6 Tips to Help You Find an Incredible Keynote Speaker

As an event planner, you’ll no doubt already be thinking about next year’s conferences, panel discussions and networking events, and with that, the most important question – who will be the keynote speaker?

It goes without saying but choosing the right keynote speaker for your event is crucial. As the main item on the agenda, speakers are the focal point of your event. Typically, the speakers are what draws the attendees in, and the content they deliver often becomes the main takeaway from your event.

There are a number of things you’ll need to consider before booking a keynote speaker. From who to look for and where to find them, to how much you should be paying, it can be tough to decide where to start. Luckily, we’ve got 6 top tips on how to find the perfect keynote speaker for your next event.

1. Decide why you want a keynote speaker 

Establish the “why” and “how”.  Why do you want a keynote speaker and how is your event going to benefit? Once you’ve established that, the process will be much easier. The best keynote speakers are inspiring, authoritative and charismatic. Speakers who are able to tell fascinating anecdotes, have had meaningful experiences, and are able to motivate, are much more likely to inspire and engage your audience.

2. Think about your audience

Planning is an essential part of any event management process and it’s no different when it comes to discovering the best keynote speakers. You’ll need to think about your target audience’s expectations and desires, and think about what you can offer them that they can’t, or won’t, find anywhere else. 

Ultimately, the result should always be to provide your audience with new information, takeaways, knowledge and insight. The best professional speakers inspire event attendees in a new and genuine way. Your speaker should be a pro, but they should also bring their own individual qualities to the table.

3. Utilise social media 

Instead of relying solely on traditional networks to find your next conference speakers, use social media channels to explore new content and find the most reputable and knowledgeable keynote speakers. Here’s how…

YouTube is home to many knowledgeable speakers. Though it may take a little more time, you’re likely to come across someone who is relatively undiscovered or new on the scene – not only will you be offering something fresh and exciting, you may even be able to save some of your budget.

Using Twitter to search by hashtags is a great way to find keynote speakers. Once you’ve found a handful of prospects, this is a great opportunity to do a quick comparison of their network in relation to yours. If they’re followed by a lot of influential and relevant people in your industry, you can safely assume that they’re well-known and respected by your target audience. You will also be able to tell by their feeds if they’re truly knowledgeable in their specialism or field.

4. Ensure the speaker’s content has a unique angle

Ensuring your keynote speaker’s content is unique, thought-provoking and engaging is key when selecting the perfect speaker. You may need to have a few calls with your chosen guest speaker (or speakers) to discuss their expertise and what they plan to present, and to guide them on your expectations.

Conference speaker content should also align with the goals you have identified for your event and should also work in parallel to your company beliefs and ethos. If your brand is all about pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo, you need a speaker who stands for the same values. Aligning these goals is the ultimate synergy you should always strive for.

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5. Make time to preview the keynote speech

It’s all well and good listing of your speaker’s achievements, but never underestimate the power of charisma. The key to finding that perfect keynote speaker is, of course, watching them speak. You need to be sure that your speaker can hold the attention of a large crowd, and invoke passion and enthusiasm in your attendees. We know time constraints can make this challenging, but it’s incredibly important to have a run through to see exactly what your chosen keynote speaker can offer. It’s not easy being a public speaker so making sure someone is as passionate and galvanising as they say they are on paper is important.

6. Be sure to include a Q&A session

Keynote speeches can sometimes feel like one-sided monologues that discourage interruptions and audience interaction. Stood on a literal pedestal, it’s easy for the audience to feel disconnected and to switch off. In these cases, finding a keynote speaker who is willing to turn up early and meet the attendees – or even better, stick around after their keynote speech – to discuss their content is a real winner. Attendees will feel much more satisfied if they are able to discuss ideas and feel like they are contributing to the day.

All in all, the most important thing is to be proactive. Spending that extra time in finding the perfect match will make a world of difference on the day of your event.