Blog
TITLE AND SUBJECT OF ARTICLE
How to Hire the
Perfect Keynote Speaker
Establish the date, location and budget of
your event. These factors will play an important role in
determining the pool of keynote speakers available to
you.
keynote speakers, keynote speaker,
motivational keynote speaker
<html>
<BODY>
<ul><li>Establish the date, location and budget of your
event. These factors will play an important role in
determining the pool of keynote speakers available to
you. Your date, for example, will affect which keynote
speakers are available, whereas your budget will limit
whom you can and can’t afford to hire. In order to save
on the cost of the keynote speaker’s travel, you may
want to consider the distance between where he or she
resides and where your event will take
place.</li><br><br>
<li>Determine the type of
presentation you want and the time of day when it will
take place. Some speakers are skilled at delivering
workshops, while others excel at providing keynotes.
After-dinner speakers should incorporate humor into
their talks, where morning speakers should be
energizing.</li><br><br>
<li>Clarify why you want to
hire a keynote speaker. Some common reasons include the
desire to:
<ul><li>Educate</li>
<li>Motivate</li>
<li>Shift behavior</li>
<li>Initiate a change
effort</li>
<li>Raise funds</li>
<li>Promote a
cause or organization </li>
<li>Entertain</li></ul><br>
<li>Consider which
keynote speakers have been successful in the past with
your group or a group similar to yours.</li><br><br>
<li>Call your friends and associates. Asking for
references can be a great way to narrow down your
search. BigSpeak can locate any keynote speaker for you
whether you see them on our roster or not.</li><br><br>
<li>Establish who the core decision makers are regarding
a keynote speaker and tap into their
vision.</li><br><br>
<li>Consider the demographics of
your audience. Do you need a keynote speaker who will
appeal to a general audience or one who will interest a
specific demographic group (e.g., an all-women’s
group)?</li><br><br>
<li>Avail yourself of
BigSpeak!’s agents’ expertise. We have helped thousands
through the process of choosing just the right keynote
speaker for their event and are happy to lend you our
ear and ideas. What’s more, our services are free. We
are motivated to get you the best keynote speaker for
your event because our aim is to keep you coming back to
BigSpeak! for all of your keynote, training and
consulting needs.</li><br><br></ul>
</BODY>
</html>
How to Promote Your
Keynote Speaker
Here are some tips from the National Speakers
Association (NSA) on how to promote your keynote
speaker.
keynote speaker, keynote speakers,
professional speakers, professional speaker
<html>
<BODY>
Here are some tips from the National
Speakers Association (NSA) on how to promote your
keynote speaker:
<br><br>
<ul><li><b>Tantalizing
Titles</b><br>
Get off to a strong start by assuring
the session has a catchy title, advises Certified
Speaking Professional (CSP) Chris Clarke-Epstein. "Start
with a short, spiffy and clever title followed by a
subtitle that explains the benefit of the
session."<br><br>
Successful brochures contain titles
that capture attention but also immediately answer the
question, "so what?" The subtitle should contain phrases
such as "how to," "10 tips," "master five steps,"
etc.<br><br>
Most importantly, make sure the session
matches the description. "Hold speakers responsible for
delivering what they promise," says
Clarke-Epstein.</li><br><br>
<li><b>Work Your Web
Site and Create a Buzz with E-Mail</b><br>
Familiarity breeds attendance, and your association's
Web site is a great tool to introduce your professional
speaker to your potential audience. NSA member Jeff
Blackman, JD, CSP, offers the following tips to help you
make the most your association's technologies.<br><br>
Post a detailed description of the session and the
professional speaker on your site. Photos of the speaker
in action are a good addition. You can also ask your
keynote speaker to provide you with audio or video
excerpts from a previous presentation to promote the
program before the event. Be sure to provide your
members with a link from your site to the keynote
speaker's Web site. "Members can learn more about the
speaker or obtain additional content before and after
the program."<br><br>
When your event is over,
Blackman also suggests posting audio or video excerpts
from the session to reinforce the program's key points
and educate members who were unable to attend.<br><br>
If your association has an online book or tape
store, feature your keynote speaker's materials prior to
the presentation. If you have a chat room or bulletin
board, consider slating some time for your members to
chat with your presenter. A professional speaker will
use this opportunity to get to know your member's
concerns and questions and will customize his or her
speech accordingly. Your members will appreciate the
