The Mark of a Good After Dinner Speaker
Asking an after dinner speaker to make a presentation can improve on almost any event. A good after dinner speaker is an all time favourite of most events organisers because they help to close events in a positive way, making an unforgettable occasion.
An after dinner speaker may form part of the running order at corporate dinners, sports dinners or charity fundraising events, but wherever they feature, their aim is universal. The after dinner speaker aims to ensure the event is memorable and finishes on a positive note. They have varying degrees of success. There are some tell tale signs of a good after dinner speaker and it is a good idea to consider these when hiring one.
Even if the tone of the event is informative or educational, the after dinner speaker will not seek to lecture or bore their audience. Rather, a talented speaker will be able to educate an audience using humour and a light-hearted demeanour. The speech might be motivational or thought-provoking, but never boring.
A good after dinner speaker should liaise with events organisers to get the most of the lay-out and acoustics of the room. For example, having a clear view of the speaker is likely to result in a more interested audience. Planners might consider using cabaret-style seating arrangements to this end.
Maintaining the ongoing interest of the audience must always be a priority for a good after dinner speaker. They may choose to use visual aids or humorous anecdotes to help with this. it is also important that an audience gets the impression that the presentation is relevant to them. Therefore, a good after dinner speaker will keep their presentation current by relating their topic to recent issues and news.
Perhaps the most important aspect of the work of a good after dinner speaker is ending on a positive note. Even if the subject matter has been serious, speeches should always find a positive note on which to end. If the audience leaves the event feeling positive and happy, then they will take positive memories away from the event.