How to Win Over Any Stakeholder for Your Next Keynote Speaker
Discover how to win approval for a keynote speaker by tailoring your pitch to each stakeholder's personality type for maximum buy-in.
When you need buy-in for bringing a fresh speaker to your next company event, you're fighting an uphill battle. Not everyone sees the value immediately.
I've worked with hundreds of organizations facing this exact challenge – especially when they're considering someone like me who combines magic with a business message.
Why does this happen? Different stakeholders evaluate speakers through completely different lenses. Your CFO scrutinizes the ROI while your HR director worries about audience engagement. Your operations leader questions the practical takeaways while your marketing team dreams about the social media potential.
The good news? You can systematically address each stakeholder's concerns by understanding how their personality type influences their decision-making process.
Why Change Your Speaker Strategy Now?
The world of work is transforming dramatically. Remote teams, hybrid arrangements, AI transformation, accelerating technology – all these shifts demand a corresponding evolution in how we gather, learn, and build connections.
When your industry changes, your approach to meetings must change too.
When your audience changes, your engagement strategy must adapt.
When your competition raises the bar with memorable events, standing still means falling behind.
Yet the stakeholders who need to approve your speaker choice may hesitate. They're wondering if this new approach will deliver value, align with company goals, or resonate with your team.
I'll show you how to address each personality type's specific concerns using the same framework I teach in my "Personality Magic" presentation.
The Four Personality Types You Must Convince
After two decades of performing for executives at Fortune 500 companies, I've identified four distinct personality types who need different convincing:
♠ Spades: The decision-drivers who want results
♣ Clubs: The analytical minds who need proof
❤️ Hearts: The relationship-builders who prioritize people
♦️ Diamonds: The enthusiasts who crave excitement
Each requires a completely different approach. Let me walk you through them.
Winning Over the Spades
Spades are your direct, fast-paced decision-makers. They're often found in CEO, COO, or General Manager roles – positions where decisiveness matters.
What Spades Care About:
Clear ROI and bottom-line impact
Competitive advantage
Strategic relevance
Quick implementation
How to Convince Them: When pitching to your Spade stakeholders, focus on outcomes. Tell them:
"Kostya delivers actionable communication frameworks our team can implement immediately. His approach has helped organizations like NASA and Sysco create measurable improvements in team collaboration and customer experience."
Keep your pitch brief and direct. One concise page of bullet points will work better than a lengthy proposal. Show them the direct line between my presentation and their strategic objectives.
Convincing the Clubs
Clubs are your analytical, detail-oriented thinkers – often found in Finance, Legal, or Operations roles.
What Clubs Care About:
Evidence and data
Process details
Risk assessment
Logical presentation
How to Win Them Over: For your Club stakeholders, thoroughness matters. Provide:
"Kostya has delivered hundreds of corporate presentations with a 5.0 average rating across 300+ Google Reviews. His methodology is based on decades of psychological research on personality types and perception."
Detail the practical logistics:
"His team provides comprehensive pre-event questionnaires to customize content specifically for our industry challenges. They'll handle all technical requirements and provide detailed preparation checklists."
Supply testimonials from credible sources in similar industries. Direct them to specific case studies showing measurable results from my work with similar organizations.
Remember that Clubs need time to process. Send information well in advance and be prepared to answer detailed follow-up questions.
Convincing the Hearts
Hearts are your relationship-focused team members who prioritize harmony and people's experiences – often found in HR, Culture, or People Operations roles.
What Hearts Care About:
Team morale and connection
Inclusive experience
Values alignment
Personal touch
How to Get Their Support: For your Heart stakeholders, emphasize the human element:
"Kostya creates genuine moments of connection among team members. His approach helps people understand and appreciate their colleagues' different communication styles."
Highlight the emotional impact:
"His presentation consistently rates as the most memorable part of company events, with attendees reporting stronger team bonds and improved workplace relationships."
Share how I customize the experience:
"Kostya takes time to understand your company culture and values, ensuring his message resonates authentically with your team."
Include testimonials that focus on the positive emotional experience and team-building aspects of my presentations.
Winning Over the Diamonds
Diamonds are your enthusiastic, high-energy influencers who often work in Marketing, Sales, or Creative roles.
What Diamonds Care About:
Innovation and excitement
Audience engagement
Memorable experiences
Standing out from competitors
How to Get Their Buy-In: Your Diamond stakeholders need excitement and vision:
"Kostya creates unforgettable moments that will have everyone talking for months. His presentations combine mind-blowing magic with practical business insights in a way no other speaker delivers."
Emphasize the uniqueness:
"Rather than another predictable keynote, Kostya delivers an interactive experience that keeps everyone engaged from beginning to end."
Highlight the social sharing potential:
"His presentations create perfect moments for social media sharing, building excitement beyond just those in the room."
Show examples of audience reactions from previous events – the wide eyes, dropped jaws, and spontaneous applause that make for shareable moments.
The Magic of Matching Your Approach to Each Personality
The key to gaining stakeholder buy-in isn't presenting a one-size-fits-all proposal. It's adapting your approach to address each personality type's specific concerns.
When you're advocating for bringing me to your next event, remember:
For Spades: Focus on business impact and strategic outcomes
For Clubs: Provide detailed evidence and logistics
For Hearts: Emphasize people connection and emotional experience
For Diamonds: Showcase the unique experience and excitement factor
This targeted approach demonstrates exactly what I teach in my presentations – how to read different personality types and tailor your communication accordingly.
Taking the Next Step
Your organization deserves an event that delivers both substance and memorability. By addressing each stakeholder's specific concerns, you dramatically increase your chances of bringing a truly transformative experience to your team.
Ready to move forward? I recommend starting with the stakeholder whose personality type aligns most closely with the decision-maker at your organization. Use the specific language I've provided above to address their primary concerns.
Want to discuss specific strategies for your organization's unique stakeholders? Let's talk. My team and I help event planners navigate the approval process every day, and we're happy to provide additional materials tailored to your specific situation.
Remember that gaining buy-in is itself an exercise in perception management – exactly what I teach organizations to master. By applying these principles even before the event begins, you're already demonstrating the value I'll bring to your team.
