Last week I was the keynote speaker AND Keynote performer for two HR associations in Nebraska. Both are awarding winning chapters of the Society of Human Resource Managers. (SHRM – And I must say that SHRM is an incredible organization that I enjoy being a part of in many states. If you’re a HR professional, you need to be a member).
When I received the call and request to be their guest keynote speaker at their annual conference I listened and learned about their event. One was going to be the closing keynote speaker which was after dinner. It was also after two other speakers. The other was for an opening keynote speaker to kick-start the day. BOTH, important aspect of their event, yet both dramatically different dynamics in terms of event structure.
As a professional speaker, I consistently see the closing speech to typically be in room full of people who had a long day. In this particular case, they’ve worked all day and now may be asked to continue to be highly functional, networking and “tuned-in” for another several hours. It’s not easy. You’ve been there – we ALL have. By the end we want to turn on that mind-numbing television show that doesn’t make us think right?
How do I battle this? I present as a keynote performer. The preparation is much the same in terms of of knowing and understanding their business, challenges and objectives. BUT, you darn well better make them laugh, AND, you darn well better engage them uniquely within the first 30 seconds. If not, mental fatigue mixed with the possible I hope my spouse didn’t forget to get the kid to cello practice sets in – and your audience member is gone. When I structure an after dinner keynote performance, I look at it as about 35-40% humor, funny or interaction with audience members on-stage. This funny is ALWAYS related to the keynote topic and message. It is tightly woven into the theme and makes perfect sense as to why you’re doing it as it furthers the core content.
Thankfully, this entertainment (Business and comedy magician) is a skill set and professional that has been part of my repertoire since age 7. But what does this mean to you if offering a post dinner or end of day keynote? Bring your funny stories, examples, photos or videos that emphasize your content. DON’T stand behind the lectern like the last person. Move in and out of the audience depending on your setup and connect with people personally.
When people are laughing, they are listening.
OH. So what about a keynote speaker? Let me hit that one next time. Stay tuned and thanks for letting me share based on this email question I received.
About Jon Petz
Whether you need a keynote Performer or Keynote Speaker, Jon Petz will start strong and finish stronger! He understands the need to provide engaging, relevant and gripping content to your audience. Call Jon at 614.456.3072 or fill out his contact form to start with a discussion and end with hiring him!