Types Of Keynote Speakers To Hire

There are bunches of types of keynote speakers. While it’s important to choose the right type of public speaker for your conference, don’t get too hung up in your event theme. There are many different keynote speakers, some have ‘cross-over’ topics. I believe that the type of speaker you choose needs to be informative and memorable to be remarkable to your audience.

Primary Categories of Keynote Speakers

There are basically three (3) primary categories of keynote speakers. They are: Motivational, Celebrity and Business thought leaders. Many speakers work and can be considered experts in different categories, but these are only the primary ones. There are many sub categories and types of them out there.

A few examples of the different types of keynote speakers that can be hired for an event are found below. It’s essential that you choose the right speaker based on your audience to ensure a successful and memorable event.

Humorous Keynote Speakers

Comedians, or comics, can be hired to add humor and entertainment to an event, even with serious topics faced in the workplace. For example, they combine serious topics such as humor and ethics, as well as fraud. Many keynote speakers think of themselves as a funny speaker, however, they only tell jokes. If the jokes are canned, the speaker will have a hard time being authentic, and the audience won’t connect.

I think that a humorous keynote speaker is the right choice. This is because, if they are genuine and have experience in the stand-up comedy field, they can add comic relief. They can also help break the ice by adding comic relief and create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere for attendees.

Speakers on Ethics

Keynote speakers on ethics can be of the academic nature or teach real life lessons through personal stories. This is because, either way, the audience will get the point. Jerome Mayne is the type of speaker on ethics that gives real life examples through his personal stories. For example, he does this through case studies and epic story-telling.

Ethics keynote speakers can be huge motivators. This is because most professionals at industry professionals at association events and conferences want to be inspired to avoid the consequences.

Business Keynote Speaker

The business types of keynote speakers, should be relevant. However, they should come across like a caffeine shot to a drowsy Monday morning meeting. They take the stage and fill the room with energy. With a balance of wit and wisdom, they weave tales that resonate with everyone from the newbie intern to the seasoned CEO.

These speakers are experts in their fields, but they don’t just deliver dry facts. Instead, they sprinkle in compelling stories, stirring insights, and yes, even a good dose of humor. Their talks are about more than just business—they’re about people, growth, and the unpredictable rollercoaster ride that is the business world. A great business keynote speaker should be an upgrade from your average PowerPoint presentation!

Corporate Keynote Speakers

A corporate speaker could be the perfect fit for a business conference. Their expertise in the corporate world adds credibility to their message. The best choice is one that has a motivational style. Through captivating stories, insights, and relatable examples, they can inspire and uplift the audience. Good corporate keynote speakers have an engaging delivery and charismatic presence. They create excitement, emphasizing the importance of a positive mindset and perseverance. The goal is to leave attendees motivated, equipped with the tools for success within the corporate realm.

Industry Experts

An industry expert is a type of keynote speaker who is exactly that. A speaker who is an industry expert in their field. They may be members of the type of association for which the conference or event is a part of. This is great because their expertise would be related to their industry or niche. They will have in-depth knowledge of their field, can provide insights into current trends. Oftentimes these types of speakers are called thought leaders. It’s a new buzzword in the speaking industry.

Some industry experts are self taught in their fields. Jerome Mayne (that’s me) is self-taught expert in his field. Jerome has first hand knowledge about Fraud and Ethics. This is because he committed a white collar crime and actually went to prison for it.

Beware! Sometimes industry experts are simply that — experts in their fields. They are not necessarily great, experienced, or even good speakers. Oftentimes inexperienced event planners will book an industry expert, or a conference sponsor, to give a presentation just to save money.

The conference committee will need to fill a spot on their roster just to — well, fill a slot. It can be a real downer and kill the flow of the event. The absolute WORST thing an event planner can do is give this so called ‘Industry Expert’ a speaking slot in their agenda where they follow, a very dynamic speaker. It’s not just bad for the attendees but it’s a horrible thing to do to this “expert”. As they say in show business, that speaker will ‘die’!

Motivational Speakers

One very popular types of speakers is the motivational keynote speaker. They are often brought in to inspire and motivate the audience. They use personal stories and anecdotes to encourage attendees to achieve their goals, overcome challenges, and believe in themselves. This can also be a presenter who has overcome a a significant amount of adversity and has a story about how they came out the other side much better than they were before.

Celebrity Speakers

The celebrity speaker type is often a popular and well-known personality from the world of entertainment, sports, or politics. Because of this, they can attract a large audience and bring a touch of glamour and excitement to an event. These types of keynote speakers might not actually be good. For example, a famous football coach may be a celebrity, they are not expert keynote speakers. On the other hand, a celebrity very similar to Jerome Mayne is a speaker by the name of Frank Abagnale.

Inspirational Speakers

This type of keynote speaker inspires. They can be individuals who have overcome significant adversity in their lives which is why they can inspire and motivate others with their stories. What if your event audience heard the story of an inspirational speaker who overcame the adversity of a cancer diagnosis while they were in federal prison? It’s likely the event audience would be inspired to overcome the adversity, this is because they have similar experiences. Ultimately this is a different type of keynote speaker that can help attendees to see the world in a new light and encourage them to achieve their dreams. ” If they can do it. You can do it.”

Thought Leaders

Many public speakers want to be a thought leader type of keynote speaker. They do this because, they strive to be the top individual in their market of the topics of which they speak. This type should be speaking professionals who are recognized as experts in their field and have a unique perspective on the industry or topic they are discussing. Because, they should be able to offer fresh insights and perspectives to attendees and provide thought-provoking ideas for the future. I know of an excellent thought leader in the field of business ethics by the name of Chris McDonald Ph.D.

Business Leaders

A keynote speaker of this type of keynote speaker can be an industry expert or even a celebrity in their field. Which is why, individuals such as a CEO of a Fortune 500 company or better yet, the founder of a company is great. This is because, they are well known and popular. Business leaders are individuals who have achieved significant success in the business world. They can offer insights into their experiences and share valuable advice and strategies for success for your audience.

At times, some business leaders look into how to become a professional keynote speaker. They are smart business professionals who can’t connect well with an audience. This is because many times they use power points full of bullet points. Additionally, they may actually be too smart and use language that goes over the heads of the industry for which they are a part of. I recommend you avoid this.

Ethics Keynote Speakers

For your event you might consider more types of keynote speakers under the category of ethics and doing the right thing. Which is why you may need to book a keynote speaker with the specialties:

• ethics keynote speaker for conference
• ethics keynote speakers
• keynote speakers on ethics
• business ethics keynote speaker

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Contact Jerome Mayne

Jerome crosses over into a few of these different types of keynote speaker categories. Find out if he is the best fit for your conference, convention or event.