How to Begin Planning Your Keynote Event in 2023

You’ve decided that a keynote speaker would be the perfect addition to your company’s annual meeting. Or you’ve noticed that your employees have been working extremely hard and you want to reward them with an entertainment act that will have them talking for months after the event. However, you realize that you’re not entirely sure how to plan a speaker for an event or where to even start. This is where MENA Speakers comes in.

There are two main components to planning a speaking event: the keynote speaker search and the speaker planning process. Although they may sound similar, each component has different steps that need to be completed to ensure the process runs smoothly. Keep reading to learn more about how to plan a keynote speaker and tips for planning a keynote speaker event.

Keynote Speaker Search Process

The keynote speaker planning process is just as it sounds – you search for the perfect keynote speaker for your event. But, any ole speaker won’t do. You need to pick a speaker whose message fits the theme of your event, who delivers the type of presentation that you are looking for, and is within your budget. Check out our blog on determining what type of speaker is right for your event to learn more.

Keynote Speaker Event Planning Process

You’ve gone through the keynote speaker search process and have chosen the perfect talent for your program. Now what? This is where you finalize the logistics of your event. Whether you are planning on hosting a virtual, hybrid, or in-person event, the planning process will differ slightly for each. Keep reading to dive into the difference of each and learn how our MENA Speakers event production colleagues can help you through every step of the process.

In-Person

In-person gatherings made a comeback in the second half of 2021 and you can expect that they'll once again be the norm in 2023. The event planning process for in-person engagements is similar to the process for virtual engagements, minus the whole virtual part. Tasks like hiring an event producer, creating an engaging program, allowing time for your attendees to network, and finding sponsors for the gathering are all still necessary. Other things, like introducing a keynote speaker for your in-person event (which can be done via a pre-recorded intro in a virtual setting), need to be taken into consideration as well.

Virtual

Virtual events have taken the past two years by storm and are likely to stay well into 2023 and beyond. Many meeting organizers initially were overwhelmed with the idea of having to pivot to virtual and were eager to meet in-person again. However, event planners quickly learned that many elements that they thought they lost from in-person events can be skillfully recreated in a virtual setting, and virtual events offer up their own unique advantages. From creating virtual networking opportunities and engaging with sponsors in a virtual world, to the more fundamental aspects of a virtual meeting such as determining the difference between virtual event production and a virtual event platform and figuring out how to increase virtual event engagement, the virtual world is full of endless opportunities.

Another thing that meeting planners learned early on is that virtual events take just as long to plan – if not longer – as in-person meetings. We recommend giving yourself a full 15 weeks to coordinate a virtual event, per our virtual event planning roadmap.

And in terms of cost, there are many things to take into account. In addition to factoring in your speaker’s virtual fee, unveiling the hidden costs of your virtual event, 10 things to determine for budgeting your virtual event, and why is a virtual event producer so expensive, are all good resources to consult when budgeting for your virtual gathering.

For an overview of all things virtual, read through our piece on virtual events by the numbers.

Hybrid

As we can continue to plan for events in 2023 and beyond, we can expect to see hybrid events increase in popularity with the opportunities they offer groups to accommodate both in person and virtual audiences. It is important to note that a hybrid world is not a 50-50 split of what we used to do and what we are currently doing. Instead, hybrid events take the best aspects of virtual and in-person meetings and blend them together to create an engaging and successful experience.

Recently, Senior Vice President of MENA Speakers, Saana Azzam, shared with Insider Intelligence what she believes event planners can expect to see in the near-future and talked about the skills necessary to succeed in a hybrid world.

Stay tuned and request an invite for our next Plan V on hybrid events and other upcoming events here.

Ready to Plan A Speaking Event?

Whether this is your first time or 100th time planning a speaking event, it is always helpful to have a set of resources to be able to turn to. The keynote speaker search process and keynote speaker event planning process are unique and it is important to set aside enough time for each in order to execute a flawless event.

Get started today! To get in touch with a member of our team, you can fill out the form at the bottom of this page, email us at info@mena-speakers.com.