Questions about fit

• “What is the last audience you spoke to that looked like ours?”

  Strong: specific roles, event type, and what that room was carrying.

  Weak: “I speak to all kinds of audiences.”

• “Here is our one-sentence outcome for this keynote. How would you build toward it?”

  Strong: they think out loud about structure and stories that serve your outcome.

  Weak: they pivot immediately to describing their standard talk.

• “Who is your talk NOT right for?”

  Every honest speaker has an answer. “It works for everyone” is a sales line, not an answer.

Questions about customization

• “What does your prep process look like between signing and stage?”

  Strong: a discovery call with stakeholders, sometimes attendee interviews, a review of your theme and language.

  Weak: “Just send me the logo and the intro time.”

• “Can you give me an example of something you changed for a recent client?”

  You are listening for a real, specific edit. A story swapped, a section rebuilt around a client’s challenge. Not “I always tailor my message.”

• “Will you reference our theme and language on stage?”

  The keynote should hand your leaders vocabulary they can reuse for months. If the speaker’s brand always comes first, the talk evaporates when they leave.

Questions about proof

• “Can you send a full-length, unedited keynote video?”

  A sizzle reel shows editing skill. Fifteen unedited minutes shows the actual product. Any working speaker has this.

• “Can I speak with two past clients from similar events?”

  Then actually call them and ask: What surprised you? Would you book again? How were they offstage? Offstage behavior, with your AV team, your volunteers, and your attendees, is part of what you are buying.

Questions about logistics

• “Do you have an AV rider and an intro script you can send now?”

  Pros send both within a day. These small artifacts predict how the entire engagement will run.

• “When do you arrive, and will you attend any of the event beyond your slot?”

  Speakers who arrive the night before and sit in on a session beforehand consistently deliver better talks, because they can reference what the room just experienced.

• “Are you open to Q&A, a fireside format, or a breakout add-on?”

  Flexibility signals command of the material. Rigidity often signals a memorized script.

• “What happens if you have a travel emergency or illness?”

  You want a real contingency plan: earlier flights on risky routes, a virtual backup option, a make-good policy in the contract.

Questions about money and contract

• “What exactly does the fee include?”

  Get it itemized: travel, prep calls, a breakout or book signing, recording rights, social promotion. Assume nothing is included unless it is written.

• “How is travel billed, flat buyout or actuals?”

  A flat travel buyout protects your budget from surprises. Actuals require a cap in the contract.

• “Can we record the talk and share it internally?”

  Many speakers charge separately for recording rights. Far cheaper to negotiate now than after the event.

• “What is your cancellation and rescheduling policy, in both directions?”

  Fair contracts address the speaker canceling, not just you.

For a full breakdown of what drives those fees, see the honest guide to how much a keynote speaker costs.

Answers that should end the conversation

• “I do not really do prep calls, my talk works everywhere.”
• No full-length video available, only the reel.
• References who can only speak vaguely, or none from events like yours.
• Fee quotes that shift between calls, or arrive without itemization.
• Any hint of impatience with these questions. A speaker annoyed by diligence in the sales process will not get easier after the deposit clears.

Booking for a healthcare event specifically? Pair this with the deeper guide on choosing a keynote speaker for a healthcare conference, and browse the For Event Planners hub.

How Chris answers these

Fair disclosure. This checklist lives on a keynote speaker’s site, and it is written to be one he passes.

Chris runs a discovery call before every engagement, sends a full-length video and references on request, arrives the night before, and itemizes every fee in writing. He speaks from a sitting operator’s chair as President and COO of Uniti Med, GQR Healthcare, and Nebula, having scaled Uniti Med 12x to a number three Inc. 5000 Midwest ranking with Fortune Best Workplaces recognition. His signature keynote is You Are Capable of More.

Put him through this exact checklist.

Frequently asked questions

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