Amazing corporate events have one thing in common – they have a great speaker to open the conference or seminar! And this speaker carries a lot of power and responsibility in setting the right tone for your audience.
With such a vital role, it’s important to make sure you pick the right person as your event’s speaker. You don’t want to leave your audience yawning or bored.
Your event’s keynote speaker should be memorable. However, you shouldn’t just go through the motions and select any motivational speaker as your event’s main act.
And that’s where comedy keynote speakers come in.
So, let’s get into why picking a comedy keynote speaker for your event is truly the best choice.
See Related: 7 Tips On How To Become A Funny Keynote Speaker
Key Takeaways
- A keynote speaker is someone who sets the tone for events
- Adding humor to the speech is a must (for many reasons!)
- Humor is what will make events meaningful and impactful to your audience
- Typical motivational speakers are outdated and ineffective – pick a great comedy keynote speaker instead
What Is A Keynote Speaker?
Great keynote speakers are people who either are experienced in corporate entertainment or are knowledgeable industry experts. Usually, they have a knack for public speaking and know how to get along with an audience.
Keynote speakers usually have some kind of portfolio that makes them qualified to talk about a specific industry or topic. But many times, they’re just professional speakers who know how to deliver a killer speech.
The role of a keynote speaker is pretty important – they set the tone for the whole event. There are many different ways that they can do this.
Some use the power of motivation to inspire the crowd, while others rely on humor to make a real connection with their audience.
What Makes A Motivational Speaker?
Motivational speakers use the art of public speaking to inspire their audience. Motivational speakers usually hold a portfolio of significant accomplishments that can be used to impress their audience and get them excited about life!
Even the best motivational speakers can’t always be successful keynote speakers. But, of course, you can still use a motivational speaker for your corporate event if you want. Just don’t make it your default choice.
This is because motivational speakers usually lack the greatest tool a speaker can have – humor!
Why Is Humor The Best Tool For A Speaker?
Humor is a precious tool when it comes to corporate events that many speakers seem to lack. And cracking a couple of lukewarm jokes to lighten the room doesn’t indicate the use of genuine humor.
Humorous and funny entertainers know how to successfully utilize words, tone, and intonation to connect with their audience and leave them laughing.
So, why is humor so valuable?
#1. Laughter Brings People Together
Think about your personal life. When you meet someone new, the moment you connect with them is when you have a shared laugh. We make friends when we can talk and joke about the same things.
Our best memories are usually ones that are full of humor!
So, why not utilize this power as a keynote speaker?
When your audience is laughing, they are not only connecting with each other but also with the speaker. Shared laughter strengthens our relationships and forms lasting bonds.
#2. It Boosts Audience Engagement
There’s a certain distance (both physically and mentally) between the speaker’s stage and the audience. Unfortunately, that distance can easily turn into a bored audience with lifeless facial expressions.
And that is the worst nightmare for any speaker. So the best way to fight this is with humor.
Plus, using humor to get your audience laughing and smiling is a surefire way to get them actually listening! When your audience is listening, that’s when the material can be impactful.
Engaging your audience with laughter is how you can really deliver a killer speech as a keynote speaker.
#3. Motivational Speaking That’s Funny Is More Effective
Talking at your audience members won’t do any good. An empty monologue or lecture is pretty much a waste of time for all parties.
And it reminds us of high school History class. You know, when you were so bored you literally watched the hands on the clock till the bell rang.
That’s why it’s so important to engage your audience. Once your audience is involved in what you’re saying, your message becomes much more effective.
If your audience is interested, then you’re golden! Your words will make an impression, and your audience will remember what you said at the end of the speech.
#4. It Erases Any Built-Up Tension
Especially for business or corporate events, the attendees might feel a little unsure initially. They might have an initial misconception that they should behave strictly professionally at corporate functions.
And that’s an excellent way to guarantee they won’t have a good time.
So, the best way to lighten the room and relieve tension is by making the audience laugh. It’s that simple!
