Most live events will have a keynote speaker as they are a great way of engaging the attendees, providing interesting insights and breaking up an event. They are also influential in highlighting the message of your event amongst attendees.
However, you need to examine who you are going to choose as your keynote speaker. Without careful consideration, the speaker will have no effect on your event, so here are a few of our suggestions on choosing the perfect keynote speaker.
WHO IS YOUR AUDIENCE?
Your audience’s interests should be in your mind at every step of the event planning journey, including choosing your keynote speaker. Without considering your audience’s interests, the speaker will not be able to notably engage with them.
Each speaker will have their own unique back story, individual areas of expertise and USP’s which make them interesting to people. What you have to decide is whether your chosen speaker’s background will be of interest to your attendees.
A sales conference for aspirational businesspeople will be better suited to a leading business figure, such as Deborah Meaden, rather than a popular comedian, who would be better suited to a gala dinner.
WHAT ARE THE GOALS YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE?
Another important consideration is what you want to achieve from your speaker.
If you’ve chosen a speaker which is well aligned to your audience, the speaker will be able to have more of an influence on them. This will in turn make achieving the goals of your event easier.
You’ll need to give your speaker freedom in what they want to say, as you are using them to offer their own insights, but you should talk them through your goals and some points that you want them to highlight.
If you are holding a conference to engage shareholders with your new sales strategy, for example, you might ask that the speaker covers the importance of some of the new strategy’s features.
Whilst the speaker is able to tailor their pitch to suit your event’s goals, it is important to avoid forced analogies, as this can make the aim of the talk too obvious.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS INVOLVED?
Speakers will have different prices usually based on their profile within a certain industry or the public eye. High-profile celebrities, such as Emma Watson, will be more expensive compared to an inspiring professional within your industry.
Depending on your budget, it might be a good option to spend money on a ‘big name’ who will influence attendees and highlight your goals, but also attract more people to the event. Alternatively, smaller budget speakers with unique backgrounds and insights are still able to inspire and influence attendees.
If you need help in choosing your keynote speaker, UKSV can help. Over the years, we have worked with many keynote speakers at our events, from lesser-known people with incredible back stories, through to internationally recognisable celebrities. Get in touch, tell us about your event and we can help.
