I Want To Know How To Be A Keynote Speaker
Many people want to know how to be a keynote speaker. This is because they hear about the business of speaking and they feel they can make big bucks showing for an hour for a 1 hour presentation. But there is way more to it.
Keynote Presentation
A keynote presentation is a speech given at the beginning of an event, such as a conference or convention. This is because they set the tone for the event and to highlight its main themes and objectives. These speakers are often experts in their field or well-known figures. Their presentation can serve to inspire, motivate, and inform the audience.
Keynote presentations are typically longer than other presentations, ranging from 30 minutes to an hour or more. And as such, they often include multimedia elements such as slides, videos, and graphics to engage the audience. They can be live or pre-recorded, and they can be delivered in-person or virtually through video conferencing technology.
Terms for the Public Speaking Business
Here are some terms and definitions related to the public speaking business:
- Keynote Speaker: A keynote speaker is a speaker who delivers the primary or most important speech at an event, such as a conference or convention. They are the speaker who sets the main theme or tone of an event or conference.
- Speaker Bureau: A speaker bureau is an organization that represents speakers and connects them with event planners looking to hire speakers.
- Breakout Session: A breakout session is a smaller session that takes place during a larger event, typically focused on a specific topic or theme.
- Panel Discussion: A panel discussion is a group discussion where several experts discuss a particular topic in front of an audience.
- Workshop: A workshop is a more interactive and hands-on learning experience. Participants engage in activities and exercises related to a particular topic.
- Toastmaster: A Toastmaster is a person who presides over a public speaking event. They introduce speakers and keep the event on schedule.
- Emcee/MC: An Emcee or MC (Master of Ceremonies) is a person who hosts an event and introduces speakers or performers.
- Pitch: A pitch is a brief presentation or proposal aimed at persuading someone to take a specific action or make a decision.
- Pitch Deck: A pitch deck is a presentation used by entrepreneurs to pitch their business or idea to potential investors or partners.
- Call to Action: A call to action (CTA) is a statement or request that encourages the audience to take a specific action, such as signing up for a newsletter or purchasing a product.
- Public Speaking Coach: A public speaking coach is a professional who helps individuals improve their public speaking skills through one-on-one sessions.
- Delivery: Delivery refers to the way a speaker communicates their message through vocal and nonverbal communication.
- Stage Presence: Stage presence refers to the ability of a speaker to project confidence and charisma while speaking on stage.
These are a few just to get you started. There are many other terms on the business of speaking. This should get you started on how to become a keynote speaker.
What are the different Types of Public Speakers
There are several different types of public speakers, each with their own specific focus and style. Here are some of the most common types:
- Motivational speakers: These speakers aim to inspire and motivate their audience to take action or achieve their goals. Look for a motivational speaker who has an engaging story. A personal message that is inline with the lives of the event attendees.
- Keynote speakers: Keynote speakers deliver speeches that set the tone for an event or conference and often have a specific expertise or area of focus. While sometimes referred to as public speakers a keynote speaker differs. A public speaker at a conference is the general term but the keynote at a conference is one who addresses the group in a general session and is the highlight of the event. Sometimes there are several different slots in the agenda.
- Educational speakers: Educational speakers aim to teach and inform their audience on a specific topic or subject. You can also look for speakers who offer continuing education credit, such as CPE for accountants and fraud examiners or CLE for lawyers and attorneys.
- Entertaining Speakers: Entertaining speakers use humor, storytelling, and other engaging techniques to capture and hold the attention of their audience. They may talk about a wide range of topics, from personal experiences to pop culture. Hopefully you’ll find an entertaining speaker who is a humorous public speaker and a funny keynote speaker, and not just a great story-teller.
- Celebrity Speakers: Celebrity speakers are well-known public figures who are invited to speak at events based on their fame and popularity. They may talk about their personal experiences, careers, or philanthropic work. Some celebrity speakers have a criminal background. One such speaker is Frank Abagnale who is famous for the white collar crimes he committed. He became famous for a movie that was made about him titled, Catch Me If You Can.
