Who Hires Motivational Speakers? A Guide for Event Planners

Why did someone ask “Who hires a motivational speaker?” at a networking event? Because they needed someone to get the guests fired up – not fired!

We’ve got plenty more speaker-booking jokes where that came from, but finding the right motivational speaker for your event is no laughing matter.

Are you an event planner tasked with finding the perfect keynote speaker to energize and inspire your audience? Maybe you’re organizing a corporate conference, leadership summit, or DEI training session and need a dynamic presenter to deliver an impactful message.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down the types of organizations and events that frequently book motivational speakers, and share tips for finding the ideal speaker to resonate with your group. By the end, you’ll have a clear roadmap for selecting a speaker who can take your event to the next level.

Why Hire a Motivational Speaker?

Before diving into the specifics of who hires speakers, let’s examine the “why” behind it. What value does a motivational speaker bring to an event? Here are a few key benefits:

1. Energize and Engage the Audience: A skilled speaker captivates the room, holds people’s attention, and leaves them feeling invigorated. They transform a potentially dull event into a memorable, inspiring experience.
2. Reinforce the Event Theme: The right speaker aligns their message with your event’s purpose, driving home key takeaways. Whether it’s a conference focused on innovation, a seminar on leadership, or a meeting promoting diversity, a relevant speaker ties it all together.
3. Provide Practical Insights and Strategies: Motivational speakers don’t just deliver fluff and feel-good platitudes. The best ones share concrete, actionable advice the audience can implement. They draw on their expertise to offer tools, frameworks and fresh perspectives that spur growth.
4. Boost Morale and Productivity: An impactful speech can reignite passion, shift mindsets, and motivate people to bring their A-game. This translates into a more positive workplace culture and improved performance.
5. Enhance Credibility and Prestige: Featuring a respected, well-known speaker elevates your event’s perceived value and authority. It shows you’re willing to invest in top talent and signals the importance of your message.

With those benefits in mind, let’s explore the primary groups that hire motivational speakers and what they look for.

Corporate Event Planners

One of the biggest markets for motivational speakers is the corporate world. Companies of all sizes and industries host events like:

• Leadership and management conferences
• Sales kickoff meetings
• Training and development workshops
• Employee recognition ceremonies
• Customer appreciation events
• Product launches
• Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs

For these events, planners seek speakers who can educate, encourage and inspire attendees in line with the company’s goals and values. They want someone who understands their industry’s challenges and can speak to common pain points and aspirations.

Popular topics for corporate events include:

• Leadership and team building
• Change management
• Sales motivation
• Communication skills
• Creativity and innovation
• Resilience and adaptability
• Emotional intelligence
• Diversity and inclusion
• Work-life balance

The ideal speaker combines deep expertise on the topic with polished, engaging delivery. They’re able to connect abstract concepts to real-world applications and leave the audience with a clear call-to-action.

Conference Organizers

Another major employer of motivational speakers is the conference circuit. Professional associations, trade groups and event planning companies host annual or biannual conferences featuring multiple expert speakers. These events draw hundreds or even thousands of attendees seeking to learn, network and be inspired.

Conference organizers look for speakers who are:

1. Thought Leaders and Innovators: They want the top minds shaping the future of the industry, whether it’s technology, healthcare, marketing or beyond. Speakers who are pioneering new ideas and approaches are in high demand.
2. Skilled and Seasoned: Delivering an impactful keynote to a huge crowd requires speaking experience and stage presence. Organizers favor speakers with an impressive track record of motivating large audiences.
3. Relevant and Timely: The speaker’s message must resonate with current challenges and trends facing the industry. Planners seek out speakers who can address the most pressing, top-of-mind issues.
4. Agenda-Setters: Especially for opening or closing keynotes, conferences want speakers who can align everyone around the event’s core theme and learnings. The speaker should set the tone and tie everything together in a cohesive way.

Popular conference keynote topics span areas like:

• Industry forecasts and future trends
• Overcoming disruption and transformation
• Keys to peak performance and productivity
• Building an innovative culture
• Delivering exceptional customer experiences
• Authentic, purpose-driven leadership
• Social responsibility and sustainability

When evaluating speakers, conference planners often rely on demo videos, testimonials, and references to gauge the speaker’s style and impact. They look for someone who educates and inspires in an entertaining, relatable way.

Colleges and Universities

Higher education institutions also frequently hire motivational speakers for events like:

• Commencement ceremonies
• Freshman/new student orientation
• Campus-wide assemblies
• Leadership workshops
• Diversity and inclusion programs
• Mental health and well-being events
• Career development seminars

Colleges look for speakers who can connect with and energize a student audience. The speaker should deliver a message that’s relevant to the unique challenges and aspirations of young people.

Key qualities colleges seek in a speaker include:

1. Relatability: The speaker should understand the realities of being a student today. They’re able to share their story and insights in a down-to-earth, authentic way that resonates.
2. Inspirational: Students want to be uplifted and motivated to pursue their dreams. The speaker should have an inspiring personal journey or vision for making a difference.
3. Practical: Along with high-level inspiration, the best speakers give students concrete strategies for personal growth, resilience and success. They offer tools students can apply right away.
4. Engaging: Holding the attention of a student audience requires dynamic, interactive presenting skills. Speakers who incorporate multimedia, humor, and audience participation are well-received.

