This, my friends, is the secret sauce. You can have the most prepared, relevant, customized pro in the world, but if they can’t connect with your people, it’s all for naught.
I’ve seen speakers with impeccable credentials bomb because they couldn’t read the room. And I’ve seen relatively unknown speakers bring the house down because they knew how to connect.
Connection is about more than just eye contact and asking a few questions. It’s about creating a shared experience. About making every person in that room feel like you’re talking directly to them. It’s about leaving them feeling not just motivated, but understood.
So, how do you gauge this? Well, it’s not easy. You can’t really tell from a website or a demo video. My advice? Talk to the speaker. Get a feel for who they are as a person. Ask them how they approach different audiences. And trust your gut.
Be bold when interviewing your speakers. Ask them: “Do you connect with your audience as a motivational speaker? How will I know that’s true before I sign a contract?” Personally, I’d jump for joy if anybody asked me this question because I have the goods, can prove it with video and referrals, and would never be offended by meeting planners asking great pointed questions!)
Remember, at the end of the day, you’re not just hiring a speaker. You’re creating an experience for your people. And that experience hinges on connection.
So, next time you’re choosing a motivational speaker, by all means, go through your checklist. But don’t forget to ask yourself: Can this person truly connect with my audience? Because if the answer is yes, everything else will fall into place.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some connecting to do. See you on the stage!
