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If you’ve been to an event with a professional after dinner speaker recently, the chances are it was a male speaker. You might not have thought much of it during the speech, but actually most professional after dinner speakers are men. It’s true: at all the speakers’ agencies in the UK, the roster of after dinner speakers dealing with business or politics are likely to be men.

In our modern society where equality of the sexes and political correctness are central to the daily running of businesses and employment law, looking into the facts behind why after dinner speakers should be so overwhelmingly male is interesting. Many people firmly back the argument that the industries from which many after dinner speakers are sourced are sexist, or at least male dominated and not the speaking business itself. This does make sense: most after dinner speakers previously worked in politics, business or sport. All of these are typically very male industries. It is also true that the spheres in which after dinner speakers work are likely to be mostly male. The business speaker generally works only at corporate functions, which are still mostly attended by men, although the proportion of men to women in business is becoming more and more equal.

However, as time goes by the after dinner speaker rosters of the leading speakers’ bureaus are changing. There are more female speakers than ever. Women after dinner speakers are earning more respect and recognition and are more in demand than ever. All the same, in our politically correct society there are still claims of discrepancies in the levels of pay of male and female speakers. Even in the glossy world of after dinner speakers, there’s a long way to go to find true gender equality.

  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. Simply put, an after dinner speaker makes an event unforgettable. Of course, not all speakers are created equal. There are some obvious marks of a good after dinner speaker which anyone hiring one should remember.

Even if the tone of the event is informative or educational, the after dinner speaker will not seek to lecture or bore their audience. Instead, an experienced speaker will have a knack of informing an audience in a light-hearted, perhaps even humorous way. Often, the presentation will be inspirational or thought-provoking but an audience should never feel bored.

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, an audience will feel more involved in a speech if they are able to see the speaker. For this reason, some organisers may wish to use cabaret-style seating.

Maintaining the ongoing interest of the audience must always be a priority for a good after dinner speaker. To this end, they may use visual aids or anecdotes. It is also important that the audience feels as though the presentation has been tailored to them. To this end, a good after dinner speaker will always make sure that their presentation is current by relating their topic to contemporary examples from recent news stories, for example.

Probably the most important skill that makes a good after dinner speaker is their ability to end always on a high note. Even in the cases where subject matter of the presentation may have been less than happy, it is very important that there is a positive note to end on. An audience that leaves an event on a positive note will think highly of the event, making it a success.

Are you hosting a conference and worried your audience may not be as large as hoped? Are you looking for ways to make an annual general meeting unforgettable? Are you about to introduce a new product or business technique to your company? Are you responsible for an upcoming charity event and hoping to encourage attendance to raise more money? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then it might be time to consider an after dinner speaker.

Many event organisers would agree that in any of the situations mentioned above, an after dinner speaker would be their weapon of choice. In cases where an after dinner speaker has a little bit of celebrity, the effect could be even better. And that doesn’t just mean celebrity in the conventional, showbiz sense, but rather any type of renown or respect in a particular field.

In the business world, an after dinner speaker might attend anything from the dinner following an AGM, a training day or a conference. This is an example of when a speaker with renown rather than fame, per se, might come in handy. Certainly, hiring an after dinner speaker with experience and a successful track record in the right field could add authority to new techniques you are trying to introduce.

The after dinner speaker is also a great tool in the world of charity. Depending on the type of charity and the expected audience, using a famous face can be a wonderful boost. Before the event, a celebrity after dinner speaker can raise the profile of the event and the charity itself. More interest means more attendance and more attendance means more donations. Therefore, an after dinner speaker can really make a difference.

Deciding on the type of after dinner speaker to go with is never easy. A showbiz, or television celebrity may be the obvious choice, but ensure that the audience’s age, gender and any common interests are taken into consideration before making any concrete decisions.

An after dinner speaker with plenty of experienced will be highly skilled in his or her art. When compared to an inexperienced after dinner speaker, these skills will shine through. This is simply because new speakers have not yet been able to hone the vital skills for super presentations.

