Futurist Keynote Speakers. 20 secrets of world's best keynote speakers. How to select great keynote speakers for your events. Secrets of all top keynote speakers. Change how people see, think, feel and behave. Who are the best? CALL +44 77678 511390

Dr Patrick Dixon MBE: Futurist Keynote Speaker - Futurist Keynote Speakers CALL +44 7768511390

270,000 have watched this leadership keynote - live audience of 4500 executives 

How to create world-class events. Secrets of all great keynote speakers.

World-class keynote speakers create instant magic, energy, engagement and anticipation but are very rare.

Awful keynote speakers are unfortunately very common and dreaded by conference participants everywhere.

You can usually tell if a keynote speaker is going to shine in less than a couple of minutes. So then, what makes a really great keynote speaker?

With every great keynote speaker there's an immediate total emotional and mental connection, a stage presence, an energy which captivates, the whole auditorium lights up.

You can watch videos of keynote speakers and try to analyze style or content but there's something else going on.

In fact videos are a very poor tool to capture the experience of being part of a live audience that is being "worked" by a professional keynote speaker - most senior executives in large companies don't have world-class keynote speaker skills.

World class keynote speakers create an almost mystical experience - an astonishing engagement and connection of speaker with each person in the audience.

* "How AI Will Change Your Life - A Futurist's Guide to a Super-Smart World" - Patrick Dixon's latest book on AI is published in September 2024 by Profile Books.  It contains 38 chapters on the impact of AI across different industries, government and our wider world.

Need a world-class keynote speaker? Phone Patrick Dixon now on +44 7768 511390 or email.  

Great Keynote Speakers - what are they like?

World-class Keynote Speakers 

• Grab attention from the first few seconds of any keynote
• Create excitement in the audience, hungry for more
• Know how to work the room, turning a lecture or keynote into theatre magic
• Are sharply relevant and provocative - every word in that keynote really strikes home fast
• Have fresh ideas which trigger deep insights
• Know how to entertain and energise every keynote audience, every culture, every industry
• Give people vision, confidence, practical help and boost morale 
• Are able to take the most complex ideas and deliver them in a single phrase 
• Take a broad view - setting stage for all that follows their own keynote, in the entire event
• Are always flexible: totally focussed on your event's success rather than their own ego
• Work very closely with organizers to make their keynote messages fit really well
• Pay the closest attention to detail to get it right - every time

Important tests for world-class Keynote Speakers

• Audition all keynote speakers on the phone 
• Does this keynote speaker really take time to listen to you? 
• Do they really get what you are trying to do with this keynote? 
• Do their keynote ideas really fit your theme? 
• Do you like and trust them? This is really important
• Do you think you will enjoy working with this keynote speaker? 
• Have you talked to others they have worked with? 
• Have you at seen more than one keynote video they have given? 
• Do they give keynote speeches at a lot of events like yours? 
• Do they have a sense of humour? 
• Have you searched online using to see what others are saying about them? (Your delegates will do the same). 
• Do they have a high profile online? 
• Do they have a large website of their own, many different YouTube videos of keynotes, their own keynote channel?
• And if they claim to be a Futurist - what is their track record of success in predicting change?

Common mistakes people make about Keynote Speakers

Keynote for 4,500 conference organisers in Las Vegas. Watch video of this Futurist keynote - around 400,000 views. How to select the very best keynote speakers, time after time. How to make your conference one of the most successful and significant that anyone can remember. 

How to create highly impactful and memorable corporate events by selecting the world's best keynote speakers. Practical secrets for success for your next physical conferences. How to avoid the most common conference mistakes. Lessons for every world-class event organiser. How to create conference audience "magic" at almost zero cost. Secrets of all world-class keynote speakers.

I have seen the very best keynote speakers, and ones which are deeply embarrassing to their hosts, when I have been participating myself in VIP global events across the world, giving Futurist keynotes of my own, in over 1,400 corporate events, in more than 60 nations, for over 400 of the world's largest 2000 companies during the last 25 years.

Looking for a world-class keynote speaker? Phone +44 7768 511390 or e-mail Patrick Dixon for a keynote now. 

Keynote Speakers Can Get You Promoted or Fired

Keynote speakers can turbocharge or destroy your own corporate event, workshop or seminar.  

