Keynotes
Keynote Talk
A "Keynote Talk" presentation is a 10-minute (or less) solo stand-up that helps focus an audience on a single but powerful idea, success or challenge. Though short, these presentations are powerful, and conference attendees often come away remembering the short, inspirational presentations better than the longer segments.
Keynote Conversation
Keynote conversations are talk-show-style format, led by a moderator. They are intended to be non-scripted, back-and-forth discussions about topics related to GreenBiz tracks and topics. At their best, they can be powerful opportunities for attendees to learn new things and reframe problems to help address challenges.
Logistics
Arriving on-site: We expect keynote speakers to arrive at the Great Lakes Ballroom at least 30 minutes before the start of their session. More detailed information will be provided closer to the event and a calendar hold will be shared.
What to wear: The attire for the event is business casual. We recommend clothing that is not too bright or busy to appear well onscreen. Please refrain from wearing bright white clothing or clothing with intricate patterns or stripes, as it will be distracting in the post-event video. You may be asked to remove any jewelry, such as dangly earrings, that may interfere with your mic.
Stage logistics: You will have a timer and confidence monitor on stage with you. Please be aware that we have a fully packed program and expect you to stick within your allotted time, so please be mindful of the timer. If you have slides, you will have a clicker to advance through them. You will be set up with a lavalier mic. If you have any special needs regarding the stage, please reach out to jessica@greenbiz.com as soon as possible.
On-site contact: Should you have any questions or concerns while onsite, please reach out to Jessica Coons at 352-874-4161.
PowerPoint presentations: Keynote conversations do not typically have slides, but keynote talks do (though not required). If you will be using slides as part of your presentation, please be mindful of the following:
Presentations must be submitted in PowerPoint format, 16:9 widescreen format
You must provide any special fonts so we can ensure they look correct on screen
If you are including any videos in your presentation, please ensure they are in the following format: 1080p, H.264 preferred codec. (1920x1080p resolution)
PowerPoint Due Dates:
First draft slides: Friday, May 10
Final slides: Friday, May 17
Please submit slides via email to both jon@greenbiz.com and jessica@greenbiz.com
Tips for a Successful Keynote
Keynote Talks
Tell a story. Nothing communicates better than a real-life story — the more personal the better. Stories make facts relatable and people may remember your story better than anything else you'll say. Whenever possible, use humor (but only if you think you can do it effectively; nothing's less funny than forced or lame humor).
Make a point. The idea isn’t just to describe your company or job or product — it is to have a takeaway, some point or conclusion that you want the audience to remember. Consider starting with that point, then working back to it by the conclusion.
Don’t sell. The pros illuminate without being preachy or sales-y. If you’re trying to promote something — yourself, your company, a product or service — you’ll lose the audience. Instead, share an idea. If you do it well, it will give you far more credibility and will invite conversations that will allow you to make your pitch later on.
Use slides sparingly and effectively. The best presentations have some slides, but not many. And those slides have relatively few, if any, words. Just a single image or a key phrase or two — not your basic bullet-point sales-meeting slides. Think about the old adage about 1 picture = 1,000 words, but not every word needs a picture.
Practice. Then practice some more. The best presenters don't wing it. They rehearse, fine-tune and rehearse again. Give a dry run or dress rehearsal to your colleagues, family or pets, or videotape yourself and be your own critic. The more you do it, the better it'll get.
Have fun! Okay, it may seem hard to do after all these tips, but if you can make it happen, you're well on your way. Audiences appreciate a presenter who truly enjoys what they're talking about. It can be contagious.
Keynote Conversations
Make it a conversation. The best sessions are those where audience members feel like they are listening in on a private lunch or dinner conversation between two or more professionals. So, the more conversational the better.
Talk to the moderator. You needn't address the audience directly in these sessions. It's fine to keep the conversation between you and the moderator (and other panelists, if there are any), with the audience listening in. But if you feel the need to address the audience directly, go for it.
Keep it moving. Try to keep answers relatively short, much like you'd do in a TV interview, where long-winded answers can make for boring viewing.
Relax and have fun! Audiences appreciate speakers who truly enjoy what they're talking about. It can be contagious. Use your keynote conversation as an opportunity to share knowledge and inspire participants.
Slides: We do not use slides for Keynote Conversations. In rare instances, we may use one or two slides if visualizing something will help the audience understand a topic, subject to the moderator's approval.