Two time USA Memory Champion and Memory Training Expert Ron White shares his thoughts on how to select a memory expert as a keynote speaker for your conference:
What should you look for when selecting a keynote speaker on the topic of memory?
I have been speaking on the topic of memory for twenty years! Can you believe that! Since I was 6 years old! Okay, lame joke. In reality I started when I was 18 years old. (that is the truth)
What should you look for when you are selecting a memory expert to come to your conference and be the keynote speaker on the topic of memory improvement? This is my check-list (in no particular order):
1. What is the memory expert’s biggest memory accomplishment? Have them held memory records or been a national/world memory champion? Now hear me out – in order to deliver quality training on the topic of memory you do NOT have to have held a memory record or been a memory champion. With that said, there are very basic ways to memorize information and there are more effective memory training methods. A person who has held records or been a memory champion undoubtedly uses the more effective methods and it is a tell on what they may share with your group.
2. What is your speaker willing to teach? Point blank ask them – are you just going to give us the basic memory tips and then hold back the good stuff only if we want to purchase your memory CDs? If the talk is 30 minutes or less I would honestly say that is probably all you can get in that time. On the other hand, if you are giving them one hour to speak you must demand that they share their memory training techniques on how to memorize. What many memory experts who keynote speak do not get is that if you share you best people will be inspired to purchase CDs so they can continue to practice. Unfortunately, most don’t get this and because of that hold back on what memory techniques they share.
3. Ask them if they have memory training techniques that they don’t share. Yep, you heard that right. There are memory experts out there who refuse to teach you their ‘good stuff’ even if you purchase their material. They want to keep the techniques hidden so you won’t bust their records. Now…seriously? Does that not tell you EVERYTHING that you need to know about how much they REALLY care if your group improves their memory?
4. Does the memory training expert have references? Anyone who has been a professional speaker or delivering keynote talks for more than 3 months should have a drawer full of positive references.
5. Ask them how they learned how to memorize. If they reply, ‘I just noticed early on I had this special ability’ then they may not be the memory keynote speaker that you are looking for. You want someone who has a teachable system not a natural gift.
6. Inquire if their talk is more motivational or memory training driven. There is no right or wrong answer here. However, if you are hoping to learn how to memorize from your keynote speaker and he talks for an hour about his experience becoming a memory champion you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you were looking for a motivational speech on winning the USA Memory Championships and you get a memory training workshop on how to memorize names then you will be equally disappointed.
7. Does the speaker have CDs, DVDs and books. This is often a sign of length of speaking and speaking success. If a speaker has no books or CDs you really have to question the level of success they have experienced. In this day and age any keynote speaker, professional speaker or for that matter high school student can professional print a book or CD that looks like it came off the Barnes and Nobles shelf from an internet printer for a very small investment.
If your group is looking for a professional speaker to teach them how to memorize in a keynote talk this is a great check-list for finding a true memory expert. If you don’t want to spend endless hours searching for this keynote speaker then may I suggest you select ME! My name is Ron white and I am the two time USA Memory Champion and I have held the record for the fastest to memorize a deck of cards in the USA. I am committed to sharing with your group my best memory training techniques that they can use to improve their business or grades. I will have CDs and DVDs your group can purchase to learn more but my talk is 100% content driven and CDs are made available only as reinforcement.
I do believe that if you chose me as your memory expert and keynote speaker I would wow, entertain and educate your group. For years, everyone would be asking – ‘do you remember that guy who came in here and memorized a 50 digit number that he never saw and repeated all those names?’
This is Ron White and I look forward to being your memory expert and next keynote speaker!