Get the best keynote speaker in the world and your reputation as a conference organiser will shine like the sun

Make a big mistake with a keynote presentation in your conference programme and it's likely the end of your career.  

Great keynote speakers will help you sleep at night, certain that you will have a brilliant, world-class keynote which will set up your entire conference for all that follows.

Customised keynote at Google global marketing event for their most important digital marketing partners.

The trouble is that the best academics and so-called experts are often really terrible conference speakers. Over-detailed slides which can't be read, boring keynote delivery, unable to engage with their audience.

A keynote speaker that spoke well at a previous event you organised, to an internal audience of 50, may fail in a spectacular way in front of your CEO with a global client audience of 1000. 

Very sadly, I've watched some keynote speakers fall over badly - really painful to witness.  Even worse is that it is usually the case that the keynote speaker has no idea of the personal disaster they are falling into.

If they realised, they would stop, change direction, or even change career altogether.

It requires rare skill to be able to really impress senior executives or board members in any keynote speech. 

And every year attention spans are getting shorter.

The best keynote speakers are almost all Professionals

That is why the best keynote speakers in the world are almost all Professionals.

They know how to inject passion and fire into conferences, how to create extraordinary experiences for their audiences, how to lift entire events to a new level.

The best keynote speakers are highly skilled platform performers: entertaining, engaging, energising - and know exactly how to relate to different audiences, professions, industries and cultures. 

Professional keynote speakers all know how to combine brilliant, life-changing insights with wit and humour to drive key messages home in memorable ways.

Professional speakers know how to keep their audiences right on the edge of their seats, from first seconds to the last gasp, leaving delegates hungry for more.

Do not expect your own team to turbocharge global events

It is completely unrealistic and unfair to expect the CEO of one of your own clients, or even one of your own senior team, to be able to ignite a global event.

Yes, they may be a central part of the whole programme, but don't expect fireworks.

And take great care when selecting keynote speakers on price - as in everything else, you will get what you pay for.  Do you really want to risk mediocre performance at a major event?

Be especially ware of speakers who you convince to turn up "because it will be good for your business, you will get key contacts."

Great keynote speakers really don't need to market themselves at your event

They all have global reputations as brilliant performers already, strong web presence, huge track record, tens of thousands who have heard them speak in the past. So why would a world-class keynote speaker work for you for nothing?

Indeed, the fastest way for a top-performing keynote speaker to trash their own reputation and brand is to do free events (unless for a charity Foundation.

Discuss a keynote for your own event today: phone +44 7768 511390 or e-mail Patrick Dixon now.  

The best keynote speakers understand large audiences

Here is the shocking truth about conference speakers in large venues.

85% of the entire energy and personality of all keynote speakers is lost in the first 5 metres from the platform. That's why layout of the conference hall can be mission critical.

Before giving any keynote, I always find the worst seats in the venue and try them out - behind the pillar, on a round table right at the far corner...

Every world-class keynote speaker knows that there are three audiences:  the front rows, mid rows and those at the back.  

You need to move around the back of a venue while others are giving keynotes and feel the difference.  

A reasonably competent keynote speaker may be doing well with the front rows, but losing completely the rear third of their audience - who for example may not be able to read the slides.

Even experienced keynote speakers can make these fundamental errors.

Huge TV screens do NOT compensate for the feeling of personal involvement with a great keynote speaker.  

They just create the feeling that you are watching TV or a recorded keynote video - why not stay at home and do the same?

That's why it's so easy to make even bigger mistakes when delivering keynotes at virtual events.

All great keynote speakers use the the whole stage, their whole body, every aspect of their being to project their messages in compelling ways. 

They know how to work the entire audience from front to back, left to right, from the opening seconds of their keynote.

Watch the video on the right for simple, no-cost ways to increase audience engagement with all keynote speakers at your largest and most important events.

Instant full attention - Test for Great Keynote Speakers

Great keynote speakers command instant full attention of participants, with an intense flow of sharply relevant and engaging insights, just right for that audience, that conference, that part of the programme, backed by high-impact images or video on a big screen.

A poor keynote speaker is always obvious in the first 10-20 seconds. No spark, no passion, no fire. No chemistry with the audience. 

Very rarely have I seen a keynote speaker recover after a poor start in the first couple of minutes - their fate is already sealed, judgments already made.

