How to Find the Right Speaker for You Corporate Event

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The success of your conference depends on the speaker you choose. The importance of choosing an excellent speaker is more apparent now since most conferences are being held virtually. This means that the speaker, not the venue, not in the lunch, and not the freebies offered, needs to keep the attention of your attendees.

Choosing the right keynote guest speaker will add buzz to your event. They will set the tone for the event. The speakers, and the keynote speaker in particular, will advocate for your event. Their reputation and performance can positively impact the reputation of your organization.

Finding a Speaker Who Aligns with the Objective of Your Event

What is the goal of your event? When you have this in mind, you will be able to narrow down speakers who will fit your conference. Start by focusing on the keynote speaker and then think about other speakers further down the event.

You need to know your audience. The same information could be presented by different individuals and impact your audience in unique ways. If your audience is full of young entrepreneurial individuals, you want your speaker to match their ideals. The speaker should be energetic and should be known as someone who is a pioneer in their field. You could choose a speaker who is knowledgeable and respected, but if they have a scaled-down speaking style, you might lose the interest of your audience.

Think about your budget when identifying the objectives of your event. A guest speaker may charge over $50,000, especially if they are a celebrity. On the higher end of the budget, the spectrum is political figures. For example, former President Bill Clinton earns up to $750,000 per speech. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle make up to $1 million per speech. If you have a tight budget, these speakers are not in your price range.

You want to focus on quality. A live talent agency might be a great resource to use when sorting through speakers. You are able to see different speakers, see what other people say about them, and hear clips of them giving speeches on a variety of topics. There are several rising stars who will leave your audience impressed without blowing a hole in your budget.

What Do You Want Your Speaker to Accomplish?

This goes hand-in-hand with understanding the objective of your event. Are you looking for a speaker who is energetic and who can get your attendees interested? In most cases, the answer to that question is going to be yes. If someone has paid to attend your event, they are coming with high expectations. They want to see a lot of intensity from your speakers. There is a connection in the mind of your attendees between the energy your speaker brings and their authority.

Your speakers should complement each other. You don’t need every speaker to be full of energy. This will just wear out your audience. You want speakers who are going to educate, inspire, and encourage your audience. This is especially true if there are breakout sessions.

Learn about Their Presentation Style

Learn as much as you can about your speaker’s presentation style. For example, you may want the keynote address to be 30 minutes. You don’t want a speaker who is accustomed to giving 60-minute discourses. They are going to go over time. Or they are going to change their speaking style to stay within your time limit. You will not get what you had expected.

Your speaker’s personality should harmonize with your event. You want them to be knowledgeable, but you also want your audience to feel comfortable around them. Usually, regardless of the topic, you have several options to choose from. You want to pay attention to the differences each guest speaker brings. You don’t want your speaker to be off-putting to your audience.

Logistics, at least for the time being, are not as pressing. Most organizations are holding conferences virtually. Travel is not an issue. Something to consider is time zones. Having a speaker from Australia delivers an address at noon in Minnesota means that your speaker is going to be up at an awkward time.

Conclusion

Your speaker need not be a celebrity or well-known. You want to feel confident that your speaker will connect well with the audience, stick to the information you want them to present, and add value to your event.