What Event Organisers Really Look for in Speakers | Kelvin Newman

In this episode of The Public Speaking Podcast, Matt Matheson and Emma Wyatt are joined by Kelvin Newman, founder of BrightonSEO, to get a rare look at public speaking from the other side of the stage. What started around 15 years ago as a small gathering of people working in search marketing has grown into an international event attracting thousands of attendees and more than 100 speakers at each conference. Along the way, Kelvin has reviewed countless speaker pitches, programmed hundreds of talks and seen what makes someone stand out, both before and after they step onto the stage. The conversation explores what event organisers are really looking for, why a brilliant idea can matter more than an impressive profile, and the surprisingly simple things speakers can do to make themselves easier to book, work with and invite back. In this episode, Matt, Emma and Kelvin discuss: ✨ What makes a speaker pitch stand out to an event organiser ✨ Why specific, practical ideas can matter more than an impressive profile ✨ How first-time speakers can demonstrate expertise and become known for a subject ✨ Why "I'll talk about whatever you want" isn't always as helpful as it sounds ✨ What being easy to work with actually looks like behind the scenes ✨ Why speakers should spend less time perfecting their slides and more time practising ✨ How to approach international audiences and the dreaded Q&A ✨ What to prepare before an event so the relationship with your audience continues afterwards Kelvin also shares an important perspective for anyone trying to break into speaking: know what you want to be known for. Build evidence around that subject, practise more than you think you need to and think beyond the moment you leave the stage. Because a speaking opportunity doesn't have to end when the talk does. The people in that audience might invite you to another event, listen to your podcast, follow your work or want to continue learning from you. Giving them somewhere to go next can turn a 20-minute talk into the beginning of a much longer relationship. For aspiring speakers, experienced professionals looking for more opportunities, and anyone curious about what happens behind the scenes when conference programmes are built, this episode is packed with practical advice from someone who has spent 15 years deciding who gets the microphone.