Keynotes

A keynote speech may involve only one distinctive voice but must also deliver many harmonious, relevant and powerful messages.

The keynote should set the tone for an event. It imbues the audience with the right context and level of expectation of what is to follow. This process is not an exercise in attention seeking but rather builds mutual confidence and trust.

In the post-Covid environment, keynote addresses face a new challenge. They now increasingly occur in restricted capacity auditoriums or indeed, remotely and online. Nevertheless, they must be highly interactive and communicative substituting personal presence with proactive resonance.

Interactive elements can be planned and rehearsed, but personal experience has shown that spontaneous  interactivity when properly managed, greatly enhances the impact of keynote speeches.