Events continue to reign supreme as marketing opportunities for businesses, helping them garner interest in new launches and initiatives. Many companies collaborate with public speakers to engage with audiences at their events, transforming marketing avenues into enriching experiences for everyone involved.

Choosing the appropriate speaker for your event is a critical decision—there are many ways for it to go wrong. Public speaking has grown in a big way, with many people considering it as a freelance opportunity or side hustle. 

Indeed, becoming a public speaker is an excellent way to harness one’s gift of the gab. However, speaking at pivotal events requires additional skills, like improvisation and audience connection. As an event planner, here are some types of speakers you must be extra cautious about hiring.

1. Speakers With Zero Digital Footprint

Statista reported that as of February 2025, over 5 billion people globally were internet users. It is roughly 68 percent of the world’s population. Almost 64 percent are also social media users. 

Against this backdrop, few things seem as suspicious as a working professional with no digital presence. It is even more curious for people who earn their living through speaking and consulting opportunities since the Internet offers a massive client base for them.

Today, most freelance speakers build digital portfolios showcasing their past events. They have Instagram reels of their shows and LinkedIn posts about lessons they have learned along the way. 

Building a professional website has also become simple with AI-based tools. Hocoos notes that such tools can customize everything according to your business in a few quick steps.

The bottom line is that this field does not allow one to stay removed from the digital world. It raises suspicions about their credibility and professionalism.

• Request videos of past speaking events to understand the speaker’s style and approach.

• Check their references cautiously and preferably in person.

• Discuss their reasons for not maintaining a digital presence.

2. Speakers Who Don’t Engage With the Audience

This problem sometimes occurs with subject matter experts accustomed to holding court in academic settings. The speaker in question might know a lot about the topic but be unable to engage the audience or interact with them meaningfully. 

For example, the speaker may insist on conveying information instead of building involvement. They are not open to receiving questions or audience participation. 

According to the American Psychological Association, follow-up questions are vital for any conversation. They are much better for promoting understanding than boomer asking, wherein a speaker asks a question and answers it themselves. Some people may perceive this style as insincere.

Further, such speakers may lack the emotional depth to understand the mood of the room and gauge the audience’s interest. It becomes a roadblock when you promote an event as a learning, interactive experience.

Sometimes, you may wish to invite a speaker solely to share the extent of their knowledge on a subject. The concerned professional may lack the necessary speaking skills to hold the room’s attention. In this case:

• Communicate the purpose of the event (i.e., knowledge sharing) unambiguously.

• Establish at the outset that there will be no audience participation.

• Consider letting attendees write their thoughts and questions on paper and submit them at the end of the event. Many speakers in this category feel more comfortable responding in the written format.

3. Speakers Who Insist Their Speech is Enough

Because it really may not be. Not in this era when visuals matter a great deal in public events.

Call them old school or eccentric, but some speakers may insist on not using visual materials during their presentations. They may complain that it distracts them or is unnecessary.

However, time and again, studies have proved the crucial role of visual aids in helping people understand the content. A Frontiers study found that visual aids like movies can help students learn languages with communicative competence. Experts in various fields, from marketing to medical science, employ visual tools to enhance the listener’s ability to make inferences and calibrate their judgment. 

It’s not a stretch to say that decks, videos, or infographics have become indispensable for powerful presentations.

• If you are interested in a speaker who is unwilling to use visual material, try to understand why. Is it apprehension about the quality of materials or an inability to create them? Is it a sour experience?

• Take a judgment call on hiring the speaker if you feel their style and delivery is exciting enough to gain the audience’s attention. It might be the case for established, well-known speakers who run the show based on personality and experience.

4. Speakers Who Don’t Tailor Their Talk to the Audience

Finally, be wary of speakers who insist on using a one-shoe-fits-all method. These speakers argue that their content is meaningful and powerful enough to resonate with everyone, regardless of their interests or preferences.

In our diverse world, these beliefs rarely hold weight. It is not optional to tailor the talk to the overall mood, background, and intent of the audience. For example, consider a speech laden with technical jargon. It may not find favor with an audience from non-technical backgrounds, such as the liberal arts. Acronyms and inside jokes are particularly notorious for causing friction and alienation.

Similarly, the speaker must be willing to adapt their humor and examples or case studies to the listeners. Use historical data to assess the kind of audience for the event. You can discuss your requirements with the speaker to help them tweak the content accordingly.

We hope these ideas will assist you with hiring a speaker for your next major event. Opportunities to engage with the audience can be powerful for any business, which makes it imperative to make a considered choice.

Disclaimer: this article includes a paid product promotion.