His fees vary and are based upon the length of the service required, number of delegates, location etc. To obtain a quick guide use one of the 'Book John Now' buttons found below to obtain a 'no obligation' quote.
NB ~ It is also worth bearing in mind that the best, top speakers are in great demand by event organisers and agents.
HERE's HOW TO HOLD HIM
We offer a 3 days NON-COMMITTAL provisional booking scheme for requesting John's services. This gives you valuable time to make other important arrangements regarding your meeting reassured that you have John on hold. To confirm the booking simply let us know within those 3 days. If we do not hear from you within the 3 days your 'provisional hold' will expire without any commitment on your part. You have nothing to lose and lots to gain ~ so provisionally hold John for your event now by CLICKING HERE.
Top selling author and Master of Education graduate John Bell is a professional, inspirational, and motivational business meetings speaker who guarantees your delegates will be delighted with his unique and humorous style of delivery.
Using a full-time, professional presenter and performer makes good business sense, and contributes to improvement in delegate well-being and morale. You will be safe in the knowledge you have hired a true professional who, quite frankly, does not have what some less experienced speakers refer to as their 'off days'.
Although normally providing the top of the bill 'motivating keynote' talk at conferences, seminars, conventions and symposia world-wide, John, as a Master of Education and former Curriculum Development and Evaluation Inspector working with the Home Office, is more than willing to provide professional, inspiring, and memorable 'In-House' training sessions at any place of your choosing. Use this hyperlink to learn more about the unique training John can provide.
If you need a professional, motivational or inspirational speaker don't risk important, keynote motivating speeches on cheap, unreliable amateurs as it could cost you dearly and remain a source of constant regret.
You believe in the worth of your meeting so it is equally worth investing in a quality professional, motivational and inspirational, keynote business speaker.
Furthermore there are relatively few like John who can empower delegates through the powerful and motivating combination of both education and entertainment.
Check out some of the short video clips on the left to better understand how John carefully combines the art of stand-up comedy with the science of adult education. This is why he is so popular with audiences whether he is providing in house training for staff or inspiring and motivating delegates at a business meeting.
Whilst on the main platform, John quickly establishes a rapport with his audiences and then delights them with a presentation designed to motivate, inspire, educate and entertain.
Often asked to 'say a few words' in the evening as an after-dinner speaker, John is happy to provide clients with quality, professional, light entertainment sessions that will have your delegates crying with laughter and help put the icing on your conference cake.
After dinner speeches are a great way to make, what are for some, uncomfortable situations more comfortable. It allows individuals to laugh no matter how grim day to day living gets. It is such a nice feeling people will pay money to others to make them laugh. This is where you, as an event organiser, are in a win/win/win situation:
When you entertain your delegates with a professional, experienced, entertaining after dinner or pre dinner talk, provided by a professional speech maker, who entertains through a combination of skilful observation and humour, you are investing in a higher level of success for your event. If your delegates are happy your client is happy, if your client is happy you are happy. This means that everyone is a winner!
Laughter is cathartic; it encourages an individual to purge their problems and painful emotions through the joy of laughing, delivered by a humorous, professional, after dinner speaker who has been providing funny, after-dinner speeches for over 25 years.
Some of the many clients who request repeat performances from John often refer to him as The Mind Guru. The author of many books on applied psychology; he has a truly amazing understanding of the workings of the human mind and is regularly invited to provide professional, postgraduate education and training for members of the medical profession both in-house and at conferences, seminars and conventions.
Yet, as a true professional, John delights both clients and delegates by pitching his presentation perfectly at a level that is comfortable and comprehensible to his audience. He has an amazing ability to somehow make complex concepts appear uncomplicated and clear. A Master of Education graduate, John provides effective training to help people develop.
Making public speaking skills seem so simple only comes with decades of regular experience and a professional, masterful understanding of the art of the speaker.
As the author of two books on Public Speaking John is also invited to provide in-house presentation skills training for potential conference speakers and for those companies wishing to provide advanced speaking and presenting tuition for their staff.
As one of the most popular professional, motivating and inspiring presenters on the international professional speaker circuit you are advised to check his availability and register a no obligation, provisional interest in booking his services. Read on if you wish to learn why he is voted 'Best UK Conference Speaker' time and time again.
The Benefits for You
Hire professional speaker John to provide a speech to motivate and inspire at your conference and you will ensure your own success. He has a Midas touch that rubs off on all those around him. Invite him to present at your conference and you will learn that using a top professional, motivating and inspiring speaker makes a huge difference.
John combines a careful balance of education and entertainment that will enthral your delegates and leave them trained, motivated and inspired. Some meetings organisers have discovered that having John make his presentation immediately prior to the issue of audience feedback forms results in a 'feel-good factor' improvement in overall satisfaction scoring.
Watch the short video clips to the left to get a feel of John's most popular talks and then check out his availability to benefit from a repeat performance at your event. If you would like to see what a professionally motivated and inspired audience looks like, check out the last video clip to the left entitled 'Have the 'Habit' of Success'.
Motivating and inspiring people is a great art. Look at the faces of the delegates shown on the video and ask yourself this question - 'Would I like professional speaker John to motivate and inspire my people like this at my meeting?'
If your answer is 'Yes' then contact us now to check his availability and you will be reassured in the knowledge that the professional, motivational and inspirational speaker required for your event can be ticked off your list of things to do. We also offer a 3 days, NON-COMMITTAL provisional booking scheme to ensure John's services are reserved for your event. This will give you valuable time to make other important arrangements and get any green lights that may be required. All you need do is ask us to hold a particular date. To confirm the booking simply let us know within those 3 days. If we do not hear from you within the 3 days your 'provisional hold' will expire without any commitment on your part. You have nothing to lose and lots to gain ~ so provisionally hold John for your event now. Read about his popular talks:
FIVE POPULAR TALKS
1 ~ The Very Motivational 'Habit' Talk
If you want to motivate and inspire others this presentation is guaranteed to do the job.
All successful organisations realise that, in addition to the essential skills that people need to be effective and efficient at their jobs, above all they need to be inspired. Without a vision, a point of aim, a belief in their abilities, staff will merely perform - they won't be motivated to excel.
One of professional speaker John's objectives at conferences and conventions is to inspire the delegates, to give them an unswerving faith that they can succeed above and beyond their own, often mundane, expectations.
In this keynote presentation designed to motivate and inspire he interweaves the important issues addressed during the day with top tips for personal and professional success. The result is that delegates are motivated to adopt a positive attitude for the conference and, on leaving have a new determination to accept change and succeed.
John's clients find that once their people have been exposed to his high-energy, humorous and inspirational messages, client relationships can improve dramatically to aid long-term loyalty, improved sales, motivation and overall satisfaction. (Duration 45-60mins)
Some background to the short 'Habit' video up and to the left:
1600 university students, from 97 countries, entered the Peak Time International Business Student Competition.
The finalists, having been taught by professors (whom many consider to be the finest business minds in the world), were chosen for their theoretical knowledge and analytical skills. They met in Latvia for the finals and the subsequent, prestigious award ceremony.
Needing a top professional speaker to educate and entertain the students with a Guest Lecture as the judges reached their decision on the winners, the organisers engaged the best available - John Bell.
The audience's spontaneous reaction tells the rest of this inspiring story. Needless to say, the event was a huge success, just as yours deserves to be; and no- doubt will be, if you engage professional speaker John Bell. Contact us now to check his availability to speak at your meeting or read on to learn why the top agents and bureaus are pleased to represent John.
2 ~ Powerful Communication
This very popular talk is based on professional speaker John's best selling book How to Listen Effectively.
The main cause of failing businesses and the breakdown of relationships tends to be poor communication. Yet, surprisingly, little is provided by companies for the development of employees in this essential, constantly changing skill.
On seeing the newly constructed St Paul's Cathedral in London, King James II of England exclaimed, "It is amusing, awful and artificial", by which he meant it was pleasing on the eye, worthy of much awe and full of clever and subtle artifice. His comments were complimentary not derogatory!
In this presentation professional speaker John humorously reveals the mistakes many people make in business and provides permanent remedies to avoid their repetition. This advanced, entertaining, motivating, and interactive talk is a favourite with all audiences both at conference and as part of an in-house staff training and development sessions. (Duration 45-60mins)
3 ~ The Magic of the Mind
The author of numerous top-selling books on the workings of the mind, professional speaker John Bell will delight your people as he reveals and demonstrates jaw- dropping secrets on how we are conditioned to behave and act in particular ways.
A former stage hypnotist, memory man and stand-up comedian, John will entertain, inspire and motivate delegates empowering them to achieve measurable success in both their private and professional lives.
