Posts Tagged ‘celebrity appearances’
University Degree Ceremonies And Keynote Speakers
After a number of years studying at university, when you attend your graduation ceremony both the graduates and their parents will be full of pride. The work put in to achieving a degree means walking into a successful career, job prospects that a non-graduate could have or a life changing experience at the very least. The ceremony should celebrate the achievements of the attendees, and well chosen keynote speakers are one of the best ways that this can be done.
I do not think that a university life is for everyone, and I do not mean to sound like a snob, but picking a keynote speaker who has not been to university is the wrong decision for ceremony organisers to make. They simply do not have the knowledge to be able to relate with the attendees, because life during the years you away at university is something completely different if you choose to go straight into a career once you have finished school.
There is an independence that comes with university. You live far away from home; have to live with people you might not like, become financially smart as soon as you start working out how much money you need to earn on top of your loan if you want to have a full social and academic life. All of these things can only be learnt whilst at university.
When you decide to go into a proper job straight after leaving school, most people still live with their parents for a few months, even years and they have their washing done for them and meals cooked, you have a stable wage which university students do not have and if you do move out you choose the people you are living with. And contrary to most people’s beliefs, those who do go to university mostly pay for the experience themselves by getting a part time job. Working through the holidays and paying of their loan once they have left.
And so when graduation ceremonies are being planned, the keynote speakers should be chosen on their experiences, including attending university themselves. If they have not been they will not be able to give a speech that targets their audience.
Deciding On Keynote Speakers For Higher Education Degree Events
After a number of years studying at university, when you attend your graduation ceremony both the graduates and their parents will be full of pride. The work put in to achieving a degree means walking into a successful career, job prospects that a non-graduate could have or a life changing experience at the very least. The keynote speakers that are chosen to talk at the event should thus be chosen to reflect this achievement.
Now this may sound like snobbery, but I do not believe that a keynote speaker should be invited to speak at a graduation ceremony if they have not experienced the same academic life as those receiving their degree. They simply do not have the knowledge to be able to relate with the attendees, because life during the years you away at university is something completely different if you choose to go straight into a career once you have finished school.
University life makes you more independent. You are faced with situation where you might be forced to live with people you do not get along with, you have to make new sets of friends and you have to be financially organised to be able to budget your loan or get a part time job to help with living costs. All of these things can only be learnt whilst at university.
When working straight out of school you often live with your parents for a few months or even years until you are earning enough to pay for rent, you choose your flatmates when you do move, and so long as you are earning a big enough wage, you do not have the financial worries of students at university. And unlike popular conceptions, most university students have to pay for the privilege of going to university themselves by getting a part time job and paying their loan off when they finish.
And so when graduation ceremonies are being planned, the keynote speakers should be chosen on their experiences, including attending university themselves. Otherwise their audience will be given a speech that has not resonance with their own lives for the past three years.
Make More Money With An After Dinner Speaker
Charity events and fundraising evenings have one major goal; to raise money and support. This support can be in the form of more volunteers, more financial contributors or networking contracts who can help with the charitable organisation in the long term.
An after dinner speaker can help in this endeavour in many ways. They attract more publicity for your event, especially if they have a celebrity factor, they can influence more people to attend your event, and they can help to raise funds through auctions.
Publicity
Your event will enjoy a higher level of publicity of your after dinner speaker is famous or a celebrity. They will be able to talk about your cause and the day/night itself which means more people will know about it.
Increase Attendance
When it becomes public knowledge that a person with celebrity value will be speaking at your event, the number of attendees will increase. Their fans will want to attend so they can see the speaker and people who have a general interest in current news stories will also sign up to attend. People who did not know about your organisation but support your cause will also have the opportunity to attend as well.
Boost Donations
To help you raise more money for your cause or charity that the event is supporting, some after dinner speakers will bring with them something personal to auction off. Signed photos, CDs and DVDs are always popular as are items of clothing and sporting equipment if the speaker is a sports star. If the speaker is really enthusiastic they might offer tickets to a performance or a date with themselves.
Receiving money and donations, recruiting more volunteers and gaining invaluable networking contacts is why fundraising events are organised. Unless they are organised as a thank you to members for their hard work, you can usually get away with charging a set price for every place at the event. The attendees at your event will be willing to pay money for their ticket or their plate if they are promised an entertaining evening. You can charge bigger amounts if your speaker is B or A-list.
After Dinner Speakers And Event Hosting
Charities require money and support in order to carry out their good work. Most people who give to charity choose a couple of particular organisations and give them a donation annually, however they will also support fund raising events on one off occasions. People from every level of society have been attending charitable functions for centuries. The royal family are probably the largest benefactor family in Great Britain, raising millions of pounds for various charities and causes, the Prince’s Trust being one of the most notable. But people with less money also give to charity, every level of society has members who donate.
Organising an event is all about targeting the right audience for your cause. Women are the biggest benefactresses of breast cancer research, men for testicular and prostrate cancer. There are also variations from region to region, parents and pet owners donate differently to people without dependants. Invite those people already affiliated with your cause and those who you think are likely to donate and you will probably raise more money at your event.
Promote your event in the local community and entice more people to come by using an after dinner speaker. Celebrities especially have puling power and often participate in an auction which can bring large amounts of money into the charity.
An after dinner speaker will provide guests with a memorable experience following a humorous speech and entertaining banter. This experience will leave guests with a vivid memory of your event and the cause it was supporting, which will ensure future donations to your charity.
It is easy to raise large amounts of money in a single evening at a fund raising event. They can take a long time to plan and can be expensive but try to use caterers that offer discount for charitable events or use food suppliers from the local region who are more likely to donate food and drink for the event. Make your event a success by hosting it at as little cost as possible, and raising as much as you can.