s I survey the speaker's and caffeine. The O.T.T. will at
market I've become a tad any given moment find it
weary willfully wearing the necessary to expend tremendous
title "Motivational Speaker". All amounts of energy racing about
speakers worth their salt seek to the platform as if a sniper has
motivate or cause action. Maybe them in the crosshairs. During
it's just me, but does the mere smaller office presentations, The
mention of the term "Motivational O.T.T. speaker may also be seen
Speaker" conjure irritating jumping atop a desk shouting "Go
mental pictures in your For It!" or performing their best
subconscious mind? There are far impressions of former Governor
too many stereotypes being and one time Presidential
propagated regarding speakers. I hopeful, Howard Dean's famous
will address a few of these "YEAAAAAHHHHHH".
speaker stereotypes and hopefully
simultaneously construct a It didn't work for Mr. Dean
not-to-do list that aspiring either.
speakers may use on their roads
to success in the lucrative Reality:
speaking industry.
I do not desk hurdle. Many
Motivational Speaker Stereotype professional speakers whom I
Number One: admire keep their gestures
natural and their tones
The "Over-The-Top" Speaker conversational in nature. This is
not "Ringling Brothers, Barnum &
The "Over-The-Top" Speaker or the Bailey" and a speaker's stage is
O.T.T. Speaker appears to have not a big tent.
discovered a new fad diet which
includes mountains of pure sugar Motivational Speaker Stereotype
Number Two: be used if they directly support
and impact the overall theme of
The "Too Much Information" your program. Please allow me to
Speaker cement my viewpoint with a brief
story: During my first
In efforts to emotionally connect professional position as a
with the audience, the notorious paralegal for a government agency
T.M.I. Speaker offers up way Too I had the marvelous opportunity
Much Information of a personal to work side-by-side with a
nature. To the bewilderment of number of experienced individuals
the hiring authority, the TMI and mentors. These mentors taught
speaker utilizes 90% of their me many compelling business
time recanting inner-turmoil, principles that I currently
teary-eyed, blow-by-blow utilize. One day at work on a
commentaries of abuse, personal crowded elevator I struck up a
struggles and tragedies. Though conversation with one such
touching, the program's focus is mentor. In the efforts to protect
obscured and the message diluted the innocent and the ignorant
by the T.M.I. Speakers deluging I'll refer to the mentor in this
pity party. The T.M.I. speaker story as "Mr. Edwards".
fails to realize the goal of any
program is to inspire some sort Me: Hello Mr. Edwards, I noticed
of action of the audience, not to you in the lobby earlier today...
become a martyr or charity case.
Mr. Edwards: Yes, Timothy my
Reality: family paid me a visit...
Engaging your audience is the Me: Really? Was that your son you
goal of any professional speaker, were holding earlier?
but personal stories should only
Mr. Edwards: Oh no, that was my GOOGLE. Yes, the H.T.L.P. catches
nephew. I can't have kids, I'm the audience's attention, but has
sterile. no inkling where to go from
there, except, you guessed it,
Me: Okay onto the next variation of
visual, vain displays which
Motivational Speaker Stereotype culminate into sensory overload
Number Three: and useful substance deprivation.
The "High-Tech, Low-Performance" Solution:
Speaker
Many professional motivational
The H.T.L.P. Speaker loves to put speakers acknowledge the need to
on a show! The H.T.L.P's program capture the audience's attention,
not only begins, its middle and but should a professional speaker
its end is littered with need a truckload of explosives to
state-of-the-art, eye-popping do it? No. The highly regarded
sound-effects and a fantastic professional speaker realizes
frenzy of flashy visuals. In the that he or she is the distributor
outset the audience is totally of the information being
mesmerized, but it becomes disseminated not some slide
grossly apparent that the projector, movie screen or
H.T.L.P. is heavy on the glitz artificial simulator. The speaker
and light on the substance. The who relies too heavily on
H.T.L.P. is a show-person. The electronics to deliver a message
H.T.L.P's entire speech can be detracts from the human-element
boiled down to a bookmark of of their content. Limiting the
inspirational quotes which can be bells and whistles in the show
readily found by any 12-year-old will allow both the audience and
conducting a 30-second search on the speaker to focus on the theme
and purpose of the program. role-playing, personal anecdotes,
Clients watching their Rate of eye contact and poignant
Investment (ROI) versus their quotations all serve as a means
Rate of Return (ROR) will expect to effectively communicate the
less show, more business and overall theme of a motivational
measurable results to justify a speaker's message. A speaker
speaker's fee. In short, if the shouldn't rely on any one method
only requirements for an too heavily and the ultimate goal
effective presentation are flashy must always be to leave the
PowerPoint slides and spectacular audience with a course of action
visuals, there's no need for a they are motivated to pursue.
human-being, and I beg to differ. After all, it's what happens
"after" we leave the stage that
Wrap Up: matters most, right? A
professional speaker who leaves
Many elements can be included in his client with positive
a speaker's arsenal to deliver measurable end-results is a
the utmost impact in their highly sought-after resource and
programs. Story-telling, humor, no joking matter.
props, visuals, gestures,
About the Author:
Timothy Crawford is DC, MD and VA's Top Up and Coming Motivational Speaker. Timothy delivers high-content Corporate Event Programs as well as Inspirational Infusions to Associations and Civic Groups. Visit his website for more information on this dynamic speaker:(http://www.timothycrawford.com)
Read more articles by:
Timothy Crawford
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