If you are looking for something that is different for your next conference, convention or in-house staff training day, this presentation is the one for you. You will find that delegate energy levels will rise significantly through a powerful and magical combination of laughter and amazement. (Duration 45-60mins)
4 ~ After-Dinner & Pre-Dinner 'Wind-Down' Speeches
Laughter is a social bonding function rarely practised in solitude. It is an essential part of successful conferences, conventions and symposia. It reduces anxiety, de-stresses delegates and lowers blood pressure. This is why the after-dinner or pre-dinner speech slot is too important to be left to a well meaning, but uninspiring amateur.
By hiring professional speaker John you will benefit in the knowledge you have booked an hilarious and experienced after dinner and pre dinner speaker and entertainer who understands the psychology of humour and, using well-tried and tested techniques and stories, he will have your delegates crying with laughter.
His 'How to Maintain a Healthy Marriage' speech is a particular favourite with the ladies. John looks at the absurdities of human partnerships and the male members of the audience cannot help but laugh when they learn, not only what they do but, why they do it!
Some of John's clients prefer to have John wind-down the delegates after a day of heavy conference talks. Professional speaker John is happy to oblige and as a master of his trade he will soon have your audience laughing uncontrollably. Check out some of the video clips to the left to experience how entertaining he is. Other videos are available on the Videos Page.
Professional speaker John Bell is the author of numerous published works on the art of humour and the giving of after dinner and pre dinner talks and speeches. Comedy and wit have little to do with an ability to tell jokes. People who tell jokes are usually seen as boring individuals with little sense of humour. They often begin their comedy routine with words along the line of "Have you heard the one about?" True comedy is the practically enacted theory of the absurdities so often found in human relationships and masterfully delivered by professional entertainers who are an inspiration to grateful audiences.
Professional after dinner and pre dinner speakers earn a living providing humorous speeches because they are very good at consistently providing funny talks to entertain and inspire delegates.
Allow an amateur to speak after-dinner or pre-dinner at your event and you can turn an otherwise successful meeting, conference, seminar or convention into a total disaster. The choice is yours. Can you afford not to engage a professional after dinner or pre dinner speaker and entertainer? (Duration 20-40mins)
5 ~ Motivational Sales Negotiation
This inspirational and motivating presentation gives delegates a fascinating insight into the advanced art of negotiation. Professional speaker John will amaze your delegates as he provides practical examples on the wonders of how the human mind works. This is good for the individual delegate who returns to work motivated and inspired with an enhanced feeling of self-worth having been given some amazing psychological tools to immediately help him or her perform better.
Work will take on a whole new meaning. Instead of being just a way of earning money, it becomes a fulfilling experience that brings success for both the individual and the company. Watch, as within months you should realise significant benefits through increased sales and improved customer satisfaction as you nurture a more contented, motivated, dedicated and professional work force. (Duration 45-60mins)
Need More Convincing?
Top
agents and speaker bureaus are pleased to represent top professional, motivational speaker John Bell.
Speak
Out, a division of TMC Corporate Events & Entertainment
Ltd., are more than happy to recommend John to their clients as
a conference presenter and after-dinner entertainer. The reason –
they consistently receive excellent feedback reports about John
from their clients.
It is reassuring to agents and
bureau that a professional speaker like John, who has been captivating
audiences professionally for over 25 years, realises it is his
responsibility to make sure the client is absolutely delighted
with every aspect of the service he provides. By doing so he
ensures he, and the agency or bureau recommending him, will
have the client return time and time again.
Noel
Rocks from Speak Out received the
following correspondence from Kirsteen Eydmann, Convention
Management Service of Edinburgh.
“I just want to pass
on my thanks to you for recommending John Bell to speak at our
conference. We had wonderful feedback for him on the day, and many
delegates actually took the time to go up to him after his
presentation to say it was the best presentation they had
ever heard.
John himself was an absolute pleasure to work with; he was
very flexible with his time, and happy to come along early to meet
with delegates and stay after his presentation to mingle and to
allow us to take some photographs. I will definitely recommend him
to other event organisers looking for a motivational speaker in
the future.”
Guarantee
We
offer a no-quibble 100% guarantee that if you or your delegates
are not inspired, motivated and absolutely delighted with John’s performance as a professional business meetings speaker and presenter, he will forgo
his fee in full.
We can
make this unique offer because, as a
full-time, professional speaker, John does not have 'off days'. His
performances are always consistent and exemplary. Don't just take
our word for it,read some of the amazing testimonials his clients have written about his funny, motivational, educational, entertaining and inspirational talks and in-house staff training sessions.
How to Book Him
There
is absolutely no commitment on your part and once we receive your
request we will email you giving you peace of mind that the
date will be held until we receive your confirmation.
Special Bonus
Enquire about professional speaker John’s availability and, if requested, we will forward you a complimentary copy of his best selling ebook How to Become a Conference Speaker.
It is full of top tips on the art of public speaking and will help
you understand why he is such a master of his trade.
We are Here to Help
Our role is to ensure your success. Please call us now and ask for professional speaker John by name. Enquire if he is offering any special deals today for new clients! He welcomes the opportunity to show new customers why delegates rate him so highly on evaluation scores, and he will often give a special, introductory, 'all in fee'. You have nothing to lose and lots to gain, so do it now!
Here is the telephone number +44 (0)1487 822 123
It is a wise investment to hire John Bell to act as Master of Ceremony at your event.
A Master of Ceremony (MC) is someone who works as host at an event, making the welcoming, introductory speech and introducing other speakers to the audience.
The MC or Master of Ceremony is a performer who conducts a program of varied entertainment by introducing other performers at an event, meeting or conference.
A Master of Ceremony is a person who presides over a ceremony or other event.
Sometimes referred to as The Link an MC or Master of Ceremony is a person who directs the event, acting as host and introducing the speakers to the delegates.
Still Undecided as to Whether You Need a Motivational Speaker?
Professional, Motivational Speaker John Bell Offers Some Free Advice.
Have you been given the job of sourcing a professional, motivational speaker for your next meeting, conference, convention or seminar? If so, getting it wrong can cost both you and your company dearly. Full time, professional, motivational speaker John Bell offers some tips to assist you in your task.
1. Why Choosing a Professional Motivational Speaker is so Necessary
Find a professional, motivational speaker with a proven ability to motivate and you can be assured your meeting will have the success all of your hard work will rightly deserve.
A professional, motivational speaker can turn 'average' event evaluation scores into superlatives such as, 'brilliant', 'fantastic' and 'superb'.
Correctly motivate your delegates and you will receive credit for helping to instil in them an internal energy that determines all aspects of their future behaviour. This is why hiring a professional, motivational speaker is so important. Their success or failure as a motivational speaker will reflect on you as the organiser!
2. Watch out for the 'Pretend' Motivational Speaker
It is essential you understand that any Tom, Dick or Harry can legally call himself or herself a professional, motivational speaker. So simply finding someone listed as such on a website, or in a business directory, is no guarantee as to his or her ability to motivate an audience.
Would-be professional, motivational speakers are inventing themselves on a daily basis. They see the perceived success, and other associated privileges that a top international, professional, motivational speaker appears to have, and think along the lines 'I could do that - easy money, travel to exotic places, fast cars, top hotels etc'. Ask a top professional, motivational speaker if that is fair reflection of their lifestyle and he or she is likely to reply ' If only' . So what do you need to look out for in your search for a professional, motivational speaker?
3. Sourcing a Top Motivational Speaker
Type motivational speaker into a search engine and you can expect many millions of hits. This, of course, only partially helps you in your quest for the perfect professional, motivational speaker for your event! How many days have you set aside for this task? If you are thinking in hours, rather than weeks, then you are advised to read on:
Choosing a short list of potential professional, motivational speaker candidates from the first two or three pages of a search engine listing seems, and is to some extent, a logical way to proceed. However, there are further issues that are worthy of your consideration:
4. Do I Directly Contact a Professional, Motivational Speaker or go via an Agent or Bureau?
Motivational speaker agents and bureaus represent the majority of the best, professional motivational speakers.
Agents are only interested in someone who is already established as a top professional, motivational speaker. They proactively promote the motivational speaker, putting a speaker's name forward to conference organisers and the like.
They charge a fee to the professional, motivational speaker for this service, usually based on a percentage of the motivational speaker's fee for the occasion. For effective 'numbers' management reasons, the choice of professional, motivational speaker found through an agent, can be limiting.
Bureaus tend to be dedicated to providing conference organisers, corporations, associations, and educational institutions with a large selection of professional, motivational speakers from which to choose. Too much choice can be their biggest disadvantage.
A so-called Professional, motivational Speaker , good or bad, experienced or amateur, will also often represent their own interests, and so it may be useful if I now provide a few tips on how to identify an established, professional motivational speaker of quality from a large pool of the Johnny-come-lately brigade.
5. With a Quality Professional, Motivational Speaker - Talent Will Shine Through
Top position for a professional, motivational speaker on search engines usually fluctuates from one day to the next, so compose a short-list from the first two or three pages, and you are ready to begin.
