The success of your conference will depend on how the attendees feel after listening to your keynote speakers. About 74% of conference attendees admit that the keynote speakers inspire attendance and impact their experience of an event. So, before you pick the right one, you need to pay attention to the signs that they are the most suitable.
So, how do you pick the perfect keynote speaker, and what are some indicators of a good one? You can invite many people to headline your event. However, not everyone is talented and experienced enough to make your audience feel grateful.
In addition, there are so many speakers available, making it complicated to pick the right one. In reality, this is the main headache planners face since the success and failure of your conference rely on it.
However, you can simplify the selection process by paying attention to subtle and key signs that will not disappoint the chosen person. So, here are some key signs to distinguish the ideal speaker from others.
1. They Align with Your Conference Goals and Objectives
You should evaluate the person you hire and how resourceful they are to your vision and mission. Before writing, you contact potential speakers and prioritize the expected outcomes. Next, select one with the experience and traits that match your needs and can speak effectively.
One sign is the speaker’s knowledge and experience in the topics and subject matter you wish to discuss. Therefore, you should review the resume and portfolio of each speaker you intend to invite. When examining the portfolios, choose someone relevant to the subject matter and have an in-depth and diverse understanding of the topic of discussion.
Secondly, the ideal speaker should have a portfolio that shows they are familiar with the topic and can effectively engage an audience while maintaining objectivity. Next, the keynote speaker must have years of experience as a public speaker and must have discussed various topics related to the conference headlines.
Due to their experience, they can tailor the speech to fit the current needs, ensuring limited errors and a targeted message. So, if you are hosting events on leadership and management, you can reach out to speaker Garrison Wynn to handle critical issues like leadership traits and change. As a diverse mentor, he can handle all the topics related to leadership and management.
Additionally, he has over 2 decades of expertise in public speaking and can communicate effectively. Lastly, he is one of the most engaging speakers, and many who attended his talks rate him as humorous while being very precise and result-oriented.
2. Ability To Inspire and Motivate
Beyond sharing their experience with your audience, an ideal speaker should keep you intrigued throughout the event. You need someone who can inspire positive change and make people believe in what they are saying.
So, pay attention to the testimonials and review the past events the speaker headlined. If the testimonials include comments like a good storyteller and effective communicator, you should pick the speaker over others.
Additionally, pay attention to comments on effective communication and how attentive the audience was. If the audience feels emotionally connected and resonates with the speaker, you should choose them to deliver the keynote talk.
Lastly, when looking for such speakers, you should focus on their communication and public engagement skills. In addition, pick someone who delivers compelling stories to which people are eager to listen.
3. Positive Audience Feedback
Before you hire someone, you should seek public opinion and listen to what the attendants say. So, share your potential lineup with the guests and allow them to share views about each of them. For a better outcome, you should survey and evaluate every audience member. This reflects what the attendants feel about the person you invite for the talks.
Therefore, one with a higher approval above 50% will likely be suitable for your event. By following this process, you select and invite a speaker the audience can easily connect with and would love to hear from.
Finally, you can search social media to see what people say about a particular speaker. If people are impressed with them and happy to hear from them, you have the right speaker.
4. Charism and Confidence
The speaker who headlines your keynote speech should be confident, charismatic about the topic, and willing to deliver the most impactful talks. Sometimes, asking for a short recording and mock trial is okay to evaluate whether the speaker is charismatic and optimistic about being part of the event.
While watching the short video, focus on the speaker’s energy and how they command stage poise. If the speaker is confident, they can easily lure the audience and create the most interactive atmosphere for the attendees.
You can also watch past conferences to see how much they changed the audience. If the speech was filled with Q&A and other interactive segments, it is the best choice for your upcoming event.
5. Tailored Presentation Style
The person delivering the main speech should avoid the one-size-fits-all mentality. Ideally, the speaker should contact you to learn about the type of audience, event objectives, and conference goals.
If the speaker reaches out to you and interacts with the audience beforehand, they should be your top pick. Also, choose the speaker who reaches out to ask how they can make the speech specific and more suitable to your event.
Finally, if they value your feedback and audience demographics, such as age and occupation, in their address, they are perfect to headline the event.
Bottomline
When picking the keynote speaker, always prioritize someone experienced in the subject matter and willing to tailor their address to meet your needs. Conduct an opinion poll to listen to what attendees feel about the speaker. A speaker who ranks higher is more interactive and engaging and, hence, likely suitable for the conference. Finally, pick the most confident and charismatic individual.