Becoming a keynote speaker is a critical part of my budding video marketing agency. I've had the opportunity to speak at over 20 events in the last two years. Some events had 5 attendees. Some had over 100. But every time I was able to take away another learning experience. And each time gave me more confidence for the next. That's why my number one piece of advice for those considering speaking as a strategy is to take on any opportunity you can in the beginning, paid or unpaid. Also, don't forget to get a testimonial from every event organizer once you're done and put this on your website. Create a page on your website that's titled "Speaking" (or something similar) and put these testimonials on that page, along with all of the events you've spoken at. You can then use this as leverage to book more speaking engagements over time.
For me, health and wellness have always been my top priority. I believe in the power of good health, both physically and mentally. It’s why I strive to become a keynote speaker on health-related topics. The key to becoming a successful keynote speaker, no matter the topic, is to be passionate and knowledgeable about your subject. If you are truly passionate, informed, and able to engage with an audience, then you have the foundation for becoming a successful keynote speaker. But it doesn’t stop there; you must continue to hone your craft by researching, practicing, and listening to feedback. Only then can you become a successful keynote speaker with the power to make real change in the world.
Yes, being a keynote speaker helps my business as other industry leaders see my image as credible, trustworthy, and inspirational. Which is why it's the core of my business plan. Also, my tip for anyone making their way into the game of becoming a keynote speaker is this: Always remember that your audience is the most important part of your presentation. As a keynote speaker, establishing a deep connection throughout your speech is the only key to succeed. To do this, you should establish a connection with the audience from the very beginning of your speech. You can start by introducing yourself and your connection to the topic, then use stories and anecdotes to make your points, as this will help to make your speech more relatable and engaging. Additionally, be sure to use body language and facial expressions to demonstrate your enthusiasm and passion for the topic. Finally, be sure to ask questions throughout the speech to engage the audience and get them involved.
Yes, becoming a keynote speaker was my plan from the beginning. I believe it’s the most effective way to grow your personal brand, and open yourself to vast networking opportunities. After years of grinding, my tip to anyone new is: Just be yourself. Allow your personality to shine through, but remain professional. Being yourself as a keynote speaker means being confident, vulnerable, and authentic. To be yourself, it is important to be confident in your message and how you are presenting it. It is also important to be open to vulnerability in your presentations. Being vulnerable allows you to connect with your audience in a deeper way. Lastly, authenticity is key. Stay genuine and honest with your audience – and yourself. If you are authentic, you will be able to connect with your audience in a meaningful way. Being yourself as a keynote speaker is an important part of being successful not only during the speech but in the field as a whole as well.
Getting on stages as a speaker is my #1 marketing strategy for 2023 because it worked in 2022 I talked at lunch n learns, conferences, and a few summits about my 'expert' topics to get my brand story in front of my ideal clients. It increased my brand's reach, facilitated my goal of being seen as an expert, and resulted in people reaching out to me for help. Some stages were free, some paid me, and others I paid for access to their audience. The third option is best for lead generation and marketing, as long as you find the event offering the solutions you sell and give you the opportunity to make an offer and build your email list. Before you start reaching out to events, you have to understand your objective. If it's to make sales, then paying to get on stage will give you the results you want, whereas the other stages will give you more brand authority and credibility. Shannon Peel helps brands tell the right story to the right audience. MarketAPeel.agency
As a growth leader, marketer, and wordsmith, becoming a keynote speaker aligns perfectly with my career aspirations. While I guest post to around 80 blogs a month to share my insights about the out-of-home (OOH) advertising space to high-ranking websites, I also sit on the Forbes Communication Council, where I contribute to editorial pieces. Expanding your thought leadership online is an excellent way to reach a broad audience. And having your byline appear at the top of the article compels the reader to check out your bio and company info. While mastering the art of speaking is essential to becoming a keynote speaker, getting your name and knowledge out there gets you noticed by event organizers searching for thought leaders to participate in their upcoming events.
If you want to make the most of this opportunity, my best advice is to learn the art of speech writing. Speech writing not only helps you craft your message so that it resonates with your target audience, but it also gives you structure and makes delivering your presentation far easier. As I started including more keynote speeches as part of my business strategy, I found success in taking public speaking and speech writing courses as well as practicing my talks before presenting them for real. If done correctly, becoming a keynote speaker could be a great addition to any personal business strategy!
I get paid to keynote events, but the day I published my first book was the day I was able to double and then triple my speaking fee due to increased demand. As soon as you have a book, people assume you're an expert and that you have something valuable to share. A book is like a business card on steroids. Just like they used to say, "Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM," no event organizer ever got fired for hiring a keynote speaker who was a published author.
Becoming a keynote speaker is included in my personal business plans, as I believe, it's one of the quickest ways to project your image in the industry as a thought leader. Rehearsing as a keynote speaker is a key to delivering a successful and engaging presentation that resonates with your audience. Firstly, you should prepare your speech in advance and be sure to practice it out loud. This will help you to become more familiar with the material and ensure that you are comfortable speaking in front of an audience. Secondly, use video or audio recordings to review your performance and identify areas where you can improve. Thirdly, enlist a colleague to help you practice and give feedback on how to make your presentation more dynamic and engaging. Finally, practice in front of a mirror or record yourself speaking to gain valuable insight into your delivery and performance. Rehearsing is essential for any keynote speaker and will ensure an enjoyable presentation for the audience.
