The Value of Unfamiliar Speakers at Professional Meetings

As someone who regularly organizes professional meetings and conferences, I've noticed an interesting phenomenon.When I ask attendees who they want to hear speak, the overwhelming response is that they are "tired of hearing the same old names."People complain that they don't want to travel to a meeting only to listen to the same speakers they see at multiple events throughout the year.However, when I take this feedback to heart and curate speaker lineups featuring lesser-known experts, I often find that attendance suffers. Attendees say they want something new but then don't show up when I (or other organizers) deliver it.Just because a speaker isn't a household name in your industry doesn't mean they can't provide immense value.Some of the highest-rated speakers I've ever featured were people my attendees had never heard of before. Victor Antonio, for example, was one of the most popular speakers at OP Summit, even though most attendees were not familiar with him prior to the event.I would encourage orthodontists to look inward and be honest with themselves about what they truly want from professional meetings. If you say you want new speakers but then don't attend events featuring them, it makes it very difficult for organizers to plan successful events.Tune in to this 5-minute episode for more!Key TakeawaysIntro (00:00)Attendees request new speakers but don't attend (00:39)Value of lesser-known experts (01:25)Balancing well-known and new speakers (02:18)Trust in meeting organizers (02:55)Importance of honest feedback in surveys (03:50)Additional Resources- Register for the OrthoPreneurs Summit at Sea (2024): https://opsummitatsea.com/- For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OrthoPreneurs