When your keynote speaker adds humor to their speech, the event’s remainder will be enjoyable and lively. And that’s one of the main points!
Plus, whenever it’s time to go back to work on Monday morning, everyone will feel much more connected and happy.
#5. It Leaves A Lasting Impression On Your Audience
Keeping your audience intrigued during the event is one thing. But in the end, you want them to be left with a lasting impression of it all.
Regardless of their mood coming in, your audience will remember more of what they heard from your keynote speaker if the speech was funny! Laughter is what makes something really stick.
So if you want your event’s message to actually resonate with the audience, it’s a good idea to make sure your keynote speaker knows a thing or two about comedy.
Bonus: Funny Speech Topics For A Corporate Laugh
Why Motivational Speakers Are A Thing Of The Past
Everyone can get on board with a great success story. The traditional “rags to riches” tale is something we can all admire and respect.
A typical motivational speaker draws on these types of topics to give us some inspiration for our own lives. However, a simple motivational speech isn’t always enough when it comes to the art of public speaking.
Motivational speakers aren’t usually entirely entertaining, and whatever inspiration they provide their audience fades once they leave.
So, what are the main reasons why a simple motivational speaker isn’t enough anymore?
#1. Our Attention Spans Are Getting Shorter
Motivational speakers usually use a more serious and long-winded story to make their point. But it’s been shown that now more than ever, our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter.
So, long and winding storytelling won’t cut it anymore. An audience will get bored of it before the punch line can even be reached. And then the speech is dead in the water.
#2. Unrelatable Stories Aren’t That Effective
Inspirational speakers often paint us a picture of a fantastic triumph of the human spirit to motivate us. But most of the time, the stories aren’t actually relatable.
That’s not to say they aren’t impressive and inspirational. Just keep in mind that usually, the best motivator is something we can personally relate to on an intimate level.
Relying solely on a motivational story to excite our audience isn’t enough.
#3. We Only Get Temporary Motivation
Motivation is still a powerful tool when it comes to being a good speaker. However, the drive that comes from a motivational speech is short-lived.
We can feel this sudden urge for passion and inspiration during motivational speeches, but that’s usually its highest point. After that, it’s forgotten.
That’s Where Comedy Keynote Speakers Step In
For event organizers, there’s a lot to keep in mind. And probably the most significant part is finding a professional speaker to bring real value to your planned meeting, conference, or seminar.
Finding someone who can feel confident on stage and has real public speaking skills is essential. Relying on a keynote speaker without adequate expertise and know-how will just lead to your event’s failure.
Your keynote speaker should be entertaining and hilarious while speaking with confidence and knowledge. When it comes down to it, a comedy keynote speaker is an obvious choice for your event’s main act.
This is the best way to leave a hilariously inspirational impression on your audience.
Where Can I Find A Great Comedy Keynote Speaker?
It can be a challenge to track down the perfect keynote speaker for events. There are plenty of options when looking for a great speaker, but not all of them are the right choice for your audience.
That’s why Clean Comedians® has the best comedy keynote speakers for all corporate events. There are even magicians or virtual speakers you can select from!
Our corporate comedians don’t resort to awkward or dividing subjects to try to pry laughter from an audience. Instead, we use unique jokes tailored to your company or business to unite everyone.
Typical keynote speakers don’t take the time to get to know your company’s brand and people. But we take that time because that makes our speeches stand out. We find the best way to provide a memorable experience for our target audience and leave them laughing out loud by the end!
Wrapping Up
Designing a great event starts with finding the right keynote speaker to bring it all together. And what better way to engage and entertain your audience than with humor?
We all have a good time when we’re smiling or laughing, especially when we’re surrounded by people. Picking a comedy keynote speaker for your next event should be a no-brainer – the benefits are endless!
Keep Reading: How To Become A Motivational Speaker In 7 Easy Steps
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Adam Christing is a professional comedy magician, virtual MC, and the founder of CleanComedians.com. He is a member of the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and a popular corporate entertainer, magician, and virtual speaker.