opportunity to learn and participate.<br><br>
E-mail
is another easy and inexpensive way to promote your
event and your keynote speaker. Use it to remind your
members to register. Send them links to information and
online registration forms. Generate a pre-program buzz
by sending an e-mail questionnaire to your members. The
responses should go to the keynote speaker, who can
reveal the findings during the presentation. Add a
personal touch by having the presenter send a "welcome"
message to each of your attendees.</li><br><br>
<li><b>Word of Mouth</b><br>
One of the best ways to
promote your keynote speaker is to get other members
talking about them, according to professional speaker
and former Olympian Vincent Poscente. Find out where
your keynote speaker is going to be presenting between
the time when you hire them and when they will be
presenting for your group. Invite members of your board
of directors or event committee to see the presentation
when your speaker is in their city.<br><br>
Consider
having the keynote speaker address your chapters. Often,
a professional speaker will negotiate fees when you book
them for a number of presentations. Chapter newsletter
editors often need additional material for their
newsletters, so look into submitting an article on or
from your presenter. Send them flyers to distribute at
local meetings. Chapters are often the heart of an
association, so don't overlook their potential to spread
the word about your presenter.</li><br><br>
<li><b>The Write Stuff </b><br>
Chances are your
presenter has written many articles on the subject at
hand. You can also ask the keynote speaker to craft a
customized article for your group or have a member of
your staff conduct an interview. Not only do these
articles make a great addition to your association's
publication; they might also be a good fit for the
publications of other industry-related associations you
are building relationships with. Provide links to the
articles on your Web site as well. This builds the
keynote speaker's credibility and offers value-added
information for your members.<br><br>
If your keynote
speaker is published, use the professional speaker's
book to build excitement for the presentation. You can
give attendees the book when they register. For added
panache, have a book waiting to greet members in their
hotel room along with a welcome letter from your
president. "Books can even be personalized…depending on
the size of the group," says Blackman.</li><br><br>
<li><b>The Media: Get Ready</b><br>
Gather everything
you need to promote your keynote speaker to the media.
Request that the speaker provide you with photos. They
can be black & white or color, either head shots or
action shots. Have the photo scanned and saved as a TIFF
file. For Web publishing, 72 dots per inch will be fine.
For print, save the image at 300 DPI.
The keynote
speaker should also provide you with a short biography
and a brief write-up on the program including key
points, what the attendees will learn and why the he or
she is qualified to speak on the topic.<br><br>
Prior to the event, send a short news release to the
calendar editors at local daily newspapers and
industry-related publications. Invite key editors to
attend the event and make sure they get a copy of the
program and other promotional materials. Contact local
print and broadcast media to arrange interviews for your
speaker and your key association leaders.</li><br><br>
<li><b>The Media: Get Set</b><br>
Find out when your
keynote speaker is going to arrive and when they are
available for interviews. Keep a close eye on the news
the week of your event. Is there a way to tie your
speaker's expertise into a current news peg? For
instance, if your keynote speaker's area of expertise is
technology, perhaps they can talk about the latest
hacking scandal. If you want local media to cover the
speech, you must determine the news angle and pitch it
hard. Think about what events would generate good photos
or visuals for television cameras. Make follow-up calls
to make sure the journalists have the information you
sent them. Find out if the speaker has a publicist or PR
firm and if so, partner with them on generating
publicity. You want to get exposure for your association
as well as the event, so give your speaker some short
key messages to prepare them to discuss your
group.</li><br><br>
<li><b>The Media: Go!</b><br>
On the day of the event, messenger packages to key
media. Write a media alert telling them who, what, when,
where and, most importantly, why their audience needs to
know about your event and your keynote speaker. Add some
goodies such as the keynote speaker's book, a video, a
program and your association's press kit and stuff it
all in an attractive portfolio, preferably one with your
association's logo.<br><br>
Finally, be prepared for
the media when they arrive on site. Have one of your
staff or a trusted volunteer free to squire them around.
