Becoming a great keynote speaker means presenting knowledge and expertise in a relatable, understandable, and engaging way.
Therefore, whether you are a veteran professional speaker or have just started out on your speaking career, your goal is to consistently deliver an engaging and impactful speaking presentation – or what I like to call a killer keynote.
And regardless of the topic, when a speaking presenter is able to change the outlook of those in the audience, opening their minds to see something they hadn’t noticed, known, or believed before, they are no longer just a typical speaker – they are a killer keynoter!
A killer keynoter is a keynote speaker that takes the audience on a journey, sharing new ideas while inspiring the audience to make a positive change that will enhance their real-life situations.
While one keynote might not change the world, a keynote speaker with the right message, content, and delivery can make an audience understand why their world needs to change. And can motivate them to take positive action.
Throughout my years of speaking, I have identified the core elements these killer keynoters utilize to consistently deliver relevant content and an overall message that drives their audiences to shift their thinking and act.
And in this article, I am going to share these 8 elements of a killer keynote to help ensure you are among the Killer Keynoters!
1. Provoke Thought.
A phenomenal and engaging keynote should be more than simply reporting information. You know, The 10 Steps to Something Something.
A powerful keynote presentation must provoke thought, pique curiosity, and encourage the audience to make a shift in their mindset.
Challenging your audience with tough, provocative questions will increase their interest while pushing them to look at your topic with a fresh perspective.
2. Be Motivational.
Many speakers shy away from the title “motivational speaker,” believing motivation is all about a touchy-feely or the old walking over coals routine. A lot of speakers feel that adding a motivational element to their presentation will detract from their serious and unique content.
The reality is that no matter how amazing and unique your content is if you can’t motivate your audience to take action and embrace your perspective, your message will fall on deaf ears.
In addition to providing exceptional content, your presentation and style must be a stimulus for change. And after hearing your keynote, hopefully, listeners should feel energized and ready to act.
3. Deliver Information that Needs to Be Shared.
And while motivation is important, you still need to deliver a healthy dose of unique content worth sharing. While you are most likely not the only speaker who specializes in your topic, you are the only one with your unique perspective. Embrace that difference!
Whether your topic deals with a specific industry problem, an emerging trend or technology, or an insight for personal growth, it is crucial that you work hard to make your content stimulating, unique, and actionable.
4. Embrace Your Expertise.
So you have the unique content, and you are motivating your audience to take action — but are you effectively positioning yourself as an authority on this topic?
Don’t forget you are the expert – don’t be afraid to embrace that fact. In addition to being hired for your content, you were hired specifically because of your expertise.
When an audience truly sees you’ve “been there and done that” and emerged successful, you build trust with them. And when they trust that you are the right person to guide them through their problems, you will build a deeper connection and be a greater source of inspiration.
5. A Keynote Must Have Energy and Enthusiasm.
One of the most crucial aspects of being an engaging speaker is being able to keep your audience’s attention.
If you don’t sound excited about what you have to say, it’s unlikely that your audience will feel very enthusiastic either.
That said, it needs to be real. Delivering their program with the right amount of authentic enthusiasm can be a real challenge for many speakers. And, audiences can easily sniff out forced enthusiasm and fake energy. So, if this is you… practice until you get it right, and bring your authentic energy and enthusiasm into every presentation.
6. Be Authentic.
Today, more than ever before, audiences crave authenticity from the speaker. That means you are the same person on and off the stage.
An authentic speaker is a memorable speaker. Stay true to your brand. When you are genuine in delivering your ideas, your audience will perceive this genuineness and sincerity.
7. Give the Audience Hope.
We all need hope, and our keynote programs can be a truly uplifting experience for members of the audience. Bringing hope to people, in whatever form, can go a long way, from giving words of encouragement to extending a helping hand or showing kindness.
8. Remind the Audience of Things They May Have Forgotten.
There’s an old expression, “When the student is ready, the teacher appears.”
The truth is, as speakers, we often share ideas and information that our audiences have heard before – sometimes even many times before.
It is the truly great speakers, the killer keynoters, that can present this potentially common information with such style, energy, enthusiasm, and hope that audiences receive it as if it was the first time every time hearing it.
Conclusion
Great keynote speakers consistently convey their unique knowledge and expertise in an appealing, impactful, and engaging manner. And the best keynote presentations are dynamic and powerful experiences that evoke long-term, positive change in thinking.
As you set out to inform, inspire, and motivate your audience, do so in a way that leaves them with a big smile on their face and a desire to repeat the experience with you.
And remember, delivering a killer keynote is not about perfecting one particular technique but rather the ability of the speaker to effectively blend a set of techniques to produce the desired effect.
So, the next time you find yourself in front of an audience, take a moment to reflect on these eight tips. If you can effectively incorporate these into your presentation, you will have a killer keynote presentation that will be remembered for years to come!
