If the Host Forgot to Connect With You Would You Still Speak at the Virtual Event?

February 24, 2012 By 9 Comments

Imagine this scenario…

A telesummit host sends you an email requesting your free giveaway so she can add it to her telesummit website. Then a couple days later, the same host shares the day/time you’re speaking at her telesummit and includes the call-in details so you can connect to your session.

You sit there staring at the emails completely confused. Who is this person and why are they sharing this information with you? And why are they assuming that you’re going to speak at their telesummit which is now only a week away?

And then it hits you…

You remember a phone conversation you had with the host 2-months back agreeing to speak at their telesummit. However, between that conversation 2-months ago and the emails you’re getting a week before you’re set to speak, you’ve heard nothing from the host.

You look ahead to your calendar and surprisingly, you’re free to speak. But you’re irritated that now you have to prepare your speaking materials at what seems to be the last minute. And you’re equally irritated that the host seemed to disappear and forgot to send you reminders along the way.

How would you respond? Leave your comments below.

Filed Under: Virtual Events & Telesummits
  • Anonymous

    Hmmm, good question and i’ve had this kind of thing happen to me before. If I was available and the topic/audience was a really good fit for me I would probably go ahead and speak… but i would certainly let the organizer know that i wasn’t happy with the organization (and may not say yes to anything they asked me to do in the future.)

  • Roberta Budvietas

    It is one of the reasons I like clear agreements up front. If we have not clarity then I have no obligation but should I give them my time. I am clear that it is a one time action. If I forgot, then I crawl over broken glass to make it right

  • http://www.facebook.com/deannatroupe DeAnna Troupe

    If the audience has my ideal clients and I’m available, then I’d go on and speak. However, I would let the organizer know that this is a one time thing and that I don’t operate like that.

  • http://reginabaker.com/ Regina Baker

    Sure I would because I would have made sure I had myself prepared, instead of waiting on the organizer.  Plus, there’s a really good chance I would have contacted him/her before then.

  • Charisnlp

    hm, I would probably still do it, because I would feel at least a bit responsible that I had forgotten about it as well. It hasn’t happened to me though, but the reverse has. Had a speaking engagement agreed, did all the prep and a week before the event the organiser called to postpone on pretty spurious reasons – and has never rescheduled.

  • http://www.thebusinesslaunchpad.com/ Gillian

    I would tell them that I hadn’t heard any more from them (just to make the point that they should have followed up) but I could free up time and put together a good presentation.
    I wouldn’t have followed up with them before simply because people often say – you’ll have to speak at my event, I need you to advise me on whatever and then you hear not a squeak further from them. If I prepared something for everytime someone showed an interest in me doing something I’d have little time left for billable work ! Now I hear you all thinking – maybe if you followed up some of these things would materialize – and you may well be right. I think  this is a cultural thing – I’m British and we’re not pushy but I’m living in Canada so maybe after all these years I need to learn to push a bit!

  • Anonymous

    We can’t control others…there are three options here for peaceful self-management:  First, when the original conversation happened, to get all the details of the speaking engagement and enter them into your calender with reminders for the work needed to prepare.  Second, when the contact came for the giveaway, to reconfirm the details.  If the host is disorganized but the opportunity is a good one, this will make the most of it.  And third…I wonder if this entire discussion happened via email…an event invitation needs a live conversation to go over the details. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/theNetworkingMotivator Beth Bridges

    I would have to admit to feeling seriously annoyed for about a minute and then I would remember several things:

    1) Maybe she did send something and I missed it. I have been known to make a mistake or two myself ;-)
    2) Charisnlp is right: we do have responsibility too, and could have checked with her.
    3) Gretchen Rubin says “Cut people some slack.”
    4) Bob Burg says “Be gracious with other people’s mistakes.”

    Then, if I’m invited to do something with her in the future, I would let her know “Last time, I seemed to have missed a reminder/scheduling email from you, so the speaking part was a bit of a surprise. How do you usually set that up? So I can make sure I have myself prepared this time.”

  • http://blog.tsgglobal.com/ David Vaughan

    Agree with all the great comments so far that I would do it.  When I speak with someone and agree to something, I have had to constantly force myself to make reminders for this even if the assumed responsibility of someone reaching out is the other person because in the end no matter if the other person is at fault it is my reputation on the line so it is my sole responsibility to make sure that I keep it in good quality.

    But I also agree with Beth Bridges that if their is a next time involving this person I would try to ensure the communication channels are more prepared.