There are so many keynote speakers on the internet who claim to be experts on any given topic. At Leading Motivational Speakers, matching clients with the right speaker for their specific audience and event goals is something we take huge pride in. But before you even begin the keynote speaker search process, there are some important questions you need to ask yourself first.
#1: Determine Your Why
We’re borrowing from Simon Sinek on this one. Before you start reaching out to booking agents and speakers bureaus, you must determine your why. Why are you booking a speaker for this event? Is it to increase ticket sales? Motivate your team? Provide fresh ideas? The question seems simple enough but don’t rush past it. Determining your why will guide your decision making process when you begin to weigh the value of one speaker vs. another.
#2: Consider Your Audience
This step is crucial. What is your audience demographic? Your audience is the ultimate sounding board for success at your event. Thus, it’s important not to get caught up only searching for speakers you’re personally interested in. Think like your audience. What type of speaker would best resonate with them? You need to choose a speaker that will excite them, hold their attention and speak to your why.
#3: Confirm Budget & On Site Schedule
Budget is a huge determining factor when it comes to figuring out the best speaker available to you. You can reference our blog on how to ballpark speaker fees here. Additionally, what would you like the speaker to do on site? Keynote or moderated Q&A? Meet & Greet? Internal meeting with company leadership? All the above? A speaker’s fee depends on the scope of work on site. Spend some time thinking about how you can best leverage your speaker’s appearance on site for maximum impact.
#4: Leverage Industry Expertise
Once you’ve nailed down your why and event details, it’s time to begin the keynote speaker search process. You don’t have to do this alone! Leveraging a team of speaker booking experts such as Leading Motivational Speakers allows you to get insider information on a speaker’s fee, availability, preferred on site schedule, topics, flexibility and recent event feedback among other helpful details. It’s nice to have someone on the inside who can understand your event needs and provide guidance when it comes to the best speakers suited for your specific event.
#5: Vet Your Speaker List
So now you have information on the best speakers available to you in budget. Great! Now it’s time to think critically. Which leads us to our next point. Do your research and don’t be afraid to book a speaker you hadn’t considered! Some of our clients have told us their best events have come from speakers they didn’t think of or who were from a different walk of life than their audience. Lean on your research and industry insiders to weigh the value each speaker can bring to your event.