The Best Business Speaker Will Deliver the Goods!
Large companies typically hold annual or semi-annual conferences where board members huddle over financial and sales data, stockholders listen for optimistic news or voice their opinions, and senior managers and personnel gather to strategize and socialize. Somewhere in the mix, the event will feature sessions in which a business speaker addresses the gathered masses. The purpose of these occasions is to create enthusiasm for the company and its direction, inspire those gathered to renew their commitment to achieving goals, and leave conferees with a sense of mission going forward. An effective speaker will demonstrate a combination of expertise in the company’s industry, a ready wit, and a passionate delivery that will cause listeners to be attentive and fully engaged. Smaller companies that do not hold national or regional conferences, but still want to expose their workforce to a knowledgeable and motivating business speaker, may host an in-house meeting where top producers are rewarded with an excellent meal and an entertaining message.
In either situation, the best choices will have both the resume and the personality to produce a memorable impact on the audience. A fitting resume would include notable success in their area of business, and the more prominent, the better. Jack Welch from GE, and before him, Lee Iacocca from Chrysler turned their past business successes into very lucrative careers after retiring from the leadership of these companies. And retired president Bill Clinton commands the highest fees on the planet for giving speeches. Personality is also important, because the individual should be engaging, warm, passionate, and perhaps humorous, too. The last thing an organizer of a business function wants is a boring speaker, regardless of their business credentials.
Larger corporations might have the budget to choose a business speaker from one of the leading speaker bureaus boasting a bevy of world-class communicators. The best speakers receive fees in excess of $50,000! For half that, they can still hire a well-known speaker that will deliver a great address that meets the organizational purposes for the event. Small companies without large budgets should look within their industry for leaders with proven track records in business, and verifiable positive experience as a public speaker. Organizers looking for a quality communicator should contact colleagues and leaders in their field to seek recommendations, and whenever possible, should attend an event at which the prospective communicator is speaking.
