Motivational speaker
Motivational speakers consist of professional speakers, facilitators and trainers who speak to audiences, usually for a fee. The keynote speech takes place at the beginning of an event, or during lunch or at the close of an event. The length of these speeches generally last 45 minutes to two hours in duration. In comparison, a workshop or seminar generally lasts three to 7 hours (or in some cases several days).
Motivational speakers come from hundreds of disciplines and backgrounds. The profession defies age or academic prerequisites. While the motivational speaking profession requires no formal training or certification, those who speak professionally and succeed in the profession possess the proven ability to lift up, educate and motivate their audiences.
Any one can hire a motivational speaker by contacting them directly. This is especially easy to do with the advent of the Internet. In the past, speaker's bureaus acted as intermediaries, connecting meeting planners with speakers (the bureaus collect 25 to 30 percent of the speaker's fees). Some of the celebrity speakers, sports figures, politicians, olympians and best-selling authors (many of whom earn $20,000 - $250,000 per speech) still use the services of the various specialty bureaus. The potential risk of using a bureau is the potential for bias and limited choices.
Fees paid to motivational speakers vary based on the speaker's expertise, star power, experience, niche and level of customization. In addition to educational value, consider factors like humor, story-telling, originality, and the refrain from canned speeches. The best speakers can engage the audience and share best practices, experiences and life lessons without boring the audience.
Experts debate the long-term value of motivation. [
1] It is fairly agreed, however, that a motivational speaker can have an immediate impact on a person's morale or sense of self-worth. The most effective motivational speakers remind people of their own potential and inspire them to improve their personal and professional well-being.
The big question one must ask when deciding on which motivational speaker to work is their ability to fuse these heightened feelings with practical strategies for change or improvement.
Another concern raised is the religious tone (often biased to one faith) many motivational speakers adapt. A motivational speaker should be professional enough to understand the difference between inspiration and evangelizing (especially when considers the diversity of religious beliefs across the globe.
Unless, the speech is being given within a religious context, these can be the least effective presentations and one-dimensional. Evangelizing is also prohibited in the workplace as it infringes on civil liberties. Also, It's incorrect to assume that the audience uniformly shares a singular religious mindset. Any presentation biased towards one set of religious or cultural values runs the risk of problems with maintaining non-hostile environments.
Those interested in making a career out of becoming motivational speakers are encouraged to hone their presentation skills, develop a niche and become excellent at
marketing. They are also encouraged to consider additional revenue streams such as coaching, consulting and product development.
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Anthony Robbins*
Dan Millman*
Deepak Chopra*
Rubin "Hurricane" Carter*
How to Hire a Motivational Speaker