Clearly, strong communication skills are vital to an after dinner speaker who may be required to convey many different messages over their career. However, humour is also vital if the speaker is to prevent boredom amongst audience members. Because the after dinner speaker is expected to entertain the audience during what is a natural lull in proceedings, they must be humorous to prevent any after dinner lull. Aside from humour, brevity is another string to the after dinner speaker’s bow. Conveying messages without spending hours doing it always makes for a good speaker.

Furthermore, good, solid knowledge is very important for an after dinner speaker. They must have a good grounding in their subject matter or else the audience is unlikely to take them seriously and will probably disregard their message. As far as knowledge is concerned, some responsibility lies with the person booking the after dinner speaker. Choosing a TV presenter to talk about training and management is unlikely to be a sensible decision. Remember though, that even a knowledgeable business speaker should be given some introduction to the company.

Another large part of the after dinner speaker’s skill lies in their understanding of an audience and their needs. Certainly, organisers should still provide information where appropriate. Failure to understand the needs of an audience has caused many an after dinner speaker to make gaffes in the past, with inappropriate jokes at the top of the list.

The face of the traditional charity event has changed beyond all recognition in recent years. it’s out with the old jumble sales and cake sales. The philanthropist of today wants glitz and glamour. That would explain why charity dinners and balls, each complete with after dinner speaker, have seen such a surge in popularity. Because of the fee charged by the after dinner speaker, hiring one has obvious expenses. Don’t rule out the idea though, because the advantages can outweigh the costs.

Event organisers who are planning a charity dinner or ball are rightly keen to boost attendance. This is especially important when the majority of revenue will be coming from ticket sales. At a charity event you can rely on local supporters of the cause to attend but the real issue is getting new people interested. If you can attract them to your event by providing an after dinner speaker who has something interesting to offer then you are onto a good thing. If you hire an after dinner speaker who enjoys a degree of fame, is a TV personality, a local celebrity or a sportsman or woman you will attract people who may otherwise not have been interested.

Hiring a celebrity after dinner speaker will start the ball rolling and get people talking about your cause, giving you extra publicity. If the presence of a famous after dinner speaker makes just one person Google your charity and they mention it to their friends then awareness of your cause has been raised and this can only be a good thing.

Donations can be seriously boosted if the after dinner speaker can talk passionately and in a convincing manner about your cause. Famous people are often looked up to as role models so can work wonders in encouraging people to take up your cause.
Finally, consider involving your after dinner speaker in other parts of the night. Could they host an auction? If local businesses have donated prizes then the speaker can use their charisma to make the auction fun and encourage higher bids.

Don’t rule out using an after dinner speaker just because of their fee: they can add a lot to an event. Give it a go and you might just be surprised.

 

Anybody who agrees to act as an after dinner speaker for an event, whether it be educational, charitable or business related is likely to feel nervous, even if they have donâ

With regards to picking out an after dinner speaker for a conference or other corporate event, the sheer degree of choice can feel daunting. If you have already approached a speakers’ agency you will almost certainly already have been confronted with the large numbers of various speakers from which to choose. Try to not fret, though, the whole process may very well be easier.

The initial consideration you take ought to relate with what the purpose and emphasis of your function is and just what you would like your after dinner speaker to accomplish for you. Most of the time this kind of speakers will be hired for business events so you might be planning they can reveal some expertise or encourage your team. If this is the case, more often than not a speaker who’s well respected in the relevant discipline of enterprise is the obvious option.

With that in mind, remember that speakers are frequently booked a long time ahead of their engagements, often even as much as a year ahead. Consequently, it is critical to begin finding and hiring your speaker just as soon as you get a date of the function and know your purpose.

With a date in mind and a wish list at hand the time is right to contact a speakers’ firm. Let them know about the sort of speaker you are trying to find: their background, specialism and lastly availability. Tell them also as much as you can regarding the character of the occasion. The organization should then be prepared to go away and come up with a shortlist of a few possible speakers.

