Category: “Tips for Speakers”
What makes a good conference host?
In my previous post I discussed the different types of event that require a “host” – and the terminology that the role involves. Here are some considerations as to what makes a good conference host! 1) Presence: A simple word – with many manifestations! Yet we all know when we meet someone who has “presence”!…
On being a conference host
As well as my work as an after-dinner speaker and keynote speaker, I have increasingly been asked to transfer my audience management skills to hosting conferences and other events. This is a job which goes far beyond “announcing names” – if you are going to do it properly! In the next few posts I will…
Coping with blizzards, failed heating and a no show speaker
A few years ago I was booked to speak on creative thinking to open a conference for Primary School Head Teachers being held in a very smart Country Club – in rural Essex!
The problem with “Motivational Speakers”
The title of this post is misleading – deliberately so! The problem is not with motivational speakers themselves (after all I am included in that category) …. the problem is with the misconceptions that can go with the label – as discussed in my previous post. Most people hearing the term “Motivational speaker” would more…
Why hire a Motivational Speaker?
Most people will have in their minds an image of what they think a “motivational speaker” is, and it’s often wrong! As a label, it is actually a blanket term covering many different types of speaker. However it is often perceived as being someone who is slightly pretentious, “holier than thou” – and full of…
After-dinner Speaker or Comedian?
Is there a difference between an after-dinner speaker and a comedian? There are certainly similarities – after all – they both “speak”, and both should aim to be funny! Yet there is a subtle difference…
So what do I do?
Following the advice in my previous post about “elevator pitches” (i.e. what you say to
So what do you do?
This is perhaps the most commonly asked question when meeting someone for the first time – and one that can be answered in many ways! Experts in networking will tell you that merely giving your “job title” is counter-productive as everyone will have their own idea of what you “do” – depending on other people…