Phase 4 · Event Day
The Onsite Speaker Contact and Day-of Coordination
Give the speaker one primary onsite contact who can tell them where to be, when to be there and when the schedule changes. The meeting planner chooses that person before event day.
What should the speaker know?
Before the speaker arrives, make sure they have:
- A person to contact: The onsite contact's name and the best way to reach them during the event.
- Places to go: Where to arrive, where to prepare, where the AV check takes place and where to report before going onstage.
- Times to be ready: The arrival and AV check times and the expected stage time.
- The plan after the keynote: The time and location of a signing, photographs or another appearance, if one is scheduled.
- A way to hear about changes: Who will tell them if the program runs late or their appearance time moves.
What does the contact actually do?
The contact may be the planner or another member of the event team. Professional speakers are generally self-sufficient; they usually do not need someone beside them throughout the event. The contact's job is to keep the information above current and be available when a practical question comes up.
If direct event-day communication with the speaker has been arranged, make sure the planner has an appropriate way to call or text them at the last minute. The Mollie Plotkin Group logistics manager can also be called or texted when a problem needs help from the agency.
Tell the speaker as soon as the schedule moves
If the session ahead of the keynote runs long, tell the speaker promptly. Once their contracted appearance time begins to move, notify both the speaker and the Mollie Plotkin Group immediately. The speaker may already be prepared to go onstage, and an early update gives everyone time to work out what is possible.
A short delay is often manageable, but it depends on the speaker's remaining schedule. The Mollie Plotkin Group and the speaker will often work in good faith to deliver the keynote when the program shifts. If the organizer delays or removes the appearance altogether, bring the issue to the Mollie Plotkin Group and the signed agreement rather than trying to settle it on the floor.
Know who owns the next handoff
The contact should also know where the speaker goes after the keynote if an additional appearance is planned. For a book signing, for example, the onsite team may need to move books and prepare the signing table. The speaker's contact does not have to do all that setup; they should know who is doing it and tell the speaker when and where to go.