Improve the After-Dinner Speaker: Steve Ruskin’s Tips and Pick of the Week
My pick of the week this week is the client who takes the time to understand just how a speaker impacts their meeting.
I was working with a group that was primed and excited to bring in one of the nation’s top business speakers.
After their long day of meetings and sessions, they wanted to have a leisurely dinner, followed by one of their favorite business authors.
Now imagine how tired you may be after sitting in meetings for the entire day. NOW picture just how you’ll feel as you push yourself back from the well appointed hotel ballroom dinner table. That delectable meal is slowly digesting. Now coffee and well, okay a piece of that seven layer cake..or, wait make that cheese cake. Oh, is everyone having an after dinner drink? Well okay perhaps some wine.
Is that the frame of mind you want to be in for a content driven speech on the state of the art in business?!!!
Actually, after dinner one expects a show. Some speakers are very humorous and can work that kind of crowd beautifully. Some are sports heroes whose exploits and ribald tales are perfect fits for that evening banquet. But our business leader will likely find a far more receptive audience during the daytime. Attendees can comfortably take notes and mull over the theories and insights being expounded.
At the end of the day (and I don’t mean this as a catchy phrase)–I mean after the day’s work and particularly after dinner, everyone is ready for a treat.
Matching the right entertainment after and hard day’s work is an art in and of itself. We recently booked Don McMillan for a tech groups banquet entertainment.
Don is the only comedian working in Powerpoint. His show, Technically Funny is built upon not only years as a professional comedian but 10 years as an engineer at IBM, AT&T, and VLSI Technology. He tailors his program and the fit is hysterical and right on the money for any group that has to deal with technology. In today’s world that goes well beyond the IT and solutions department.
So now, if you will, let’s push ourselves back from the table, stretch our legs out — careful not to trip the waiter — and settle our dishes to get ready for something special. Your boss AND your company think you deserve the best. Ladies and gentleman, would you please welcome to the stage, Don McMillian.
What a perfect fit, just like you and your career. Enjoy.
Don McMillan is available for speaking engagements through Eagles Talent Connection Speakers Bureau. Visit EaglesTalent.com or call 1.800.345.5607.
Steve Ruskin is the VP of Sales at Eagles Talent Speakers Bureau
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