After Dinner

Spotting A Good After Dinner Speaker

  Asking an after dinner speaker to make a presentation can improve on almost any event. The after dinner speaker is the long time favourite of most event planners because of their wonderful ability to end events on high notes and ensure that attendees don’t forget the event.

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. The after dinner speaker aims to ensure the event is memorable and finishes on a positive note. Of course, not all speakers are created equal. There are some tell tale signs of a good after dinner speaker and it is a good idea to consider these when hiring one.

Even in circumstances where the event might have an informational or educational tone, the after dinner speaker will avoid lecturing their audience and making them bored. Instead, an experienced speaker will have a knack of informing an audience in a light-hearted, perhaps even humorous way. The speech might be motivational or thought-provoking, but never boring.

Experienced after dinner speakers will work together with event planners to make the most of the sound in the room. For example, an audience will feel more involved in a speech if they are able to see the speaker. Planners might consider using cabaret-style seating arrangements to this end.

Captivating and keeping the audience’s interest is always the aim of any good after dinner speaker. Using anything from visual aids to real-life anecdotes can help here. It is also important that the audience feels as though the presentation has been tailored to them. A good after dinner speaker will always ensure that their presentation is up to date by relating the topic to contemporary issues.

Probably most important in the skills of an after dinner speaker is their ability always to end on a positive note. Even if the subject matter has been serious, speeches should always find a positive note on which to end. Allowing the audience to leave on a positive note is what will help them remember your event in a positive way, making the difference between a success and a flop.

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