Dinner speeches: Bernhard Wolff's tips for the perfect evening event
In his capacity as managing partner of his company Think-Theatre GmbH, the expert on creative ideas and innovations has already arranged more than 400 events and conferences. With his extraordinary event concepts, Bernhard Wolff provides intelligent entertainment and as a keynote speaker regularly thrills his audience with his creativity.
When selecting the topic of the speech and the speaker, Bernhard Wolff recommends going with general and entertaining contents as the audience at evening events is usually mixed – in particular, if different clients or partners are invited. In order to address all guests, topics everybody can benefit from - such as motivation or communication - should be considered. By way of an entertaining and humorous style, the speaker succeeds in loosening up the event – for laughing together unites.
When you are planning an event, you should also keep the timing in mind. Bernhard Wolff’s tip: Have the dinner speech in the time between starter and main course! In order not to starve the guests, the speech should last about 25 minutes, but no longer than 40 minutes. To ensure that all guests can clearly see and understand the speaker, Global Topspeaker Wolff recommends a central, well-lit action area or stage. Also organise an appropriate sound system for the evening, with microphones and loudspeakers, for instance. While the speaker is on stage, make sure that nothing distracts the audience from the lecture and avoid disturbances.
As the organiser, you should, for example, ask the waiters to fill glasses again before the presentation starts and to stop the service entirely for the duration of the speech. This allows the guests to fully concentrate on the presentation.Although during the dinner speech the focus is on the booked speaker, the host or organiser is responsible for introducing him or her. Therefore, Bernhard Wolff recommends presenting the speaker with a few short sentences: „This attracts attention and in addition enhances the speech“, says the entertainer. This is how the host creates an evening to remember.