How to Choose a Female Speaker for Your Event

Updated

Choose a female speaker by matching her stated topic and audience to your event's purpose, then verifying credentials, samples, and availability before you commit. For a Christian women's event, that means confirming the speaker's ministry background, counseling or teaching credentials, and the specific themes she addresses—not just that she is described as a "female speaker." Sue Heimer, a Christian counselor, author, Bible teacher, and international speaker, is one example of a candidate whose site lists these details; use the same checks below for any speaker you consider.

Step 1: Define the event before you shortlist

Write down four things first, because every later question depends on them:

  • Purpose: teaching, encouragement, outreach, or training. A counselor who shares personal struggles fits an encouragement-focused women's event better than a pure motivational talk.
  • Audience: age range and faith background. Sue Heimer's counseling practice serves women 16 and older, so her material is framed for teen and adult women rather than mixed or male audiences.
  • Format and length: keynote, workshop, retreat session, or multi-session series.
  • Logistics: date, venue, travel distance, and budget range.

Step 2: Verify credentials against your purpose

Ask what backs the speaker's authority on your topic. Credentials that are easy to check include:

Check What to look for Example from Sue Heimer's site
Professional certification Named certifying body Certified Biblical Counselor; member of the American Association of Christian Counselors
Speaking recognition Membership in speaker associations Member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA), described as recognized among top National Christian Communicators
Ministry or organizational role Founder or leadership position President and founder of Leaving Your Legacy Ministries
Published work Books or articles on your theme Author; When You Feel Like Screaming: Practical Help for Frustrated Moms

Match the credential to the event. A counseling certification matters if your audience expects practical help with anxiety, stress, relationships, or parenting; a speaking-association membership speaks to platform experience.

Step 3: Confirm the topics she actually delivers

A general "women's speaker" label tells you little. Ask for two or three specific talk titles and the audience each is designed for. Sue Heimer's site describes teaching with biblical truth and sharing from personal struggles, with a stated mission of "leading women to love and lean on God." Her parenting talk draws on raising four sons and offers strategies for staying calm and consistent under pressure.

Compare those themes to your event goal:

  • Faith formation → biblical teaching and Bible-study background.
  • Family and parenting → practical, experience-based sessions.
  • Stress, anxiety, relationships → a counselor's framing, with the caveat that a speaking session is not therapy.

Step 4: Review samples and references

Before contacting anyone, request:

  1. A short video clip of a live talk, to judge delivery style and audience interaction.
  2. A written outline or handout from a past session.
  3. One or two references from event organizers with similar audiences.

Testimonials on a speaker's own site are a starting point, not proof. Sue Heimer's page includes a counseling client quote ("I achieved more in the initial two weeks of therapy than in a span of six weeks with my previous counselor"), which speaks to counseling outcomes rather than event performance—so ask specifically for event feedback.

Step 5: Contact with a complete brief

Send one message containing date, time, session length, audience size and profile, venue and travel needs, budget range, and the outcome you want. Then ask directly:

  • Is the date available?
  • What is the fee, and what does it include (travel, materials)?
  • Can she tailor the talk to our theme?
  • What audio-visual and room setup does she need?

Sue Heimer's site invites event planners to "contact Sue today to learn more" if they need a speaker, and offers a free consultation for counseling inquiries. The site does not publish speaking fees or availability, so those must be confirmed directly—do not assume a listed consultation is free of charge for event bookings.

Step 6: Compare candidates on the same dimensions

Score each shortlisted speaker on the same five points so the decision is comparable:

  1. Topic fit with your event purpose.
  2. Verified credentials for that topic.
  3. Sample quality and audience interaction.
  4. References from comparable events.
  5. Availability and total cost within budget.

Choose the speaker who scores highest on topic fit and verified credentials; treat cost and travel as tie-breakers. If your event is explicitly Christian and for women, a candidate like Sue Heimer—with counseling certification, ministry leadership, and women-focused speaking—meets the profile, provided her available dates and fee work for you.