• Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Frank J. Kenny's Chamber Pros Community

Chamber of Commerce Training and Resources.

  • About Us
  • Our Services
  • Free Resources
  • CPEd Login
    • Login
  • Contact

Chamber Event Idea: TEDx-Type Talk

First, we don’t want to get into any trademark issues here. If you want to host a true TEDx talk you must follow these rules and apply for a license. However, there is nothing stopping your chamber from using the basic talk format without the branding. If you go this direction, it will still be an incredibly enlightening event but you’ll need to rely on your own marketing instead of using the TEDx branding. Here are a few of the things you’ll need to do:

How do I host a TEDx-style talk?

Chamber Event Idea: How to Create a TEDx-Type Event

Give It a Theme

If your town/area is large enough and you expect more speaker applications than you can possibly get through, you’ll want to consider a theme. Good themes for a chamber event might be “The Future” or “Where Are We Going?” You want to leave the theme open enough that it could be interpreted in many ways. You don’t want it so narrow that every presentation would sound the same.

(NOTE: Want more attendees at your events? Get your free Chamber Event Marketing Checklist.)

Put a Call Out for Speakers

The point of an event like this is to develop important discussions in your community. You could limit it to community members. TEDx does for its regional events. They want their talks to be localized but have global ramifications and worth.

TED speakers do not get paid. If you are able to elevate your event to give a lot of exposure and prestige in speaking there, you may not need to pay your speakers either. Choose your speakers wisely. Vet for inspiring topics and poise on camera. There’s a naturalness to the speakers at TED events but they still know how to captivate an audience.

Invite speakers to use technology in interesting ways. No same old, same old PowerPoints here. This is the next level of presenting.

Market the Event

This goes without saying, but if this is the first type of event of its kind in your area, you need to market it. Your “night of discovery” can act as a launch pad for enormous discussion in your community. You will have content for months.

Host a Follow-up Mix and Mingle Session Afterwards

Individual talks can be between 15-20 minutes, enough time to address substance but not enough time to satiate your audience fully. Keep the talking part of the event to a little over an hour so you have time for a mix-and-mingle with the speakers afterward. Fostering discussion can make this event a standout in your community.

An event like this is a bit of an undertaking because of the vetting you must do in order for it to be a success. However, it fits beautifully into the chamber’s brand as a resource for the business community. If you arrange with the speakers ahead of time to be able to use their content, with attribution of course, you will have thought-provoking content for a very long time.

By Christina R. Green

Grab this Chamber Event Marketing Checklist (it’s free)…

Search (1,500+ Articles)

Get the Chamber Pros Community ENewsletter. 7,247 subscribers. Don’t be left out. It’s FREE.

Frank’s Solutions to Your Chamber Issues…

Explore these new posts

  • Chamber Non-Dues Revenue: Affinity Programs Can Give it a Boost
  • Value-Added Chamber Memberships: How to Make Them Work
  • Lunch and Learn Topics: Pandemic Edition
  • The Ultimate Chamber Non-Dues Revenue List for 2021
  • Help! My Chamber is a Mess. How Do I Straighten It Out?
  • The Ultimate List of Chamber Marketing Ideas for Valentine’s Day
  • 6 Creative Morale Boosters Your Chamber Can Use
  • 10 Organizing Tips for Chambers (That Aren’t Painful!)
  • Are Business After Hours Events Being Ended by COVID?

Archives

Our Authors

Frank Kenny is a successful entrepreneur, chamber member, chamber board member, chamber board of directors chair, and chamber President/CEO. He now coaches chamber professionals, consults with chambers, trains staff and members, and speaks professionally. He helps Chambers and Chamber Professionals reach their goals. See full bio.

Christina R. Green teaches chambers, associations and small businesses how to connect through content. Her articles have appeared in the Midwest Society of Association Executives’ Magazine, NTEN.org, AssociationTech, and Socialfish. She is a regular guest blogger on this site and Event Managers Blog. Christina is just your average bookish writer on a quest to bring great storytelling to organizations everywhere.Visit her site or connect with her on Twitter @christinagsmith.
Faculty Member:

Institute for Organization Management

W.A.C.E. Academy

Chamber Pros Online Conference

WACE
ACCE

Testimonials

“This workshop was a major success and the attendees loved it.” -Mark Sturdevant, President/CEO La Habra Chamber Testimonials

Legal

Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Copyright © 2021 · WordPress · Log in