Speaking of Empowerment

I received some shocking news. Not every motivational speaker is as good as he perceives he is. Surprising I know. However, it’s possibly something you’ve thought after a great number of hours of listening to boring motivational speeches. As a motivational speaker, I hear many speakers drone on about how proficient they are. And then I see them and speculate whose definition of “good” they are using. Clearly, most of us can’t be trusted to be critics of our own competence. Neither are our good friends and family. I don’t want to burst your bubble, but you furthermore can’t depend on the ten percent of the crowd who just love everybody – you know the ones – they don’t have the heart to let you know that your speech was as motivating as a stick in the eye. Clapping doesn’t always indicate that you did a good job. Who hasn’t seen a case where one zealous individual can initiate a chain reaction standing ovation. I know it hurts, but if you want to be a motivational speaker, at some point you need to figure out if you genuinely motivate. Possibly just as crucial – do you produce an ROI for the individuals who engage you?
I am not speaking to trainers. What I have to say is targeted at motivational speakers who have advertised that they offer a richer experience. Trainers are judged primarily on the information that they pass along, although presentation is also important. The motivational keynote speaker is paid to come give an unforgettable presentation with information woven into it. Motivational keynote speakers are judged primarily on performance.

How can you be positive that your message is genuinely impacting your audience? If people line up when it’s over asking for your business card. If they say, “We want to hire you.” If the meeting planner is glowing, hugging your neck, and saying you made them look great. Getting asked back and telling all of their friends about you is a wonderful thing. You could consider all of these things good signs that you followed through on your assurances.

In comedy class we were taught something referred to as the 80/10/10 principle: Ten percent will invariably love you, ten will always hate you, and eighty percent will hold judgment. Concern yourself with that eighty percent. Ask yourself, “have you connected with that 80%?” No speaker ever reaches 100% of the audience 100% of the time.

Decide on the emotional reaction you want from the audience. What you would like them to think. Are you giving them a means of responding to your presentation? Evaluations? Surveys? Begin sifting through the survey information at your first chance. Sit up and take notice of reviews.

Having them tell you that was a good performance does not necessarily indicate they learned anything. Just because the audience gushes over how knowledgeable you are doesn’t mean they were in love with your delivery. Having them compliment your breakout session, doesn’t mean they’ll like you as a keynote speaker.  What you don’t want to hear from a customer: Well, how do you think you did?  If your customer smiles politely and avoids eye contact, you’ve got a problem.

What are you supposed to do when your speech falls short? Apologize. Give their money back. Take a look at the validity of their complaint. Use it to grow and improve.

In tough times, when you get bad evaluations or you wonder why you’re doing this – pull out those letters you got where people told you what an impact you made. They will remind you of the times you got it right. If you can’t find any, perhaps you should take a hard look at what you are doing. Don’t be disheartened. Nobody gets it perfect right out of the box. Realistically, most of us get a rough start and hard knocks. It’s a process. Now get back to work.

Many different types of speaker with various backgrounds can all be included under the term ‘motivational speaker.’ What they have in common is their goal which is to inspire and motivate their audience. Of course, with each different audience come different goals and so it follows that not all speakers will be suitable for all situations. Many a motivational speaker has a strong business background. Others have a background in the forces. Many others have impressive achievements in sport or exploration under their belt. This means that there is a motivational speaker for every audience, whether in the world of business, education or sport.

In the world of business, morale is naturally very low following the recent recession. Unfortunately this negativity can seep into society as a whole and affect all human relationships. This ultimately causes ongoing cycles of negativity to dominate. A motivational speaker with a strong grounding in business, people management, or even the military can help improve morale in the workplace. Once a united team has been built then success will follow.

In the world of education, particularly around exam time, many educators call on a motivational speaker. A motivational speaker often helps youngsters to realise that they are in exclusive control of their destiny at a time when disaffection can cause problems. Taking ownership of one’s own future produces a newfound feeling of control and increases motivation.

Obviously, a motivational speaker who works with young people will be very different from the sort of speaker who works in the world of business. Younger audiences are more likely to hold celebrities or sports stars as role models. On the contrary, those people who work in business would be more interested in the words of a respected entrepreneur.
So long as an experienced, talented speaker is hired, the investment of the motivational speaker’s fee will always pay off. The best speakers know from experience that the most memorable speeches have a longer lasting effect. It’s true that the long term benefits to hiring a motivational speaker are clear.

