What is a keynote speaker?
Keynote speakers have a special ability to highlight what an event planner or senior leadership team is trying to instill. Think of a keynote speaker as the purpose cultivator for a conference and main attraction that draws people in to learn more about the event and other speakers on the agenda. A great keynote speaker is central to establishing an event’s theme, energy, and reputation when a keynote speaker knows how to provide value.
As a keynote speaker myself, I think about the following when I work with an event planner and/or leadership team in order to deliver a talk that can motivate, educate, and inspire people towards positive change and action:
- What is the theme of the event?
- What are the top challenges that the industry, audience, and leaders are facing today, and into the near future?
- How can my experience, stories, and personal touch, combined with facts, insight, and relevant talking points ADD VALUE to the lives of everyone in the room?
- Are there any elephants in the room that I need to be aware of or sensitive to, while still being my authentic self?
- What do you want the audience to walk away with – information, knowledge, action, feeling good, feeling motivated, feeling confident in trying something new, etc.?
As a keynote speaker, my focus is on delivering value to the audience because their time is valuable, and the event is being put on at a cost in order to deliver a certain outcome for the organization or company, as most organizations seek an ROI for time spent outside of the office.
After an initial discovery call where I learn more about the event, audience, goals, and desired outcomes, I craft a custom talk for the audience. Depending on turnaround time, I prefer to review the talk with the event team to make sure everything is 100% perfect because they know their audience best. When I receive constructive feedback, I make the necessary edits to deliver a great talk for their audience.
Finding a keynote speaker
You can search for keynote speakers online using Google to find independent speakers or speakers who are affiliated with a speaker’s bureau that represents the speaker for a fee. You can also ask around in your network who people would recommend as a keynote speaker.
Depending on your budget, keynote speakers can range from $500 for new speakers to $100,000 for former presidents, top executives, and global leaders. Sometimes speakers will ask that you consider writing your check to a charity of their choice, which is called an honorarium, if the speaker is in a financial position where it is not a main source of income, such as celebrities and wealthy individuals; for the rest of the speakers out there, speaking is a business, and should be respected as a profession given the reality that public speaking is one of the top fears people have out there – respecting a speaker and their fees is key to a great relationship and a great talk that can move your audience towards necessary or desired action.
In addition to speaking fees, you may be responsible for all travel to and from your event; a food stipend; and reasonable expenses incurred by the speaker that are agreed upon and outlined in writing.
Measuring Impact
Keynote speakers appreciate the ability to survey audiences before and after talks, if possible, because this is a great way to measure impact and receive feedback. Clients also find this interactive process valuable because they learn more about their audience and what went well, and what can be improved upon for the next event.
Booking A Keynote Speaker
Booking me for your next event is simple. We start with a free discovery call to learn more about each other; your audience, budget, goals, and what your vision is of a great event. From there, we’ll move forward with the agreed upon fee, booking contract, and get to work outlining key talking points for your event. It’s that easy! When you’re ready to book a keynote speaker for you next event, schedule a call with me today and visit my speaking page to learn more about topics today!
