Have you ever been to a corporate event that left you feeling bored and uninterested? Let’s face it – many corporate events can be lackluster without the right kind of speakers to liven things up. That’s where professional keynote speakers come in. As experts in their field, they are skilled at delivering engaging and informative presentations that leave a lasting impact on their audience.
Advantages Of Hiring a Professional Keynote Speaker
So, what are the advantages of hiring a professional keynote speaker instead of relying on an in-house expert or someone without a lot of experience? Your speaker can set the tone for the entire event. A good presenter should inspire and motivate your audience by providing valuable insights that can help your attendees achieve their goals and keep them from falling asleep!
When it comes to event planning; whether it’s a corporate conference, a fundraiser, or a product launch, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is choosing the right speaker.
Expertise, Experience And Inspiration
When looking for an inspirational speaker, it’s important to find someone who is an expert in their field. These individuals will have spent years honing their craft, researching and developing their content and perfecting their delivery. They may have a deep understanding of your industry. Or they may be inspirational without honing in specifically on your industry or area of focus.
A good example of a great speaker to motivate an audience is my friend, Jimmy Wayne. When I first met Jimmy he was a new country music recording artist on Big Machine Records in Nashville. Jimmy and I co-wrote his first Top 5 hit song, Stay Gone.
Recently, Jimmy has found a passion for bringing his unique life experience to corporate groups through his speaking presentations. His personal story is compelling. Jimmy had to overcome enormous challenges from his childhood. He successfully harnessed that experience in his music and now through public speaking.
Finding a presenter with unique life experience and motivational qualities can set your conference on a really positive trajectory. Look for these qualities in anyone you hire. It could be someone who shares a story of climbing Mt. Everest or someone who can speak directly to your organization’s goals and subject matter.
Engaging And Memorable
Professional keynote speakers are not just people who can deliver content. They should also be performers who optimize audience engagement, leaving a lasting impression. There’s a talent in knowing how to use storytelling, humor and other techniques to create an emotional connection with an audience. That talent and experience are vital to being a great presenter.
I’m big on the importance of being interactive. Successful presenters will draw your audience in through active participation, Q&A or both. When I’m delivering one of my own speaking presentations, I almost always start with a question. This creates immediate conversation with my audience, allowing everyone to feel heard and involved.
Customized Content
Customized content doesn’t have to be specific to your organization’s focus. I think there are two ways to view customized content. Yes, you can, and sometimes should, hire a present who’s an expert in whatever topics you’re focused on. But you can also hire someone, like a creative keynote speaker, who will use their own area of expertise to relate to your conference themes or goals.
You may find an advantage to hiring someone who’s willing to learn about your attendees and to integrate some of your conference themes into their presentation. A speaker who acknowledges the identity and concerns of an audience will create connections with that audience. And this is what you want; connection and engagement.
6 Tips on How to Find Experienced Keynote Speakers
Once you recognize the importance of including a keynote at your conference you’re ready for the real work. Finding someone who’s the right fit. With so many to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start.
To help you find the right presenter for your event, I’ve put together six tips to guide your search.
1 – Define Your Event Objectives And Audience
Before you start your search, it’s important to define your event objectives and to think about your audience. Consider the message you want to convey and the overall tone you want to set for the event. This will help you narrow down your search and find a speaker who can deliver the right kind of presentation.
You don’t want to haphazardly hire someone who may not be the right fit for the message you’re trying to send. This can actually have negative impact on your conference.
2 – Research Online
One of the easiest ways to find the best professional keynote speakers is to research online. There are many websites that feature directories. You can use these sites to find narrow down your search, watch videos and learn more. Many of these websites allow you to search by area of interest and by budget. There’s no sense in getting excited about a speaker you can’t afford to hire!
3 – Look For Personal Recommendations
If you’re looking for a way to find a great keynoter, word-of-mouth recommendations can be an excellent resource. Talk to colleagues, friends and other event organizers to see if they have any recommendations. There’s nothing like a personal recommendation from someone you trust to help you narrow down your choices.
4 – Consider Experience And Expertise
I went into detail about this earlier, but I’ll say it again to drive home the importance of looking for experience and expertise when evaluating who you’d like to hire. Experience and reputation really do matter! Make sure to look for people who have a proven track record of delivering engaging and informative presentations.
5 – Review Sample Videos And Materials
Every experienced presenter will have sample videos and materials available online. Take the time to review these materials to get a sense of their presentation style, and overall approach. Trust your gut. If you’re not feeling it after watching video of a speaker then don’t hire them.
6 – Check References
Finally, before you make a final decision, be sure to check references. If someone is hesitant to give references, that’s a warning sign. You don’t want to be up the night before your conference worried if the person you hired will make it to the airport on time, show up and have a positive attitude in working with your event planning team. This is all important stuff!
Conclusion
With expertise and the ability to engage an audience, professional keynote speakers will help you achieve your event objectives effectively. Yes, there is some work associated with finding and hiring the best person for your event. But the value they’ll bring is well worth it.