When researching keyword phrases that people are searching for I find when I type in “motivational speaker” some of the top searches are Chris Farley Motivational Speaker and Matt Foley Motivational Speaker. It’s people searching for videos and information about the late Chris Farley playing his character Matt Foley Motivational Speaker.
In the skits Chris Farley did as Matt Foley Motivational Speaker he said he lived in a van down by the river. He’d come into a home and try to motivate their teenagers. Chris was one funny man. As far as I can tell there were only 9 appearances of Chris Farley as Matt Foley on Saturday Night Live. Sadly Chris Farley passed away in 1997 at the age of 33, but still lives on over 20 years later in Google searches and on YouTube.
Matt Foley Motivational Speaker SNL Skit
Chris had perfect comedic timing. He sure played that character and others well. The entire cast of Saturday Night Live in those years were pretty incredible.
We all know that Matt Foley was a made up character, but it’s possibly what some people think all motivational speakers are like. There are people that do high quality work and others that are the discount people down by the river in all fields. You get what you pay for. There is a difference in quality.
If you are having a sales conference, awards banquet or another corporate or association event you can’t afford to hire a Matt Foley Motivational Speaker type, unless it’s a spoof and you really don’t want them to motivate your employees.
By mixing motivational speaker and entertainment ( mentalist / mentalism ) I’m able to entertain and motivate your guests at the same time. I’m not shouting at them like Chris Farley does as Matt Foley on SNL, but instead I’m involving them in the audience and right on stage.
Depending on what the event is I’m able to take out the motivational segments if my client wants pure entertainment for after dinner entertainment. The way I design my motivational entertainment presentations is to have the perfect mixture of entertainment and motivation.
Your guests will be laughing one second and getting motivated the next all while having a great time. I’ve been entertaining and motivating at association functions and corporate events for over 30 years and created presentations your guests will love.
Chris Farley’s character Matt Foley Motivational Speaker might be someone that people will have come to mind when thinking what a motivational speaker is to them. Other people that have been to a sales conference, association function or other corporate event that hired a keynote speaker or motivational speaker might think they are someone that just plants themselves behind a podium and talks at the guests.
Sadly that’s what a lot of speakers do. You’ve have the same experience watching them on video as you would watching them live since they don’t interact with the audience. You don’t want to hire someone that will just stand there reading from a paper or reciting something they memorized. … At least I hope you wouldn’t.
I’m not saying that all speakers that stand behind a podium are bad, but I bet the speakers and entertainers that you’ve had the pleasure of seeing that you liked the best were those that moved around a bit on stage.
When your audience is involved in the presentation and having a fun time they seem to remember things better and have the motivation and inspiration stay with them longer. Why? Because they were a part of the entire experience and not merely a spectator.
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin
If Ben Franklin realized that all those years ago before technology was taking up everyone’s attention, it’s even more important now. Since you are paying professional prices for your keynote speaker, motivational speaker or entertainer at your event you need to hire someone that will have the best return on investment for you.
If you have an upcoming corporate or association event please keep me in mind. I’m not in a van down by the river, but currently in my office in Michigan and ready to head to the airport and go wherever you need me.
Back in 2015 I had a blog post called Top 5 Reasons Why Companies Are Hiring Motivational Speakers. Here is a little of that post and a link at the bottom to read the entire post:
Top 5 Reasons Why Companies Are Hiring Motivational Speakers
A business is a constantly moving entity and it rarely involves just one person. For the most part it takes a group effort in order to reach greater heights, which is why motivation is so crucial. All it takes is one weak link to break the complete chain and this is the type of situations business owners want to avoid. Unfortunately many of them don’t realize that waiting for the link to get weak is already damaging the company. From the start employers should keep their staff inspired to move forward and to find reward in what they do.
Keep in mind that people aren’t just stressed about their jobs. There are many factors that contribute to a lack of motivation and it can start at home just as easily. Frankly, a person doesn’t always need to have a dream job to enjoy it. Ultimately, any job is what a person makes of it, but sometimes a little help is needed. It doesn’t matter if there are 5 employees or 1000, a great motivational speaker can keep the wheels running smoothly. In fact, the right keynote speaker can do more than just convey an important message, but he or she can also breathe new life into a static environment.
As mentioned earlier, a business will always go through changes, so it’s important to keep the people happy.
Here are the top 5 reasons why companies are hiring motivational speakers to motivate their personnel:
1. Specific Set of Skills
At the top of the list is probably the most obvious reason, namely their specific set of skills. These people go into conference rooms and inspire employees as a career. They know all the things that need to be said, the way it should be said and how to make their audience take action. Business owners, whether they have big enterprises or a small establishment, can consider a motivational speaker as an investment.
2. Fresh Ideas
Top motivational speakers in the USA, like John Pullum, always come with fresh and unique ideas that speak to more than just getting a business out of a depressive slump. They specialize in understanding the position employees are in, which allows them to connect to the audience, but also to effectively motivate them. Even though some businesses are hell-bent on sticking to a certain way of doing something, they’ll quickly realize how great the effects of change can be.
3. An Objective Opinion
If there is one thing a good motivational speaker will always do, it is to stay objective. This is why employees have a certain respect for a third party opinion. When there is a lack of inspiration employers will have a very hard time getting through to their staff. This is mainly because employees are tired of hearing the same old thing and it comes from a person they might have disagreements with. With a speaker there is neutral ground for both parties and both parties end up winning.