leading up to the event and during the event. What can you commit to that is sustainable, doable, and fits the context of your life?

It’s much easier on a host for speakers to under promise and over deliver than to over promise and fall short, especially since hosts are often taking on a large financial burden that they’re trying to plan for. If you can’t email your list or if you’ll be away for a large part of the promotion period, tell the host that as early as possible.

And don’t hesitate to ask the host for anything that might make promoting the event easier on you. Whether that’s a custom color scheme in the promo materials to match your brand or hoping on a Facebook live so you two can get your audience excited, treat this as a collaboration and ask for what you need so that everyone involved can have the best possible experience.

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One of the reasons I love online events is because I’ve seen the power of them to change lives and bring people together around important questions. Though many of the speakers I’ve invited to speak at my own events have been strangers, so many of them have later become friends, colleagues, and key collaborators on other projects and offerings.

When you focus on building relationships with the right people, the benefits extend far beyond the scope of this one online event.

*Originally posted on radicalsummits.com