Much like any other big expense, look for recommendations. Any respected and reliable after dinner speaker ought to be happy to provide you with references and recommendations to enable you to be positive you are making just the right selection. Always consult these references and ask agencies for video clip recordings of the speaker in action to whittle down your shortlist. Along with the fresh slimline shortlist comes the time to take into consideration different factors, for example fee. Nobody is claiming that you need to pick the lowest priced speaker, but take into consideration value for money.

As soon as the booking process has been completed, make sure to get everything in writing. All respected speakers’ companies will definitely draw up a contractual agreement detailing all of the terms and conditions. Make sure that all the details of time, place and any special demands are correct in order that in case of dispute, you will be safeguarded.

Finally, don’t just leave your after dinner speaker to it. Preferably, work directly with them to enhance their speech. Speakers will want to target their presentation to your wants and audience, therefore giving them some information about the firm, its ethos and its goals can make their task easier.

Charity events and fundraising evenings have one major goal; to raise money and support. The organisers are looking to recruit volunteers, more donations or contacts that can help them to increase awareness of their cause in the long run.

An after dinner speaker can help in this endeavour in many ways. A speaker can help your event to gain publicity, more attendees and raise extra money through holding an auction, especially if they have celebrity value.
Publicity
An after dinner speaker who enjoys fame or at least notoriety with a large section of the general public are sure to bring more publicity to your event. They can promote the cause in the media and with their followers so more people will know about it.

Increase Attendance
When it becomes public knowledge that a person with celebrity value will be speaking at your event, the number of attendees will increase. Their fans will want to attend so they can see the speaker and people who have a general interest in current news stories will also sign up to attend. People who did not know about your organisation but support your cause will also have the opportunity to attend as well.

Boost Donations
Some of the best after dinner speakers will bring an item to your event that can be auctioned off to raise even more money for your cause. If the speaker is a sports star then signed pieces of their uniform or signed balls are a popular auction prize as are signed photos or CDs/DVDs if they are in the entertainment industry. Concert/gig tickets and even dates with the speakers are some of the more special auction prizes that have been bid on at previous charity events.

Organising a heavily populated event which raises money for your cause as well as support in the form of volunteering is why fundraising events are held. Most events charge a set price for tickets or per plate if it is an event with dinner unless it is being held as a thank you to the organisation’s members. The attendees at your event will be willing to pay money for their ticket or their plate if they are promised an entertaining evening. You can ask for a large amount for the ticket of the after dinner speaker you hire is classed as an A-list celebrity.

In order for charities to be able to do their work, they need support in monetary and physical forms. Whilst many people pick a handful of causes to support on a regular basis, many people are prepared to donate their time and money to a one off, worthwhile cause. Charitable events have been organised for centuries and a variety of people attend them. The royal family are probably the largest benefactor family in Great Britain, raising millions of pounds for various charities and causes, the Prince’s Trust being one of the most notable. But people with less money also give to charity, every level of society has members who donate.

Organising an event is all about targeting the right audience for your cause. Some charities have a gender bias, for example cancer charities that focus on testicular and prostrate cancer attract more donations from men. Wealthier people tend to sponsor charities working with animals and there are people who focus their charitable giving on local causes. If you know people already donating to your cause, invite them and you will raise more money at your event.

After dinner speakers are a good way to increase the guests at your event. If you choose a celebrity from the world of sport, music or politics, they are sure to attract more guests and many bring items to auction which can raise large and unexpected amounts of money.

Good after dinner speakers are also effective at providing a memorable experience through entertaining speeches and humorous anecdotes. The memorable event will hopefully encourage first time and existing donors to support your cause in the future, be it in donation form or through volunteering.

To raise a lot of money in little time, events prove the best forum. They can take a long time to plan and can be expensive but try to use caterers that offer discount for charitable events or use food suppliers from the local region who are more likely to donate food and drink for the event. The less it costs to host your event, the more money that will go directly to your cause, which is why you held the event in the first place.