The BizSmart Column, Street Fighter Inc.

By Jeff and Marc Slutsky, Street Fighter Inc. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Jul. 5--When your company plans a convention or major meeting, consider using professional speakers instead of a business or industry insider. According to Nancy Lauterbach, the owner of FIVE STAR Speakers and Trainers, in Overland Park, Kan., "Using an outside professional speaker can lend a much higher level of credibility to your corporate message -- one that you can't get when your own people are presenting that information."

There are many other advantages in using a professional speaker including:

--ENTERTAINMENT VALUE. Unfortunately, most speakers are …