- Political speakers: Political speakers are those who speak on political issues, either as a candidate, an activist, or an expert.
- Inspirational speakers: These speakers aim to uplift and inspire their audience with personal stories of triumph over adversity. When you are looking for a keynote speaker on overcoming adversity, you need one with a solid story. Those who speak on overcoming adversity can be very popular at business events. This is is because, business people are also real people and have life experiences. Everyone has had occasion to experience obstacles such as cancer or loss of a family member.
- Business speakers: Business speakers offer insights and strategies related to business and entrepreneurship.
- Commencement speakers: These speakers deliver speeches at graduation ceremonies, offering advice and inspiration to the graduates.
Making Money Speaking
Making money as a public speaker requires a combination of building your reputation and marketing yourself to potential clients. Here are some ways to make money as a public speaker:
- Develop your expertise: Identify your area of expertise and develop your knowledge and skills in that field. This can include taking courses, attending conferences, and reading widely on your topic.
- Build your reputation: Build a strong reputation as a speaker by speaking at conferences and events, writing articles, and creating online content. Use social media to promote yourself and your speaking engagements.
- Join a speaker’s bureau: Speaker bureaus are agencies that represent speakers and help connect them with clients. Joining a speaker bureau can provide you with more exposure and access to potential clients.
- Offer coaching or training: Consider offering coaching or training services to individuals or organizations in your area of expertise. This can be a way to supplement your income and build your reputation as a speaker.
- Create digital products: Consider creating digital products such as e-books, webinars, or online courses related to your topic. These can be sold online and provide a passive income stream.
- Write a book: Writing a book can help establish you as an expert in your field and provide another source of income through book sales and speaking engagements related to the book.
- Develop a niche: Consider developing a niche within your area of expertise, which can make you stand out from other speakers and attract clients with specific needs.
- Set your speaking fee: Determine your speaking fee based on your level of expertise and experience, the length of the speaking engagement, and the size of the audience. Be sure to research industry standards and adjust your fee accordingly.
These are some of the main things you can do to become a public or keynote speaker. Even if you have most of these things mastered, you bust also be a master of the Business of Speaking.
Categories of Keynote Speakers
Here are ten popular categories of keynote speakers, primarily focused on the business:
- Leadership and Management Speakers: These speakers provide insights on effective leadership, management strategies, and cultivating high-performing teams.
- Innovation and Disruption Speakers: They focus on fostering innovation, embracing disruptive technologies, and driving growth through innovation.
- Sales and Marketing Speakers: These speakers offer expertise in sales techniques, marketing strategies, and customer engagement to boost business performance.
- Entrepreneurship and Startups Speakers: They share their experiences and knowledge about starting and scaling businesses, entrepreneurial mindset, and navigating the startup ecosystem.
- Technology and Digital Transformation Speakers: These speakers delve into emerging technologies, digital trends, and the impact of technology on business transformation.
- Business Ethics: These speakers provide a real-life lesson in fraud and ethics, drawing from their own experiences with committing fraud and facing the consequences. By sharing their stories, they highlight the importance of honesty, transparency, and ethical conduct in the business world.
- Finance and Economic Speakers: These speakers provide insights into financial markets, economic trends, investment strategies, and financial management.
- Change Management and Organizational Development Speakers: They focus on managing change, organizational culture, and developing agile and adaptive organizations.
- Strategy and Execution Speakers: These speakers offer guidance on strategic planning, execution, and aligning business goals with actionable strategies.
- Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Speakers: They address diversity and inclusion in the workplace, fostering inclusive cultures, and leveraging diversity for business success.
These categories reflect popular topics and areas of focus within the business world, where keynote speakers provide valuable insights and expertise.
Being A Speaker Can Be Challenging
Becoming a keynote speaker can be challenging. It requires a significant amount of time, effort, and skill to develop and deliver a compelling presentation that engages and inspires the audience. Here are some of the challenges you may face as a keynote speaker:
- Competition: There is a lot of competition in the speaking industry, and it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd and secure speaking engagements.
- Preparation: Preparing a keynote speech takes a significant amount of time and effort. You need to research your topic, develop a clear message, and create an engaging presentation that will captivate your audience.