Introduce them to the subjects they need for interviews.
Have a good place in mind to conduct the interviews and
take photos--try to get your association's name or logo
in the background.</li><br><br>
<li><b>The Party's
Over</b><br>
Professional speakers know that a
program is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process.
They will often offer to send an e-mail to attendees
with some value-added links to additional information.
Your members should be able to benefit from the
presentation long after it is over, and your association
should continue to gain exposure as well. Look for
anecdotes from your members about how they were touched
or motivated by the session. How do they plan to
implement what they have learned? Select the best photos
and combine them with after-the-event news releases for
ongoing exposure.</li><br><br></ul>
</BODY>
</html>
How to Promote Your
Keynote Speaker
Here are some tips from the National Speakers
Association (NSA) on how to promote your keynote
speaker.
keynote speaker, keynote speakers,
professional speakers, professional speaker
<html>
<BODY>
Here are some tips from the National
Speakers Association (NSA) on how to promote your
keynote speaker:
<br><br>
<ul><li><b>Tantalizing
Titles</b><br>
Get off to a strong start by assuring
the session has a catchy title, advises Certified
Speaking Professional (CSP) Chris Clarke-Epstein. "Start
with a short, spiffy and clever title followed by a
subtitle that explains the benefit of the
session."<br><br>
Successful brochures contain titles
that capture attention but also immediately answer the
question, "so what?" The subtitle should contain phrases
such as "how to," "10 tips," "master five steps,"
etc.<br><br>
Most importantly, make sure the session
matches the description. "Hold speakers responsible for
delivering what they promise," says
Clarke-Epstein.</li><br><br>
<li><b>Work Your Web
Site and Create a Buzz with E-Mail</b><br>
Familiarity breeds attendance, and your association's
Web site is a great tool to introduce your professional
speaker to your potential audience. NSA member Jeff
Blackman, JD, CSP, offers the following tips to help you
make the most your association's technologies.<br><br>
Post a detailed description of the session and the
professional speaker on your site. Photos of the speaker
in action are a good addition. You can also ask your
keynote speaker to provide you with audio or video
excerpts from a previous presentation to promote the
program before the event. Be sure to provide your
members with a link from your site to the keynote
speaker's Web site. "Members can learn more about the
speaker or obtain additional content before and after
the program."<br><br>
When your event is over,
Blackman also suggests posting audio or video excerpts
from the session to reinforce the program's key points
and educate members who were unable to attend.<br><br>
If your association has an online book or tape
store, feature your keynote speaker's materials prior to
the presentation. If you have a chat room or bulletin
board, consider slating some time for your members to
chat with your presenter. A professional speaker will
use this opportunity to get to know your member's
concerns and questions and will customize his or her
speech accordingly. Your members will appreciate the
opportunity to learn and participate.<br><br>
E-mail
is another easy and inexpensive way to promote your
event and your keynote speaker. Use it to remind your
members to register. Send them links to information and
online registration forms. Generate a pre-program buzz
by sending an e-mail questionnaire to your members. The
responses should go to the keynote speaker, who can
reveal the findings during the presentation. Add a
personal touch by having the presenter send a "welcome"
message to each of your attendees.</li><br><br>
<li><b>Word of Mouth</b><br>
One of the best ways to
promote your keynote speaker is to get other members
talking about them, according to professional speaker
and former Olympian Vincent Poscente. Find out where
your keynote speaker is going to be presenting between
the time when you hire them and when they will be
presenting for your group. Invite members of your board
of directors or event committee to see the presentation
when your speaker is in their city.<br><br>
Consider
having the keynote speaker address your chapters. Often,
a professional speaker will negotiate fees when you book
them for a number of presentations. Chapter newsletter
editors often need additional material for their
