Choosing a digital strategy speaker

Quite unfortunately, there is no shortage of people who claim to be experts in digital strategy, the web, and social media. How do you choose the best one for your conference, meeting, or virtual event? The best way is to ask some questions – here are ten to get you started

• How much do you really know about Digital Strategy?

  A tough question, but if the answer is read all of my books, review my (published) national research, and here are example consulting clients, then the person is probably an expert.  If the clients are just “speaking” clients, then they probably don’t have much depth.  (Feel free to read all eight of my books and my published research: all are aimed at service or knowledge-based organizations.  I’d be happy to share my list of digital consulting clients as well.)

• What did you do before Digital? How long ago was that?

  There are no shortage of “instant” digital, social, and AI experts.  While they may be great salespeople, or proficient dabblers, they certainly aren’t who you want in front of your audience.  They don’t have the depth, since expertise can only be learned over time.  (I started in this field in 1994, by putting several major market newspapers online, and have worked on 100+ projects since.)

• What do you know beyond social media?

  Digital must achieve key business goals: conversion of a community to leads, member retention, recruitment, etc.  If the speaker only knows Social Media, then they won’t know how to connect it to other marketing and technology processes and systems, let alone corporate strategy.  And if they claim to be an “expert” in AI, that too is hard to believe, given the field’s recency.  (I have decades of advising senior leadership on digital strategy and innovation… and also implementing enterprise-scale web sites, marketing automation systems, social media, and CRM.)

• How involved are you personally in Digital?

  A speaker who is an expert in the area should also be using the tools.  If not, then whatever they say is probably just theory.  Pay particular attention to their podcast and blog, but also check them out on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc.  Google them, and see how often they come up, and where they appear.  (I have 600+ thoughtful blog posts, and over 180 video interviews syndicated across the web.  My national Social Media benchmarking research has been used by 100’s of organizations.  And check out my LinkedIn profile, my website, my Amazon author profile, and Google…)

• Are you a professional member of either NSA (for US-based speakers) or CAPS (for Canada-based speakers)?

  NSA or CAPS membership means a commitment to professional development, communications excellence, and a commitment to following a code of ethics. But beyond membership, do they hold a CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) designation, which is held by less than 12% of the world’s professional speakers?  And have they been inducted into the Speaking Hall of Fame?  (I have been a member of CAPS for many years, and have served at the board level for over a decade. And yes, I have earned the CSP, and am in the Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame.)

• Who are your presentations targeted to?

  Just about anyone can get up in front of a crowd and describe LinkedIn or Facebook, but the vast majority of audiences already know the basics. A true expert adds specificity:  their presentations are targeted at specific industries or functional areas to achieve a specific goal.  (My presentations – and my books – do this.  My best audiences are those in service or knowledge-based organizations.)
  

• What research do you do prior to presenting?

  This separates those who work professionally from those who just “speak”. A huge amount of time must be spent beforehand to properly customize the presentation, so that the meeting objectives are met.   (Once engaged, I will ask that you fill out a detailed audience questionnaire; I would follow up with a series of interviews with representative audience members and senior managers.  I will read annual reports, product brochures, industry analysis, and any relevant internal documentation.  Finally, the presentation or facilitation will be completely customized, with relevant, up-to-date examples.  And then rehearsed.)

• What do others say?

  Read through the speaker’s testimonials, and ask for the speaker’s “one-sheet” – their credentials.  Is their client list filled with credible names?  Finally, satisfy yourself with the speaker’s references, either through online testimonials, or by asking for the reference’s contact info.  (Check out my testimonial page, download my one-sheet, read more on my LinkedIn page, or ask me for references – happy to help.)

• How have you been recognized for your impact?

  Experts are recognized by their peers  – not by themselves – for the impact of their work at an industry level. Beyond their certifications, ask about their national-level awards. (I am one of the few who are both a Fellow of the management consulting profession (FCMC), and an inductee into the Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame.  And one of only 25 people awarded the Griner award by the CSAE for my impact on the association/not-for-profit sector in Canada.)

• Do you do virtual presentations?

  Good question, but dig deeper:  How many years, how many presentations, largest audience, studio set-up options, failover capability, etc.  (I’ve done 100’s of virtual presentations over the last 15 years – my largest audience was over 4000.  My virtual studio has three gigabit connectivity, redundant connections, with multiple studio set-up options: talking head, standing keynote, boardroom meeting, etc.  And I am certified as a Virtual Presenter by eSpeakers.  Happy to discuss the pros and cons of alternative platforms, formats, etc.)