Yes, becoming a keynote speaker is definitely part of my personal business strategy. My tip for aspiring keynote speakers is to focus on honing your craft. Master the art of public speaking, practice your presentation skills often, and always be prepared with a strong message that resonates with your audience. Building up a portfolio of success stories from clients you’ve impacted will also help establish yourself as an authority in the field and make you a more attractive choice for keynote speaking engagements. Additionally, use social media to drive visibility to your work, network with other industry professionals, and attend conferences and events to grow your platform.
Yes, becoming a keynote speaker was part of my personal business strategy, mainly because it helped build a vast and meaningful network. My tip for new speakers is…before you get on stage, have a plan for your presentation. Know what you’re going to say and when. That will be your plan A. If it fails or you by any chance mess up, you must have a plan B. You’re going to start by writing an outline and listing the main points you want to make. Make sure to provide clear direction and structure to your presentation, so that your audience can easily follow along. Next, decide on the visuals you want to use, such as slides, handouts, and props. These elements will help you keep your audience engaged and help illustrate your points. Finally, practice your presentation several times to make sure you are comfortable with the material. This will help ensure that you can deliver a powerful and effective keynote speech.
Yes, I broke into the keynote speaker industry as part of my business strategy. I discovered it’s a quick way to demonstrate expertise, and build a meaningful network. My tip to anyone new: Incorporate visuals, such as slides, into your presentation to engage your audience. As a keynote speaker, the use of visual aids is super helpful to capture the audience’s attention, and further engage them with your speech. Visual aids can help to clarify a point, emphasize an idea, and can keep the audience engaged. When incorporating visual aids, ensure that they are used to supplement your message, not to become the main focus. Before starting your presentation, test your technology to ensure that the visuals are functioning properly. During your presentation, use visuals as a way to break up the monotony of your speech. Finally, make sure to keep the visuals simple and easy to understand. Too much information can be overwhelming and can lead to confusion.
Keynote speakers are often invited to speak at events or conferences due to their expertise and reputation. Therefore, it is important to leverage your network and build relationships with key figures in the industry. This way, you can create awareness about yourself and reach out to potential sponsors or partners who can help promote your message. Additionally, networking with industry professionals can help you secure speaking opportunities and gain exposure to new audiences.
The most important thing that any keynote speaker can do is practice their speech and the presentation of it over and over again. You don't want your audience to think that this is the first time you have gone through your presentation, and you don't need the stress of presenting it while trying to think about what you are supposed to be saying next. By the time you come to present it, it should be a natural process, you should know exactly what to say, and how to say it. The best way to get practice is to ask friends, family, or colleagues to let you present it to them. Don't think that by presenting it once you have mastered it, ask a variety of people to be your audience and perform it as many times as it takes for you to master it. Remember to work on your body language and the correct tone to deliver the various stages of your speech. Always ask for feedback from your audience and use it to fine-tune the details of your presentation.
Research everything you can about your industry. You should know about (and attend) plenty of events but also stay on top of recent research, mergers, and other big industry shifts. If you hope to find success as a keynote speaker, you need to know far more than the average professional in your industry, so get ready to read! You should also research your competition in the industry. Attend conferences and events they’re leading and look into their business background. Surf their LinkedIn profile, business website, and any other material available. Learn how the most successful speakers brand themselves so you can emulate their most successful tactics.
Becoming a keynote speaker is a fantastic way to develop your business and build visibility in the industry. It took some courage to stand up in front of an audience and share my knowledge, but thanks to that experience I am now much more confident when speaking with potential customers or prospects. If you are considering this strategy as well, my top tip would be to find a niche topic and focus on delivering value based on your own expertise. This gives people something tangible that they can take away from the presentation and strengthens your reputation as an authority.
The most successful keynotes are those that are relevant to the audience and provide something of value. Therefore, think about what your audience wants to hear and deliver on it. The more tailored the message, the more effective it will be. There are two ways to make your keynote more engaging. First, use stories and analogies to help people understand concepts. Second, encourage audience participation. By doing these things, you’ll be able to hold people’s attention and leave them with something they can apply to their lives.
Founder at Elite HRT
Answered 3 years ago
Start by identifying your niche. There are many different types of keynote speeches, so you need to find the topic that you're most passionate about and that you have the most knowledge about. This will make it easier to write your speech and keep your audience engaged. A great keynote speech takes a lot of time and effort to create, so make sure you start planning well in advance and give yourself enough time to write and rehearse your speech multiple times.
Yes, 100% – becoming a keynote speaker is my business strategy to project my image as a thought leader, which resultantly, will help strengthen my businesses. Also, to anyone starting their journey as a keynote speaker…my tip is to become a masterful storyteller. Storytelling is the key to becoming a great keynote speaker. Learn to craft stories that illustrate your point and make your audience engage with the material. Make sure to practice your delivery, so that you can make it sound natural and engaging.
Stories evoke emotion and emotions drive action — more than stats and data. That's not to say that analytics aren't important — but alone, they won't be able to drive the point home. If you can harness the power of storytelling and share anecdotes and stories from your personal experience to support the data you're presenting, you'll be able to engage with your audience a lot more.