Are you hosting a conference and worried your audience may not be as large as hoped? Are you planning an organisation’s annual dinner and hoping to make it memorable?  Are you launching a new product for the media or introducing a new business technique to your company? Are you organising an upcoming charity event and keen to boost attendance and donations? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then it might be time to consider an after dinner speaker.

Many event organisers would agree that in any of the situations mentioned above, an after dinner speaker would be their weapon of choice. In cases where an after dinner speaker has a little bit of celebrity, the effect could be even better. And that doesn’t just mean celebrity in the conventional, showbiz sense, but rather any type of renown or respect in a particular field.

In the business world, an after dinner speaker might attend anything from the dinner following an AGM, a training day or a conference. This is an example of when a speaker with renown rather than fame, per se, might come in handy.Employing an after dinner speaker who is highly respected in the relevant business field could encourage more people to attend and add weight and authority to any new practices or techniques introduced at training days.

In the world of charity, the after dinner speaker is a fantastic tool. Depending on the type of charity and the expected audience, using a famous face can be a wonderful boost. Before the event, a celebrity after dinner speaker can raise the profile of the event and the charity itself. With interest comes attendance and with attendance come donations. So be sure to make the most of your after dinner speaker.

Deciding on the type of after dinner speaker to go with is never easy. Choosing a famous face might seem obvious, but be careful to ensure the speaker is right for the expected audience’s age, gender and interests.

Recent years have seen the motivational speaker take on greater importance in our society than ever before. Such speakers are more frequently called upon to use their skills than ever before. The rise of the motivational speaker has been most noticeable in the world of business. This is particularly true following months of poor business performance owing to the recession. All the same, business leaders appear confident that the investment in the motivational speaker will pay off.

The motivational speaker has a multi-faceted role when speaking at training days and conferences. There’s the responsibility to keep an audience entertained by and involved in the presentation whilst also actually doing the motivating. In terms of business, the motivational speaker may be called upon in times of low productivity, when negativity has polluted all aspects of a business’ process.

The motivational speaker is not there to give an audience the answer, but rather to facilitate the finding of the answer to their problems. A good speaker will use words as a tool to encourage the audience to look inside themselves and question their negative attitude in order that they will find a way of changing their approach to work and life and improve their position as a result.

Business takeovers have proved to be one of the most popular times to employ a motivational speaker. It is natural that when one company buys out another there is anxiety and resentment. There is also the sudden expansion of a team and the need to become accustomed to unfamiliar working processes. These circumstances often lead to a motivational speaker being drafted in to try to improve the group dynamic in the workplace. It is certainly no secret that using only words, a talented motivational speaker can introduce a set of shared goals and aims.

Therefore it seems that the motivational speaker is going to become increasingly important as companies work to overcome the recession.

  Asking an after dinner speaker to make a presentation can improve on almost any event. Event planners love to use the services of a good after dinner speaker because they really help to end events on a positive, high note which results in a more memorable event for everyone concerned.

Events at which an after dinner speaker often features vary in genre from charity fundraisers to sports dinners to corporate gatherings but in all of these cases the aim of the speaker is the same. The after dinner speaker aims to ensure the event is memorable and finishes on a positive note. Of course, not all speakers are created equal. There are some obvious marks of a good after dinner speaker which anyone hiring one should remember.

Even if the tone of the event is informative or educational, the after dinner speaker will not seek to lecture or bore their audience. Instead, an experienced speaker will have a knack of informing an audience in a light-hearted, perhaps even humorous way. Often, the presentation will be inspirational or thought-provoking but an audience should never feel bored.

A good after dinner speaker should liaise with events organisers to get the most of the lay-out and acoustics of the room.The audience, for example, is more likely to feel as though they are a part of the presentation if they can see the speaker. Planners might consider using cabaret-style seating arrangements to this end.

Maintaining the ongoing interest of the audience must always be a priority for a good after dinner speaker. To this end, they may use visual aids or anecdotes. it is also important that an audience gets the impression that the presentation is relevant to them. Therefore, a good after dinner speaker will keep their presentation current by relating their topic to recent issues and news.

Probably the most important skill that makes a good after dinner speaker is their ability to end always on a high note. Even if the subject matter has been serious, speeches should always find a positive note on which to end. An audience that leaves an event on a positive note will think highly of the event, making it a success.