![]() At business conferences motivational speakers offer a welcome break from the more technical and industry-specific presentations on the agenda. When they are good the passion and performance of these speakers can sweep everyone up and leave behind a fuzzy afterglow of lingering smiles and good cheer. Why isn't more content marketing like that? Later, when you reflect on what these motivational speakers actually said--I know, I've taken notes--you realize that it wasn't anything very earth-shattering. Mostly they tell good stories about how we can all be successful on our own terms. Anything is possible if we are willing to step away from our comfort zone and take a few risks. I don't know about you, but I've been hearing that since grade school. This is America after all. So if it's not the underlying message, the power is in the delivery. A little passion goes a long way While it requires some measure of innate talent, what it takes to be a consistently good motivational speaker and performer can be learned. The non-entertainers on the conference speaker circuit, those who've experienced some tragedy or overcome adversity, are the best example, like the guy who went hiking alone, got his arm stuck under a rock, and had to cut it off. A large part of what they bring to their audiences is the authenticity of their experience and passion about what they accomplished and learned. (These speakers also bring a well-honed storytelling ability, but that's a topic for another day.) Online and everywhere in life, authenticity and passion build friendships and grow business networks, audiences, followers, customers and businesses. Why then does so much content marketing and marketing in general lack these magical attributes? Motivational speakers can't be boring. It's part of the job description. They share the same business audience as B2B content creators and marketers. You can't afford to be boring either. Comments are closed.
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