If you had to read that headline twice, or a few times, to make sense of it, I apologize. But, as subtle as it might seem, there’s a big difference between a “professional speaker” and a professional who just happens to be a speaker.

Let me explain: There are lots of men and women who can give a great presentation – one that’s fun and entertaining – but if you want real value for your money, and your audience’s time, then it pays to look for someone who is an expert in some area and has worked on their presentation skills, rather than the other way around. Why? Because to put it in the simplest and most unrefined terms, it’s fun to listen to a lot of great stories, jokes, and motivational material, but at the end of the day a keynote presentation that’s made entirely of “fluff” doesn’t do much for you or your audience.

Likewise, there are thousands of experts across Canada who are filled with fascinating, insightful information. But, if they can’t present it in a way that’s interesting and compelling to your audience, then what have you really gained beyond a couple of hours of nodding off?

Since the long-term return on investment for vague happy feelings and naptime sessions is pretty close to nil, the key to finding an effective speaker is locating a man or woman who has a defined expertise in a particular area – like Internet marketing, or personnel management, for example – and has taken the time to make it relevant and interesting. Go without either of those ingredients, and especially the first one, and your speaking dollars will have ended up being wasted.

The question of whether you want a professional speaker or a speaking professional might seem trivial, but it’s probably the most important one when it comes to getting the presentation your group really wants and needs.

If you’re looking for a speaker that’s fun, humorous, and informative, look no further. David West speaks across Canada on business and technology topics. Contact us today to find out about his rates and availability.

Meeting planners will resort to a lot of different ideas when it comes to finding the right speaker for their event, and I can understand why. Choose the right personality, one that shares a ton of useful information while entertaining your attendees, and you’ll come off looking like a hero. Go with the wrong person, and you risk looking bad in the eyes of senior management… not to mention facing questions about how you managed the budget for the meeting.

For that reason, I’m going to offer you an insider’s trick – a can’t-miss way to separate the really great Canadian professional speakers from the ones that will leave you wishing you had never heard of them: Find a professional speaker who has been hired multiple times by the same group.

On the surface, this could seem like a small detail, but it isn’t. Here’s why: For someone to have been brought in again by the same organization (regardless of whether it was for the same audience, or if it was months or years apart) says something about their work, and the reception they received. No one would pay to hear somebody twice unless they hit the mark, and they certainly wouldn’t shell out extra dollars to have them speak to a second audience if they didn’t work great with the first.

A lot of people won’t tell you what they really thought of a professional speaker, if only because they don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings or get caught expressing something negative when there’s a chance it can get back to them. But, as with all parts of life, if you follow the money you’ll get a definite answer. People vote with their purchases, and that’s a great way to find out what they really think about any product or service. So, if you’re looking for a Canadian professional speaker who is a cut above the rest, just go and find one who has been brought back multiple times by the same client.

Looking for a great speaker in Canada, and an expert on technology, the Internet, and online marketing? Call David West today – he could be the perfect presenter for your next industry event or trade association meeting!

In today’s economy, no group or trade association can afford to waste money on any part of an event. This is true for things like hotels and meals, but it especially applies to professional speakers. After all, once that presentation has been given, you can’t request another or send it back to the kitchen.

On this blog, you’ll find plenty of articles that should help you find the best Canadian professional speaker for your industry event or trade association meeting. Today, however, I would like to do something a little bit different and offer a few tips to help you get more value out of any speaker you book.

Here are four ways to turn the speaker for your next event into a better investment:

Choose a relevant topic and expert. It goes without saying that choosing the right speaker gives you better value, but it’s easy for meeting planners to go with the topic or personality that’s “hot” instead of one that has the right message for their group. Think carefully about the long-term message you want your audience to receive, and then find the person to best deliver it.

Do your homework. The more you know about the speaker’s presentation, the more you can ask them to tailor it to your audience. You might not want your speaker to completely rewrite or rearrange his or her talk, but by asking him or her to stress the right details, you can make their presentation more relevant to your group.

Give your speaker the right info ahead of time. In the same way, your speaker will very likely ask you for information about the audience, your industry, other speakers you’ve heard in the past, and so on well in advance of their speech. If you wait until the last minute to supply these details, then you’re allowing them much less time to be prepared – and lowering the chances that they’ll give an impactful session.

Make space in the schedule for a breakout session or Q&A period. Regardless of how well your speaker covers his or her topic, your attendees are likely to have questions, or want personal attention. Leave some room in the schedule for this to happen; the more loose ends your speaker can tie up directly with the audience, the more value they will have received for the time they spent listening.

Want to book one of Canada’s best technology speakers? Get in touch with David West today to find out about his speaking fees and availability.