Would Your Topic Title Get Your Ass in the Seat?
I’m going to say something that might piss you off.
Your keynote title is probably boring.
Not your keynote.
Not your expertise.
Not your career.
Your title.
Because I see incredibly smart, accomplished people with decades of experience calling their keynote things like:
The Future of Leadership
The Power of Resilience
Leading Through Change
Unlocking Your Potential
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Would you sit through that?
Maybe if you needed a nap.
Your audience doesn't care how qualified you are.
Okay, they care a little.
Your credentials get you through the door.
But they're not the reason someone chooses you over the other 14 speakers who also have impressive credentials.
They're booking you because you have something interesting to say.
Something useful.
Something provocative.
Something they haven't heard 47 times before.
Your keynote title is your first chance to prove that.
Try the Ass-in-the-Seat Test™
Look at your keynote title and ask yourself:
If I were attending this conference, would I actually sit down for this?
Not:
"Is this an important topic?"
Not:
"Am I an expert in this?"
Not:
"Does this sound professional?"
Would I give up 45 minutes of my day to hear it?
If the answer is no, you've got a problem.
And no amount of fancy speaker-bio copy is going to fix it.
Here's the difference:
Women in Leadership
vs.
Why Women Are Still Being Promoted Into the Impossible
Leading Through Uncertainty
vs.
How to Lead When Nobody Has the Answers
The Future of Work
vs.
The Future of Work Isn't What You Think
The second versions have a point of view.
They create curiosity.
They make you want the answer.
That's what a keynote title is supposed to do.
You need to think like an event organizer. What is their main objective with programming?
To get asses in seats.
Sprout helps experts turn what they know into a speaking career people actually want to buy.
Not more topics.
Better ones.
Sprout Speakers helps experts, authors, and executives turn their expertise into a speaking business, from first keynote to full-time career. Explore our services or get in touch to talk strategy.