It is worth bearing in mind that sponsored links for a motivational speaker are there because someone is prepared to pay, sometimes-large amounts, to jump to the front of the queue of motivational speakers. Whereas this is an admirable indication that they are prepared to invest in advertising, it does not necessarily follow that you will receive the best value for your money. Here is an easy way to narrow down your short list:
6. Establish the Experience of the Professional, Motivational Speaker
Re-type that which you originally searched for, into the search engine, and add one of the names you have recorded in your short list e.g. Motivational Speaker + His or Her Name .
Now you can better determine whether that particular motivational speaker has the specialist expertise you require. You will also have an indication as whether or not an agent or bureau represents them as a professional, motivational speaker.
7. Carefully Research the Professional, Motivational Speaker's Testimonials
Any motivational speaker, worthy of consideration, will have a selection of testimonials from previous clients available for you to view on his or her website. Ensure companies and individuals are named.
Descriptions such as 'A senior manager at a large well-known company said....', are of little to no value, and should start alarm bells ringing. Look for named sources from quality companies. Such individuals are usually very selective about which motivational speaker they are prepared to recommend as their own reputation could be on the line.
8. Can the Motivational Speaker Motivate?
It may sound obvious, but the most important trait required by a motivational speaker is an ability to motivate. Tragically, some meetings organisers have previously discovered, to their considerable cost, that it does not necessarily follow that a professional motivational speaker can motivate.
Nor can it be assumed that someone described as a 'celebrity motivational speaker' can be expected to somehow inspire your audience by simply turning up on the day. Talks provided by a top motivational speaker are carefully structured and based upon a science that is studied by few and practised by even fewer.
Ensure your choice of motivational speaker has proven credentials, and don't assume that members of a related, professional body, are somehow qualified and suitable. Minimal experience as a motivational speaker and the price of a membership fee are all that is required, in qualification, to becoming a member of some such organisations.
Having been published on motivational techniques etc., through a reputable source, is a good indication as to the expertise needed to work as a top motivational speaker. Use the method described in Tip 6 above to obtain a quick and easy result to your enquiry.
Ideally, watch videos of the motivational speaker performing, and listen to the audience reaction to determine whether he or she has a rapport with the audience. Rapport and humour are essential ingredients in the motivational speaker cake.
If, when watching video clips provided by the 'motivational' speaker, you are not smiling or laughing, then your audience are not likely to laugh either! Laughter is an essential part of motivation.
9. Cost Issues Regarding a Motivational Speaker
Ideally you should have some idea of the available 'speaker fee' budget before commencing your search for a motivational speaker. The costs in hiring a motivational speaker can vary dramatically and are dependent on the location of venue, numbers of delegates attending, the duration of the required motivational speech and the quality and popularity of the motivational speaker.
My advice is this - if your meeting is worth holding it is worth investing in an experienced and proven, motivational speaker. Paying that little bit extra often produces an immensely worthwhile investment and gives you greater peace of mind.
Whether you deal with the motivational speaker direct, or through an agent or bureau, should purely be a matter of choice. In theory the fees of the motivational speaker, quoted from an agent, bureau or motivational speaker, should be the same.
If you are interested in a celebrity, motivational speaker you are unlikely to find direct contact details for that person, and your only line of enquiry will need to be through an agent or bureau specialising in celebrity motivational speakers.
Agents that actively promote a motivational speaker have a good idea of the fee normally required to secure a motivational speaker's services and will share that figure with you when you make your initial enquiry. It is always wise to obtain an 'all-in-fee' from an agent.
A bureau's commission is normally obtained from the motivational speaker. This commission can vary but normally falls in between 15% and 30% of the fee for the appearance of the motivational speaker. If they do not have a particular motivational speaker on their books they are usually happy to trace them and make any arrangements on your behalf.
Few professional, motivational speakers work with only one agent or bureau. If there is no mention of exclusivity on promotional material you can assume there is not. This, in effect means, that if you come across a motivational speaker of your choice, and he or she supplies contact details, this is an implied permission for you to contact him or her direct and independently negotiate a motivational speaker fee. Your aim should be to obtain value for money.
10. Information Normally Required by a Motivational Speaker.
If you are contacting a motivational speaker direct, and you have researched him or her as advised, you will be confident in knowing you are speaking with the right person for the job.
Should you decide on taking the agent or bureau route, the first thing you need to make perfectly clear, for the reasons described in Tip 8 above, is that you are seeking a motivational speaker.
Next supply the date of the event. A top motivational speaker is usually very popular and you can save yourself a lot of time, and disappointment, by establishing their availability early in the proceedings.
It is perfectly acceptable to ask if you can provisionally hold the services of a particular motivational speaker for a few days until a final decision is made.
Good meetings organisers will usually provide a description of the objectives and the purpose of a conference. Also the venue, size, type of audience and the duration of the talk that is required from the motivational speaker. You also need to clearly state what you expect from the professional, motivational speaker.
By way of example you might say 'at the end of your motivational talk I want the delegates to be laughing and enjoying the meeting. They need to have been entertained, educated, motivated and inspired to eventually return to their place of work and put into action some of the great tips we will be providing during the conference'.
The best professional, motivational speakers provide tried and tested presentations that are skillfully adapted to fit in with the theme of your meeting and will usually meet your requirements fully. For your own peace-of-mind obtain a written agreement of the terms agreed and, where possible, a guarantee of total satisfaction from the professional, motivational speaker.
To Summarize - What's Needed to Source a Top Motivational, Professional Speaker
• Use a search engine to source a motivational, professional speaker.
• Produce a short-list of potential motivational, professional speakers.
• Establish the credibility of the motivational, professional speaker by including their name and area of expertise in a further search of the web.
• Where possible watch videos of the motivational, professional speaker in action to determine whether they establish a rapport with the audience and their overall style of delivery is as you require. Remember that laughing is an essential part of successful motivation.
• Check the motivational, professional speaker for quality by researching named testimonials provided by his or her previous clients.
• Contact the motivational, professional speaker, agent or bureau and establish availability, cost etc.
• Supply the necessary information needed by the motivational, professional speaker. e.g. Date, Venue.
• Obtain some form of contract with the motivational, professional speaker that includes a guarantee of satisfaction where possible.
So there you have it: my tips on sourcing a motivational, professional speaker. I wish you every success in your search for a top motivational, professional speaker and know that, if you choose carefully, the meeting you are planning will bring you lots of the desired praise you will rightly deserve.
John also works as an Event MC.
A Master of Ceremony is someone who acts as MC at formal occasions making the
introductory speech and introduces other participants including the keynote speaker.
The Master of Ceremony is a Host at a formal event, such as a conference, seminar or convention.
A Master of Ceremony acts as the host of an entertainment program and functions as the facilitator of the ceremony by introducing the guest speakers.
A good Master of Ceremony (MC) provides a running patter or commentary between guest speakers at an event.
In his book 'How to Negotiate Through the Power of Placebo' John explains how to inspire others. Recently managers have been asking John's advice about their workforce who appear uncharacteristically low in morale. His advice is this:
It may be that they are worried, and it's not surprising considering the current economic climate with the likes of gas prices set to increase for some by 45% and a worsening situation forecast by City analysts who consider recession is now upon us.
What your staff need is to be inspired to look on the brighter side of life.
'Easier said than done!' I hear you say. And you are right. What you need is an inspirational speaker. An expert on inspiration with the special ability to instil it in others.
What you seek is a specialist who has that rare ability to inspire others. The presentation he provides needs to be inspirative. The speaker must be proven and able to actuate or direct your to a desired outcome.
Done correctly, your people will be truly and noticeably inspired. Influenced by an elevated feeling that has been prompted by a craftsman with an acquired and practised knowledge of the power of inspiration.
So what is inspiration and how is it acquired?
Inspiration and the Link to The Placebo Effect
Inspiration is a state of mind. Before each and every medication produced by pharmaceutical companies can be offered for sale it has to be thoroughly tested. One such test is to measure the effectiveness of the medication against a control, known as a placebo. A placebo, in this context, is a medicine, pill or potion that has absolutely no medicinal qualities whatever. In effect, it is a 'sugar pill.'
'You do not have to know what the sun is made of to see by its light. You do not have to understand electricity to flick on a switch, nor understand brain chemistry to think. And you do not have to investigate the etiology of any disease or any given treatment in order to experience the placebo effect.' Lolette Kuby, Ph.D., Faith and The Placebo Effect
It has long been recognised that if a patient truly believes that a pharmacologically inactive substance has an ability to cure, then, amazingly, it can, and often does. Research has shown that the power of the human mind has the ability to make people better. An early pioneer in this field was Emile Coue, a French pharmacist. In the early 1920s he discovered that if he asked his patients to repeat the phrase, 'Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better', their recovery rate improved.
Even nowadays many medical practitioners recognise that drugs are not the whole answer to every ailment. One doctor, an experienced general practitioner, told me that he saw his role as physician as, '. . . making a patient feel as comfortable as possible, whilst their body healed itself'. Could the doctor somehow have been inspirational to the patient?