- Public speaking skills: Keynote speakers need to have excellent public speaking skills. For example, the ability to connect with the audience, convey their message clearly and effectively, and handle unexpected challenges or distractions.
- Travel: Keynote speakers may need to travel extensively to speak at events, which can be tiring and time-consuming.
- Nerves: Public speaking can be nerve-wracking, even for experienced speakers. Overcoming nerves and delivering a confident, polished presentation can be a challenge.
- Rejection: As with any competitive field, keynote speakers may face rejection from potential clients or event organizers.
Despite these challenges, being a keynote speaker can also be rewarding and fulfilling. This is because it allows you to share your message with a large audience, and make a positive impact on people’s lives. With dedication and hard work, it is possible to answer the question: How to be a keynote speaker? and become a successful keynote speaker.
Being A Speaker Can Be Rewarding
Being a keynote speaker can be rewarding for a number of reasons.
As a keynote speaker, you have the opportunity to share your message and ideas with a large audience. This can be an incredibly powerful way to inspire others to take action or think differently about a particular issue.
It can also help build your reputation and establish yourself as an expert in your field. This is because it can lead to new opportunities for collaboration, consulting, or other types of work.
Speaking at events can be a great way to network and connect with other professionals in your field or industry. Which is why you can meet new clients and colleagues who share your interests. And they and can help you advance your career.
Delivering a keynote speech can be and rewarding experience. It can help you develop new skills and grow as a person. It is a powerful tool for overcoming fear, building confidence, and improving communication skills.
Experience and Expertise
Depending on your level of expertise and experience, keynote speaking can also be a lucrative way to make a living. This is because, keynote speakers can earn a significant amount of money per engagement, making it a financially rewarding career.
Overall, being a keynote speaker can be a fulfilling and rewarding. This why many people do it. Because, it’s a way to share your ideas, make an impact, improve yourself and make a living.
Most Commonly Asked Questions on How to be a Keynote Speaker
Q: How do I become a keynote speaker?
A: Ready to take the stage and rock those keynotes? First, find your inner expert and choose a topic you’re passionate about—preferably one that won’t put your audience to sleep. Then, practice your speaking skills like a madman (or madwoman) by joining toastmasters and speaking at every opportunity you get.
Q: Are there specific qualifications or certifications required to become a keynote speaker?
A: Nope, no diploma needed! Just bring your A-game and a dash of charisma. Of course, it helps if you actually know what you’re talking about and have some real-world experience to back it up. But remember, it’s more about how you engage and inspire your audience than any fancy credentials.
Q: How can I get speaking opportunities as a keynote speaker?
A: Time to get your networking game on! Rub elbows with event planners, industry gurus, and fellow speakers. Create a speaker profile that screams “hire me!” and spread the word through your website and social media. Pitch yourself shamelessly to conferences, organizations, and any event that will listen—hey, you’ve got a message to share!
Q: How can I improve my speaking skills?
A: Practice makes perfect, my friend! Get out there and speak like there’s no tomorrow. Join speaking clubs, record yourself, and ask for feedback (preferably from people who won’t sugarcoat it). If all else fails, hire a speaking coach to help you polish your delivery and perfect your stage presence. Cue the standing ovation!
Q: How can I differentiate myself as a keynote speaker?
A: Stand out from the sea of speakers by being YOU. Embrace your quirks, develop your own unique style, and infuse your presentations with captivating stories and a healthy dose of humor. Stay ahead of the curve by staying informed, dropping knowledge bombs, and keeping your audience entertained. Be unforgettable, and they’ll be begging for more!
Remember, my aspiring keynote speaker, it’s not just about being good—it’s about being remarkable, memorable, and leaving your audience wanting more. So, go forth, conquer that stage, and make ’em laugh, cry, and think all at once!
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Jerome Mayne has been a keynote speaker since 2001. He has coached and mentored dozens of speakers over the years. Contact him about his upcoming book, “Speak Now! or forever hold your peas”. You’ll get release updates and pre-released content on how to become a keynote speaker.
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