If you have been tasked with finding a speaker for a conference or event, you may feel almost overwhelmed by the variety of types of presenters available. In order to find one that is appropriate to your audience and the goals for your event, it is important to understand the differences between the various types. Here are brief descriptions of each:

n     Professional speaker. This is a general term that describes anyone whose main occupation is speaking to groups. Professional speakers may educate, excite, encourage, inspire and entertain.

n     Keynote speaker. This is a professional speaker that gives an approximately one-hour presentation as part of a general session, dinner or banquet. Topics vary greatly, and usually can be expected to reinforce the theme of the conference or meeting.

Keynote speakers fall into several subcategories:

o       Inspirational—These are usually men and women who have succeeded in the face of great obstacles. These speakers will share life stories that inspire their listeners to set and achieve goals.

o       Educational—These speakers inform their audience about a specific subject. It is no less important, however, that they present their material in an entertaining manner. That is what makes them an effective keynoter.

o       Motivational—Full of enthusiasm and drive, these speakers can give your audience real get-up-and-go. A good motivational speaker can impact his or her audience for a long time.

o       Celebrity—A celebrity from the world of sports, media, entertainment, or politics can give your meeting real glamour. They often speak about their own specialties or their lives.

n     Seminar Leader. When you are looking for a seminar leader, you usually need a less dramatic delivery and more information about a particular topic. Seminar leaders also need to offer greater interaction with the participants, and often work in a longer time slot. Some professional keynote speakers make excellent seminar leaders.

n     Trainer. Usually, a trainer is hired to teach employees specific skills for the workplace. Because training is hands-on, it typically takes place at a company’s own office. As a result, trainers only occasionally are hired to work at a conference or meeting.

n     Workshop Facilitator. If you plan to offer opportunities for small groups to learn new skills and gain greater understanding of business concepts, you need a workshop facilitator. In a workshop setting, participants will have the opportunity to learn through activities and demonstrations that allow them to relate new information to their own work environment.

n     Industry Speaker. These are speakers who bring expertise in a particular industry or field, but are not usually professional speakers. They provide specific information of interest to a specific audience. Depending upon their prominence in the field and the timeliness of their topic, they may be asked to provide a keynote address or lead a seminar.

n     Entertainer. Comedians, magicians, hypnotists, musicians, dancers, and variety acts of all kinds are sometimes hired to entertain the guests at a banquet or party. They can put your audience is the right frame of mind to learn from presentations.

n     Entertainer/Speaker Combinations. A handful of professional speakers are also excellent entertainers. They both educate and entertain their audiences. By weaving humorous stories with motivational or inspirational messages, they can captivate their audiences and make the meeting truly memorable.

Copyright 2003, Sumerlin Enterprises.

Terry L. Sumerlin, owner of J.B.'s Barber Shop in San Antonio, Texas, is known as "The Barber-osopher," and appears nationally as a humorist and motivational speaker.

Permission is granted for you to copy this article for distribution as long as the above copyright and contact information is included. Please reference or include a link to www.barber-osophy.com.