You can feel the wave of disappointment. Energy levels fall. Keynote delivery is in a monotone, pace too slow, content difficult to follow or irrelevant.  Stand at the back and you will see the disaster: 45% of delegates on their smartphones within 90 seconds of the keynote starting, some delegates whispering to each other on tables, others packing their bags to leave the room!

Worst of all is a keynote speaker who stands at the podium and reads a speech, or is dependent on autocue, or constantly referring to written notes. 

Such keynote speakers can easily damage your entire event. Unable to focus on eye contact with their audience, robbed of the most important insight of all - which is the ability to read the inner thoughts and feelings of hundreds of people simultaneously.

The key is this: what will set your audience on fire - at that moment in your event, touching them deeply in a way they remember for a decade to come?

Sense the mood - mind reading by keynote speakers

All great keynote speakers sense the mood of each audience, and how that mood is changing from moment to moment.  

Such keynote speakers know when their audience is engaged, amused, puzzled, worried, confused, bored, stimulated, entertained. 

They play audiences with the same skill as world-class stage actors or comedians. 

These keynote speakers can read unconscious signals from the VIPs in the front row, the leadership team, the event host, the event organiser.

World class keynote speakers have total mastery of their material, needing few prompts, able to move around freely without getting lost in their flow of thought.  

So they can spend all their mental effort in adapting their keynote messages in real time as each presentation unfolds.  

World class keynote speakers blend very familiar content (to them) with fresh and new material which has been developed for that audience alone.

Avoid lazy keynote speakers

Sadly, some keynote speakers are arrogant and don't put in the effort they should in preparing: they rely on the contents of their well-sold book, and use identical sets of slides from one event to the next.  

Such keynote speakers rarely bother to attend dinner the night before or to engage in meaningful conversations with participants before they go on stage.

Lazy keynote speakers are anti-social: they spend little time talking with the event organiser, CEO and others before arrival.  

They fail to listen to the sessions and keynotes before, or to adapt their material to respond to what has been said previously by other speakers.  

They fail to understand the story-line or "red thread" running through the entire event, and their place within it. 

They often arrive late and leave as soon as they possibly can after walking off the platform immediately after giving their keynote.  

Such keynote speakers insult their audiences and neglect their responsibilities to event organisers.

Committed to your success - test of all great keynote speakers

The best keynote speakers speakers see their role as servants not prima-donnas.  They may be very well-known celebrities on the conference speaker circuit, but they are always willing to do what they can to ensure the whole event is an outstanding success.  Such keynote speakers are helpful, courteous, friendly, considerate of support teams and technicians, and take good care of the most important people to the client.

Looking for a world-class keynote speaker? Phone or e-mail Patrick Dixon now.  Read FREE SAMPLE of The Truth about Almost Everything - his latest book.

Read about 50 reasons why corporate event organisers invite Patrick Dixon to give keynotes at their most important conferences.

Event organisers should demand:

* World class keynote presentation content
* Conference keynotes that make people think in radical ways
* Immediate practical take-home messages from every presentation
* Total focus on the interests of the audience in every keynote
* Speaker fits keynote material into whole theme of conference
* Interesting, entertaining, dynamic keynote
* Kind of keynote presentation where conference audiences want more
* Outstanding visuals - innovative use of images / video and other elements, adapted to stretch the full capability of all the technology / screens available

Discuss your own event today: phone or e-mail Patrick Dixon now.

Future Trends, Growth Strategy

"Take hold of your future - or the future will take hold of you"

One of the greatest risks to any business is institutional blindness - too much time with people who have a similar world view.  As one of the world's best conference speakers, Dr Dixon aims to help conference participants touch and feel the future with multimedia presentations on every aspect of what tomorrow's management challenges may be like.

Every great leader spends time considering the future: vision and strategy must be based on deep understanding of what the world is today and what it could become tomorrow.  All successful business leaders are experts on consumer and competitor trends and have an intuitive feel for where those trends may change most significantly.

Every conference speaker should bring change to an organisation. It's not enough for a futurist to make informed guesses or detached, philosophical comments on public platforms, or as part of workshops, seminars, think tanks or client events. A successful futurist has to be able to see, feel and taste the future and communicate different scenarios in ways that are relevant, realistic, down to earth and life-changing.