Most medications available today simply reduce unpleasant symptoms. Few cure the condition. In fact, it is argued by some that the only medications that do actually cure are antibiotics.
The mind consistently proves that it can control the body. To do so it needs to be inspired.
When we take a placebo we are not told that it is such; our subconscious mind is convinced by our conscious mind that the medicine is going to help us recover from illness. We have faith in the medicine, for we don't know that it is inert. Our recovery therefore comes from within, and it is the power of the subconscious that heals us. The purveyors of so called quack medicines relied on this to succeed in selling their products, which were often little more than coloured sugar water.
The subconscious part of the brain is like a sponge. It absorbs information uncritically. Normally, we have no control over what it soaks up and thus have no means of directly influencing it. The conscious part of our mind acts like a gatekeeper and tries to filter and make sense of what our subconscious is saying. When we have vivid dreams our conscious mind is off duty and we are flooded with the apparent chaos of the contents of the subconscious.
If we can find ways to convince the subconscious that certain things are true we will have found a route that opens up enormous possibilities. There are routes to the subconscious and they are linked to inspiration and an inspirational speaker.
So what do I mean by 'Inspiration and the link to Placebo'? Quite simply it is possible to directly influence the subconscious - yours and that of other people - by using inert, harmless, placebo-like techniques and an inspirational speaker.
If you believe you need an inspirational speaker to help your staff through these difficult times what you seek is a specialist who has that rare ability to inspire others.
The presentation he provides needs to be inspirative. The speaker must be proven and able to actuate or direct your people to a desired outcome.
Done correctly your people will be truly and noticeably inspired. Influenced by an elevated feeling that has been prompted by a craftsman with an acquired and practised knowledge of the power of inspiration.
Finding such a person sounds a tall order, and so, what follows is designed to aid you in your quest.
OR FOR THOSE IN A REAL HURRY SCROLL DOWN THE PAGE TO FIND
A VERY SPECIAL OFFER
When you are launching a new product it is wise to hire an MC. A professional MC or Master of Ceremony is a person who acts as the Compere at an organised event.
Watch a professional in action and you will soon realise that a Master of Ceremony (MC) is usually a great stand-up comedian.
A Master of Ceremony is a person responsible for running order to be observed at meetings, conventions and the like.
The MC or Master of Ceremony is sometimes referred to as an Emcee.
Are you sourcing an professional, inspirational speaker to inspire your people? If so, getting it wrong can cost both you and your company dearly. The success of an event has been known to lay squarely with quality of the inspirational speaker chosen for the task.
A. Here's Why Choosing a Top Inspirational Speaker is so Necessary
Locate a professional, inspirational speaker with a proven ability to inspire and you can be assured your meeting will have the success all of your hard work will rightly be worthy of.
By picking the right professional inspirational speaker you can turn 'average' event evaluation scores into superlatives such as, 'fantastic, superb and brilliant'.
Successfully inspire your delegates and you will receive credit for helping to instil in them an internal energy that determines all aspects of their future behaviour. This is why hiring a top, professional, inspirational speaker is so important in event planning.
B. Take Care there are 'Pretend' Inspirational, Professional Speakers out There
It's important you understand that anyone can legally call himself or herself an inspirational professional speaker. So simply finding someone listed as such on a website, or in a business directory, is no guarantee as to his or her ability to inspire the audience at your event.
Amateur inspirational speakers are inventing themselves on almost a daily basis. They see the perceived success, and other associated privileges that a top international, professional, inspirational speaker appears to have, and think along the lines 'I could do that - easy money, travel to exotic places, fast cars, top hotels etc'. ? Ask a top inspirational speaker if that is fair reflection of their lifestyle and he or she is likely to reply ' If only'. So what do you need to look out for in your search for an inspirational speaker for your event?
C. How to Locate a Top Inspirational Professional Speaker
Using the Internet, type inspirational speaker into a search engine and you can expect million upon millions of hits. This, of course, only partially helps you in your quest for the perfect inspirational speaker for your event! How many days have you set aside for this task? If you are thinking in hours, rather than weeks, you're going to save yourself a great deal of time by following the tips that follow.
Picking a short list of potential inspirational, professional speakers from the first two or three pages of a search engine listing seems, and is to some extent, a logical way to proceed. However, there are further issues that are worthy of your consideration as an event organiser:
D. Contacting an Professional, Inspirational Speaker Directly or going via a Bureau or Agent?
For the best inspirational speakers there are quality agents and bureaux to represent their interests.
Top Agents are only interested in someone who is already established as a quality professional, inspirational speaker. They proactively promote the professional, inspirational speaker, putting a speaker's name forward to meetings and conference organisers. They charge a fee to the inspirational speaker for this service, usually based on a percentage of the inspirational speaker's fee for the event. For effective 'numbers' management reasons, the choice of inspirational speaker found through an agent, can be limiting.
Quality Bureaux tend to be dedicated to providing conference organisers, corporations, associations, and educational institutions with a large selection of professional inspirational speakers from which to choose. Too much choice can be their biggest disadvantage for the event organiser.
'Inspirational Speakers', good or bad, experienced or amateur, will also often represent their own interests, and so it may be useful if I now provide a few tips on how to identify an established, professional inspirational speaker of quality from a large pool of the Johnny-come-lately brigade that can be found listed on the internet.
E. Find a Quality Professional, Inspirational Speaker and their Talent Will Shine Through
A search engine 'top' position for an inspirational speaker usually fluctuates from one day to the next, so compose a short-list from the first two or three pages, and you are ready to begin you quest for the perfect inspirational speaker for your event.
At this point it is worth of bearing in mind that sponsored links for an inspirational, professional speaker are there because someone is prepared to pay, sometimes-large amounts, to jump to the front of the queue of the inspirational speakers that litter the Internet. ? Whereas this is an admirable indication that they are prepared to invest in advertising, it does not necessarily follow that you will receive the best value for your money. Here is an easy way to narrow down your short list of potential inspirational speakers for your event:
F. Take Time to Establish the Experience of an Inspirational professional Speaker
Using a search engine, retype that which you originally searched for and add one of the names you have recorded in your short-list e.g. Inspirational Speaker + His or Her Name . This is where search engines come show their true worth as a research tool.
With the information the search engine provides you can better determine whether that particular professional, inspirational speaker has the expertise you require. ? You will also have an indication as whether or not an agent or bureau represents them as an inspirational speaker should you wish to follow that particular route in your selection.
G. Research the Testimonials provided by the Professional, Inspirational Speaker
Inspirational professional speakers, at least worthy of consideration, will have a selection of testimonials from previous clients available for you to view on their website. Ensure companies and individuals are named. Descriptions such as 'A senior manager at a large well-known company said....', are of little to no value, and should start alarm bells ringing for the meeting or event organiser.
Seek named sources from quality companies. Such individuals are usually very selective about which inspirational speaker they are prepared to recommend as their own reputation could be on the line. As an event organiser this can be very reassuring.
H. Establish Whether the Inspirational Professional Speaker Can Inspire an Audience?
As an experienced event organiser this may sound obvious, but the most important trait required by an inspirational speaker is an ability to 'inspire' an audience. Tragically, some meetings organisers have previously discovered, to their considerable cost, that it does not necessarily follow that a professional speaker can inspire. Don't make this mistake, as it is your reputation that could be on the line. Here's a few more tips:
Don't assumed that someone described as a 'celebrity inspirational speaker' can be expected to somehow inspire your audience by simply turning up on the day. Talks provided by a top, inspirational professional speaker are carefully structured and based upon a science that is studied by few and practised by even fewer. The best inspirational speakers are true artists skilled in public speaking and inspiring others.
Your ideal inspirational, professional speaker should have proven credentials. It does not always follow that members of a related, professional body are somehow qualified and suitable for your event. With some, less reputable organisations, minimal experience and the price of a membership fee are all that is required to be listed as an 'inspirational' speaker.
Experts that are published writing on the art of inspiration, preferably through a reputable source, provides a good indication as to whether they have they expertise needed to work as a top, professional, inspirational speaker. Use the method described in Tip F above to obtain a quick and easy result in your quest for perfection.
Ideally, watch videos of the inspirational speaker performing, and listen to the audience reaction to determine whether he or she has a rapport with the audience. Rapport and humour are essential ingredients in the inspirational speaker cake. If, when watching video clips provided by the 'Inspirational' speaker, you are not laughing, then your audience are not likely to laugh either! Laughter is an essential part in the art of inspiration.
I. Top Professional, Inspirational Speakers are Well Worth the Investment
Before beginning your search for the right professional, inspirational speaker for your event you should have some idea of a 'speaker fee' budget. The costs in hiring an inspirational speaker can vary dramatically and are dependent on the location of venue, numbers of delegates attending, the duration of the required inspirational speech and the quality and popularity of the inspirational speaker.
