Tag: speaker


The Omnipresent Presentation: Does It Offer Good ROI?

Presentations are one of the most used and abused instructional methods. They are everywhere. Conferences, meetings, webinars, board rooms, seminars, workshops, exhibit halls, online learning. Worldwide, presentations are the most common method for training adults. (What’s The Use Of Lectures? by Donald Bligh). Most conferences rely 100% on lecture-based presentations. Show-And-Tell Revisited Remember show-and-tell from … [Read more…]

Planning Presentations With The Brain In Mind

Most association education, whether online or face-to-face, actually inhibits learning. In a typical presentation, attendees sit and listen while presenters stand and deliver. That is the sure sign of learning failure. Lectures And Bicycles I remember when I first learned to ride a bike. My parents had given me my first bike complete with training … [Read more…]

Confessions Of An Industry Speaker: What I Dislike About Your Conference

I feel like a professional conference attendee lately. I have attended and spoke at nine different conferences in the last 63 days. That’s one conference for every seven days. In reality, I spoke more than nine times because sometimes I had two or three presentations at each event. Seeing Your Speakers As Partners As a … [Read more…]

Giving Your Conference Content Handles

Presentations are a way to move information from my head into your actions. If I do it right, I give my ideas handles, so that you can run with what I’ve started and make it your own. ~ Chris Brogan Do you design your conference content so that it has handles? Have you ever even … [Read more…]

Designing Content For The Big Tent General Session

Finding the right keynote presenter that has content specific for your conference audience is frequently as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack. Many times the content experts are not the greatest presenters. Yet the good presenters don’t have any content of value to the attendees. So what do you do? How can you design conference content … [Read more…]

Stuff Your Conference Speakers Need To Know: The TED Speaker Commandments

I love these ten TED speaker commandments. If you’ve not seen them before, make them part of your conference speaker packet! The TED Speaker Commandments   Thou shalt not simply trot out thy usual shtick. Thou shalt dream a great dream, or show forth a wondrous new thing, or share something thou hast never shared … [Read more…]

Why Do Conferences Offer Education Sessions?

Breakouts, concurrent sessions, forums, general sessions, Ignite, lectures, Open Space, panels, Pecha Kucha, peer to peer, plenary sessions, round tables, seminars, workshops. Conference education. No matter what we call them, they all have one thing in common: sharing of information with the goal of education and learning. What Is The Goal Of Conference Education? So … [Read more…]

Hiring A Professional Speaker Jargon Buster Part 2: Words N-Z

For the inexperienced, hiring a professional speaker or entertainer can be intimidating. This is part two of Jargon Busting For Hiring Professional Speakers. Read Part 1 Words A-M. You might also like Cheat Sheet For Hiring And Paying Professional Speakers. Hiring A Professional Speaker Jargon Primer: Words N-Z Nonprofit Discount If you are a nonprofit … [Read more…]

Hiring A Professional Speaker Jargon Buster Part 1: Words A-M

Professional speakers. Those two words strike fear in some hearts and send some people screaming. Others read it and question what classifies a professional speaker. Securing and hiring professional speakers can be a daunting task for some. Working with a speakers bureau or agent can feel like navigating a minefield, especially if you are new … [Read more…]

Cheat Sheet For Hiring And Paying Professional Speakers

Sometimes hiring and securing a professional speaker can feel like navigating a maze. New jargon, terms, conditions and clauses can be confusing, especially if you only secure speakers once or twice a year. Dealing with a speakers bureau or agent can feel daunting. Few meeting professionals know that it is perfectly acceptable to negotiate. Here … [Read more…]