You're running an event, and your number one goal is to bring in a speaker who will entertain and inspire your audience.
A speaker can make or break an event.
So it's no surprise there's immense pressure to find the perfect person. You have the date, the venue and a line in the budget. Now comes the decision that shapes how people remember the whole day.
The problem is that every speaker looks good online. Polished headshots, confident bios, the word "inspiring" in every second sentence. From the outside, it is hard to tell the speaker who will move your audience from the one who will run long, sell from the stage and be forgotten by lunch.
After nearly a decade of hosting inspirational speaking events and working with speakers in all capacities, I have seen what separates the great ones from the rest. It's why we launched Momentum Speakers, to match those speakers with organizations like yours. This is the guide I wish every event planner had before they started searching.
Start With the Problem, Not the Speaker
Most searches begin in the wrong place: "best keynote speakers" or "inspiring speakers near me." Inspiring is the starting line. What you are really looking for is the person who can help your particular audience with your particular challenge.
Before you look at a single profile, write a one-sentence brief:
Who is in the room? Their roles, their seniority, and what kind of year they have had.
What are they dealing with? Burnout after a restructure, a new strategy nobody understands yet, a team that has stopped talking to each other.
What should be different when they leave? A feeling, a decision, a habit, a conversation they will have on Monday.
With that sentence in hand, you can compare candidates on fit instead of charisma, and most of the long list disappears.
Decide Whether You Need Inspiration or Motivation
People use these two words interchangeably. I don't. A motivational talk is high energy and built on "You can do it! Stop making excuses!" We leave feeling pumped up for about 3 hours, and then the next day it's back to reality.
An inspirational speaker weaves together powerful, personal stories with a strong emotional connection and ends with a powerful universal truth. No ego, no teaching, no preaching. Only sharing truth.
That difference is the whole reason my business partner Dan Shaikh and I built Speaker Slam® as an inspirational speaking competition. The audience leaves with something that belongs to them, and it lasts a lot longer than the adrenaline. If you want to understand the difference before you book, read my breakdown of inspirational vs motivational speakers.
Look for Expertise and Lived Experience Together
Here is the winning formula we have discovered. The ideal speaker combines a strong expertise with an inspiring and unique lived experience. They are charismatic, dynamic, gifted presenters with a strong personal brand.
Each half fails on its own. A speaker with only a story can leave a room in tears and with nothing to apply. A speaker with only expertise can deliver useful content that nobody remembers a week later. You want both in the same person.
I learned this the hard way. Years ago, I walked out in front of the Dragons on Dragons' Den to pitch my business. I knew that business inside and out. I took a deep breath, smiled, and then I couldn't breathe. My body betrayed me. After a few minutes I realized I had blown the pitch, so I relaxed and poured my heart out about the women we served. By the end, the Dragons said, "We don't like retail, but we do love you." They made an offer, and I turned it down.
What I learned that day is that the person with the most inspirational story, rooted in their authenticity and speaking from their heart, is the most powerful person in any room. Pair that with real expertise and you have a speaker your audience will never forget.
When you review candidates, ask two questions. What do they know that your audience needs? And what have they lived through that makes that knowledge believable?
Watch Real Stage Footage
A bio tells you what a speaker has done. Video tells you what they will do in your room. Ask for a speaker reel and, where possible, one full-length talk filmed in front of a live audience.
Watch the opening. Do they go straight into a story, or spend the first two minutes on their credentials?
Watch the audience. Are people laughing, leaning in, going quiet at the right moments? Reaction shots tell you more than the speaker does.
Watch the clock. If the full talk runs well past its slot, assume yours will too.
Watch for the room. Are they speaking to the audience in front of them, or performing a script that would sound the same anywhere?
My guide to what makes a great speaker reel covers what a strong reel includes and what a weak one tries to hide.
Ask How They Will Tailor the Talk
The best keynote speakers ask you questions before you ask them any. On a discovery call, find out:
What do you need to know about our audience? A good speaker will want to understand the room before they promise anything.
How will you adapt your talk for us? Listen for specifics: examples from your industry, language your people use, a closing that ties to your theme.
Can you speak to our particular challenge? If the answer to everything is yes, keep probing.
A speaker who delivers the identical talk to a dental conference and a mining company is giving your audience a recording with a live voice.
Use the Red Flags I Warn My Speakers About
In 2023 I ran a series for speakers called Speaker Faux Pas, a list of habits I have watched damage speakers' reputations. Read from your side of the table, it doubles as a list of red flags:
Going over time. Your agenda depends on it. Check full-length videos and ask past clients.
Asking "how much time do I have left?" on stage. It signals a talk that wasn't built for the slot.
Reading from a phone. A speaker who hasn't internalized their material can't connect with the room.
Being late. If replies to your emails are slow and incomplete during booking, expect the same on the day.
Long introductions. Watch for speakers who repeat their bio right after being introduced. The name of the game is attention. You need to grab it, and hold it.
Misusing statistics. Ask where their numbers come from.
Blatant self-promotion. When you pay a speaker, their number one goal is to meet the objectives of the event organizer, not to sell their newest course. Ask up front how they handle mentioning books, courses or products. My article on the speaker mistakes that stop you getting rebooked covers the rest of the list from the speaker's side.
Check the Proof
Finally, look for evidence that someone else has already taken the risk. Testimonials from other event organizers carry the most weight, followed by media coverage, awards and competition results. A speaker who has won or placed in a judged competition has proven they can hold a live audience under pressure. Every Speaker Slam® speaker earns their place by competing head to head and heart to heart in front of a live audience and a panel of judges.
A Quick Checklist
Brief written: who is in the room, what they face, what should change.
Type chosen: inspirational, motivational or a mix, on purpose.
Fit confirmed: real expertise plus a lived experience that fits your theme.
Video watched: a reel and at least one full talk with a live audience.
Tailoring discussed: specific answers about your audience and your goals.
Red flags cleared: timing, preparation, responsiveness and selling.
Proof checked: organizer testimonials and stage results.
Keep reading: What Event Planners Actually Look for When Booking a Speaker · How Much Do Keynote Speakers Make in Canada?
Your Next Step
If you would rather start with speakers who have already been tested on a live stage in front of judges, that is exactly why we created Momentum Speakers. Our entire business model is built on discovering and cultivating speakers who bring both expertise and lived experience. Tell me about your audience, and I will match you with the right one.