3 Tips to start writing that keynote

Conference season is here! With the end of summer vacations and long weekends at the beach, conference season is just getting started. Are you a conference speaker or delivering a keynote? Read on for a few tips to get you started.

I’ve written and coached countless keynotes across industries. From the financial and medical fields to science and NGOs, I’ve helped thought-leaders and executives craft their keynote.

Here are a few things I’ve learned as a speechwriter and speaker coach.

Tip #1: Avoid these two talk types: the Data Dump and Why I am so Great.

You’ve been asked to speak because you are an expert in your field. You’re smart and you know stuff. Now for the hard part: what should you talk about? Typically, conferences give you a general topic but it’s up to you to decide on the specific direction. This is the hardest part of the process.

Of course, you should play to your strengths, emphasizing your knowledge and experience. After all, this is why you’re on the stage. Believe that.

At this point speakers typically gravitate toward one of these two extremes. The data dump is a talk where you show your knowledge. You talk about interesting things. The talk is fact based but there’s no real single compelling point. When people leave, at best they think it’s interesting and took a few notes. At worst, you lost them in the plethora of points and they stopped listening after two minutes.

The other extreme is the "Why I am so Great" talk. This is the kind of talk where you talk about yourself, tell stories about yourself explaining how you were able to do what you did. You offer some good bits of advice and there are always things that an active listener can glean. But, fundamentally, the talk isn’t inspiring. Why? Because a good keynote places the person in the audience at the center of the story.

Tip #2: Begin with the end in mind.

Think about what you want the audience to feel at the end of your talk. I’m a believer in creating an emotional structure, where you’re moving the audience from one feeling to another through compelling stories, examples, and ideas. If you want the audience to leave the room inspired, how will you get them there? If you want the audience to feel empowered, what will it take to get them there?

How you get them there is just as important as what you choose to say. The magic happens when you align the how (emotion) with the what (reason). A good keynote isn’t about just presenting information. It’s about presenting the information in a way that compels the audience to think differently.

I always say that communication creates possibilities. You do this by aligning the how (emotions) with the what (reason).

Tip #3: Acknowledge the stages of preparation.

If you aren’t a seasoned speaker making the rounds on the speaker circuit, you may be experiencing the five stages of WHAT HAVE I DONE?!.

Stage 1: Excitement. You’ve been asked to give a talk about a topic with which you are intimately familiar. You have a lot of experience and stories. And you are just plain excited for this opportunity! That’s a great place to be.

Stage 2: Determination. You have agreed to do this thing and you start brainstorming. Let's do this! You google how to give a keynote and have a few tips and tricks to get you started. You start researching the topic, jotting down general things you want to share, leading to stage three.

Stage 3: Terror. You may feel an overwhelming sense of terror and/or inadequacy. Maybe you’re doing research and realize the topic is more nuanced, so you get stuck. Maybe you know so much about the topic that you’re having a hard time narrowing down what you’ll talk about. Or maybe you realize how much you don’t know and feel like you need to read for the next year to be able to do the topic any justice at all. You’re feeling terror and/or inadequacy and you aren’t sure how to break free.

Stage 4: Nervousness.At this point you’ve narrowed your topic. You have a good start but now you’ve entered stage four: nervousness. You’re questioning if you’ve made the right choice. Is this topic good enough? Will people be interested? You’ve chosen your path and the nerves are starting to set in because you can’t predict how the audience will respond. But as you continue writing, you get more comfortable with your talk and that turns to the last stage.

Stage 5: Elation. The fifth and final stage is elation. You are beyond excited to get this thing over with! You’re comfortable with your talk and you’ve been practicing. You can’t wait to share what you’ve learned with others. But the greatest feeling is when you’re walking off the stage and it’s over.

If you’re giving a presentation or keynote during the Fall conference season, don’t hesitate to reach out if you need that extra bit of help. I have flat packages for speaker coaching, speechwriting, and a combination of the two. Contact me to learn more: jeffmotter.com.