This is your most important consideration in the search for your professional, inspirational speaker - if your meeting is worth holding it is worth investing in an experienced and proven, inspirational speaker. Paying the little bit more often produces an immensely worthwhile investment and, more importantly, gives you great peace of mind.
Whether you decide to deal with the inspirational speaker direct, or through an agent or bureau, should purely be a matter of choice. In theory the fees of the inspirational speaker, as quoted by an agent, bureau or inspirational speaker, should be the same.
For those interested in hiring a celebrity inspirational speaker you are unlikely to find direct contact details for that person on-line, and your initial enquiry will need to be through an agent or bureau specialising in celebrity inspirational speakers and the like.
The better agents that actively promote a professional, inspirational speaker have a good idea of the fee normally required to secure a inspirational speaker's services and will share that figure with you when you make your initial enquiry. It is wise to obtain an all-in-fee from an agent. Too many event organisers have previously had a bit of a shock when unmentioned 'extras' appear on the final invoice.
When using the services of a bureau their commission is normally obtained from the inspirational speaker. This commission can vary but normally falls between 15% and 30% of the fee for the appearance of the inspirational speaker. If they do not have a particular inspirational speaker on their books they are usually happy to trace them and make any arrangements on your behalf. Commission is normally shared between bureaux and so the total amount you pay should not be affected.
Generally speaking, few professional, inspirational speakers work with only one agent or bureau. If there is no mention of exclusivity on promotional material you can assume there is not. This, in effect means, that if you come across an inspirational speaker of your choice, and he or she supplies contact details, this is an implied permission for you to contact him or her direct and independently negotiate an inspirational speaker fee. Your aim should be to obtain value for money. Use the tips I have provided and you are heading in the right direction.
J. Information Normally Required by a Professional, Inspirational Speaker.
If you are contacting an inspirational speaker direct, and you have researched him or her as advised, you will be confident in knowing that you are speaking with the right person for your event or meeting.
Should you decide on taking the agent or bureau route, the first thing you need to make perfectly clear, for the reasons already described, is that you are seeking a professional, inspirational speaker. It does not necessarily follow that someone working as a professional speaker has the ability to inspire your delegates.
Early in proceedings you need to supply the date of your meeting. A top inspirational speaker is usually very popular and you can save yourself a lot of time, and disappointment, by establishing their availability for your event. It is perfectly acceptable to ask if you can provisionally hold a particular inspirational speaker for a few days until you have made a final decision. Most are happy to oblige.
It is usual for you to provide a description of the purpose of your conference, venue, size, type of audience and the duration of the talk you will require from the inspirational speaker. You also need to clearly state what you expect from the inspirational speaker i.e. the objective of the presentation.
For example you might say 'at the end of your inspirational talk I want the delegates to be laughing and enjoying the event. They need to have been entertained, educated, and inspired to eventually return to their place of work and put into action some of the great tips we will be providing at other times during the conference, convention or seminar'.
Source the best inspirational, professional speaker and he or she will provided a tried and tested presentation that has been skilfully adapted to fit in with the theme of your meeting and will usually fully meet your objective. For your own peace-of-mind it is best to obtain a written agreement of the terms agreed and, where possible, a guarantee of total satisfaction from the inspirational speaker you have chosen.
Your Checklist - What's Needed to Source a Top Professional, Inspirational Speaker
Utilize an Internet search engine to source an inspirational, professional speaker.
Make up a short-list of potential professional, inspirational speakers that appear suitable.
Research the credibility of the professional, inspirational speaker by including their name and area of expertise in a further search of the Internet.
Seek out short video clips of the professional, inspirational speaker in action to determine whether they establish a rapport with the audience and their overall style of delivery is, as you require. Remember laughing is an essential part of successful inspiration. Does the speaker make delegates laugh?
Establish the inspirational speaker's quality by researching named testimonials provided by former satisfied customers.
Approach the professional, inspirational speaker, agent or bureau and establish the likes of availability, cost, and speaker requirements.
Provide the necessary information the will be needed by the professional, inspirational speaker, agent or bureau.
Endeavour to obtain some form of contract with the inspirational professional speaker, agent or bureau that includes a guarantee of total satisfaction. If they are unable to provide such assurance go back to Tip A and continue with your search.
If you are planning on holding an event or conference John Bell may be available to act as your Master of Ceremony. History shows us that an MC is an essential part in successful symposia. The role of MC or Masters of Ceremony has been recorded since the 15th century. A Master of Ceremony or MC is a person who is hired to please and amuse delegates. He or she is often an experienced entertainer.
A professional MC - Master of Ceremony is one who conducts a program of varied entertainment whilst introducing speakers to an audience. They ensures the event runs smoothly.
A good Master of Ceremony will be experienced and reliable. John Bell has both of those qualities so you need look no further!
Inspiration Speaker Offers Help on Inspiring Your Staff
When the economy is in recession most analysts will agree that the main difference between companies that succeed and those that seem to be flounder can often be traced back to a level of inspiration held by the staff. Professional inspiration speaker John Bell describes how to go about inspiring your workforce.
When your staff are inspired by an inspiration speaker, success usually follows, which in turn inspires your staff to yet further success. Companies that survive go into a kind of self-perpetuating motion that brings more and more success.
Take a few moments now to think about one or two of the successful companies that are riding the current economic storm and you will know what I say is correct.
I'm also sure you will agree that high inspiration is inseparable from success. By taking a conscious control of the level of employee inspiration in your company you are assisting your staff to step outside of a comfort zone that may be condemning your company to stagnate through procrastination during the current credit crisis. Invest in an inspiration speaker now! Here's why:
I used to procrastinate a lot. I'm not so sure now!
Inspiration is connected to staff development and learning in that it involves an intentional process to bring about the desired outcomes. In other words - action is required. Locate a professional inspiration speaker and you are on the right track.
Obviously, you want your staff to be self-inspired, purposeful in their tasks, with the minimum of direct supervision. If you achieve this you will find that inspiration is something that will help you through the difficulties all companies are currently facing worldwide.
Inspiration is predominately an extrinsic condition. Your staff are beings that respond primarily to some form of external stimuli usually delivered by an inspiration speaker. At a basic level most managers choose the cannot or the stick' method. This will not work effectively during recession.
There are numerous rules connected to effective, inspirational management. Too many to go into in this short piece but, by way of example, managers must 'praise in public' and 'chastise in private'. There is also a definite advantage to having staff inspired by an inspiration speaker.
Judge the level of inspiration required right and you will find it is the glue that holds the success of your business together. It is a way of thinking that needs to permeate the whole philosophy of the company on a day-to-day basis.
I know it's not easy - inspiration is an extremely complex concept. That is why there are so few professional inspiration speakers around. It is a science that has been investigated and studied over the decades in many ways by many people.
The most important aspect where company survival is involved is the need for self-actualisation by your staff. By this I refer to the instinctual need of your staff to make the most of their abilities and to strive to be the best they can.
Your people want to be inspired they may simply not know how to go about getting it!
Here's How You Can Help to Inspire Your People
You will inspire your staff if you help them work toward fulfilling their potential at a level they are capable of becoming.
This is where the difficulty often lies for many managers - if staff are not inspired enough they may fail to reach their true potential.
Pushed too far beyond their capability and they become uninspired and will often complain to others of bullying taking place at work. Leave it to a professional inspiration speaker!
Successful inspiration is achieved when people perform well whilst still within their limitations. This is achieved when they are productive and appear to do be doing so with relative ease.
Inspiration is something that is an essential part of your people's day-to-day lives. It provides the 'get up and go' that helps them get out of bed in the morning and look forward to their day at work - even in times of recession!
Your staff can be inspired to enjoy work and look forward to helping you and your company to survive, even succeed. If members of your staff have a negative attitude they need to be taught how to acquire a positive one. People often need to be inspired to adopt and then display a positive attitude. This is why engaging an inspiration speaker is so necessary.
Changes in the way you work may be necessary in order to survive this recession. When initiating change management, make sure you also supply the necessary inspiration. Without the inspiration to implement improvement, little will change.
Staff need to be inspired to give them an unswerving faith that they can succeed above and beyond their own often-mundane expectations. This is where an inspiration speaker comes in.
Done correctly it will create a visible energy, which in turn drives staff forward. It can also become contagious, as other staff members 'catch' the appropriate, desired behaviour and themselves inspired to give inspiration to others.
Contact inspiration speaker John Bell today. The old mantra, 'I'll start tomorrow' doesn't work. Tomorrow never comes as it always refers to sometime in the future. John works worldwide and will offer you an all in price to provide the service of inspiration speaker.
To provide inspiration is too important to be left for the unforeseeable future. Inspiration is the most important factor in the whole concept of effective, business management. It is worthy of investment - general training is not enough. This is why the top inspiration speakers are so popular.
