Mix Magic into the Speech
Brad Montgomery (800.624.4280) is an award-winning magician who incorporates his funny business into keynote speeches or motivational presentations for any corporate event. This July, he was presented with the National Speakers Association's Certified Speaking Professional designation. He customizes his 60- to 75-minute presentations around the company's message and makes sure the humor is appropriate to his clients, which include Kraft, Miller Brewing, IBM, and Procter & Gamble. Why use magic to send a message? "It helps me tell the groups to take themselves lightly but what they do seriously," he says. "I look for a speaker who can provide an entertaining presentation but still delivers the message the company needs him to," says Donna Swenson, BankAtlantic's assistant vice president and manager of event operations.
Hypnotize the Attendees
Tampa-based certified hypnotist Erick Kand (727.403.0639) offers a fun, fast-paced Comedy Stage Hypnosis Show. He chooses between 12 and 20 volunteers who are then hypnotized in front of the entire company—often the presidents or C.E.O.'s get involved too. Volunteers can end up hula dancing, thinking their bellybuttons are missing, or strutting around like supermodels. Kand can also incorporate the conference or event theme/message into the show as well. The 60- to 90-minute show can be set up anywhere from a ballroom, theater, nightclub, or even outdoors as long as there is a large enough space and room for about 20 armless chairs. His clients include Costco, Wet 'n Wild Amusement Park, and the St. Petersburg Yacht Club.
Choose Anything from Astronauts to Jugglers
"I choose speakers [for my clients] based on audience demographics and the message they want to portray," says Michele Nessier, president of Action Motivation, a conference management firm in San Francisco. Frank Candy, founder and president of the American Speakers Bureau Corporation (407.826.4248) in Orlando, has more than 4,000 speakers to fit any topic needed from inspiration, leadership, and motivation to relationships, sales, and technology. Discovery Channel, Disney Cruise Line, and the U.S. Chamber of Congress are some of the clients who book such speakers Rick Searfoss, a former space ship mission commander. He can speak about the importance of teamwork and leadership and offer business solutions and innovations. The bureau also has a wide selection of entertainment, such as the .phpyni Brothers, a juggling act available to emcee, present at trade shows, or speak about teambuilding and partnership.
—Vanessa Goyanes