• Connecting Speakers with Audiences™

Event Planning

This Is the Best Way to Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month

This Is the Best Way to Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month 695 472 I Need A Speaker

It’s Hispanic Heritage Month, and there are so many ways to celebrate:

  • Try Hispanic foods
  • Attend a library program
  • Visit a museum
  • Read a Hispanic author
  • Learn to speak Spanish
  • Support Hispanic-owned businesses
  • Teach Hispanic history (to a class or to your own family)
  • Learn a salsa dance
  • Host a workplace lunch ‘n learn
  • Play iconic Latin songs
  • Start a book club
  • Watch a documentary or film
  • Listen to a podcast (we’re partial to LatinoUSA from NPR)
  • Donate to a non-profit
  • Create your own Latin art

These are all great ideas to keep you entertained and educated during the month-long celebration, but the best suggestion we have is to book a Hispanic speaker.

If you’re an event planner, use our searchable directory to help find the right speaker for your group. Create a free account to search the directory.

If you’re a speaker, join others in our global directory to help event planners find you. Celebrate this special month with a free, one-year membership during September when you use code AMPLIFY.

Keep heritage education going all year long. Register now.

Join Free in September with Code AMPLIFY

Join Free in September with Code AMPLIFY 1707 2560 I Need A Speaker

We’ve been quiet for a while, and that’s been intentional. Our team devoted a lot of time this summer to creating a plan for growth.

We are working hard for I Need A Speaker to be the global go-to resource for event planners to find the right speakers for their events, and we’re excited to have you in this space. To further that mission, we’re offering you a free one-year membership during September 2022 ($349 value)!

If you’re an event planner seeking diverse speakers or a speaker with expertise to share, join today. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Visit www.ineedaspeaker.com.
  2. Choose “I Am A Speaker.”
  3. Use code AMPLIFY to begin your free, one-year membership.
  4. Complete your profile.
  5. Tell your friends and share this message on your social media accounts.

It’s that easy!

We will do our part to promote I Need A Speaker to help event planners find you. That’s when the magic happens.

 

Photo credit: Pexels

Book our speakers now for fall and winter events

Book our speakers now for fall and winter events 2560 1920 I Need A Speaker

Summer is in full swing, and it’s easy to get caught up in outdoor recreation and barbecues. We aren’t rushing you back from vacation, but we do want to remind you that this is the perfect time to book speakers for fall and winter.

Speakers need time to prepare their talks, as well as to customize presentations or plan travel when necessary.

We invite event planners to create a free account on I Need A Speaker (if you haven’t already done so) and contact speakers for your meeting facilitation, panel discussions, classroom guest lectures, keynote presentations, and more.

Whether planning for your vacation or planning for an event, it’s the advance work that makes all the difference.

 

Photo credit: Pexels / Jess Bailey Designs

Event planners: consider your topic and purpose when choosing speakers

Event planners: consider your topic and purpose when choosing speakers 1707 2560 I Need A Speaker

A Twitter user recently posted a message stating “yall my friend’s company held a diversity panel for AAPI Heritage Month and 2 out of the 6 panelists were wHITE MEN. they explicitly said they were on the panel bc theyre married to AAPI women and they bring pErSpEcTiVe, I CANT—”.

Too often, events don’t have the right speakers. They may have good speakers, but not relevant ones.

The takeaway here is to give serious thought to who is best suited for the event. If your event is about diversity, do you have diverse speakers? If your event is about disability, do you have speakers with a disability? If your event is about Black business owners, do you have speakers who are Black business owners?

It’s estimated that 65% of all conference speakers are white men. We don’t mind that white men are on the stage. We just want to make some space for more diverse speakers.

Event planners, we can help! Create your free account on I Need A Speaker and browse our global directory to match the right speaker(s) with your audience(s).

Speakers, join our searchable global directory today for $349 per year so event planners can easily locate you.

 

Photo credit: Pexels

Free Membership February Offered to Amplify New Voices

Free Membership February Offered to Amplify New Voices 2560 1709 I Need A Speaker

In August 2020, we launched I Need A Speaker for two main reasons. First, we wanted to amplify new voices. Second, we wanted to share information.

Since its launch, I Need A Speaker has grown. Our directory now features speakers from seven countries, and we want to grow the directory even more. We want to change conversations and open minds. We want speakers to know how great it feels to share their ideas and increase their self-confidence. We want to create the go-to directory for event planners to find the perfect speakers for their events.

With these goals in mind, one-year memberships are free this month with the code FREEFEB. This code is transferable and expires February 28, 2022. Feel free to share it with your networks.

Register today. Audiences are waiting to hear what you have to say.

 

Photo credit: Pexels

Grab opportunities to improve your skills; registration now open for public speaking workshop

Grab opportunities to improve your skills; registration now open for public speaking workshop 2560 1920 I Need A Speaker

A friend told me that her college-aged son joined his university’s golf team, even though he’s only played a few times. She and I talked about his bravery, his willingness to learn, and his positive attitude.

Some people with powerful, impactful messages may feel that they lack the skills to stand before an audience. What they already have is passion. That can’t be taught. Fortunately, everything else that’s required for an effective presentation can be taught.

That’s why I Need A Speaker has collaborated with New York Speech Coaching to offer a live, interactive public speaking skills workshop.

YOUR HOST: I NEED A SPEAKER

Founded in 2020, I Need A Speaker was established to connect speakers with audiences. The team at I Need A Speaker is on a mission to amplify new voices, and we believe that information is most powerful when it’s shared.

