Finding an engaging speaker who is trustworthy and credible is essential for the success of your next event. An experienced keynote speaker can motivate your audience while talking about increasing performance, creating effective leaders, improving customer relations, and informing them about new technologies and mental health treatment modalities.
When searching for a keynote speaker, be sure to review their areas of expertise to ensure you have the right speaker for the topic of your event. Plan to meet with two or three speakers to give yourself options for finding the right speaker that matches the theme and tone of your event.
Finding Your Ideal Speaker for Your Event
When selecting a keynote speaker for your event, you will need to know the answer to several questions:
- What is the message you want to get across?
- Who is your audience?
- What is the speaker’s expertise and experience?
There are a wide variety of speakers to choose from that specialize in different fields. Some concentrate on business development and creating effective leaders, while others focus more on increasing mental health awareness. Professional speakers come from diverse backgrounds that include business and sports, and entertainment. The perfect speaker for your event will depend on the theme and topic that you wish to focus on.
After choosing your speaker, you will want to discuss the theme of the event, the budget, and your expectations from them.
Setting the Theme of Your Event
When you have found your speaker, set up in-person or phone/video conference meetings with them to discuss the theme of your event. Come up with a phrase that describes the purpose of the event, such as Thriving in the Moment, Building Successful Leaders, or Better Mental Health in the Workplace. Having a clear theme for the event will help the speaker create their presentation and tailor it to a unique message. Be sure to discuss the tone of the presentation and whether you want it to be more formal, motivational, or humorous.
Setting Your Budget
When planning an event, your budget will determine what type of keynote speaker you can afford. Create a budget for the event that includes speaker fees and any related expenses they may charge, like airfare, hotels, food, and other travel-related expenses. Keynote speakers will charge a set fee for speaking at an event. The average cost of keynote speakers can range from:
| Event Type | New Speakers | Seasoned Speakers | In-Demand Speakers |
| Elementary School | $250 – $500 | $500 – $1000 | $1,000 – $1,500 |
| Middle School | $500 – $1000 | $1,000 – $2,500 | $2,500 – $4,000 |
| High School | $500 – $1000 | $1,000 – $3,000 | $3,000 – $6,000 |
| Universities | $500 – $1000 | $1,000 – $4,000 | $4,000 – $10,000 |
| Teacher/Staff Conf | $2,000 – $4,000 | $4,000 – $10,000 | $10,000 – $30,000 |
| Non-Profit | $1,000 – $3,000 | $3,000 – $6,000 | $6,000 – $15,000 |
| Corporate | $1,000 – $4,000 | $4,000 – $10,000 | $10,000 – $35,000 |
| Conference | $2,500 – $4,000 | $4,000 – $10,000 | $10,000 – $35,000 |
| Association | $2,500 – $4,000 | $4,000 – $10,000 | $10,000 – $35,000 |
Athletes and celebrity speakers will cost more, with prices ranging from the low $25,000 to $100,000+ for top-tier-level celebrities and athletes like Erin Brockovich, Kevin Pollack, and Tim Tebow (source). Journey Speakers can help you find the right speaker for your budget, theme, and message. If a particular speaker that you are interested in does not fit within your budget, we can suggest alternate speakers that are equally qualified and more affordable.
Setting Expectations for Success
After you have created your budget and theme and found a speaker, it’s time to finalize the details and set your expectations with the speaker. Here is a checklist of items that you want to discuss prior to the event:
1. Schedule a pre-event phone call to go over timelines – It is a good idea to review your timeline with your speaker a few days before the event. That way, you don’t run into time conflicts that create a stressful atmosphere that can hurt your event. An experienced speaker can work within any timeline and stick to set times for the presentation, Q&As, book signings, and photos with the audience.
2. Finalize travel arrangements – If your speaker is traveling from out of state, confirm arrival times, hotel reservations, and any personal requests they make. We will also take care of transportation to and from the event.
3. Speaker introductions – Each speaker brings their unique energy and expertise to the stage, and you want to work with the speaker to find out how they want to be introduced. Some of the questions you should ask include:
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- What is your speaker bio for the introduction?
- Do you have grand entrance music, special effects, or a combination of both?
- Will they have visuals to display during the presentation?
- How do they want to conclude the presentation?Pre-event phone call – 24 hours before the event, talk with the speaker to confirm they have the right location and speaking times. You will also want to confirm with vendors that any equipment or setup is confirmed and that you have the correct contact numbers for everyone involved.
4. Pre-event phone call – 24 hours before the event, talk with the speaker to confirm they have the right location and speaking times. You will also want to confirm with vendors that any equipment or setup is confirmed and that you have the correct contact numbers for everyone involved.
After your event, schedule a call with the speaker to discuss how they felt about the presentation, coaching advise for keeping the message going throughout the organization, and any advice they can give for future events. If it was a good experience for them and your audience, discuss scheduling a future event with them.
Let Journey Bureau Help You Find the Perfect Speaker for Your Event
Journey Speakers is a professional speakers bureau that helps make your event as successful, easy, and simple as possible. Our team is with you every step of the way to help you find the right speaker with experience in the topic you want to address. We can place you with the right speaker who has experience talking about business leadership, motivating your team to reach a deadline, or discussing important societal concerns.
Fill out our questionnaire today to let us assist you in choosing the perfect speaker for your next event.
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