Are you preparing a corporate event? Do you have an employee retreat program lined up before the year ends? Is a banquet being prepared to celebrate a milestone or to simply motivate those who have delivered to the progress of the company? Having a keynote speaker is essential to events as they can cohesively deliver the very concept you wish to impart to an audience in an objective perspective. When chosen correctly, this speaker will even create a paradigm shift essential in driving a more enhanced view of business success.

Keynote speakers are the ones who draw a crowd to an event. They normally give attendance a boost. But beyond that, these gifted individuals can raise awareness to a higher level. Most importantly, they ensure a home run on the message’s overall point. With these in mind, how do you actually choose a speaker?

1. Identify the objective of the event. There are many types of keynote speakers out there and often, each delivers focus on certain aspects. Sales conferences, for instance, require motivational ones while tech conferences rely on expertise. The key is to define clearly the objective of the event and from there, create a shortlisted name of keynote speakers who have adhered to the said purpose.

2. Consider brainstorming with a core team. Getting them involved will help open a lot of avenues to ideas and names in the business. This also helps to clarify the perceived results of the said event. Do a survey, if you may, when an event is centered on your workforce. This is quite important when you want to impart something of astounding relevance to your employees.

3. Invest on a multi-faceted speaking engagement rather than a single event. People easily forget those one-time events. Try crafting a series of speaking commitments. This does not only deliver consistent and lasting impact, it also allows you to slice major themes into specific subtopics for a much better understanding. Do remember to take your company’s resources and needs when choosing what will work best for your mission.

4. Scrutinize the shortlisted keynote speakers. Popularity is not always the best option. These speakers often deliver so-so speaking engagements due to their hectic schedule. Sometimes, they too do not easily conform or align to your own company’s particular needs. Go for someone versatile and with a clear grasp of your intentions. Make sure though that such speaker can communicate effectively with an audience such as yours.

5. Keynote speakers do not come cheap. Do make sure what you are getting and when you negotiate, make sure it’s worth it. Simply write down a proposal of your requirements, send it to your shortlisted speakers then, meet-up to discuss the points in detail. Feel free also to ask connections on speaker fees and rates. Bring such data with you when you negotiate.

6. Don’t just sit there and wait for a miracle to happen. Promote! Unless the event is compulsory for all employees to attend, you need to engage them to participate. Even free events require promotions. You would not want to have the best speaker to be talking to an empty auditorium. To create the impact you want, you need attendees.

7. Make good use of audience feedback. This will gauge the effect of the speaking event as well as the effectiveness of the keynote speaker. If satisfaction is high and the point of the speaking engagement had been reached then, by all means, do it again.

Choosing the right keynote speaker means a great deal to any company-sponsored event. Learn to identify your purpose and objectives as well as your budget resources to support such. Be flexible and creative. Best of all, find one who is aligned with your company’s objectives and willing to go the extra mile to deliver the message across.