The National Speakers Association Foundation Research/Metrics Committee has released results of a preliminary study on how speaker demo videos engage people who hire speakers for their organizations. The research team showed five professional speaker demo videos to 11 meeting planners — all women, of whom seven had decision-making influence on speakers. (A secondary study was conducted with speakers bureaus at NSA’s National Convention in Orlando this July. Watch for forthcoming results of this study.)

Study participants were asked to give moment-to-moment feedback on a variety of speaker demo videos, rating each presentation in terms of how much it captured their attention. The videos were evaluated on five criteria, including: content (fits well with my organization), personality (fits well with my organization), and how engaging, informative, and motivational they found each speaker.

Then the evaluators were asked to verbally respond to four open-ended questions, including what they liked most; what could be improved; what were the turn-offs as well as the highlights. The results from the seven decision makers were calculated separately from those of the four non-decision makers. On a scale of one to 10, the seven decision makers rated these five speakers 5.99 overall versus a 6.12 overall average score from the non-decision makers. What the planners liked best: stories, authenticity, and humor. They were impressed by how some of the speakers dressed, took command of the platform, and generally presented themselves.

A small number of evaluators were turned off by inappropriate use of accents, distracting hand or body movement, and preacher-style delivery. They suggested several improvements, including: getting rid of nervous habits (such as inappropriate laughter), speaking at an appropriate speed (not too fast), and not selling to the audience.

So, what makes a good speaker demo video?
1. Smooth transitions from one segment to the next.
2. Segments that have a discrete beginning, middle, and ending. Viewers had trouble picking up anecdotes without having proper set-up.
3. References to people or events that have a prior mention in order to set them in context.
4. Stories that are seamlessly edited into the video so that viewers can see how different audiences, in different settings, react to the same story.
5. Favorable reaction shots of the audience.
6. A clear message.
7. Speakers who clearly demonstrate their specialty/area of expertise.
8. A demonstration of the speaker’s credentials, including information on books, articles, and media appearances — but done tastefully, without being shamelessly self-promotional.
9. A memorable and effective name or title.
10. A clear take-away for the audience and the viewer, giving them something to remember the next day.

° Rebecca Morgan, CSP, CMC, chaired the 2005-06 National Speakers Association Foundation Research Committee. An expert on workplace effectiveness, she is the author of TurboTime: Maximizing Your Results Through Technology, Calming Upset Customers, Life's Lessons: Insights and Information for a Richer Life, and Professional Selling. She can be reached at rebecca@RebeccaMorgan.com.

These tips should be used for informational purposes and not be considered legal advice. ° The National Speakers Association (NSA) is the leading educational organization for professional speakers. NSA's 3,500 members include experts in a variety of industries and disciplines, who reach audiences as trainers, educators, humorists, motivators, consultants, authors, and more. As a service to meeting professionals, NSA provides resources and information on finding and working with speakers. Please visit NSA's Web site at www.nsaspeaker.org.