Habits of a Great Keynote Speaker
What every conference director and event planner should know
When I started the Zoom call, Ray was already logged in and ready.
Smiling, I said, “Hi Ray. Seeing you live is great, especially after reading your speaker one-sheet. How are you today?”
Ray returned my smile. “I’m great and glad to be here. I understand you’d like me to speak at your conference about the future of work from an HR perspective. Is that right?”
“Yes. Our team saw that this was your specialty, and we liked the video clips you posted on YouTube. The videos showed you as being confident and posed, which we appreciated.”
Looking pleased, Ray said, “Well, I’ve given the talk about 3,000 times for audiences from multiple industries. The talk works well with small groups of 25 to general sessions of 5,000 people. What do you need from me to get us started?”
“We have your media file with your bios and photographs. I also found your keynote description. How will you modify the description to connect with our association members?”
Taken back, Ray looked puzzled. “Hmmm. Well, I could modify it some by mentioning your association’s industry. Over the years, I’ve refined the description to build curiosity and intrigue. Conference…
