51% of B2B marketers say webinars produce the best results for their content marketing funnel. However, most are still missing a key component from their strategy, which leads them to lose a huge chunk of their potential audience.
This article explores the role of guest speakers in B2B webinars and helps you identify and source the ideal partner for your next event. Based on our experience as B2B webinar marketing agency helping countless companies refine their webinar strategy to maximize leads and ROI, we reveal the best practices (and worst mistakes to avoid!) that will drive results for your webinars this year.
Too many B2B webinars are glorified product demos or sales pitches – and buyers are smart to that game in 2025. We’ve seen first-hand across multiple industries and niches how focusing on delivering value and providing real thought leadership can transform event performance.
Guest speakers are a key piece of that puzzle. They help signal that the event is not just about your company and boost your webinar with:
But how do you identify the right guest for your event that aligns with your overall webinar marketing strategy?
Our experience points to four key factors that all effective guest speakers share:
Your speaker should have a large network of relevant buyers, to which they can promote the event and expand your organic reach. This is not just about follower count but engagement; look for people who post regularly and generate a lot of interest when they do. Plenty of people amass large social followings by adding or connecting with people – rather than actually engaging or building an “audience.”
You can quickly assess this by looking at their personal LinkedIn profile or their business profile, which may be used to promote your webinar. Look at their follower count and most recent posts to gauge the strength and relevance of their existing audience.
Your event should only feature individuals who can speak authoritatively on your subject. Look for speakers who are either recognized in the field or at least have strong credentials that are relevant and valuable to your audience. But they don’t need to be an established influencer or have a five-figure follow count. For example, a healthcare audience will care about a speaker with 20+ years of experience in a prestigious hospital, even if they’re not familiar with the name.
Make sure your guest speaker’s expertise is differentiated from your event’s other speakers. Selecting two speakers with expert knowledge on the exact same topic will add little value, whereas including a guest who can add a slightly different perspective may offer a considerable boost to the quality of your event and create more of a panel discussion.
Guest speakers should not be affiliated with a company that is your direct competitor. Collaboration with adjacent niches is good, but you must ensure everyone’s interests are aligned. For example, we’ve seen strong collaboration between two companies that serve the same audience – but one provides professional services, and the other provides software solutions. This ensures both parties are offering something unique – and limits the risk of losing business to your webinar partner.
While not an active ambassador or partner, it is useful for your guest speaker to have a positive view of your product or service. For example, they might have an interest in the kind of technology you provide; you could even give them demos beforehand to ensure they are “on board” with what you do. This avoids the possibility of a “phoned-in” event where the speaker is not very interested in the discussion – and just wants to promote their own services or product.
There are three ways to identify and reach out to prospective guest speakers:
Use your executives’ personal networks to find suitable speakers, such as former colleagues or people they have met during networking events. This is often the most effective route because you can leverage existing relationships, but it is often down to the luck of whether your team has a relevant connection. We’ve seen large teams struggle to find a suitable connection, and very small ones quickly identify the perfect speaker in their network.
Many companies leverage their network to find new connections – especially if they have well-connected peers. Post a public call for speakers on LinkedIn or direct message specific individuals to ask if they can recommend a quality speaker; both can lead to surprising and very positive connections.
Another route is cold email, which can be effective but often requires extra incentives for the speaker. Research prospective speakers via public networks like LinkedIn and send them an email or InMail offering them the opportunity to join your event.
But this brings us to an important question: how exactly should you frame your offer to land the best speakers?
The success rate of your guest speaker outreach is likely to be low at first; many companies struggle to properly capture the benefits their webinar offers for a prospective speaker. But we have found four best practices that dramatically improve your odds and reliably lead to a high hit rate:
Once you have landed a guest speaker, it’s time to start making use of the extra value they bring to the table.
Timing is everything when it comes to webinar guest speakers. Many speakers are only finalized days before the event, which still adds value to the event – but limits how much extra benefit you can generate from the speaker’s participation.
Aim to secure a speaker at least four weeks before your event so that you can implement the following best practices:
Of course, we understand this is a lot to add to your already tough workload – which is why so many companies rely on a webinar marketing agency.
ProperExpression has helped countless B2B companies plan, promote and execute online events that drive high-quality leads. From identifying the perfect topic to sourcing industry-leading speakers, we take care of the entire process – so you can sit back and enjoy the benefits of a well-oiled webinar strategy.
Our recent clients have seen a 400% increase in attendees and 25x ROI; want to get similar results from your events?