Practicality meets nobility in Lady Carnarvon, who has become renowned for opening up her husband's family home to the public and the popular television show, "Downton Abbey." As the eighth and current countess of the Highclere Castle, she travels the globe to share the insteresting history of the building and the fascinating stories of its inhabitants over the decades.

Finding the perfect keynote speaker is not always a quick and easy process.  Moreover, it’s difficult to keep track of new speakers and who’s trending at any given time.  To assist, we’ve created this quick reference list of some of WWSG’s newest, exclusive speakers who are trending in the news right now.

In his new book, Captivology: The Science of Capturing People's Attention, Top 10 Tech Journalist and Silicon Valley Insider Ben Parr writes about how to get noticed in a world of information overload and diminished attention spans.  The author is quick to point out that it’s not a book for self-promoters but, instead, a book about “…capturing the attention for the great ideas, the great art, the great projects that you have.”  Captivology is a story of "our relationship with attention and how capturing it can transform everything you do."  Welcome to the world of Ben Parr.

Employing a keynote speaker has the potential to create a profound impact on your business or organization. Keynote speakers collaborate with you to understand your needs and tailor their speech to deliver key messages designed for maximum impact. But what is easily forgotten is some of the unexpected ways a speaker can help yield positive impact:

Professional speakers give your conference an air of authority that can make them easily worth the investment. Their natural expertise and finely-honed skills often engage audiences in ways that no one else can. To maximize the return on your investment, there are 4 questions you should generally ask yourself when booking your next speaker:

Allen West - During a time where political parties have never been more polarizing, Allen West is proof that race does not determine political affiliation. Born in 1961 in Georgia, West is a Republican and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He served in the US military from 1983 to 2004, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. During his tenure in the military, he received several awards including the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal. West speaks for his strong conservative values as well as a firm education. He is considered a star member of the Tea Party Caucus, where he has repeatedly fought the notion that the movement was motivated by racism, and instead believed it appealed to the conservative values he was raised to honor. His views and affiliation have shown the Grand Old Party can appeal to members of any race and background, and consistently works to prove it, inspiring many others to join the fray. Learn more about Allen West here.  

Hiring a keynote speaker for your event can add a valuable and necessary component to the overall success and experience for your audience. Finding the right keynote speaker for your audience is crucial, but takes time and effort to seek the right fit for your unique event.

A keynote speaker is often an essential part of a conference or event.  Since the session featuring the speaker is bound to be one of the most attended of the entire event, getting the most out of the speaker’s time can be a game changer.  The added pressure of wanting to leave a lasting impression can lead to mistakes and confusion. Although avoidable with communication and timeliness, take a look at these 8 common mistakes that are made when hiring a keynote speaker: