Recently, I’ve been talking to speaking biz people to ask them what’s in demand in the speaking world. Now, it’s important to understand that one of the peculiarities of our business is that no one really knows in some scientifically verifiable way where the demand is. There is astonishingly little actual comprehensive research on those kinds of seemingly vital questions, like who’s hiring what kind of speakers, for how much, and how often.
Instead, we each have our own sliver of insight into the marketplace. That’s why I keep asking the questions, of bureau folks, of meeting planners, of media companies, of speakers – of anyone who has their particular window on our world.
So, when you perform this interesting task, you currently get a set of answers like the following: audiences (i.e., employees of companies, members of associations, attendees of conferences, people in the business world) are burned out, overwhelmed and racing to keep up with changes in their industry, profession, or marketplace. Uncertainty is at an all-time high, and so audiences want funny, courageous, insightful speakers who can motivate, inspire, and share ideas that give audiences the strength to go forth and fight another day.
Brian Palmer, an executive of the Premiere Speakers Bureau, and long-time head of the National Speakers Bureau, beautifully summed it up for me recently when he said, “People ask us about Ryan Leak all day long. Keynoters like him that speak big, have ideas that hit audiences in the gut, cause laughter, and the urge to be better – are in hot demand.”
I haven’t seen Ryan Leak speak, but if he can keep up the energy for an hour like he demonstrates in his sizzle reel, then he’s a powerhouse, and deserves his success.
This encomium does not mean that you should set about trying to become a Ryan Leak imitator. By all means study his technique by attending one (or more) of his speeches, and learn what you can from him, but your job is to be the best you that you can be, NOT a second-rate someone else. I can’t stress this enough. Speakers get to be as successful as Mr. Leak by honing their thought leadership, working their craft, and developing their own unique voice. Not someone else’s voice, watered down. Their. Unique. Voice.
This is a demanding time for speakers. There is more competition for speaking gigs than there ever has been. The call for humor, high energy, and inspiration to lift audiences out of their slough of despond is strong. But it is important to remember that every stage is different. Your job as a speaker is to be ready for the call, and to answer that call for a speaker fitting your attributes. That means you have to be ready to say no when the invitation doesn’t fit you well. I talk about storytelling, body language, executive presence, and communications. I’m not a motivational speaker. Yeah, I did die as a teenager (for a few minutes) and I was successfully revived, and I do tell that story – but not to inspire you to put your problems in perspective and think, “well, at least I’ve never died!” Rather, I’m passionate about communications and how we are all in this together – so let’s connect for real. So, if you need someone to pump up your audience, make them forget their issues for 45 minutes, and to walk out thinking “I’m lucky just to have my little set of problems!” then call a motivational speaker. Or maybe Mr. Leak. But not me. It’s about finding the right fit: for every great speaker there is a particular audience ready to be moved.
I’m not sure things have changed much. Like you, I’ve known Brian for over 30 years. I used him to hire speakers for me when I managed events, and he hired me to speak at events when I changed careers. But he’s always been one to point out “this guy gets a lot of requests” without particular insight into what it means for “you.” I’ve spent a lot of time using an analogy I picked up from a restaurant critic in Chicago. He would talk about “Bread” and “Circuses.” What he meant was, he’d give a restaurant a score on the food – which he called “Bread.” Then he gave it a score for the ambiance, location, wait staff, service rituals, etc – which he called “circuses.” I’ve found in my career that I tell people “look, I’m long on the content (Bread.) Unique content that will cause your audience to think, and to find new ways toward a better future. I break up my presentation with some humor, and some “outside the box” ideas that engage them. But I don’t try to tell a lot of jokes, I don’t do tricks, I don’t focus on “motivational efforts” (Circuses.) If you want the lunch speaker who sends them out laughing, I’m likely not your guy. Want them to know why they feel unsettled and what they can do about it, then let’s talk.” Event managers are usually young people, don’t have a lot of experience, don’t get paid much, and bend quickly toward “circuses.” Brian has that same affliction – as a speaker bureau guy he wants NO potential consequences – so content first speakers always create some risk of rubbing someone in the audience the wrong way. That’s why those speakers who market to bureaus and event managers always tend to be very heavy on “circuses” and a lot less clear about insightful content.
Adam, the entire industry is risk averse, indeed. They don’t want to offend their audiences. But that doesn’t mean that they don’t want them to think or to learn something new. I think the bread and circus analogy only goes so far. The best speakers manage to do both.