newsletters, so look into submitting an article on or
from your presenter. Send them flyers to distribute at
local meetings. Chapters are often the heart of an
association, so don't overlook their potential to spread
the word about your presenter.</li><br><br>
<li><b>The Write Stuff </b><br>
Chances are your
presenter has written many articles on the subject at
hand. You can also ask the keynote speaker to craft a
customized article for your group or have a member of
your staff conduct an interview. Not only do these
articles make a great addition to your association's
publication; they might also be a good fit for the
publications of other industry-related associations you
are building relationships with. Provide links to the
articles on your Web site as well. This builds the
keynote speaker's credibility and offers value-added
information for your members.<br><br>
If your keynote
speaker is published, use the professional speaker's
book to build excitement for the presentation. You can
give attendees the book when they register. For added
panache, have a book waiting to greet members in their
hotel room along with a welcome letter from your
president. "Books can even be personalized…depending on
the size of the group," says Blackman.</li><br><br>
<li><b>The Media: Get Ready</b><br>
Gather everything
you need to promote your keynote speaker to the media.
Request that the speaker provide you with photos. They
can be black & white or color, either head shots or
action shots. Have the photo scanned and saved as a TIFF
file. For Web publishing, 72 dots per inch will be fine.
For print, save the image at 300 DPI.
The keynote
speaker should also provide you with a short biography
and a brief write-up on the program including key
points, what the attendees will learn and why the he or
she is qualified to speak on the topic.<br><br>
Prior to the event, send a short news release to the
calendar editors at local daily newspapers and
industry-related publications. Invite key editors to
attend the event and make sure they get a copy of the
program and other promotional materials. Contact local
print and broadcast media to arrange interviews for your
speaker and your key association leaders.</li><br><br>
<li><b>The Media: Get Set</b><br>
Find out when your
keynote speaker is going to arrive and when they are
available for interviews. Keep a close eye on the news
the week of your event. Is there a way to tie your
speaker's expertise into a current news peg? For
instance, if your keynote speaker's area of expertise is
technology, perhaps they can talk about the latest
hacking scandal. If you want local media to cover the
speech, you must determine the news angle and pitch it
hard. Think about what events would generate good photos
or visuals for television cameras. Make follow-up calls
to make sure the journalists have the information you
sent them. Find out if the speaker has a publicist or PR
firm and if so, partner with them on generating
publicity. You want to get exposure for your association
as well as the event, so give your speaker some short
key messages to prepare them to discuss your
group.</li><br><br>
<li><b>The Media: Go!</b><br>
On the day of the event, messenger packages to key
media. Write a media alert telling them who, what, when,
where and, most importantly, why their audience needs to
know about your event and your keynote speaker. Add some
goodies such as the keynote speaker's book, a video, a
program and your association's press kit and stuff it
all in an attractive portfolio, preferably one with your
association's logo.<br><br>
Finally, be prepared for
the media when they arrive on site. Have one of your
staff or a trusted volunteer free to squire them around.
Introduce them to the subjects they need for interviews.
Have a good place in mind to conduct the interviews and
take photos--try to get your association's name or logo
in the background.</li><br><br>
<li><b>The Party's
Over</b><br>
Professional speakers know that a
program is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process.
They will often offer to send an e-mail to attendees
with some value-added links to additional information.
Your members should be able to benefit from the
presentation long after it is over, and your association
should continue to gain exposure as well. Look for
anecdotes from your members about how they were touched
or motivated by the session. How do they plan to
implement what they have learned? Select the best photos
and combine them with after-the-event news releases for
ongoing exposure.</li><br><br></ul>
</BODY>
</html>