You’ve been tasked with choosing a keynote speaker for an upcoming event and your raring to go… you just don’t know where to start!
The right keynote speaker will have a significant impact on your audience and can set the tone for your whole event. He/she will help build anticipation for your attendees through the topic they are speaking on, their background, their knowledge and/or their reputation.
Here are 5 questions to ask yourself before making that all important booking:
1. What are the top learning outcomes required from this event?
This is the number 1 questions for a reason. Without clarity on the learning outcomes from your event, you are technically just booking a speaker for the sake of it!
Work with the event team to clearly define the learning objectives. Write them down and discuss each one in length to ensure that everyone understands their purpose.
How many learning objectives do you have?
Is this an achievable amount for the size, scale and duration of the event?
2. Who are my audience?
Who are you inviting to the event?
Is it aimed a leadership teams? Sales teams? Workshop teams? (etc).
How many people will attend?
Have you identified the optimum way in which they listen, absorb and learn?
3. What kind of speaker do I need?
A keynote speaker should have the ability to quickly connect with your audience and deliver important information in a memorable manner. They should be captivating and engaging, with well defined learning outcomes and ‘take aways’ that your audience can implement into their lives.
Asking for recommendations from trusted sources, or reading the reviews on speakers’ website and social media platforms will give you a good sense of whether the speaker is the right person for your event. Check out their speaker reels or videos if available so you get a feel for the type of speaker they are. Also ask yourself, are you looking for:
- an inspirational speaker?
- a story teller?
- a fact-sharer?
- an entertainer?
- an industry expert?
- a celebrity figure?
4. How long does the speaker have to share his/her knowledge?
Do you require a speaker for 30 minutes? 60 minutes? A half day? A full day?
Be clear on the speaking duration and where the optimum time slot is for your speaker during the day. You want your audience to be engaged and interested while the speaker is on stage.
5. What is my budget?
Keynote speakers can set their own pricing structures based on their experience level, desirability and availability. Setting a budget beforehand will give you a ballpark figure to start from. However, its worth keeping an open mind that the budget may have to be adjusted once you have your heart set on the perfect speaker for your event.