Here’s how it works: Speakers pay a low annual fee to join our searchable directory, and event planners can create free accounts to search for the right speaker for their events.

YOUR INSTRUCTOR: BRENDAN HOUDEK (M.A., CCC-SLP)

Senior Instructor and Head of Corporate Training, New York Speech Coaching Brendan specializes in effective business communication, executive presence, and vocal production. He presents an interactive workshop on authenticity, comfort, and confidence in public speaking. Brendan specializes in helping professionals tell their story effectively regardless of environment.

In addition to his work as a speech coach, Brendan is a NYS-licensed and ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist, specializing in voice and fluency disorders. He is the head of New York Speech Pathology. His in-depth understanding of vocal anatomy and physiology assists his coaching by enabling him to provide speakers with healthy and efficient vocal technique.

Brendan also is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, and voice impressionist, hosting the show Voice Breakdown on YouTube. These skills further enable him to have deep insights into the voice and performance.

Brendan’s clientele consists of individuals and groups from Google, Disney, Forbes, Nasdaq, Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Capital One, MetLife, and McGraw-Hill.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

In this virtual workshop, prepare to laugh and learn at what one recent attendee at a Disney workshop described as “such a great event … my fingers were getting tired from taking so many notes! New York Speech Coaching obviously has great communicators and orators, but they also have wonderful educators too. One of the best webinars/seminars I’ve ever attended.”

Participants will leave the workshop with strategies to improve:

  • Presentation Skills
  • Eliminating Anxiety
  • Preparation Approach
  • Eliminating Vocal Fillers (such as “um, like, & y’know”)
  • Body Language and Gesticulation
  • Virtual Communication
  • Dynamism and Charisma

Join us for an exhilarating session with immediate takeaways to take your executive presence to the next level!

In order to create the most beneficial participant experience, seating is limited to 25 people.

Click here to register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3483428076957249806

 

 

Photo credit: Kindel Media on Pexels

The show must go on

The show must go on 2560 1707 I Need A Speaker

“The show must go on” is a saying that’s typically associated with theater. Some sources claim it originated in the circus, when the performers’ belief was that there must be a show, regardless of obstacles.

I thought of that saying about a week ago, when I arrived to speak and technology issues prevented me from accessing my slides.

An IT representative hurried to the room where I was presenting, apologizing several times over. She explained that there was a serious issue with the equipment, and she recommended that my audience and I move to another room.

“No problem,” I assured her. “This room will be fine. The system can be repaired later.”

The woman stared in disbelief and said, “but you can’t access the computer or the slides.”

I assured her that I knew the material, and everything would be fine. And it was.

I relay this story not to demonstrate my bravery, but rather to share the importance of preparation. With printed notes and a few practice runs under my belt, I was ready to go, with or without technical aids.

Pro tips: Know your material. Bring printed or written notes with you. Be confident knowing the show will go on.

 

 

Photo credit: Vidal Balielo Jr. on Pexels

Presentation lessons from Disney’s Jungle Cruise

Presentation lessons from Disney’s Jungle Cruise 1707 2560 I Need A Speaker

Some things just make summer feel more like … well, summer. Sprinklers. Bike riding. Shore taffy. One of my favorites is the drive-in.

Our local drive-in was showing Jungle Cruise, so we invited our daughter and her friends to enjoy the show outdoors. The opening scene featured Jack Whitehall as MacGregor Houghton, delivering a speech to an unfriendly crowd.

Playing the brother of lead Emily Blunt, Whitehall was requesting that his theatrical sister be granted access to a valued and protected archive.

Nervous, he read aloud from the notecards the requestor had provided. At one point, he read every word on the card, including “Pause for dramatic effect.” Blushing, he continued on, but the audience wasn’t amused.

Another notecard said, “If it goes sideways, go to plan B.”

As the kids munched popcorn, I reflected on the scene’s lessons:

  • Be prepared for your presentations.
  • Practice. Practice. Practice.
  • Yes, pause for dramatic effect, but don’t read the directive.
  • Have a plan B if plan A isn’t working.
  • Know your audience.

How would you handle a not-so-friendly crowd?

 

 

Photo credit: John Cheathem from Pexels

Aren’t we all speakers?

Aren’t we all speakers? 2560 1920 I Need A Speaker

I Need A Speaker is on Clubhouse! Hosted by Tricia Richards-Service and Christopher Pahoski, the room was open for people who want to learn more about getting started in public speaking.

Some people have said, “I’m not a speaker. In fact, I’m rarely in front of an audience.” We responded that the size of the audience isn’t as relevant as the opportunity to deliver value to people.

When you make a presentation in your department meeting … you’re a speaker. When you make a toast at a special occasion … you’re a speaker. When you respond to questions in a job interview … you’re a speaker. If you have a message to share … you’re a speaker.

You get the idea.

Whether we are involved in a one-on-one conversation, a small group meeting, or a conference, we all have the opportunity to collect our thoughts, consider our audience, and deliver value.

 

We’d love to hear examples of how information was powerful because it was shared. Send your stories to info@ineedaspeaker.com.

 

 

Photo credit: Pexels

Public speaking notes from Dale Carnegie

Public speaking notes from Dale Carnegie 2560 1707 I Need A Speaker

“Thinking people want to be led, not driven. They want to have the facts presented and to draw their own conclusions. They like to be asked questions, not to have a ceaseless stream of direct statements poured at them.”

— Dale Carnegie, Public Speaking for Success

 

 

We want to lead, not drive. What topics do you want to read about in our blog? E-mail info@ineedaspeaker.com with your suggestions.

 

Photo credit: Pexels

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