Looking to hire a keynote speaker for your next conference? While there may be plenty of professional speakers available, finding the right match for your conference needs isn’t always easy. Choosing the ideal speaker to keynote a meeting or event is an important decision and one that can have a tremendous impact on the overall meeting success. A conference opening, inspirational keynote speaker will be quite different than a mid-event business strategist. So how do you find the right speaker that will entertain, inspire and educate your group and meet your budget?

4 questions to consider when hiring a keynote speaker:

To help you land the ideal presenter for your next meeting, we put together a few tips and strategies for meeting planners to keep in mind when selecting a keynote speaker.

1. What type of presentation do you want to offer attendees and in what form?
2. What are the company’s objectives?
3. What is the overall conference/meeting vision?
   • Are you looking for a speaker to deliver the inspirational conference kick-off?
   • Or one who will give the after dinner informative and entertaining presentation?
   • Or a speaker who excels at tying it all together with a rousing, conference closing, motivational message.
4. What is the budget?

In addition to understanding the overall plan for the conference, and the company’s goals, you’ll need to find a speaker who will resonate with your audience, and one who will fit within your budget! Budget can certainly be a big factor in determining your speaker. Not only will you have the speaker’s fee but all the expenses that can be associated with a keynote presenter’s travel: flight, ground transfers, hotel and meals. Choosing a speaker that can service both the conference needs and the area can be a huge feather in your cap as a meeting planner!

Fortunately, groups staying in Newport Beach have a variety of excellent keynote speakers either living locally or within driving distance. Here’s a list of top keynote speakers listed by area from north to south, including Newport Beach.

Keynote speakers local to Newport Beach and Southern California

Santa Barbara
Jack Canfield – Referred to as America’s #1 success coach, Jack Canfield is highly qualified to talk success. As the originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, Jack Canfield created a billion dollar brand. He holds the Guinness Book World Record for having seven books simultaneously on the New York Times Bestseller List. A Harvard graduate with a Master’s Degree in psychological education and one of the early speakers on peak-performance, Jack Canfield has been helping corporate leaders, managers, sales professionals, corporate employees, and educators worldwide achieve their dreams. jackcanfield.com

Los Angeles
Les Brown – One of the top motivational speakers of all time, Les Brown is revered as an icon by his peers, having received the National Speakers Association coveted Council of Peers Award of Excellence (CPAE), along with the Golden Gavel Award for achievement and leadership in communication. Toastmasters International also voted him one of the Top Five Outstanding Speakers Worldwide. A foremost keynote speaker and leading authority on achievement, Les has delivered the keynote address to companies worldwide such as Prudential, Mobile Oil, Allstate Insurance and General Motors. Les Brown is a truly gifted, motivating and inspiring speaker. lesbrown.com

Newport Beach
Mark Victor Hansen – Probably best known as the co-author for the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series and brand. Mark worked his way into the spotlight as a keynote speaker with a charismatic style that has inspired audiences worldwide. He continually receives praise as one of the most dynamic and compelling speakers and motivational leaders of our time. markvictorhansen.com

San Diego
Lisa Nichols – As a corporate CEO with a global platform that has served nearly 30 million people, Lisa Nichols rose from a struggling single mom on public assistance to a millionaire business owner. Lisa’s presentations are incredibly inspiring, humorous and uplifting. Her story of courage and determination has motivated audiences worldwide.

Lisa has appeared on several shows including Oprah, The Today Show, the Steve Harvey Show, and Extra, she was also one of the featured leaders in the inspirational movie The Secret. She is often celebrated for the impact she has on the lives of teens. Her non-profit foundation Motivating the Teen Spirit, has been able to help over 200,000 teens and, according to her publicist, has prevented over 3800 teen suicides. motivatingthemasses.com

John Assaraf – A captivating keynote speaker who delivers a Neuroscience based presentation developed from the latest brain research. For over 30 years, John Assaraf has studied the inner game of what keeps people from achieving their goals. He uses an evidenced based approach to help people make the internal shifts necessary to achieve success. A sought after speaker and author, John has appeared on Larry King Live, Anderson Cooper, CNN, Ellen and was one of the featured teachers in The Secret. johnassaraf.com/speaking

Booking an incredible speaker who can meet all the conference objectives including the budget can be a major feat and can deliver peace of mind for many meeting and event planners.

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