Are you working on an event or conference?

Do you want to make sure your attendees have the best experience possible?

Here is a step by step process on how to hire a top keynote speaker for your next event along with things you will need to consider before booking them.

In this article you are going to learn:

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How to narrow your search

There are thousands of keynote speakers to choose from so you should be well prepared in advance before you begin your search.

There are three key factors that will help you narrow down who you can contact and this includes the date, location, and budget of your event.

The date is important because you will be able to know which expert will be available for you to choose from. Since many will already be booked or have other commitments, by finding out from your list who is available, this can significantly reduce the amount of people you will interview.

The location is equally important because Speakers tend to charge for expenses such as transportation and accommodation. Getting a location that is close to where he or she is will help you save some money if that is important to you. Also, some individuals are only willing to travel to certain locations.

Knowing your budget limits will enable you to know what you can afford and therefore, who is available to you. Your budget will determine whether you can afford to hire a top level speaker versus an unknown.

Generally speaking, here is what you can expect when it comes to pricing:

Premium = $10,000+
Great = $5000+
Good = $2500+
Average = $1000+
Beginner = $0+

Remember, you should have the answer to all three of these points before you even begin sending out emails and making phone calls. Otherwise you are wasting everyone’s time.

The different types of keynote speakers

Speakers come in all varieties which include:

Professional – These are individuals who have dedicated their profession to being a public speaker. In other words, it’s their full time job. Why does this matter? Because celebrity and guest speakers may not be as polished as a professional speaker.

Celebrity – Just like it sounds, these are individuals who are famous from being in the headlines. The benefit of hiring this kind is that you get the “awe factor” that comes with having someone famous talk at your event.

Dignitary – This is someone who is generally a high ranking individual in politics or government. For example, Barack Obama or Bill Clinton would be considered a dignitary speaker.

So before you contact someone, make sure you have a clear idea on the type of speaker you are looking to hire.

The objective of the keynote speaker

A key factor in helping to narrow down your search is understanding what the overall objective is for your event. Having a clearly delineated goal is crucial before you contact anyone.

Here is a small sample of what these individuals can do for you:

Motivate & inspire – They can whip your audience into a frenzy or get them to feel some form of positive emotion.
Raise money – If you are supporting a cause or charity, they can help you raise some needed funds.
Entertain – If you are just having an event for your staff or industry friends and want to have a good time, then this type of speaker can get your audience to laugh and put a smile on their face.
Take action – Do you want to sell something? Do you want your audience to take some form of action at the end? Then hire a speaker who can align themselves with this objective.
Get you to think – If you have ever seen a TED talk, then you know that many of them just focus on one big idea and get you to think about it.
Create change – Are you looking to get your audience to make a significant change in their life or business?
Create awareness – Do you have a new product or project coming out? Then get someone who can help bring it to life.

What to look for in a keynote speaker

Depending on what your events objectives are will determine what you should look for when hiring a keynote speaker.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself:

1. Will they align with our brand?

Remember, the speaker you hire is going to represent you on stage. They will be an extension of your brand so make sure you get someone who you trust and like.

2. Do they provide an outline?

While you cannot expect them to give you a verbatim document with everything they are going to talk about, what they can do is provide you a basic outline so you have a general idea of what they are going to talk about.

3. Do they have references?

Every qualified professional should have at least two references they can provide you.

4. Are they reputable?

Having a strong online reputation is something that every speaker should have. Search Google and check the first 10 to 15 search results that come up and make sure they come out clean.

5. Are they flexible?

The person you book should be flexible enough to work with you and understand what your goals are. Then they should be able to work towards helping you reach those goals.

6. Are they an authority?

Ideally, a good orator should be seen as an authority, either in your field or in a different one.

7. Are they charismatic?

You also want them to be charismatic. They may have all the technical knowledge and expertise, but if he or she doesn’t have charisma, they won’t be effective in passing that knowledge onto your audience.

Selecting the right keynote speaker

Choosing the right person for your event can be a stressful and overwhelming ordeal. But here are two ways to simplify this process:

1. Survey your audience

If you already have a list of attendees, one thing you can do is to ask them. Create a poll or survey and ask your attendees to tell you which keynote speakers you should hire for your event. Chances are your audience knows a few names within your industry and at the very least, it can give you a direction to work with.

Many music promoters survey their email list before they book talent for the next year and find it to be a great strategy for ensuring that their event sells out since the attendees are basically telling them who they want to see.

Ask for a referral

Your network is another great tool you can use to find the right person. Talk to other professionals in your industry and ask them for a recommendation. Many of the individuals you know have probably seen at least a hundred talks or lectures and know who would be good at engaging your audience.

Keynote speaker booking requirements

When you hire a keynote speaker, there are going to be at least eight key items that will need to be addressed and these include:

Fees – Not only will you need to negotiate the price with them, but also all of the deposits and other ancillary costs that can be associated with them.
Travel – Things such as airline tickets, hotel, transportation to the event.
Onsite handler – Some will require that you have one dedicated person for them who they can go to when they need something.
Room set up – This will be very important because the person you book will want to make sure that the room is set up in a way that meets their requirements.
Audio & Visual – A speaker can’t deliver their message without good audio and visual tools and therefore will require specific items that you will need to cover.
Materials – Depending on they type of talk they will be giving, sometimes materials are involved and some professionals will ask you to make sure your audience gets them.
Q&A – Because their time is limited and your audience may want to ask questions, its important to iron out in advance how much Q & A time they will give you.
Recording – Some professionals do not like their presentation recorded so you will need to negotiate this in advance if you were panning to do so (or live stream).

How to book a keynote speaker

There are many websites and speaker bureaus that you can work with to book the individual you are looking for. But basically you have to decide on either:

A. Working with an agency or bureau

B. Working with them directly

If you work with an agency or speakers bureau, then even though they say they don’t charge, remember that they make money through a commission so the speaker you hire can’t negotiate too much.

If you work with the person directly, you have more wiggle room to negotiate not only on price, but on their requirements as well.