Whereas the type of personality your staff displays in the work environment may represent the way they behave, their level of inspiration is directly related to why they behave in that particular way. Inspiration speaker John Bell explains why during his presentations.
Inspiration is a state of mind that is influenced by our working environment and those people we work with. The saying 'one bad apple will rot the barrel' is as true in the work environment as it is in any other walk of life. One un-inspired individual in an organisation is like a cancer that needs to be treated or cut out. As an inspiration speaker John will help you identify those individuals and suggest any further action that is required.
Those among your staff who declare 'This is just the way I am. I can't change' are mistaken. They choose their behaviour and therefore they can be inspired to change such behaviour for the better. Inspiration is not a trait but a thought pattern. It is initially formed in the subconscious part of the brain and goes on to effect conscious thought. As a former stage hypnotist John knows, and continuously demonstrates, the subconscious mind can be manipulated to demonstrate inspiration.
If you effectively inspire such individuals and you will install an internal energy force that determines all aspects of their future behaviour at work and will impact on how they think, feel and interact with other members of staff. This in turn will help inspire those other members of staff. An good inspiration speaker will guarantee such an effect.
Inspiration is the force that makes us behave in a particular way. Inspiration is what a inspiration speaker provides to help an individual complete the necessary changes successfully.
The method used to achieve such desired behaviour varies from person to person but is often achieved in a 'safe' group situation where an individual can come to terms with the fact that their behaviour is not ideal, thereby allowing non-confrontational change to take place. It can be, and often is, on a subconscious level. Experts on people behaviour working as an inspiration speaker can help you in this task.
When looking to inspire humour is also a useful tool to bring about changes in a person's behaviour. It makes uncomfortable situations more comfortable. It allows individuals to laugh no matter how grim work becomes. It is such a nice feeling people will pay money to others to make them laugh. This is an essential trait for an inspirational speaker. If they cannot make your staff laugh they are not an inspiration speaker.
Inspiration is inextricably linked to laughter. Laughter is cathartic; in that it encourages an individual to purge their problems and painful emotions through the joy of laughing bring about inspiration.
Inspire your staff by making them laugh. Hire an inspiration speaker to perform the task. It is too important to be left to well meaning amateurs.
Inspiration is influenced by our personal perceptions of a situation and strengthened by many other factors that create the inspiration to do, or not to do something. A professional inspiration speaker creates perception through the power of language.
Many working environments have members of staff referred to as the 'likeable rouge'. They normally achieve this title by being rebellious whilst making others laugh. This can make them difficult to deal with, as they are usually popular with the majority of staff. Such characters can be mind-trained by an inspiration speaker to reduce their 'rouge' image whilst retaining the 'likeable' benefits they bring through creating laughter and fun.
As a manager you may have noticed that different things also inspire your staff at different times in their lives. This is at the very heart of personal effectiveness.
When you are highly inspired about what you are doing, you have great enthusiasm and energy, everything seems to be much easier and you advance by leaps and bounds. Good managers are those who notice slight undesired changes in a member of staff's behaviour and, where appropriate, offer help and understanding to assist them through what may be a particularly difficult time in their life. The manager's job is made that much easier with the help of an inspiration speaker.
By helping your staff through their problem(s) you will provide the inspiration that allows an internal process to make them move toward a greater sense of satisfaction. Achieving satisfaction is a goal-directed behaviour often provided by a professional motivation speaker.
During recession, the most expensive asset you possess is your human resources. If your goal is to achieve survival for your company you need to invest in the inspiration of your staff. You need to invest in an inspiration speaker. Do it now as in recession tomorrow may be too late.
John Bell is often engaged as an Master of Ceremony - Also Known as MC
A Master of Ceremony is also referred to as the Compere.
The Master of Ceremony (MC) is the 'official' Host at an event.
When John works as an MC he is the official timekeeper at conferences and helps ensure speakers do not run over their allocated time.
It is the responsibility of an MC or Master of Ceremony to make an introductory speech to start proceedings and set the required atmosphere for the event.
After Dinner Speech Required? - Here are Some of the Best Top Tips on Giving One from an After Dinner Speech Expert ~ John Bell
Are you a potential after dinner speaker looking for golf jokes to use for an after dinner speech at a golf club dinner? If so you are very likely to be about to make the biggest mistake an amateur speaker can make in preparing his or her speech. Read on to learn why.
Don't tell me! Someone mentioned they were looking for an after dinner speaker for an important event and you, in a moment of weakness or sheer madness, said you would do it. And now, as the evening rapidly approaches, you have swallowed a little of your precious pride and decided to seek help or search for some speech material you might us. Am I right?
Let me begin by saying this, if it is of any consolation, you are not the first and most certainly won't be the last to put your mouth into gear before engaging your brain. Many years back, flattered by friends who said I was a natural comedian, I did exactly the same and what follows are some of my best top tips to make the coming event a little less daunting, and hopefully help you by describing some of the basic mistakes I made in those early days whilst dying as an inexperienced, after dinner speaker.
Many people, including some of my friends, believe comedians are born funny and then somehow become a natural, polished, humorous entertainer. Nothing is further from the truth. Some top, after dinner speakers develop their skill as children as a method of dealing with school bullies, and the everyday anguish growing-up causes so many of us in those terrible teenage times. For far too many, school is not the best days of your life as described by those for whom time has distorted the truth; but a living hell, made a little easier by learning to make others laugh as a means of defence.
Some of the best after dinner speakers on the professional circuit began studying the subject after realising how powerful a tool it is in entertaining and amusing a captive audience, in convivial company, after a meal. The fact that others were prepared to pay money to have someone make others laugh would, initially, have been a bonus, and later, with lots of experience and 'gigs' under their belt, an effect way to earn a living.
For those amongst you who are thinking about using after dinner speaking as a means of making a living, my advice is to carefully consider whether your dream could ever become a reality. Professional, after dinner speaking is one of the most difficult occupations in which to earn a decent living. There are lots of after dinner speakers out there offering their polished skill as a service, and relatively few speaker engagements available to ply their trade.
Most after dinner speakers are hired through an agent. The difficulty for those wanting to become an after dinner speaker is that agents are only interested in established, quality, popular speakers with a proven ability to give an after dinner speech.
Such after dinner speakers have so much experience; they no longer have 'off days'. Their reputation for excellence is already in place, and this removes the element of chance that event organisers take when engaging a less experienced, amateur, after dinner speaker. What event organisers gain in cash saving is insignificant when compared to their potential loss of reputation with which they gamble when engaging cheap amateurs.
If you are considering giving after dinner speeches as a profession, please believe me when I say that being a successful, fulltime, professional after dinner speaker is seriously hard work and is a dream that is, for most, very difficult to achieve. In regard to quality of life, it will mean many late nights, often away from home and your loved ones. The occupation of after dinner speaker is not nearly as glamorous as some would imagine. It can be an extremely tiring and demanding occupation with variable rewards.
If, all that said, you are still interested in how to give an effective, entertaining after dinner speech, perhaps as a one-off or hobby, what follows are my best, top tips:
I begin by offering some reassurance - most audiences make allowances for a courageous amateur doing his or her best to entertain them. They often hold a 'better them than me' attitude.
A survey carried out in America showed that more people fear public speaking than death. Which, I guess means, that at a funeral, Americans would rather be the individual lying in the coffin than the poor soul providing the eulogy to the mourners!
Some, attempting to perform as an effective after dinner speaker, fail because they don't work hard enough at being funny. Being funny is seriously hard work and not that funny.
After dinner speaking is no different to any other skilled profession. The fortunate few funny folk having all the lucky breaks is nonsense. Luck plays little part in whether or not you are likely to succeed as an after dinner speaker.
It was Gary Player who said, "The more I practise the luckier I get". This is as relevant to after dinner speaking as it is in golf. However the best, professional, after dinner speakers work on the principal that practise in itself is not sufficient, as many a frustrated, addicted golfer will also testify.
Preparation is an essential ingredient in successful, after dinner speaking. There is a saying - 'failing to prepare is preparing to fail'. Learn about your audience before you start, and never forget that preparation, before presenting, is paramount.
At the research stage, you will need to know exactly who makes up the audience. For example, if you are told the diners will be made up from members of a particular profession, ask the organiser where the audience stand in that organisation. Are they managers or machine operators? Such information will help you fine tune your after dinner speech and make it totally relevant to the audience's every day reality.
It is not sufficient to know that all of the audience have an interest in golf. You need to dig deeper. Are they all members of a particular club? Do they have a rival team whom you might poke fun at? Are there any 'characters' in the club who most members would recognise if an after dinner speaker were to describe and exaggerate their most noticeable characteristics?
This brings me to an important point in the art of successful after dinner speech giving.
