Don’t be afraid to show your personality – let your inner rockstar shine through!
Rock stars are known for having a certain confidence and flare when it comes to expressing their individual personalities. Look at Rhianna, Pink, or Dolly Parton- their personalities shine through their onstage presence, and fans remember their words long after the concert is over. It’s the same with iconic Keynote Speakers – you want your words to resignate long after you’ve finished the message.
The good news is that we all have an inner rockstar waiting to be unleashed. Just think about the last time you felt like the queen you are, truly in the zone, doing what you love and excelling at it. That feeling is what we’re going for here as a keynote speaker. When you connect with your inner rockstar, you’ll find the swagger, charisma, and expertise needed to make any keynote speech a success- and your business will explode with speaking requests.
How can I grow my confidence to speak with the energy of rock stars?
Be as Confident as Beyonce (she is the Queen, after all).
Beyonce doesn’t just walk onto the stage – she stalks out with swagger as if she owns the stage, the seats, and the whole dang auditorium. As keynote speakers, we have the power to shape and inspire. To be successful in this role, it is essential to believe in ourselves and our ideas. Confidence in our unique, authentic ourselves is the foundation for a powerful, captivating speech. Knowing our subject inside and out helps strengthen that confidence and gives us a sense of control over the presentation. As keynote speakers, we should understand that people came to hear us—we are the experts on this topic! Developing an inner trust that we can deliver will make for a more engaging event and help bring our audience along with us. So don’t hesitate to confidently claim the stage — you know what you’re talking about!
Be as Engaging as Adele
Adele is such an amazing storyteller that even a room of thousands is silent when she sings. As a quality keynote speaker, engaging with your audience is incredibly important. Body language, eye contact, and storytelling help create a rich, trusting connection between the speaker and the audience. Adele’s pain feels like our pain – when she sings, we feel understood. It’s the same with speaking- you want every person in the audience to feel seen and understood. Engagement and audience energy also mean you need to move around the stage to address different parts of the room, change up your facial expressions and body language, and sprinkle in your personality. But you don’t need to just rely on the power of your voice, like Adele. This leads us to …
Be as Visual as Lady Gaga
When you see Lady Gage perform, you know that your eyes, as well as your ears, are in for a treat. Any rockstar keynote speaker knows that to wow the audience, visual aids help engagement. Hook your crowd with a unique prop that helps you be unforgettable. I saw an award-winning keynote where the presenter had a beautiful rose in full bloom. To emphasize her keynote, she would pluck a petal from the rose every time she made a point or finished an illustration. At the end of the presentation, she was surrounded by rose petals and left with a bare stem.
Just like a rockstar engaging their crowd at a show, utilizing creative visuals such as pictures, graphs, or startling statistics allows really cements the ideas being presented. I mean, we still all remember the buzz around Lady Gaga’s dress made of meat! It was iconic! Presentations that use a combination of words and visuals are more engaging than those relying solely on one element, so go ahead – let your inner rockstar shine through!
Have as much fun onstage as Rhianna.
Remember when Rhianna planned the best pregnancy announcement of all time- live at the Super Bowl?! Seeing her smile, social media blowing up, and even the stories that came out afterward of how she kept it from her backup dancers … it was clear how much fun she had with the performance.
Being the best rockstar speaker starts with enjoying yourself. When you take a moment to step back, relax, enjoy the moment and have fun, you’ll naturally be more engaging. If you’re genuinely enjoying yourself on stage, your enthusiasm will be contagious, and the audience won’t help but feed off of your positive energy! So strike a balance between professionalism and having fun – it’s key to creating an engaging atmosphere that everyone can get into!
You are a ROCKSTAR- Don’t settle, because Beyonce wouldn’t.
I get asked all the time, “How much do Keynote Speakers get paid?” “What’s the difference between a Keynote or Guest Speaking gig?” and “Do Keynote Speakers present first or second?” Girl, there are so many right answers, but let me share my view.
If you want Beyonce, you are going to pay for Beyonce. The top Keynote Speakers (we’re talking Tony Robbins, Mel Robbins, Wema Hoover, Les Brown) are going to get paid well, upwards of 100k for speaking, with travel expenses and amenities covered. Think about it- those level speakers are a major draw. As your star is rising in the Keynote world- don’t be afraid to ask for what you’re worth. Those in their first years of Keynoting request 5k-10k, depending on the groups they’re speaking to, the sizes of the audience, and the extras requested. If you are planning an event think about the audience’s expectations- is this a pack-stadium-rock-out-situation or an intimate-studio-unplugged-backstage-gathering? What’s the tone? What’s the budget? Keep all of that in mind.
A Keynote Speaker is not a Guest Speaker. Guest Speakers are like the opening act, while the Keynote is the main attraction. They are not the same thing and do not get paid the same. Typically, a guest speaker will speak first, with the Keynote going second, but it depends on the organization and presentation model. It’s okay to be flexible because you want to tailor the presentation to your audience’s expectations. Again, think about the experience that’s being curated for the attendees.
In the end, remember that it’s okay to be yourself, Queen, because the audience wants to see the real, authentic you- just like a rockstar. Believe in yourself, be confident in what you are putting out there, and don’t forget to enjoy yourself. Showing off your unique personality and expertise is an excellent way to engage with your audience and make a lasting impression. Let your inner rockstar shine through when speaking and presenting, and watch the speaking offers come rolling in!
Which rockstar is your presentation style most like? Comment below, and let’s get the ideas rolling!