All things being equal, most meeting planners desire to hire funny AND Inspirational speakers that connect with their attendees. If the presenter does well, they look like a rock star and if the person bombs, they look like an idiot.

But the burning question is  “How do you know if the person is both funny and inspirational?”Most presenters wish to exceed their client’s expectations of delivering an inspirational message while keeping the audience engaged through the use of humor. Here are the five things to look for when hiring a great presenter or a funny motivational speaker:

Funny & Inspirational Speaker Litmus Test

• A great presenter isn’t necessarily a stand-up comic.
  Being funny isn’t always about telling jokes (especially off-color ones) or injecting humor into subject material that is not laughable. Humor is a tool that enables the audience to connect, relate and engage into the content. It may simply be a personal story or the tactful look or chance to make light of something that just happened in the meeting room (planned or unplanned). The use quick wit and their timing is impeccable.
• A great presenter is relevant.
  Have you ever been in the audience when the speaker was hilarious but their message seemed too generic and rehearsed? Giving a presentation that could have been given to any convention, whether it is to healthcare providers or technology professionals, makes the message irrelevant because attendees don’t have specific takeaways that dovetail into their work situations.
• A great presenter is prepared.
  Please read Part 1 and 2 of stupid things speakers do, to understand how unprepared some presenters can be. The best speakers understands their audience very well, prepare a customized keynote address that will motivate attendees and deliver it with a sense of style, grace and humor.
• A great presenter delivers new perspectives.
  Inspirational speakers deliver a message that enables the audience to gain a new perspective from when they came in the door. They bend the audience’s mind to unique ways of thinking. They are current on local, national and international events. They are well-read and interject new messages based on their own beliefs and the current teachings of others. Each keynote address is a blank slate geared to bring all the puzzle pieces together – information and inspiration delivered with professionalism and sprinkled with humor.
• A great presenter helps the audience to think, act or feel different.
  The message may be molded in humor, but the motivation to learn and grow is present at all times. A funny, inspirational speaker delivers a message that will be thought about and talked about for weeks and months to come. They simplify the steps to change, without being overbearing or boring.

About Jon Petz

Jon strives to deliver all of the great presenter techniques listed above. He is a spirited, motivational and entertaining presenter that will definitely make you a rock star and have your audience applauding YOU for hiring him! Give Jon a call at (614) 456-3072 or feel free to fill out his online contact form.

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