Quality, after dinner speakers do not tell jokes. Quick-witted 'one-liners' are still in fashion on the after dinner speaker circuit, whereas jokes are not. The 'these three golfers were approaching the 18th hole' type stories will create a chorus of cringes, as many inexperienced after dinner speakers have found, unfortunately, too late to save their delicate feelings.
If an audience of diners have a strong interest in a particular subject the chances are they will have heard each and every joke you have placed in your repertoire a dozen times before. Hopeful you now better understand why I say being a successful after dinner speaker is such hard work. It is not a case of putting an act together and then repeating the speech night after night to different audiences.
For a professional after dinner speaker, what a particular audience of diners consider funny, fluctuates with the years, and is generally accepted as being a subjective and fashionable test. By better understanding who your audience are, as apposed to what they have in common, means you are much more likely to provide an entertaining after dinner speech that will be remembered with affection by the diners, and event organisers for years to come.
The fact that an audience of diners have a common interest in golf will, for a professional after dinner speaker, only act as a theme that weaves its way through their after dinner speech.
Basing your whole after dinner speech on golf jokes is preparing to fail. A quality after dinner speech is a subtle observation of the real life of the audience of diners, delivered humorously by the after dinner speaker.
Superior after dinner speech humour is so much subtler than simply reciting one joke after another. If you happen to be an after dinner speaker who tells joke after boring joke during your speeches, I make no apology if I have offended you by writing so. I never apologise. Sorry, that's just the way I am.
And, if having read the last few sentences, you are still have a problem understanding what it is I am saying, it may be you are without all hope.
Quality after dinner speaking has much to do with a skilful observation of real life. The words used to describe a situation require vocal expression, comic timing, character exaggeration, and carefully placed pauses that are so full of meaning. Frank Carson's catch phrase "It's the way I tell 'em" is the essence of what makes good, after dinner speaking.
For the diners doing the laughing, and for that matter the after dinner speaker too, humour is an escape from their everyday reality. Top after dinner speakers befriend an audience and quickly build a rapport with the diners. As the average after dinner speech provided by a professional after dinner speaker lasts between 20 to 30 minutes, speed in building rapport is an essential requirement in successful after dinner speaking.
To help build rapport, an after dinner speaker will often playfully laugh at themselves. To do so, the after dinner speaker needs to become a philosophical spectator of his or her own life in relation to those they have around them. Effective after dinner speaking is about showing an understanding of what makes people tick and then making witty observations to entertain and amuse the diners.
When next listening to a proficient after dinner speaker notice that many of the topics included in the after dinner speech revolve around problems the after dinner speaker encounters in his or her day-to-day reality.
Top after dinner speakers know there is little difference in people. By making fun of their own problems the after dinner speaker develops an empathy with the diners mainly because the diners have very similar problems to that of the after dinner speaker.
The after dinner speaker is, by helping the diners to come to terms with their own problems, helping them through a difficult dilemma they would, under normal circumstances, prefer not to think about. Following a good meal, and with the well-known therapeutic effect of a moderate amount of alcohol, diners are primed and ready for the light-hearted entertainment a professional, after dinner speaker always provides.
Top after dinner speakers are constantly striving for perfection by reworking their best material. They may be at the top of their profession but they never stop asking the question "How can I make this after dinner story better?" Theirs is a quest for perfection that never comes. Most of the best after dinner speakers are their own worst critic. Depressingly so!
The best after dinner speakers are striving to be ever funnier. For them, providing the best ever after dinner speech, is a lifelong apprenticeship that few have the resolve to complete. If you are giving your first ever after dinner speech, rehearse, rehearse, and rehearse. If possible, try your material out with friends or relatives whom you trust will provide honest, constructive feedback. And if they say you need more jokes in your speech, don't listen to them!
When an after dinner speaker is working on improving his or her after dinner speech material, they will often work on a simplistic definition of the psychology of humour. Mine is - the study of wit in relation to the workings of the human mind and prediction of people behaviour.
To make an after dinner speech humorous, the diners must first predict some outcome, and then be humoured with a punch line that nudges them off their expected route.
To do this, an after dinner speaker must be a great story teller and be aware that in telling the story the majority of diners listening to the talk will be travelling down a particular path, guided by the speaker, only to be nudged from the predicated route. It is this 'nudge' that makes the story humorous. An unexpected outcome can turn a tedious tale into a funny story.
When you next have the opportunity to enjoy a professional, after dinner speaker, be much more analytical about what it is they are saying, and then analyse why what they are saying, appeals to your sense of humour.
By way of example, I consider Woody Allen to be one of the best, humorous storytellers around. Here is a short extract from one of his routines and I would like you to take a few minutes out to analyse. Look particularly at the construction of the story taking into consideration the likes of rapport building, etc, I described earlier:
"When I was little boy, I wanted a dog desperately, and we had no money. I was a tiny kid, and my parents couldn't get me a dog, 'cause we just didn't have the money, so they got me, instead of a dog - they told me it was a dog - they got me an ant. And I didn't know any better, y'know, I thought it was a dog, I was a dumb kid. Called it 'Spot'. I trained it, y'know. Coming home late one night, Sheldon Finklestein tried to bully me. Spot was with me. And I said "Kill!", and Sheldon stepped on my dog."
Now analyse the construction of this short story. Take into account the skilful observation of life Woody Allen uses. Do you believe it possible that maybe he was bullied at school and, at some low point in his childhood, discovered humour made his life a little more bearable by effectively dealing with such obnoxious, bullying characters?
To best understand the quality of Woody Allen as a storyteller you need to appreciate his masterful style of delivery. Otherwise the quote from Woody I have provided above is merely a skeleton that lacks life and flesh.
Woody Allen's genius as a humorous speaker comes from his vocal expression and it is that which puts flesh onto the skeleton of a story. It is his superb comic timing, character exaggeration, and carefully placed pauses that then breathe life into his amusing tale.
If you need to better understand the importance of the ingredients I have described in giving a polished after dinner speech, seek out video clips of Woody Allen and, or a top, professional, after dinner speaker and you should appreciate why I have included them.
For now, take the full stops is Woody's story as being the pauses I described earlier. Does he build empathy by describing a situation that was similar to a problem you may once have had? It is my belief that most people have been bullied at sometime in their life. The fact that the memory of such can still cause pain may be one of the main reasons people would prefer not to speak of such events to others. It is their secret a skilled after dinner speaker has somehow touched upon. The diner can empathise with the speaker and rapport is established.
Ask yourself this:
Was money 'tight' when you were a child? (Rapport)
Is Woody Allen a philosophical spectator of his own life in relation to those around him? (Rapport)
What relationship does Woody with the other characters in the story?
Read through the story again and then consider - does Woody appear to be laughing at himself?
Is Woody appearing to make fun of his own problems encountered whilst child?
As with Woody Allen, during an after dinner speech the speaker becomes a story teller describing the practically enacted theory of the absurdities so often found in human relationships and this is usually related to a 'twist' in the story that makes the tale humorous for the diners.
The 'twist' takes the story away from the norm (the predicted path), and makes it funny. Woody's dog becomes an ant. As the story unfolds Woody creates a movie in your mind. He becomes a storyteller. You are there with him as Finklestein (did you picture Frankenstein) tries to bully him and Spot (his pet ant) is instructed to Kill!
Entertaining, after dinner speakers have the ability to have fun with literal meanings. It is said they can see the funny side of most things. They can, but only when they set the mind to the task. After dinner speakers are performers, providing humorous twists. And, at the end of the day -
(pause) it's midnight. (the twist)
If you wish to make an impact as an after dinner speaker take a topic that has a literal meaning somehow connected to the diners and think of alternative meanings to make it humorous.
By way of example - at an after dinner event where the diners are made up of people connected to the retail industry and, having probed deeper with the event organiser, you may have established that a large part of the audience will be shop owners, you therefore might include:
"I said to the guy next door - I was on my way to the shops and your dog went for me!"
Now think of alternate meaning to 'your dog went for me' i.e. the dog attempted to bite him:
"and he replied - that's impressive; it never went to the shops for me before!"
The listener is nudged from the predicted path making the story humorous and, indirectly relevant to those in the audience who are the shop owners.
I would now like to offer you important advice on the type of material you should not use whilst giving an after dinner speech.
Be extremely careful about using any material that could cause offence to any of the diners. Experienced, successful, professional after dinner speakers are usually very skilled at judging how controversial they can be on topics such as sex, politics, race or religion. If you are new to after dinner speaking, take my advice and avoid all four topics during your speech.
I mentioned earlier that an average after dinner speech, delivered by a professional after dinner speaker, lasts around 20 to 30 minutes. 10 to 15 minutes is sufficient if you are inexperienced at public speaking. Don't mistake smiles or polite laughter as in invitation to go on and on and on and on. Your aim should be to leave the diners wanting more, yet appreciative of the entertainment you have already skilfully provided.
One of the biggest mistakes made by inexperienced, after dinner speakers is their perceived need to read verbatim from copious quantities of notes scribbled on A4 sheets of paper that become totally illegible in the candle light available during your speech.
