For event planners, the importance of an after dinner speaker cannot be overstated.  Typically the after dinner speaker is the cornerstone of the evening’s festivities and guests are expecting a very good speaker.

What makes someone a good after dinner speaker?  The right person is able to entertain, inspire and engage the audience.  The after dinner speaker should be interactive, keeping the audience and making them part of the entire evening.

Far too many events flop because the event planner chooses a boring, or uninspiring after dinner speaker.  With the Internet at our fingertips there is no reason for that to happen.   If an after dinner speaker is serious about their industry they will offer video clips highlighting their skills.

You want to find someone that you believe can capture your audience’s attention immediately and keep it.  The inability of a speaker to do that will result in you losing your audience intellectually and possibly even physically as they get up and walk out of the room.

Experienced event planners know that the measure of success is how the evening ends.  You want to end on a high note.  If the audience becomes bored, or is not engaged in the after dinner presentation then you failed to plan a good event, you merely planned a dinner party.

When choosing the after dinner speaker make sure you understand their planned presentation as well.  You will want to ensure it is aligned with the goals and objectives of the evening.  You should tell them which topics are off limits and who can and who should not be mentioned by name or called out to participate.

It is up to the event planner to prepare the after dinner speaker with this important information.  Some executives are good sports and enjoy being part of a presentation while others do not.  Also, there may be some hot button topics for the audience that the after dinner speaker will not be aware of so it is essential that you make them aware of those topics.

The more homework you do upfront and the more information you provide the after dinner speaker the greater the chances for success.  Remember, your goal is to plan a complete event and that means choosing the right after dinner speaker.

Rarely do things impact me in a way that truly changes or improves my life, but for the past month I have been working out in a new program called the AmenZone. It is a primal fitness program created by a good friend of mine, Amen Iseghohi. This program has enabled me to bring back all the past activities I used to enjoy when I was younger. What’s amazing is the high level to which I can once again participate in golf, tennis, running and basketball…it matches the level in my 20’s. The other great thing is that it does not require any fancy equipment. I invite you to learn about the power of the AmenZone. Visit www.amenZone.net.

As an event planner for over 15 years, I know the importance of finding a good motivational speaker for a conference.  The performance of that speaker can make or break an event and weigh heavily on whether or not the client thinks the event was successful or not.

Over the years there have been motivational speakers who were only able to motivate the audience to nap, and others that thought yelling equated to motivating.  There were those that were funny but not overly motivational and those that were serious, dry and left the audience wanting some excitement.

Fortunately, you learn from your mistakes and you start to realize that taking a little extra time to research and learn about a motivational speaker will help things go much more smoothly.

Fifteen years ago when I started in this business there was no Internet to speak of.  Or at least if there was, I was not aware of it.  You relied on word of mouth and hoped for the best.  As the Internet gained in popularity my industry changed.  We are now able to see photos, videos, reviews and commentary.  There is no excuse for not doing our homework.

When I am considering a motivational speaker for an event the first thing I do is consider my audience and what type of person will they respond most to.  Typically people respond best to someone who is engaging, polished, funny, and entertaining.  It may sound like a tall order, but it is not.

I typically go to YouTube and search for motivational speakers and watch video clips.  When I find the names of speakers I go to their websites and try to find more information, photos and video clips.  While I watch the video clips I try to notice what the audience is doing.  If I see an audience that is engaged then I know I have found a good motivational speaker.

From there I do some more homework and try to find out what organizations the speaker has worked with, ask for referrals and do Google and Yahoo searches for there name to find out more information.  I do my homework so I can be confident that I am choosing the right motivational speaker.

An after dinner speaker must combine charisma, humor, intelligence and entertainment into a single presentation. An after dinner speaker must be able to capture the attention of the audience within seconds and maintain their attention throughout the presentation.

Your after dinner speaker must have charisma. If they lack this essential quality they will fail to engage your audience. At most dinner events there are many distractions. The speaker you choose must be able to use his or her charm to capture attention immediately and maintain it for the remainder of their presentation.

Humor goes a long way towards maintaining the attention of the audience. You want to make sure the after dinner speaker you choose has a sense of humor and understands that their humor must be appropriate for the venue and the audience. This is something you should discuss prior to signing a contract with any after dinner speaker.

Intelligence is also very important. The audience has to feel that the presentation has value to them. The speaker must convey intelligence to be considered credible by the audience. Watching video clips of potential after dinner speakers can help you determine if the speaker is able to convey their intelligence during a presentation.