No conference keynote speaker on the future can predict specific events such as the exact moment to buy or sell a stock, but (despite many uncertainties) underlying mega-trends are vital for every corporation. The key for a successful corporate lecturer is not only being able to interpret the outworking of those trends and to be as accurate as possible about timescale, but also to be an interesting, entertaining and mind-stretching speaker.

Designing a great corporate event is an art, and great executive conferences are rare. The secret of success is a great opening visionary lecture that sets the scene, and creates the whole atmosphere, energy and drive for the conference. A great speaker brings an electricity into the conference auditorium almost before they begin to speak, instantly grabbing attention and carrying conference participants along on the crest of a wave to a wonderful climax.

Great presentations are hard work, physically, mentally and emotionally - for the speaker of course - but should also be stimulating, enervating, exciting and engaging for senior executives.

Dr Patrick Dixon is often described as Europe's leading Futurist, and is a renowned keynote speaker addressing audiences of up to 4,000 people a time in up to three countries a week. He works extensively with Fortune 500 companies at the most senior levels and has been ranked amongst the 20 most influential business thinkers worldwide.

More than 6 million video views by some of the 15.5 million different visitors to our sites, here or on our YouTube Channel or on Google Video. Dr Patrick Dixon has given keynotes at events in 53 countries.

More:  How great conference speakers can transform your business - and make or break your career if you are an event organiser.  Secrets of all great conference speakers.

Discuss your own keynote request or event today: phone or e-mail Patrick Dixon now.

Short clips of different conference videos on management challenges:

Patrick Dixon's YouTube Channel - over 6 million video views of keynotes.  Search 300 videos by topic.

You can also look at some keynotes on Patrick Dixon's SlideShare.

Economics, Finance & Financial Services
Banking - many of Patrick's clients are global banks, investment funds
Economics issues - Patrick creates a big picture of global trends
Insurance - Patrick has worked with many of the world's largest insurers

Technology
Technology - Patrick works with many of the world's largest computer, software, telecom, internet and biotech companies
Social Media - Online Communities - how online communities will drive your business
Smartphones - future of telecom, wireless devices, virtual communities, positional advertising
Convergence and divergence - why all competitive advantage comes from divergence
RFID technology - impact on retail, wholesale, distribution and manufacturing

Health and Education
Health care - key trends in health, ageing, biotech, hospitals, clinics
Pharmaceutical industry - impact of the biotech revolution
Education - future of teaching in high schools, colleges and business school

Leadership, Management & Strategy
Change management - a recurring theme
Risk management - preparing for the unexpected
Innovation - smart innovation, open innovation and crowdsourcing 
Leadership - effective ways to drive organisations forward
Logistics and supply chain - critical issues in manufacturing and wholesale
Motivation - how to inspire people to make great things happen
Women at work - challenges for corporations in winning war for talent
Outsourcing - what is going to happen next

Marketing
Advertising - why traditional approaches are dead in an online world
Customers - how customer demands are changing and why
Customer focus - why many corporations need a reality check, to succeed in future
Marketing - future of marketing and brand development

Travel, Tourism, Energy, Resources and Environment
Travel - future of aviation, road, rail, shipping - for business and leisure
Biofuels - food for fuel? Next generation biofuels. 
Commodities - impact of emerging markets
Energy industry - future energy from oil, gas, coal, nuclear, renewables
Petrochemical industry - how the industry will change and why
Climate change - why the future is about emotion, not just the science
Sustainability - what does it mean for your business?

Other Topics and Types of Audience
Real estate - key trends in commercial and residential real estate industries
Retailing - developing the customer experience

Looking for other keynote topics?  Search on Patrick Dixon's YouTube Futurist channel.

Dr Patrick Dixon chairing conferences and running panel interviews

Google Zeitgeist CEO Summit - 5 minute intro of session on future of entertainment, media, advertising, online communities such as YouTube and perhaps the ultimate consumer experience - space travel with Virgin Galactic

Google Zeitgeist CEO Summit - Chairing session on future of broadcasting and the BBC - guest Mark Thompson, Director General BBC

Google Zeitgeist CEO Summit - Chairing discussion with co-founder of YouTube Chad Hurley - on meteoric rise of YouTube

Google Zeitgeist CEO Summit - Space Tourism and Virgin Galactic - Chairing session with remarkeable video of early flight, discussion and then closing with whole panel of 5 on range of issues relating to entertainment and virtual life

Need a world-class keynote speaker? Phone Patrick Dixon now or email.

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