If you feel it is absolutely necessary to have an aid to memory, acquire something as small as an index card and use the odd word or two, printed in large letters, to jog your memory. Do not read verbatim. Here's why:
And so to my final tip, purposefully left until last because I consider it to be the most important. It is this - when giving a successful after dinner speech- Stop Trying Too Hard!
I understand this initially seem to contradict all I have written about after dinner speaking and the giving of a great speech, but please hear me out.
You have completed the required research, you have prepared and practised your piece and now, as you deliver your masterpiece to an appreciated audience of after dinner diners, I want you to imagine yourself speaking informally, to a small group of close friends and family. People with whom you normally feel totally comfortable and at ease.
You have my word that if on the day, you stop trying too hard, your confidence will grow, you will appear much more relaxed, and, it turn, the diners will be much more at ease and in better positioned to enjoy and appreciate your short masterpiece - the after dinner speech.
Have a great evening.
Or. If you would prefer to use a professional after dinner speaker you could call John Bell ~ Professional, entertaining, humorous, after dinner speaker, John Bell has been speaking professionally for over 25 years. John travels the world delighting after dinner diners with his amazing ability as an entertainer.
As the after dinner speaker, John provides a speech that is specifically designed with profession / common interest of the diners in mind. Give him 30 minutes as coffee and liqueurs are being served and John will have your delegates crying with laughter as describes the many absurdities they so often encounter in their every-day environment.
Motivator for Recession
Menacing clouds gather over commerce and industry. Doom and gloom is all that is forecast. Experience has shown that in difficult times the main difference between companies that manage to weather those approaching storm and those that creek and grown in the wind and then flounder, often fatally, can often be traced back to something as basic as staff morale and their ability to seek adequate shelter. You need a professional motivator now. Read on to learn why.
The severity of the approaching storm, judging by the extraordinary and hasty, emergency contingency plans being implement by the government, is likely to be on the scale of Hurricane Katrina when it devastated New Orleans back in 2005.
In preparation, you can do as many in New Orleans did back then, and hope and pray that the storm will pass you by, or, as some of the wiser did, baton down, secure your investment using all available means, and, with the help of a specialist motivator, wait for the eventual silver lining and rainbow.
You are in the best position to know how to secure the very structure of you business. The issue of staff morale is best left to the professionals - someone specialising as a motivator.
Until that advice is in place, here is some first aid help from a motivator working worldwide and helping his clients prepare for the approaching hurricane.
It is the role of a motivator to create positive thoughts in the minds of others. When a workforce is motivated they are in a better position to help clients and the like to focus away from the 'negatives' created by a credit crisis. A motivator helps individuals establish an inner happiness that radiates to those around them. Think how much better you feel when the sun is shining!
A motivator is an essential commodity to be utilised during recession because motivation is inseparable from survival and any related success. Tragically, for many, what is at stake is simple survival.
A professional motivator will have the special ability to take conscious control of the level of employee motivation in your company, assisting your staff to step outside of a comfort zone that may condemn your firm to stagnate through recession and procrastination.
Procrastinate a lot? Not sure? You need a motivator!
Being a good motivator involves the initiation of a process designed to bring about a desired outcome. In other words - some action is required. Find yourself a professional motivator and then make that call. Your business could be at stake if you don't. Swallow your pride and do it now.
In an ideal world the sun constantly shines and birds sing sweetly. Take a little time out now to check the weather forecast. This is the lull before the storm! There is no doubt it is coming and so take some advice from a former boy scout, now motivator, 'be prepared'.
As an employer, ideally, you want your staff to be self-motivated, purposeful in their tasks, with the minimum of direct supervision. Am I right?
With the help of a motivator you will find that motivation is the greatest asset to help you through the inevitable, approaching storm. A professional motivator understands that motivation is predominately an extrinsic condition and he or she has the special skills to instil positive thoughts in the mind of your staff. Your employees are beings that respond primarily to some form of external stimuli usually from someone who is a recognised motivator. At a basic level most managers choose the 'carrot or the stick' method. This will not be sufficient in the high winds and rain that move ever closer. Your business is about to shake and shudder and a firm foundation is your best chance of survival. A professional motivator will help you make ready.
When a motivator injects the correct level of motivation into your business you will find it is the very glue that can help hold your business together, thereby weathering the prevailing storm.
A motivator is required to create a way of thinking that permeates the whole philosophy of your company on a day-to-day basis. Without positive thoughts your staff will wither and fade and your company will be the ultimate loser.
The very reason a professional motivator exists is because motivation is an extremely complex concept. It is a science that has been investigated and studied over the decades in many ways by many people. It could be the biggest mistake you ever make leaving motivation to an in-house amateur.
Until you source a quality motivator here are a few more tips:
You will motivate your staff if you help them work toward fulfilling their potential at a level they are capable of. This is where the difficulty often lies for many managers who consider themselves a motivator- if staff are not motivated enough they may fail to reach their true potential and your business will suffer.
Pushed too far beyond their natural capability and they become de-motivated and will often complain of being bullied by their so-called motivator.
Successful motivation is achieved when people perform well whilst still working within their limitations. This is achieved through a motivator when your staff are productive and appear to do be doing so with relative ease despite the hurricane winds that whirl around them on the outside.
An effective motivator understands that motivation is something that is an essential part of your people's day-to-day lives. It provides the 'get up and go' that helps them get out of bed in the morning and look forward to their day at work despite the rain that threatens to dampen their day.
By investing in the skills of a motivator you will discover that people can be conditioned to enjoy work and look forward to helping you and your company survive recession. If you have members of your staff who already have a negative attitude, even before the storm hits, they need to be taught how to acquire a positive attitude. People often need the services of a motivator to help staff adopt and display a positive attitude. Every cloud has a silver lining; sometimes people need to know exactly where to look. This is the role of a motivator.
If you are to survive recession by weathering the storm your staff needs to be motivated to give them an unswerving faith that they can succeed above and beyond their own often-mundane expectations. Invest in a professional motivator; the consequences of not doing so are too dire to contemplate.
The taking of some intended action by a motivator initially precipitates motivation in others. Done correctly it will create a visible energy, which in turn drives staff forward out of the grasp of a hurricane that so often accompanies recession.
A motivator can help motivation become contagious, as other staff members 'catch' the appropriate, desired behaviour. Now is the time to seek out a motivator. Don't, like some of your competitors will, catch a cold through complacency.
Take that action today. Seek out a motivator. The old mantra, 'I'll start tomorrow' doesn't work. Tomorrow never comes as it always refers to sometime in the future. The immediate future is bleak with wind and rain forecast.
Don't worry it's not all bad news. Here are some good reasons why you need a professional motivator:
Motivation is the most important factor in recession survival. A motivator specialises in inspiring and motivating others.
Whereas the type of personality your staff displays in the work environment may represent the way they behave, their level of motivation is directly related to why they behave in that particular way. Television, newspapers and radio are so full of doom and gloom if your staffs appear 'down' this is the likely reason they do so. Doing nothing will change nothing. A motivator can counteract any negative thoughts your people hold.
Motivation is a state of mind. A motivator is the creator of positive states of mind.
Staff who declare 'This is just the way I am. I can't change' are mistaken. As stage hypnotists know, and continuously demonstrate, the subconscious mind can be manipulated. A professional motivator is skilled in manipulation.
Invest in the services of a professional motivator and you will install an internal energy force that determines all aspects of your staff's behaviour at work and will impact on how they think, feel and interact with other members of staff and more importantly, your clients. The last thing you need during recessions is a discontented work force harming relationships that you have developed with your customers over many years.
Motivation is the force that makes us behave in a particular way. Inspiration is what a motivator provides to help an individual complete the necessary changes successfully. A motivator will often do this through the power of laughter.
A motivator will demonstrate that motivation is influenced by our personal perceptions of a situation and strengthened by many other factors that create the inspiration to do, or not to do something. Recession, credit crisis and the like are terms that develop negative perceptions. A motivator will help dispel negative perceptions by getting you people to look on the bright side of life. He or she will guide them towards that rainbow we all desire.
If you are in any form of successful business, the most expensive asset you possess is your human resources. Your current goal should be to survive the recession storm that is about to hit us, and therefore you need to invest in the motivation of your staff using a professional motivator. The forecast does not need to be so bleak if you are correctly prepared!
I wish you every success in weathering the storm.
Motivator John Bell works worldwide and specialises in motivating and inspiring adults. Short videos of John motivating audiences can be viewed at his website www.johnbellspeaker.com
John has been working as a motivator for over 25 years, and holds a Masters Degree in Education.
He is also a former stage hypnotist and stand-up comedian and fascinates delegates as he shares amazing secrets on the workings of the human mind and has a special ability, as a motivator, to make people laugh at the absurdities that the inevitable storms in life so often throw at us.
John can
