Real World Celebrities as Keynote Speakers

Speakers who are successful and have real world experience are often invited to be keynote speakers. If you’re thinking about attending a conference with a celebrity keynote speaker, what should you expect to get from it?

You might see visionaries like Sir Richard Branson who founded the Virginia Group or Robert Safian, Editor and Managing Director of Fast Company who are on prominent speakers’ bureaus.

What do they bring to the table that a modest, lesser-known speaker might not?

1. 1. Star Power

      Big names draw audiences. We have an innate desire to be close to people who are famous, talented, highly skilled, and knowledgeable. Attendees hope this fame, fortune, and skill set can, at least in part, be transferred to them. Thus, they will be better off as a result of coming to the seminar or conference. So expect to deal with a larger audience when you have a big name as your keynote speaker.In turn, you’ll get an image boost from hiring a star speaker, both with employees and the public.

   2. Powerful Message

      Celebrity keynote speakers are expected to bring a message that carries deep impact. The subject should be life-changing. For some it’s an emotional change— a feel-good, you-can-do-it kind of encouragement. Other speakers teach concepts, principles, and skill sets that change the employees, the work environment, and the company culture.As a result of listening to a star speaker, you should leave the session with a take-away that you can put to use immediately in your life.

   3. Interesting Presentation

      Being famous or highly skilled at a business does not guarantee that person is interesting. Great leaders can still speak in monotones or discuss concepts too deep or off-topic for the average listener.However, superstars often have interesting stories about what they do on a daily basis. Sports stars who share motivational stories about how they got to where they are can fire up an audience to reach higher as well, for example.

      Check reviews on your celebrity speaker to insure they have an engaging manner of speaking. Also check to be sure their real world experience and topic matches what you are interested in and can benefit from.

   4. Personality

      Part of what makes these star speakers interesting is their own personal experiences. They bring value to the topic when they inject their own personality into the talk. What did they learn from these experiences? What are the stories behind the “aha” moments in their lives? What are their opinions and the basis for their thoughts and world views?Naturally you hope to gain an idea of what your star’s life looks like during this talk. When celebrities share from their personal, as well as from their business experience, they connect with the listener on a closer level.

   5. Accessibility

      When you consider attending an event with a star speaker, be sure to find out how accessible they will be to the conference goers. Will they simply speak and disappear? Will they be available for questions and answers at a later time? For photo opportunities? If it’s a small group, will they mingle with attendees during the conference?

Keynote speakers who are real world celebrities bring weight and credibility to any conference you attend. Their prestige rubs off on you as you absorb their stories, counsel, skill sets, and business vision. Granted, leading speakers charge higher fees, but consider whether it’s an investment that could pay off in a big way.

Finally, don’t rely solely on the excitement about a celebrity speaker to carry success strategies further. Lead by example to keep motivation high long after the talk.

And next time you get a chance to attend a conference with star power, grab it with both hands. It’s well worth it.