An after dinner speaker must be entertaining. No one likes to be lectured to. Your audience must be entertained if their attention is needed for more than 15 minutes. A good after dinner speaker will be entertaining, informative and motivating. Again, it is important to view video clips of the potential speaker to confirm if they have this ability.

Everyone judges entertainment differently. You are the best judge of what will and will not work for your target audience. Watching video clips of the potential after dinner speaker can help you know whether or not they are a good fit for your organization.

The epitome of an after dinner speaker is the person who can immediately capture the attention of your audience, maintain their attention and use that time to inspire, motivate and enrich the audience. When you find this you have found the right after dinner speaker for your organization.

Last week as I prepared to give a speech to about 1400 attendees from the information transport systems industry in Las Vegas, I had to reflect on an encounter that occurred approximately 16 hours before stage time. I incorporate tuned percussion tubes as an essential part of my program, and the night before I learned I was going to have a serious delivery problem. Needless to say the entire day was spent tracking and attempting to re-route a delivery in time for my event. We were successful in our re-route, which now required they be picked up from a UPS center. UPS had graciously pulled the order off the truck for the intercept. The good news is that the 4 huge cartons of tubes had arrived to the UPS depot. The bad news is that there was no way to fit the boxes in to 1 vehicle. As we were attempting to stuff the boxes a young man named Fernando asked if we needed help and where we were going. My friend responded that we were headed to the MGM Grand. The delivery was not going to make show time so we had to intercept it. He offered to help and starting rearranging his car also. I hopped in Fernando’s car and learned a lot about a kind young man that saved the day. It was a great presentation, thanks to Fernando.

Motivational speakers should motivate an audience. Though this may seem like a redundant statement, all too often it is an oxymoron. The sad truth is there are too many motivational speakers who are unable to motivate an audience.

If you are booking a meeting, conference or other event and you are in the market for motivational speakers your first obligation is to make sure that the speaker has the charisma and experience to motivate an audience. How do you do that? Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words and a video is worth a billion!

First and foremost you should discard any motivational speakers who do not provide video clips of their events. Good motivational speakers will want you to witness with your own eyes how they can capture the attention of an audience, maintain that attention and turn it into motivation.

Every motivational speaker should have a website, without exception. The website should include all the relevant information about the speaker and their history, client roster, contact information, etc. Though this is all quite important, the most important thing is the website should include video!

Motivational speakers should be confident enough in their abilities that they proudly display video clips for you to review. They want to motivate you to call them. If their video clips do not motivate you to want to speak to them, then their presentation will not motivate your audience.

When you are watching video clips you want to pay more attention to the audience than the speaker. You want to see whether or not the audience has been engaged by the speaker and whether or not they are able to hold the attention of that audience.

The best motivational speakers are charismatic, funny, intelligent and above all else – motivational! Make sure when you are looking for a speaker that you choose one that will motivate your audience.

Doing your homework upfront can help you choose the right motivational speaker. Their role is crucial at any event. Create your short list of potential speakers and contact them. See who is the most flexible to deal with, is within your budget and shows you enough charisma to motivate you hire them as your motivational speaker.

I’ll be hosting an Emotional Intelligence Seminar specifically for sales professionals with Joelle Hadley, founder of the Emotional Intelligence Institute. Come learn why emotionally intelligent salespeople outsell others by 20-40%. Learn in Paradise at the beautiful Sanctuary Resort on Camelback. October 14th. Visit www.alwaysbemarketingandselling.com/registration for more information.

A few weeks ago I decided to take a road trip to Las Vegas. I had never driven there, but I wanted to check on the progress of the new bridge that was being constructed over the Hoover dam. Before we departed on the return trip, I decided to ask the valet guy at the hotel for directions for a way to bypass the hotel. The guy was so helpful with over the top service that I decided to give him a copy of my book. My travel partner and I noticed that he started shaking and seemed really nervous. He then told me that he was already reading my book and had recently ordered it on Amazon. He knew it was me by my picture on the back of the book. I gave him a signed copy and thanked him for his amazing service. You just never know who you will meet!

The economy truly sucks and there is nothing I can do about it. I know people keep saying it’s getting better, but as I look at my friends who are out of work and searching for their purpose in life, I have one word of advice. Stay focused on your fitness. One thing all experts agree upon is fitness, as it reduces stress, anxiety and your waist line. Before you go on that next job interview, I recommend you go to the gym first and put in a power workout to clear your mind, boost your energy & elevate your mood.

I believe the most important thing you can articulate in an interview is your value proposition. You can do this by demonstrating what value you brought to your previous employer and how that value will translate to your role in the new organization. No matter where you are in your career, take the time to evaluate what strengths you bring to your employer (or potential employer). It’s worth your time!