Types Of Keynote Speakers
There are various types of keynote speakers. While it’s important to choose the right type of public speaker for your conference, don’t get too hung up in your event theme. There are many different keynote speakers, some have ‘cross-over’ topics. I believe that the type of speaker you choose needs to be informative and memorable to be remarkable to your audience.
Primary Categories of Keynote Speakers
There are just a few main categories of speakers. I think they fall under three categories. They are: Motivational, Celebrity and Business thought leaders. Many speakers work and can be considered experts in different categories, but these are the primary ones.
A few examples of the different types of keynote speakers that can be hired for an event are found below. It’s essential that you choose the right speaker based on your audience to ensure a successful and memorable event.
Types of Keynote Speakers
This is not an all inclusive list of different keynote speaker types. However, it should be a great jumping off point for getting good ideas. Many speakers cross over into different categories. I find that all of these types of keynote speakers can be very valuable. It’s up to you to choose the right one.

Industry Experts
An industry expert is a type of keynote speaker who is exactly that. A speaker who is an industry expert in their field. They may be members of the type of association for which the conference or event is a part of. This is great because their expertise would be related to their industry or niche. They will have in-depth knowledge of their field, can provide insights into current trends, and can offer advice and guidance to attendees.
Motivational Speakers
One very popular type keynote is the motivational speaker. They are often brought in to inspire and motivate the audience. They use personal stories and anecdotes to encourage attendees to achieve their goals, overcome challenges, and believe in themselves. This can also be a presenter who has overcome a a significant amount of adversity.
Celebrity Speakers
The celebrity speaker type is often a popular and well-known personality from the world of entertainment, sports, or politics. Because of this, they can attract a large audience and bring a touch of glamour and excitement to an event.
Inspirational Speakers
This type of keynote speaker inspires. They can be individuals who have overcome significant adversity in their lives which is why they can inspire and motivate others with their stories. What if your event audience heard the story of an inspirational speaker who overcame the adversity of a cancer diagnosis while they were in federal prison? It’s likely the event audience would be inspired to overcome the adversity, this is because they have similar experiences. Ultimately this is a different type of keynote speaker that can help attendees to see the world in a new light and encourage them to achieve their dreams. ” If they can do it. You can do it.”
Thought Leaders
Many public speakers want to be a thought leader type of keynote speaker. They do this because, they strive to be the top individual in their market of the topics of which they speak. This type should be speaking professionals who are recognized as experts in their field and have a unique perspective on the industry or topic they are discussing. Because, they should be able to offer fresh insights and perspectives to attendees and provide thought-provoking ideas for the future.
Humorous Keynote Speakers
Comedians, or comics, can be hired to add humor and entertainment to an event, even with serious topics faced in the workplace. For example, they combine serious topics such as humor and ethics, as well as fraud. Many keynote speakers think of themselves as a funny speaker, however, they only tell jokes. If the jokes are canned, the speaker will have a hard time being authentic, and the audience won’t connect.
I think that a humorous keynote speaker is the right choice. This is because, if they are genuine and have experience in the stand-up comedy field, they can add comic relief. They can also help break the ice by adding comic relief and create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere for attendees.
Business Leaders
A keynote speaker of this type can be an industry expert or even a celebrity. Which is why, individuals such as a CEO of a Fortune 500 company or better yet, the founder of a company is great. This is because, they are well known and popular. Business leaders are individuals who have achieved significant success in the business world. They can offer insights into their experiences and share valuable advice and strategies for success for your audience. I have seen business leaders who don’t connect well with an audience. This is because many times they use power points full of bullet points. Additionally, they may actually be too smart and use language that goes over the heads of the industry for which they are a part of. I recommend you avoid this.
Speakers on Ethics
Keynote speakers on ethics can be of the academic nature or teach real life lessons through personal stories. This is because, either way, the audience will get the point. I am the type of speaker on ethics that gives real life examples through his personal stories. For example, he does this through case studies and epic story-telling.
Ethics keynote speakers can be huge motivators. This is because most professionals at industry professionals at association events and conferences want to be inspired to avoid the consequences.
Contact Jerome Mayne
Jerome crosses over into a few of these different types of keynote speaker categories. Find out if he is the best fit for your conference, convention or event.