Hiring a keynote speaker represents an investment of time and resources, but a great speaker can elevate a professional event like nothing else.

The right keynote speaker can elevate the discourse and make an event more memorable.

Naturally, you have to put significant thought into who you want as a keynote speaker, considering your budget and the speaker’s schedule. You have to choose a speaker who makes sense for the type of event you’re hiring them for. Once you do this successfully, it’s time to drum up interest in your speaker.

The tools and techniques you use to generate buzz for the event and the keynote speech start out with your keynote speaker announcement. Here are the five elements that maximize interest in this announcement.

1. Give It a Great Headline

Put thought into the headline at the top of your keynote speaker announcement. Here are the key characteristics of outstanding headlines:

• They are specific – so people will know right away that they care about this announcement
• They are easy to understand – which typically means they should be simple and should avoid acronyms that people don’t universally recognize
• They promote a reaction – such as joy, surprise, and interest in sharing the news
• They should avoid being cutesy or clever – which means you should avoid puns or lightweight cultural references
• They should capture the spirit of the event – whether it’s an industry gathering, a company celebration, or what have you

2. Include One or More Captivating Photos of the Speaker

Headshots are fine, but headshots that give an indication of the speaker’s personality are better. Many keynote speakers have a variety of photos of themselves, including professionally posed shots, and shots of them speaking. Try to choose a couple of photos that give your target audience an idea of not only what the speaker looks like, but that also gives a glimpse into their personality and speaking style.

3. Tease the Content of the Keynote Address

You don’t want to give away the speech in advance, but neither do you want to leave it at a statement of who the speaker is and the name of the event for which the address will be given. When you work with the keynote speaker before signing the contract with them, you will discuss the topic and will gain other insights into the speech. How can you take those insights and make them relevant to the audience at the event?

Give potential attendees a hint of what will be in the keynote address to pique their interest.

4. Include a Clear Call to Action in the Announcement

You may have different announcements with different calls to action. One announcement may encourage readers to sign up as an exhibitor at a conference. Another may prompt readers to reserve their seat for the speech itself (if it’s expected to be a full house). Calls to action may include a phone number to call, a website to visit, a Twitter hashtag to use, or even a QR code to scan for further information. Make your call to action fit the goal of your keynote speaker announcement.

5. Echo These Elements in Other Promotional Efforts

A well-crafted keynote speaker announcement can go a long way toward promoting the event. However, it can’t do all the heavy lifting. You may add pages in your company blog or on your company website or social media pages. You may echo the announcement in event emails. If the event is open to the public, the information in the announcements may carry over to the media promotion package you create. Together, all your promotional activities should work together to build enthusiasm for the keynote speech.

Keynote speakers can be outstanding for kicking off or bringing to a close a company or industry event. They can help set the tone and can ensure that the event is memorable for all the right reasons. After the work and expense that goes into hiring a keynote speaker, it’s important to raise awareness and promote the event so that as many people as possible benefit from it. Put time and effort into your keynote speaker announcement, and you go a long way toward ensuring the event is a rousing success.

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