The right speaker for your cybersecurity webinar can help you capture higher-quality leads by building trust between your audience and your company. On the other hand, the wrong speaker can bring in the wrong types of leads or cause the right ones to lose interest in your brand.
That’s why it’s crucial to select the right speaker for your audience and industry. But the problem lies within the selection process. It’s not always easy weeding out the not-so-great speakers from the bunch— especially when your budget and lead generation goals are at stake.
Here are five tips for choosing the best cybersecurity speaker for your lead gen webinar:
1. Look for a credible, revered speaker.
If someone knows the authority figure who is speaking about cybersecurity, they're more likely to give you their information on the event’s landing page to attend. That’s because they can tell based on the speaker that the content they'll receive will be worthwhile— since they trust the speaker to provide compelling thought leadership content.
While there are times when having a lesser-known speaker makes sense, a webinar specially held to generate leads is not one of them. By having an expert in the field, potential audience members will feel that they are gaining value by merely being in attendance and listening to the expert's words.
2. Seek a speaker who is flexible with different audiences.
Not all webinars and speaking engagements are created equal. You wouldn't want to offer a free webinar and provide the same experience that VIP users would receive when signing up for a paid-premium experience. Unfortunately, not all speakers are versatile enough to consider that. Specific speakers may have a canned webinar format that they use each event, regardless of the situation.
Finding a flexible presenter is critical when hosting a lead gen webinar. The right speaker will understand the different audiences attending and curtail their content and call to action accordingly. This approach ensures that those attending a complimentary webinar are interested in learning more. At the same time, those who paid for a more premium and exclusive experience feel that the price tag is justified.
3. Ensure the speaker can both engage and educate.
Have you ever sat through a virtual presentation and found yourself thinking, "Is it almost lunchtime?" You don't want your viewers to feel that their time was wasted or be so bored that they are daydreaming of when it will end. On the other hand, an exciting and entertaining presentation isn't always an informative one.
The right speaker will know how to blend information and engagement flawlessly. Remember, just because you got a lead when someone registered for the webinar, they're far less likely to trust your brand if they didn't find the webinar useful or engaging.
Remember, "People who go through the trouble of registering for and watching a webinar are seeking meaningful connections with a brand or in-depth information on a subject matter. Webinar attendees are more engaged and more ready to take action," according to Neil Patel.
4. Confirm that the cybersecurity speaker has experience with virtual webinars.
Some factors must be taken into consideration when looking specifically for a digital speaker. For example, just because a speaker does a fantastic job at in-person events, don't assume that they can handle virtual events just as well, we warn in our Tips for Event Planners Booking Virtual Conferences blog. That means that when looking for a digital speaker, ensure that the speaker has experience in the virtual webinar space— specifically.
With COVID-19, many industry speakers went digital and are still perfecting the virtual conference transition. Instead of booking a novice digital presenter, seek a speaker with years of experience under their belt. Ask the speaker to see their digital speaking resume, and be sure to watch any clips that would have prepared them for your virtual conference.
5. Ask for proof of previous results.
Anyone can host a webinar, not everyone knows how to help your organization reign in more leads. When chatting with speakers, ask them to share some statistics about how their past presentations have succeeded in terms of lead generation.
A speaker who has no knowledge of the impact their talks had on the company’s lead gen goals was just there for the check. Seek a true partner with a vested interest in your shared success metrics and the results to prove they can deliver on their promises.
Need a Speaker for Cybersecurity Awareness or Training?
We understand that there’s more that goes into choosing an expert for your webinar, especially when lead generation is your primary goal.
That’s why we compiled a full ebook, packed with tips for selecting the right presenter for the job. Download our complimentary Choosing the Right Cyber Security Keynote Speaker ebook for a checklist of questions to consider before picking the right talent for your next digital event.