Some of the most impactful topics for college speeches include:

• Overcoming adversity and failure
• Discovering your passion and purpose
• Developing leadership skills
• Promoting diversity and inclusion
• Maintaining mental health and well-being
• Launching a successful career
• Becoming a lifelong learner

Schools often find speakers through agencies that specialize in youth-focused presenters and topics. They also pay close attention to a speaker’s existing body of work, like books, TEDx talks, or social media content aimed at a student demographic.

Non-Profit and Advocacy Groups

Motivational speakers are also frequently tapped by non-profit organizations and advocacy groups to:

• Keynote fundraising galas and conferences
• Speak at community events and meetings
• Deliver workshops and trainings
• Participate in panel discussions

These purpose-driven organizations want speakers who are passionate advocates for their cause. The speaker’s personal story, expertise and commitment to making a difference is what matters most.

Attributes these groups value in a speaker include:

1. Authenticity: The speaker should have a genuine, heartfelt connection to the organization’s mission that shines through. Audiences can tell if a speaker is just phoning it in.
2. Emotional Appeal: Speakers who can tug on an audience’s heartstrings are particularly effective for non-profit events. They use powerful stories and visuals to kindle empathy and compassion.
3. Credibility: Speakers with impressive credentials or direct experience around the issue area have more clout. Audiences trust insights from someone who’s walked the walk.
4. Action-Oriented: The best speakers don’t just inspire feeling, but spur action. They give audiences specific ways to get involved and make an impact, whether it’s through volunteering, donating, or advocacy.

Common speech topics for mission-driven events include:

• Personal stories of resilience and triumph
• Calls to action around social and environmental issues
• Measuring and scaling impact
• Building a movement and attracting allies
• Innovating to solve complex problems
• Collaborating across sectors for change
• Harnessing passion and perseverance for a cause

When seeking speakers, these groups often turn to their existing networks and stakeholders for leads. They also research speakers who’ve been vocal champions around their focus area.

Finding the Right Motivational Speaker

Now that you know the different types of motivational speakers in the market, how do you find the perfect one for your event? Here are a few tips:

1. Clarify Your Goals: Articulate your specific objectives. What is the purpose and desired outcome of the event? What do you want attendees to think, feel, and do afterwards? Defining this guides the rest of the process.
2. Know Your Audience: Consider the demographics, psychographics and common challenges of your audience. What kind of speaker will they relate to and find compelling? A message that resonates with college students may not land the same for corporate executives.
3. Determine Your Budget: Speaker fees range widely based on the presenter’s caliber and demand. Be realistic about what you can afford and allocate your budget accordingly. Keep in mind extra costs like travel and technology needs.
4. Leverage Specialized Speakers Bureaus: Speakers bureaus, like IconEleven Speakers, maintain deep rosters of vetted motivational speakers. They can quickly match you with the ideal speaker based on your event type, theme, audience and budget. You’ll save time and stress compared to researching on your own.
5. Explore Speaker Databases: Many speakers have profiles in online databases like espeakers and speakermatch. You can search by topic, expertise, fee range and more to build a shortlist. Some speakers even include their speaking calendar so you can check availability.
6. Read Testimonials and Reviews: Pay attention to feedback from a speaker’s past clients and audiences. Testimonials and reviews give an honest picture of what it’s like to work with them and how well they connect with different groups.
7. Watch Videos of the Speaker: Nothing gives you a better sense of a speaker’s dynamism and delivery style than seeing them in action. Most speakers provide clips on their website or youtube channel. Notice how the speaker captures attention, relates to the crowd, and drives key points home.
8. Have a Preliminary Conversation: Once you’ve narrowed it down, arrange a call with your top choices. Notice if they take the time to really understand your goals and audience. Pay attention to their communication style and how well they tailor their message. The right speaker will feel like a collaborative partner from the start.

By following these steps, you’re well on your way to hiring the motivational speaker who will take your event from ordinary to extraordinary. The right presenter is an investment that pays dividends in the energy, inspiration and action they spur.

Conclusion

So, Who hires a motivational speaker? The short answer is any organization looking to energize, educate and embolden their audience to reach new heights. From corporate trainings to college events to non-profit fundraisers, the demand for impactful speakers spans industries and causes.

By understanding the nuances of what different event types prioritize, you can effectively pinpoint the speaker who checks all the boxes. And by partnering with a specialty speakers bureau like IconEleven, you gain access to a diverse pool of top-tier presenters and expert guidance to streamline the hiring process.

Don’t underestimate the power the right speaker wields to engage emotions, shift perspectives, and catalyze transformation. A single speech can be the defining moment that audiences carry with them long after the event ends.

Ready to elevate your next event with an electrifying motivational speaker? Contact the team at IconEleven today. As a black and woman-owned speakers bureau, our mission is connecting diverse voices with audiences to drive positive change. Let us help you find the speaker that moves the needle for your organization.