Who’s the best speaker to bring your virtual, hybrid or in-person event to life? Who’ll impact and inspire your audiences towards action in a memorable way? Here are the important things to consider.
3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A VIRTUAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER FOR YOUR NEXT ONLINE, HYBRID OR IN-PERSON EVENT
Let’s be honest – the conferences and events of 2020 have NOT been the kind we were hoping for. But while Covid-19 has capsized in-person gatherings, it’s never been more necessary to boost morale, inspire individuals and build a stronger team. Many conferences and events have transitioned online, and keynote presentations are still an integral part with the understanding that smart, charismatic speakers have the power to inspire across the digital divide. But booking the perfect keynote speaker is a daunting challenge at the best of times. So how do you know who’ll be the best speaker to add value to your virtual or hybrid event and bring your digital experience to life? Here are 3 things to consider.
Smart, charismatic keynote speakers have the power to inspire across the digital divide and bring your event to life
1. DO THEY UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE?
Research and aligning the message is always crucial to delivering the best keynote experience. Speakers must know the theme and topics to be covered within the context of attendees’ needs, obstacles and goals – and plan their key take-aways accordingly. Creating connection is vital and while speakers won’t be on the exact same journey as their audience, their job is to use their own stories to highlight common ground – the challenges, fears and driving forces – and in doing so, help us access and implement the secrets to our own success.
2. CAN THEY KEEP YOUR AUDIENCE ENGAGED?
Event attendees want experiences not lectures. Never has this been more true than when they’re heavy with video conference fatigue, sitting on their bed with the Zoom shirt on top and the pjs down below. Moving to virtual means more distractions for audiences and less scope for speakers to create engagement through eye contact and body language, but that doesn’t mean they can’t keep audiences on the edge of their seat.
A great virtual keynote speaker will use strategic virtual engagement techniques that break through the screen to establish connection. They’ll get creative with virtual icebreakers, energisers and interactive tools like chat boxes, slack rooms, gamification, surveys and polls, plus this is where self-deprecating humour comes into its’ own. In short, the best keynote speakers join the dots to bring faraway people right into the room, making attendees feel unified and part of a bigger whole.
3. WILL THEY INSPIRE YOUR AUDIENCE TO ACTION?
Your audience needs to feel connected, entertained and engaged but let’s not forget the goal of any great keynote presentation – turning inspiration into action. A good speaker will take your theme or message, add their special sauce and stories, and deliver it with the kind of power that will leave audiences inspired to rethink their daily challenges. But a great speaker, whether an athlete, broadcaster, entrepreneur or adventurer, will also provide actionable insights into the evolution of their own experience and share real life strategies that attendees can put into practice straight away.
A BIG DECISION – CHOOSE WISELY!
Virtual events (as well as increasingly popular hybrid events) present plenty of challenges for organisers, speakers and attendees alike but loss of physical presence doesn’t have to mean loss of impact. (Ever been blown away by a TED talk?) Selecting the right keynote speaker can be a HUGE decision for even the most seasoned event planners and meeting organisers. However, imagine instead of a yawn-fest, bringing your virtual conference audience to its feet — and not just in the one location but in homes and offices far and wide.
The key is to find a virtual keynote speaker who’s genuinely interested in your audience and forging connections between people and ideas. Bonus points for interactive and sensory elements! Whatever the goal and desired outcome of your event, a great keynote speaker will bring empathy, relatability, shared human experience and takeaways that unite the audience towards action in an exciting and unforgettable way. In my own tailored virtual experiences, I combine jaw-dropping video footage and photography with stories of challenge and triumph that reach through the screen to deliver raw emotion. When you make people feel, they remember – and the result is real impact and lasting results.
Tell us about your event needs and we’ll provide you with customised recommendations tailored specifically for you. To make your next virtual, hybrid or in-person experience a success, get in touch here.
A great keynote speaker will bring shared human experience and takeaways that unite the audience towards action in an exciting and unforgettable way
ABOUT DANIEL
Daniel Bull is a 3x world record-breaking extreme adventurer and one of the world’s best virtual keynote speakers. He inspires audiences with his enthusiasm and authentic presence and his spectacular footage and first-hand experiences of challenge and triumph are the stuff great presentations are made of. As a keynote speaker who’s headlined both live and virtual conference events, Daniel and the Unstoppabull Speaking team will ensure your meeting goes on! Find out more at www.unstoppabull.com.
